I bought a selection of 1’x1’ vinyl squares and had a go at cutting decals using an Amazon drag knife.
Toolpaths were done using estlcam. They’re not perfect - there’s sometimes a ‘tag’ between parts but definitely fewer once I added a short lead in. Unfortunately this has to be done manually to every single tool-path so rules out more complicated designs.
The mount I’m using is a modifified version of Printables which is okaaaay but there’s too much slop in the barrel, I can see the wiggle during short moves and changes in direction.
I have a modified print of Ryan’s one as well but I don’t like that I can’t get a good grip of the 2 knurled nuts when it’s cable tied on. I might make a sort of collet for the cutter. I do like the ide of using the PLA as a spring.
I noted that the Cricut machines do some funky stuff at the corners to get sharp corners from a drag knife. Kind of like they go past it by the offset of the knife, then circle back to the line.
I still use my vinyl drag knife and Estlcam. I don’t add lead-ins, I just use an X-acto when I weed everything. The hobby knife helps pick out the vinyl anyway, so I’ve managed some fairly involved cuts, but the Estlcam ones always have slightly mushy corners. I got a Cricut as well, which does some heavier material, like card stock. Not quite enough to use a CNC, not easy to cut with a laser, too much trouble to manually adjust the drag knife. It does a nice job on the vinty and HTV, but I don’t like the software much, and the cloud concept doesn’t sit so well with me.
I think all it really needs is to overlap the start/end a little bit. But there’s no setting for that in estlcam.
Edit: the slop in the tool holder is definitely contributing. It needs to be a really good slip fit with no play. But I do like that I can adjust the spring the skin by preloading them.
The problem is that Estlcam has the correction for a drag knife in the controller options, but Fluid assumes that the correction has been made by the cam before and can’t change it on the fly. So drag knife wise Estlcam and fluid don’t work well together.
Fwiw, am currently using the following mostly printed XY constrained drag bit holder. Mostly used for my diamond engraver bit to make specular holograms, but size the mount to hold drag knife too. I’ve yet to cut vinyl/PPF.
I have it left over from a prop build a while ago that’s the only reason I have it but it should fit the bill.
A more sturdy cutter holder is printing now and a selection of M2 (!) screws are on their way from Amazon.
When the M2 screws arrive I’ll replace the back plate with a dovetail one - the only M2 screws I have right now are too long that’s so it’s mounted on the front of the sliding plate instead.
Happy with the cutting though, it doesn’t need lead ins and the corners are nice and sharp not vague like they were before
