During the lockdown of Covid 19, we have done many tutorials including maintenance for your ScanNCut. We thought it would be great to have a FAQ’s page to answer some of the most frequently asked questions.
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FAQ’s #1: Blade tearing paper surface
If you find your machine is tearing your paper, there are a few things that you can check. You can adjust settings and more to try and rectify the situation.
Firstly, check that your blade is in good condition and is not chipped. You can check this by removing your blade from the holder; use either a mobile phone or tablet to take a photo of your blade. This enables you to zoom in and see the blade more clearly. Alternatively, hold a piece of white paper behind it to give you some contrast; to be able to see it better. You can reduce the risk of chipping your blade… Firstly, by making sure that your blade is not in your machine when you start it; in order to avoid it being damaged during the initial “judder”. Secondly, by not having your blade inserted when loading your mats; this will also help to protect your mats.
The next thing to adjust is the pressure that your blade is set to. Our CM700 is currently set to -5 and we still manage to cut most items perfectly well. Pressure should be set according to the complexity of your chosen design; with complicated designs using a lower setting. Typically, pressure will need to reduce across the lifetime of your blade.
If you find that even these make no difference to the performance of your blade; then it might be time to consider replacing your blade. You can get replacement blades from various stores including Amazon, Create & Craft, Makers Superstore and Craftelier. Be sure to get the right blade for your machine and holder, as it is easy to get the wrong one.
FAQ’s #2: Lines appearing on scans
If you find that you have additional lines appearing; when using your ScanNCut to do background scans or direct cutting etc; it will more than likely be a mark on your scanning bar. To rectify this clean your scanning bar with a glass cleaning wipe and then try again. Below are the live streams we did of how to do this; for both the CM models and the DX model.
FAQ’s #3: Mat care
It is important to keep your mats clean and dust free. Always remove all media from the mat after cutting and replace the dust cover straight away.
Which mats you are using will vary the instructions to keeping them clean and sticky. If you have a Brother mat then they are best cleaned using a baby wipe and a scraper. Once dry this will bing the stick back to your mat. If this is still not working then you can wash the mat to remove all of the adhesive; reapply a light covering of glue(we recommend Zig Broad tip glue pen) to retack your mat with.
If on the other hand you have a Artistix mat; then the best way to clean and get your tack back is with a lint roller. Do not use baby wipes on a Artistix mat it will ruin it forever.
If you are having difficulty loading your mats there are a few things you can try to remedy this…
The first thing to do is to clean your scan bar; especially if you are getting an error saying mat not recognised. This is usually because it is not seeing the registration marks clearly off the mat.
If this still persists, check the dots at the top of your mat; if they have been damaged at all this will cause a load failure. You can always fix these with a permanent marker if required.
If your mats won’t load correctly or always go askew; then you may need to clean the loading edge of your mat. Brother have admitted that there is an issue where burring occurs from the rollers but this is easily fixable. Take a nail file, and gently remove any rough edges on your mat; you should be able to feel the burred edge where this is required.
FAQ’s #4: My screen won’t work!
There may come a time when your screen is not working; there is really only a couple of reasons this might be.
Firstly check your power cable; is your socket turned on; have any of the connectors come loose; is the plug securely in the back of the machine. After you have checked all of these, try turning the screen on again.
If this does not work, then try taking the power cable out of the machine; leave it without power for about 30 seconds. This reset allows any electrical static to leave the machine and can resolve many issues.
When using a DX instead of the CM range; make sure you hold the power button long enough as it takes a little longer than the CM range. It threw us the first time too!
If you have tried all of these and you still have no joy; then it is likely that the connection between the screen and the machine has been damaged; unfortunately only Brother are able to fix this. Contact your local Brother Repair Centre if this is the case.
FAQ’s #5: I can’t make any pens fit my Universal Pen Holder?
The Brother Universal Pen Holder is a great addition to the ScanNCut but it does have its limitations. If a pen you’re using is too narrow, you can add some washi tape around the barrel of the pen; this widens the barrel to help the pen holder grip.
There are alternatives available. At the time of writing, Brother have just released a second pen holder; which accommodates the thinner pen but there is also another option.
3D Fun Printz have created a universal pen holder which is easier to use and load your pen into. It fits a much wider variety of pen including odd shaped ones and works beautifully in your ScanNCut. 3D Fun Printz has also created a holder for your Sharpie pens too; which is great as this is a unique feature to 3D Fun Printz.
The only other pens that you can get for your ScanNCut are the mini pens. These are great for the small projects but you a limited to the 6 colours that come in the pack. The only useful mini pens really are the two fabric ones. When you use your machine for a lot of fabric, these are washable once you have finished your design.
I do hope that you find this blog piece helpful; if you have any further questions you can send us an email at help@plannercraft.uk.
For further resources check out this blog piece here
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