We all love sharing things with friends whether it’s the latest projects we’ve created, a great coupon in the paper, an idea, or even a secret. It’s nice when you have someone to fall back on and even better when that friend shares in the excitement of something you love too, like crafting! When it comes to friends with an Inspiration it’s nice to know that we can give them a call and ask questions on different materials they may have cut, and what settings worked best for them. Regardless of your level of experience there are still new things to learn since there are new products that come out all the time. I have a bit of an advantage here at work, because my friends are co workers and of course Inspiration users. They constantly offer guidance and assistance when I need it. It’s nice to be able to ask if they have experience cutting certain products, or if they’ve ever heard of a new idea using different materials or paper and what settings they used to get the perfect cut.
My sisters and I try to get together a few times a month and craft together. The funny thing that I’ve noticed is that we all use different settings with our Inspiration’s. If the machines are all the same, why the differences in the settings we use?
Mrs. Murray Ann Arbor, MI
There can be many factors that can make a difference in the settings you use and the ones other Inspiration users are using. They can range from how new your blade is, what kinds of materials you’ve previously been cutting, and also the general difference in our machines. If I find I have a blade that I’ve been using for a while (like I recently have) I’ve noticed that I start to use a higher pressure setting. That’s because I’m trying to extend the life of my blade as much as possible before I absolutely need to change it out. Typically when I change to a new blade I’ll be able to use a lower pressure setting depending on the kind of paper that I’m cutting. The thicker, and more dense the paper I’m working with is the higher settings I’ll need to use. Don’t forget the factor that the blade length plays also. I will keep my blade length at about 2 ½ pretty consistently. However, I have Craft Room friends that like using a lower blade length like a 2 and opt to use a higher pressure. The best part about the Inspiration is the ability to choose! Even if you have friends that are using settings that sway from what you use, stick to a combination of pressure and blade length that you know works well for the kind of papers you typically cut. After all, we all cut different materials and use different blade lengths. It’s all about finding that perfect combination that works best for you and your Inspiration.
I also tend to stick to 2 or 2.5 blade length most of the time and I like to adjust my pressure as I think necessary. I just want to say to new Pazzles owners, it can be very frustrating initially but I’m much more able to judge now and can only say this comes with experience. Remember the famous SA golfer, Gary Player, someone commented how lucky he is! His response “yes, the more I practise the luckier I get” LOL
Love my Pazzles more and more everyday!!!
So true,Cheryl. It becomes almost intuitive after a while. I would also add that pressure is affected by humidity and how much you air condition or heat your home.