Help with cutting from a Black Cat (UPDATE WITH a Thank you!!!)

scrappinwithz · February 2015

I'm not sure what is happening. My Black Cat was cutting fine and then quit. It says it should have a Port 5 but it's gone and I can't get it back. We are in the middle of History Day which is due Monday and I can't cut title for my students!!

HappyCrafter · February 2015

I am cutting with my Cougar on Comm Port 3.

Z, tell us what is happening when you say your Cougar quit. Any error messages?

SandyMcC · February 2015

You may need to re-install the driver since you are no longer seeing your Com 5. This happens from time to time on some computers with USB-Serial connections.

Leila · February 2015

If you’re using the KNK plug-in, double-check that it’s on “KNK Maxx” in the “KNK Model” drop-down list.

It happened to me a couple of times where my Cougar was cutting fine, then when I went to cut again, it wouldn’t work. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong...boy, was it frustrating. Well, long story short, I discovered that SOMEHOW (don’t know how) the model had switched to “KNK Groove-E”, and that was the reason my machine wouldn’t cut. After changing it back to “KNK Maxx”, everything worked perfect.

I still haven't figured out how or why the "KNK Model" changes, but now I know what to check first!

Hope this helps,
Leila in Hawaii

SandyMcC · February 2015

It will change if you inadvertently scroll your mouse when you first enter the cut window.

scrappinwithz · February 2015

I will go look shortly and see what it is and try to re download the drivers. HappyCrafter it does nothing. It gives that the file has gone through then it just sits there. Now if I put it at laser it does move but not where I want it to.

scrappinwithz · February 2015

I'm still not cutting. I was able to get Comm3 back but it still won't cut. It doesn't give me any kind of error just won't cut. I've tried doing a test cut but nothing.

HappyCrafter · February 2015

Is your baud rate set to 38400? Which plug-in are you using? From within MTC did you go to Help>Advance>Download and download the FTDI drivers and the CutOK drivers?

scrappinwithz · February 2015

Yes I checked to make sure I'm at 38400 and I am. I did download all the drivers and I did get Comm3 back so that is what I'm using. I can get it to cut if I use Black Cat Laserpoint. I've never used that before but I'm desperate as we have a deadline. Everything looks ok but something definitely is not!!

HappyCrafter · February 2015

OK, so now you have established that the computer is communicating with the cutter and vice versa. Did you try downloading and reinstalling the plug-ins? The KNK plug-in works better than the Black Cat plug-in when using the laser. Sorry, I'm just trying to think of various things that I would try if this happened to me.

SandyMcC · February 2015

Verify, again, that the cut window shows KNK Maxx (not Maxx Air) and that the Baud Rate is set to 38400.

scrappinwithz · February 2015

Sharon and Sandy, yes all of those things have been done. I've turned the computer off and restarted, did get Comm3 back by doing that. Still only way to cut is black cat needle.

HappyCrafter · February 2015

If you have d/l the newest KNK plug-in (v. 1.6.5) from here http://www.make-the-cut.com/Download.aspx?ref=lp have your tried cutting with it and not just the Cougar plug-in?

scrappinwithz · February 2015

Yes Sharon that is the one that I'm using. I even deleted the one that I had on the computer and d/l the new one twice.

SandyMcC · February 2015

That's just bizarre then. I can't imagine why it's not working with the Maxx plugin, but will work with the BC one, given the same file and the same settings.

HappyCrafter · February 2015

scrappinwithz said:
I can get it to cut if I use Black Cat Laserpoint.

scrappinwithz said:
Still only way to cut is black cat needle.

Sorry, I thought that by these responses you were using the Black Cat plug-in and not the KNK plug-in.

Can you post a pic of the plug-in window that pops up when you go to cut?

scrappinwithz · February 2015

ok I cannot get it to cut on KNK at all. Here is what I get on Black Cat. Still won't cut where it is suppose to or correctly.

SBryanW · February 2015

@scrappinwithz - when you are using the Blackcat plug-in and WYSIWYG, I think you have to set the laser/origin at the 2 inch mark. See this discussion:
http://forum.make-the-cut.com/discussion/14510/hi-gone-through-the-manual-and-looked-at-some-videos-on-the-black-cat-forum-but-need-help

I'm not sure why you can't use the KNK plug-in. Can you take a screen shot of trying to use the KNK plug-in?

scrappinwithz · February 2015

@SBryanW yes when I try the Blackcat plug-in and WYSIWG that is what I do but it still won't work.

HappyCrafter · February 2015

Z, regarding it not cutting where it is suppose to, if in the one picture (that shows the housing) you are cutting WYSIWYG and the laser is already set, it does not appear as though the laser light is 2" from the edge. And by the fact that it cut off part of "Explorer" also indicates that the laser is not being set 2" in from right or edge of your vinyl.

scrappinwithz · February 2015

ok that is where the blade ended up when I was done. I always take it to the corner where the lines start on the mat. The blade goes whereever it wants. Even when I do laser registration it goes wherever. You can see where my words were suppose to be cut on my mat and where they did cut. It's crazy I've never had it do this before.

SandyMcC · February 2015

One side observation... it appears in the photo that you only have one pinch wheel gripping the mat. That can cause some slipping and skewing most of the time. You normally want to position the mat so that two pinch wheels will be gripping it.

scrappinwithz · February 2015

@SandyMcC Thanks Sandy for seeing that. I usually make sure there are at least 2 pinchers on there. Luckily it didn't slip but it's still not cutting correctly!!

HappyCrafter · February 2015

Yes, I noticed that also, and forgot to mention it.
When you cut with laser, do you set the laser at the very corner of your paper or vinyl? And do you make your mat size the same size as the vinyl or paper?

scrappinwithz · February 2015

I normally cut it 12x12. Then I put the red dot on the corner where the lines start to meet. It's 2 inches in.

scrappinwithz · February 2015

Thank you all so much. When you all mentioned the 2 inches i got to thinking about my mat. I realized it doesn't have as big of a border as the old ones that i use to use, so I wasn't going in 2 inches. Once i started going in 2 inches it worked!! The only thing it is working with the Black Cat plug in but not at all with the KNK plug in. Not sure what is up with that but it is getting us through the History Day projects!! Thanks everyone for all your help!!

MeFlick · February 2015

Glad you got it working Z. Yes, if you are using the Black Cat plugin you have to go in those 2 inches from the corner of the mat to have it cut properly in WYSIWYG. Not sure WHY you cannot get it to work with the KNK plug-in though as it should just fine. I still have my Cougar and I use that one all the time with it. Once you get through the gotta do it projects for History Day, let me know and we can try to figure out the KNK plugin for you. We can check what you have in your plugin settings against mine for example and see if there is something different.

Help with cutting from a Black Cat (UPDATE WITH a Thank you!!!)

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Help with cutting from a Black Cat (UPDATE WITH a Thank you!!!)

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