? Blade needs sharpening & noises

[cathhayes]

Hi all

Have only had my CR since Sunday and it has now stopped cutting. It won't even cut right through paper on the thickest setting with blue blade. Also it seems to have started making more noises than it did originally.

Could the blade need sharpening or does it sound faulty to you? I haven't done that much cutting in 2 days to warrant a new blade I wouldn't have thought.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Krewella]

It maybe faulty but when I first got mine it played up badly and it nearly went out the window a few time but most of it was down to me. Check the blade is in properly and hasn't broken. I'm not an expert but I really don't think it needs sharpening. Maybe try a thinner piece of card.

[susibi]

Blue blade is for the thinnest card - red blade is for the thickest.
I'm sure it doesn't need sharpening - sounds as if you haven't got the blade holder in right. It must be inserted with the plastic ridge to the right then given a slight anticlockwise turn and it will fall into place. there is a diagram of this on the lid of the CR.
I've cut more than 300 boxes with my present blade and it's still going strong - another one I took out and swiped through a pad of aluminium foil when i thought it was getting a little down.
Susibi

[cathhayes]

Thanks for your advice. I think the blade in correctly and have tried just cutting paper with the blue blade but it didn't work. Will give it another go later. I must admit I was getting mad with it last night.

Will get some bacofoil today and give that a try when I get home from work today.

Cath

[persephone]

Is there any chance that you could have damaged the blade. I damaged mine within a few days when I first got my machine. The paper moved cos I hadn't stuck it down properly and that damaged it

[Stellington]

Hej Cath!
How well I understand your frustration. I have a new CraftRobo that didn't seem to want to cut at first but it was my fault, I hadn't got the blade in correctly ridge to the right as Susibi states. You suggest that it has stopped working suggesting that it has previously which is more worrying.

Do persevere it is worth it! I found Tracey Johnsons DVD an excellent reference, it is referenced on the CR forum somewhere but I can't remember where.

Good luck.
S :0)

Good luck
Stella

[cathhayes]

It's possible I suppose but how would I know? I don't remember doing anything that could have damaged it.

I suppose buy a new one is the solution???

[Tiki]

Have you tried cutting with the pink in stead of the blue to see if that makes a difference. I use the pink blade for almost everything and just change the cutting depth in the software

[dozyrosy]

You might also look to see if the blade holder is blocked up with a bit of scrap paper or fluff as that can affect the cutting, though I think it's more likely that, as suggested, you haven't got the blade in correctly or fully. If your Robo is making a sort of "clacking" noise then I think you'll find the blade isn't positioned and locked down properly - been there - done that!!

Rosemary

[witchy1066]

have you checked your settings and that the blade is actually touching the paper/card. when i first got mine it wouldnt cut and when DH looked at it for me, i hadnt got the settings right and the blade wasnt touching the paper.
HTH
xxx

[cathhayes]

Thanks for all your suggestions but I am afraid that nothing works. Have tried the foil and putting the blade in as suggested but it just wont cut cleanly. It even snagged the foil so I think somehow it has been damaged or is faulty.

Looks like I will have to bite the bullet and order a new one. Not very happy as I can't play anymore and had wonderful ideas for cards I need for tomorrow. Hope this doesn't happen again.

Oh well back to the old way of making them I suppose.

[susibi]

If you want to try sharpening the blade make a small pad of aluminium foil then take the blade holder out of the housing and swipe it through by hand a few times - less hassle than trying to peel ruined foil off your carrier sheet and if you try running it through a piece of paper after you've sharpened it it should cut - if it doesn't then you've probably snagged it.
Susibi

[vickiward]

My Robo worked fine initially then when I went to show my sister nothing cut. I realised that when I first did it I chose cardstock from the paper choice, rather than thick paper (which is at the top of the list) and it worked fine. The time it didn't cut was when I chose thick paper from the list. I don't know why this is but I now always chose from further down the list rather than the thin or thick paper option at the top. You might try this and see if it makes a difference.

[susibi]

To make best use of the machine you should learn to use the speed and depth settings. The ones that come with the machine are a very basic guideline and are not always good for the paper or card you are using ( what is 'thick' or 'thin'?) By spending some time playing about with the depth settings you will see that what is considered blue blade and shallow depth sometimes won't even go near the page so you have to manually change the settings and also play about with the cap settings.
Susibi