Scan N Cut Hacks To Save You Money

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NOT ALL HACKS ARE GOOD HACKS! These are my thoughts on various Scan N Cut hacks, some will save you money.

I watch for all sorts of hacks for the Scan N Cut. Unfortunately, not all HACKS are good ones. I recently saw one that said that mats come up a treat when put through a dishwasher cycle.

My advice..DON’T do this hack! My mat ended up buckled and difficult to use. It was not destroyed, but not great either.

This post may contain some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I may earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more)!  Read my very boring full disclosure policy here.

Scan N Cut mat hack

Other HACKS are just OK. Great if you really need them for a reason.

This brings me to the hack of adding a Cricut or HTVRont mat to the top of your Scan N Cut mat.

Adding an additional mat on top of your original mat is a solution if your mat has major damage, for example, cracked, cut through etc or you are unable to purchase a new mat. This hack is better for the older CM range mats now they are a little harder to come by as they have a manual blade setting.

It may not be the best hack for a mat that has simply lost its sticky, it works but definitely has some disadvantages. For one, the additional thickness reduces the cutting depth available from your machine. This could be an issue for the DX machines and their Auto blade technology where the depth of the cut is checked and automated by the Scan N Cut.

Sticky related hacks

Cleaning your mat regularly with alcohol-free baby wipes is an awesome hack to keep the sticky level up.

Then there is restoring the sticky with repostionable glue. I love this hack, it’s great.

There are several repositionable glues on the market. From Zig Two Way glue (pictured) Aleens Tack it Over and Over, Pinflair Stencil glue, and others. Using repositionable glue is a great hack to extend the life of your mat and keep it sticky.

There are still cautions with this hack. Apply the glue sparingly, and I mean SPARINGLY. Some of the repositionable glues require watering down to achieve this. Check the instructions for the glue you choose. Many require you to leave the glue to dry to gain the repositionable effect. (this means that if you try to use them straight away the glue is permanent.) For example, Zig is a Two Way glue, you can use it both ways.

Which glue you choose may depend on availability in the country you live in too.

The above picture is Zig Two Way repositionable glue, great for re-sticking cutting mats, especially Scan N Cut mats. It is available in different sized tips. The pictured size is ideal for re-sticking mats.

For more mat tips check out this tutorial. “Don’t Throw Your Mat Away”

Blade hacks

There are some good Scan N Cut blade hacks around.

My first is to “sharpen” the blade… Well, it doesn’t technically sharpen the blade however it does restore some of the blade’s ability to cut nicely. Making the blade appear sharper.

This hack only requires a small piece of alfoil, scrunched up into a ball. Punching the blade in and out of the alfoil ball approximately 30 times removes any built-up glue or grime on the blade which, in turn, produces a sharper cut.

NOTE: Be careful not to stab yourself.

The next hack for the Scan N Cut blades is using your smartphone camera to check whether your blade is damaged or excessively blunt. The camera has a GREAT zoom feature and allows you to zoom right in to check every facet of your blade

Using these Scan N Cut hacks prolongs the life

One thing to remember is that both blades and mats are consumables and over time, wear out. The main objective of these hacks is to extend the life of your consumables and provide you more “bang for your buck“. At some point, you may need to replace the worn consumable.

Tips for purchasing Scan N Cut accessories

While not a Scan N Cut hack this is a great tip! When purchasing Scan N Cut accessories like blades, kits, mats etc check the codes listed on the products before you purchase. You will note that some codes contain DX within the code. These products are ONLY suitable for the DX Scan N Cut models. If you have a CM model they will not work.

Some accessories are suitable for both the DX and the CM range. These do not usually have the DX letting in their codes but can be used on all model Scan N Cut machines.

The pictured code for the mat on the left is for the SDX model Scan N Cut machines and the pictured mat on the right is for the CM models.

Any mats with the lettering “DX” in the code will not work in the older CM models.

What if you purchased the wrong mat by mistake?

My first piece of advice is to attempt to return it to the place of purchase. The staff might not be familiar with which Scan N Cut mats are suitable for the different models, potentially leading to incorrect advice during the purchase. This serves as a valid reason for them to accept a return.

OK, so you might be in a position where you cannot return the mat so here is the hack. This is a “last-resort” hack.

Scan the registration marks for the correct mat for your model machine. It does not matter which type of mat…eg standard, low tack etc. however avoid the 24″ mats as they are specially coded and let the machine know you are loading a 24″ mat so you will receive a message to change settings. This would be annoying.

Once you have scanned the registration marks, print them on white, lightweight cardstock or perhaps sticker paper. When you are happy with the printout, adhere it to the incorrect mat., covering the original registration marks.

I would classify this only as an OK hack. Better than wasting money and throwing the incorrect mat away or leaving it in a cupboard collecting dust.

Want to learn about Scan N Cut accessories?

More information on tools and accessories can be found here in the “Learn About The Scan N Cut Tools” tutorial.

TIPS to track your HTV info

Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or just starting out, knowing how to keep track of your vinyl effectively can make all the difference in your projects. Accurately recording time and temperatures is especially crucial when working with HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl), as it can often pose a challenge.

I have put together this quick video with a variety of tips on how to record important information.

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I would love to see you there.

You are always welcome to say Hi at [email protected] or [email protected]. It would be great to hear from you!