Complete Pepakura Viewer for CraftROBO guide/FAQ

[OptimusWang]

That's what I thought at fist, but after covering up that little corner mark, I haven't had a problem with the machine not finding the registration mark on the paper.

Thanks, I'll give it a shot today.

 

[Charlieiscool12]

You guys are saying you don't have to mash the cut button 3-4 times before it takes it though?

definitely not. But i have no idea what the problem would be. what model are you using?

 

[mroreo123]

im using letter files, with letter settings, with letter registration marks

Bingo! I had the same problem. There's a scaling bug in Pep Viewer f/ Craft Robo in regards to letter size paper. You have to set EVERYTHING to A4. Just load it with letter paper, but treat it as if it was A4. Set the pep file to A4. Set the printer to A4. Set the cutter to A4.

For margins, I use top/bottom 25mm and sides 15mm (which prints fine on letter paper, despite the A4 settings). I know you lose a little bit of paper real estate by not maximizing to 32/25/15/10 as suggested somewhere above, but the whole point of buying a craft robo is to save TIME, not paper, and I didn't want to futz going back and forth between designer and viewer arranging parts perfectly because I couldn't set the margins individually in designer.

As for loading in the carrier sheet, I actually ignore the bold corners they give you and just center my paper by eyeballing lengthwise on the carrier sheet. The extreme outer lines that run the length of the carrier sheet is the perfect width for letter paper, so I just align one edge to that, and my paper is perfectly straight and centered.

(Borrowed screen shot)

Then I manually move the cutting head to the first reg mark (bottom-left) with my keyboard. Since the paper is mounted so much higher up now, it'll never be able to automatically find it (it never found it automatically in my experience). So uncheck "Search Registration Mark" and just push the button "Registration Mark Reading" after you've manually moved the cutting head to the first reg mark (note, not the laser reading head, the blade itself).

It will have trouble reading a reg mark if you have parts arranged close to them, so just keep the top left, and two bottom corners clear when arranging your parts on the page (again, assuming portrait orientation).

Once it finishes reading the reg marks, you should be good to go. Then just hit "Cut" and everything should be aligned. Good luck and let me know if you still have problems after that.

EDIT:
After helping out a few people with their Craft Robo problems, I thought about starting a similar thread, but I'm glad I stumbled upon this one before going through the embarrassment of starting a duplicate thread! Lol.

 

[Guilhermebtbj1]

Hey thanks for the tutorial, big help!
I was wondering, we could start posting our rearenged files here or in a new tread
It would save a lot of time for every one, i just bought my silhouette and im trying to build a EOD
If you want i can post my rearranged version

 

[Hickeydog]

Hey thanks for the tutorial, big help!
I was wondering, we could start posting our rearenged files here or in a new tread
It would save a lot of time for every one, i just bought my silhouette and im trying to build a EOD
If you want i can post my rearranged version

Only problem with that is each person's scale is different, and you can't scale in the Viewer for Craft Robo. I had that idea as well.

 

[Teric]

@teric: the carrier sheets arent the expensive part. If you just spray on some krylon easy-tack adhesive spray when your carrier sheet is at the end of its stickiness, itll never die. But the craft robo blades die quickly. You get about a full suit before the blade starts jamming edges and not cutting completely.

Wow, $30 per blade set! They always get you on the consumables - same with toner/ink cartridge for the printers. I'm really not sure now that I've read about the alignment problems. Besides, this years costume is almost done - the Pep part anyway. Maybe I'll get one for my son if he wants another suit next year. I'll continue watching this thread to benefit from your collective experience. Thanks for sharing

PS - just tried roto-casting the helmet with Smooth-on resin - LOVE IT!

 

[Charlieiscool12]

PS - just tried roto-casting the helmet with Smooth-on resin - LOVE IT!

i know right? you cant beat fiberglass strength with indoor hardening

 

[OptimusWang]

definitely not. But i have no idea what the problem would be. what model are you using?

The Silhouette SD

 

[OptimusWang]

That's what I thought at fist, but after covering up that little corner mark, I haven't had a problem with the machine not finding the registration mark on the paper.

Also, confirming this works for anyone who was wondering. Thanks for the tip bro, you just saved me like 5 years of grey hair

 

[red mist88]

OK I don't know if it is something I am doing wrong or something with the machine, I cannot seem to do anything to make it read the registration marks. I set it up using all of these methods and it keeps giving me the error. Even though when I just let it free roam it cuts way off the lines I cannot get it to register. Here is what I am working with.

This is the controller, set at Tag 100lbs and Portrait setting.

Print Preview

Print and Paper: Size A4; Orientation :Landscape; margins 15side, 25 top/bottom

Reg marks @ 32 25 18 10

Plus one more thing, I also have the Samsung CLP-310w printer which warps my paper. After I peel off from the carrier sheet this warping dramatically increases. Any suggestions?
I seriously need some help.

 

[OptimusWang]

Yeah, you're pep settings are off. When I get home from work I'll take screenshots to fill in Charlie's tutorial on the first page.

As for warping, don't sweat it. After 5 pages or so the pieces will start peeling off the carrier sheet much easier.

 

[Hickeydog]

Also, bend the carrier sheet as you pull the paper off. It will help stop the curling.

 

[OptimusWang]

Ok, here's how I do it. If any of this is confusing just let me know and I'll try to clarify.

First, open the file in Pep Designer and change the following settings under Settings > Print And Paper Settings:

Now scale your armor to whatever size you want, arrange the parts to fit correctly on the page, save the file and close it.

Next, open up the file in Pep Viewer For CraftROBO, go to Setting > Registration-mark Setting and change them to the following:

Click OK, then go to File > Print and print the file. For my little Epson it looks like this:

Once it's printed, go to File > Cut Developments. In the popup window select the page you want to cut, then click the Details button and make sure you have the following boxes checked:

In the next popup, change your printer to Graphtec CC330L (or whatever model you have), make sure your Paper Size is set to Letter:

In that same pop-up, click the Properties button. In the Properties pop-up, check the box next to Use Carrier Sheet, then click OK:

Now your back to the Print dialog. Click the OK button and it will launch the CraftRobo dialog. Make sure you Cut Depth is at least 30 (I made a custom media type for cardstock to save time, but you don't have to) and max the cutting speed:

Now keep load the tray into your CraftROBO, then mash the next button until it cuts it out. Congrats, you're done

e: If this still doesn't clear things up for you, let me know and I'll make a screencast of me going through the process and upload it to YouTube for you.

 

[red mist88]

Well, thanks and no thanks, somehow mysteriously after I got all frustrated and took a break from all this I came back later on Friday and just slightly messed with the settings and it worked. Here is what I have set up as. \

sorry for the huge pics, editing the two monitors would take forever



E: QUICK question, how long does your carrier sheet last you?

 

[OptimusWang]

E: QUICK question, how long does your carrier sheet last you?

They last forever. If yours loses all of it's stickyness, 3M sells an adjustable spray mount (think glue in an aerosol can) that you can buy at most craft stores.

 

[Charlieiscool12]

I would not use any old spray glue. It will make you paper impossible to remove. Use KRYLON Easy-Tack. Only makes it tacky, not an actual bond.
and thanks for the pics, Ill edit them into the first post

Plus one more thing, I also have the Samsung CLP-310w printer which warps my paper. After I peel off from the carrier sheet this warping dramatically increases. Any suggestions?
I seriously need some help.

Bent pieces really dont effect the final product.
PS: is it just me, or is the cost of the print cartridges for this printer too fricking high?

 

[OptimusWang]

LOL yeah, don't use Super77 or anything like that. This is the stuff I've been using: http://www.amazon.com/3M-75-Reposit...ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1289826940&sr=8-1

 

[red mist88]

I would not use any old spray glue. It will make you paper impossible to remove. Use KRYLON Easy-Tack. Only makes it tacky, not an actual bond.
and thanks for the pics, Ill edit them into the first post



Bent pieces really dont effect the final product.
PS: is it just me, or is the cost of the print cartridges for this printer too fricking high?

Yes the ink for this puppy is quite a penny, I also did buy the Easy Tak from Michaels arts and crafts, and that thing does wonders.

 

[reaper534]

@OptimusWang
Im building some Reach armor but im having trouble fitting it all in the new margins from your tut, I'm worried that if i scale it down it wont fit properly and some of the pieces dont fit at all in the new margins.

Emile torso: Torso_V2_Letter file

I converted it to A4 in PepDesign

 

[OptimusWang]

You definitely need to rearrange the layout so that everything fits after you make the changes. If you just change the paper size and add the margins, you'll have parts running over the edges all over the place.

e: If you'll give me a link to that torso I'll take a look. I'm not seeing it in the 405th pep pack, but my copy of it is several months old.