Have you been eyeing the new Silhouette Cameo 4? Learn all the contents of what you're getting in the original box and what add-ons you'll need to buy.
Have you seen the new Silhouette Cameo 4 that can cut wood, fabric, felt, paper, and vinyl? I'm here to show you what comes in each Silhouette Cameo 4 box and maybe some additions you'll want. So here is a breakdown of what you get in the box and what features are different than the Cameo 3.
Using my Silhouette has been so fun lately. I created this cute Unicorn Valentine Box for Leila, St. Patricks Day napkins and my most favorite notebook of all time!
Silhouette Cameo 4 Blades
The Cameo 4 comes with the AutoBlade which has the same capabilities as the previous models but it'll fit directly into your carriage without an adapter. Each of these tools is marked with either an embossed 1 or 2 to let you know what carriage they will go into. There are different amounts of force between the two carriages so they need to be inserted into the correct one.
The Rotary Blade and the Kraft Blade are exposed by twisting the cap to the right. When these blades are not in use, I recommend having the cap twisted covering the tip so that your blade does not dull.
Silhouette Cameo 4 Blade Adapters
Silhouette Cameo 4 machines can accommodate all your previous Cameo blades. The Silhouette Cameo 4 comes with 4 adapters so that your old blades can fit into the carriage.
The new machine has a metal piece that meets up with another inside the carriage so that it can read what blade you have installed. This is why you need the adapters and the older blades are a bit smaller than before's models so they have a dual purpose.
- Ratchet Blade Adapter (Black)
- Pen Adapter (Blue)
- Silhouette Deep Cut Blade Adapter (Grey)
- 2MM Kraft Blade Adapter (White)
**All of these are marked with an embossed 1 letting you know that these can only be inserted into the first carriage.
To use your Silhouette blade adapters, just place your blade inside and snap it closed. Then you'll insert it into the first carriage and select your material you're cutting. The blade adapters have that same metal piece so that your machine will be able to read what adapter you have placed in carriage 1.
Silhouette Cameo Mat
You get one 12X12″ mat that is included in your box. It is a standard grip of the mat but Silhouette also offers a light grip and a strong grip. I prefer the standard mat because I can count on my material staying down but also me being able to remove it easily without the fear of it lifting while the cutting is happening or it not lifting when I'm done.
Cameo mats come in a few configurations -
One of the great things about Silhouette is that I'm not confined to a cutting mat with their Portrait or their Cameo models. Any kind of material that has some sort of backing like vinyl or stickers can all be cut matless. And you can cut up to 10′ of vinyl as well as making objects as big as you can imagine.
Features of the Cameo 4 that are different from the Cameo 3
Dual Motor System
The largest difference between the Silhouette Cameo 3 and the Silhouette Cameo 4 is the Dual Motor System. The Silhouette Cameo 4 can cut up to 3mm thick and can use 5,000 grams of force. This means you can cut denser products but be aware that you have to manually adjust the Kraft Blade with each pass so that it can cut that thick.
Take your time when cutting woods and chipboard and there will be a trial and error phase that you'll go through but once you do, you're going to love the possibilities. I don't recommend cutting fine detail out of thicker products because it can chip easily or tear.
silhouette Built-In Roll Feeder
Before you used to have to buy an additional tool that was the roll feeder attachment. There are small feet on your machines that fit into the cutouts on the attachment that will make the roll feeder attach easily to your older machines.
The new Silhouette Cameo 4 has a built-in roll feeder that pulls out from the base of the machine. It has the option to accommodate 9″ or 12″ rolls of vinyl. Just slide the roller over until your vinyl is held securely.
You just push that lock button and slide it into the desired groove and then let go. Before you'd have to twist and it still had that capability to become loose so I like this design much better.
I like just to adjust my roll-feeder to be locked in the 9″ vinyl position no matter how wide I'm cutting because it makes me feel confident that it won't move and ruin my 10 feet of vinyl. I've had that happen on various machines and the roll-feeder has been such a game-changer.
built-in Cross cutter
The built-in cross cutter works awesome with the roll-feeder. You just unlock the glider and then slide the cross cutter across the vinyl or HTV rolls and you have a clean, even cut every time. This is one of my favorite additions to the Silhouette Cameo 4.
tool detection sensors
The new blades for the Cameo 4 have a metal strip on the back of them along with the blade adapters so that your machine knows exactly what blade is installed and that the settings are correct.
What accessories do I need for Silhouette Cameo 4
I absolutely recommend getting the Rotary Blade, a PixScan Mat, and some extra AutoBlades. I think that you need to think about what materials you're wanting to try and that will guide you in your choice.
Buying a larger mat is also helpful but I always find myself just using the 12×12″ because most of my papers are that size. And because of the matless cutting capability of the Silhouette Cameo 4, I can just buy a roll of vinyl and not worry if it's going to fit on my mat.
Download the Silhouette Studio software and play around. That's how you're going to get comfortable with cutting different materials. I don't think someone buys it and just goes right into cutting wood or engraving, play around and don't be afraid to push yourself.
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