FOLDING TIPS
GO THROUGH THE FOLDING STEPS FIRST
The first thing to do once your cuts are complete is to check the instructions. Remember, the folding steps are provided as a guide to help you understand how everything fits together. Sometimes, there’s an easier way to achieve the final result, so don’t hesitate to adjust the order if needed.
1. Review the instructions to get a general idea of the folding process.
2. Pre-fold and then unfold every crease to achieve sharper angles.
3. Begin your final folding, adjusting the suggested order if it makes things easier.
USING THE PDFs
The dashed lines indicate where to fold, but to get clean creases, you’ll need to score them first:
Light Scoring with a Blade: Use your precision blade cutter to very lightly score the dashed folding lines. This method works well for forward folds and creates a clean, crisp crease. However, for backward folds, you’ll need to flip the sheet over and score from the opposite side. Since the fold line won’t be visible, you can punch a tiny hole with the tip of your blade at each end of the fold line to use as reference points on the back.
Perforating Dashed Lines: Another option is to mimic the machine by perforating a dashed line. While the fold might be slightly less clean, this method allows for folding in both directions.
Using a Butter Knife: Use a ruler as a guide and press firmly along the paper with a butter knife for a quick and effective crease.
USING THE VECTOR FILES
DXF
This format includes dashed lines represented as small, separated segments. It’s designed for use without any special scoring tools, relying solely on the blade. I use this format with my Silhouette machine.
SVG
In addition to the dashed lines, SVG files have a separate layer with continuous folding lines. If your machine supports a stylus or scoring wheel, you can use this layer with the second carriage for precise scoring.
