- hello glow Forge community, I find myself in a decision conundrum, I’m torn between the silhouette cameo 4 pro and the cricut maker. Now since we all chose glowforge for its User friendly UI the maker seems like the obvious choice cause it’s user-friendly like Mac versus PC, but the cameo has more powerful albeit non free non WiFi software. We generally always have Wi-Fi in our needs require that we have a machine capable of cutting thicker materials which the silhouette cameo can’t do, the trace function with the pixel boards on the cameo is a glowforge like scan and cut system but again As cool as it is for my needs I need to be able to cut leather and other thicker material is thicker than 100 wt card stock.
I would also like to know if you guys use circuit cutters which ones do you use any advice and this will be helpful and if this was an allowed to be asked please delete this, and I apologize
I’m going to move this to “everything else” since you’re asking for non-Glowforge advice. Nothing wrong with the question, just ought to be in a different category.
2 Likes
Thank you, i was thinking it maybe the wrong place, ty for moving it.
I Will note that for future post and post non-GF related stuff in ETE. Cheers!
4 Likes
no problem. just think of “problems and support” being a place where you open up a support ticket with Glowforge staff (which is literally what happens when you create a new post in that section).
3 Likes
Cameo over Cricut any day, especially the 4 series. Their 5kg of downforce blows everybody else out of the water.
(I was barely able to cut thin leathers ages ago on a CraftRobo, Japanese precursor to Cameo, it barely had any downforce at all)
4 Likes
Silhouette Cameo 4 here. Super easy to use. Great software.
2 Likes
I just picked up a cameo 4 plus (15" version) and have had two previous generation cameos as well. Much recommended.
2 Likes
I’m happy to hear that because I actually wanted to cameo because it has way better design software, that being said the cricut does look to be made more solid using metal knife housing,
That said the internet and amazon are full of miss information such as I was told the silhouette cameo 4 can’t cut anything thicker than 100wt card stock, maybe the 3? Cause I can’t see the Camino being good if it only cuts post card thick paper?
Next I was told that neither machine is precise and that both leave borders. Can I cut in either machine precisely?
Say I need a 43mm wide circle exactly! Will silhouette came 4 pro cut it exact or will it be 45 cause of the border ?
Finally I was also told the maker has much more force and power than the silhouette cameo 4 pro, is any of that true?
This was mainly all on you tube and the videos were geared at crafters more than makers plus it was the cameo 3 but he said the 4 is the same thing as far as power. I would rather get the cameo 4 pro custom bundle, and get better software that’s not cloud based, no offense GF lol at least GF software is powerful!
I really like the bundles on the cameo but not being able to cut leather, balsa wood, burlap, and other thicker 1/8 materials with a kraft knife attachment is a deal breaker
Also can the silhouette cameo 4 pro score, engrave, emboss, etc just as the cricut maker can ? Bottom line can the silhouette do everything the cricut maker can do with similar power ? I basically need most of what the cricut maker is claiming it can do with power and precision?
Thank you guys this will literary save me hours today in research today lol
You should just compare the specs from the actual manufacturer pages and ignore what the “internet” says.
As for a sturdy metal housing - I don’t see how it matters, professional sign shop sized plotter cutters all have plastic housings (Cameo and Cricut are both just hobby sized plotter cutters = a knife with a brain)
I don’t know where you heard that nonsense about borders, either machine cuts where/what you tell it to. If it doesn’t then something is wrong.
Empirically Cameo 4 series has 5000grams of downforce vs Cricut Maker’s 4000 grams. That’s a full kilogram more cutting force.
Anecdotally I can cut leather and balsa with my old Cameo 1 that has a paltry 210 grams of downforce. You just need the right blade/settings.
Personally I’ve always preferred Cameo‘s Silhouette Connect software as I can then just run out of Illustrator where I’m doing my designing. If you’re going to design in the native software of the machines Silhouette Business Edition can export SVGs usable on GF, Cricut can’t.
4 Likes
To add to that, the cameo 4 maximum cutting thickness is 3mm. That’s insanely thick. With the 5kg cutting force on the second carriage (primary carriage is for lighter stuff), I would put it up against the cricut maker any day of the week. Perhaps thrice on sunday.
4 Likes
I am convinced ! In fact I already loaded up the cart only to see the cameo 4 plus 15 is out if stock and I couldn’t find the pro, I assume cause the pro 20 hasn’t released yet, still as a complementary machine to my GF and eventually the x-carve once I clear a spot for it, i will be posting a best Cnc router soon lol but I am pretty stuck on the x-carve!
I was also high on the cameo, despite thinking it only cut 100wt card stock lmao! I heard bad info for sure, the entire time the only thing I liked about the cricut was the name and the metal housing on the blades other than the software that prevents sale of projects and prevents any design they find inappropriate or risqué, give me a break, I paidfor the machine let me cut what I want! That could be bad info too but I heard cricut must actually approve your design. Some say they disapproved designs for controversial images. True or not IDk thank you so much, cameo 4 plus/pro all the way to CNC bank lol
the 4 plus is in stock at newegg. That’s where I got mine.
Having had an xcarve… It’s good. Without doubt it’s good. But there are better ones for similar prices.
Ty for the info on cameo at Newegg, I take it they don’t do bundles like cameo with mats and all that jazz, lots of blades out at cameo too but they sell on amazon and elsewhere that’s another plus vs cricut, cricut is exclusively at Miachel’s and cricut, that’s it and for the near dub price as silhouette albeit when done with mats and upgrades it will be same price but the cameo just better now that I’ve seen through the interwebs Bologna sausage posts!
Finally
I would really love to know what some of the other machines out there at similar prices, I def need everything the xcarve does if not more and more power always good, the power head is important I don’t want a Chinese knock off that’s why I like the Xcarve it’s a dewalt,
even if the other machines are 1k or 2k more than x-carve as long as there is benefits it’s worth the extra pennies. I just liked that with the X carve I could get out the door with every-bit attachment and upgrade for under 4k where as the boss Cnc router is like 10k+ I get why it’s a giant working area table sized it’s like 9x9 with a 15x15 footprint vs the 4ft x4ft x-carve with 9xo footprint. This is gonna sound funny but I’ve been a maker for many years, it just so happens I’ve been doing it wrong for the last 10yeara at least, I’ve been using routers and saws and band saws and jig saws, sanders building jig after jig, making furniture signs etc. I did not even realize until a year ago that the machines didn’t run over 50-100k or came in smaller sizes. It’s amaxing hoe a mechanical router, laser Cnc, 3dp and circut cutter replaces nearly my entire wood shop minus a few saws the lathe and my sanders and dremels ,
But the drill press, bandsaw, table router, plunge router, is all pretty much obsolete once I get this x-carve or similar, I also looked at the Carvewright and wasn’t impressed by the size especially after seeing the price vs x-carve! Also looked at a few others forgot the name, so far I hadn’t seen anything come close, so I am really excited to learn what machines are out there that beat the x-carve, I’ve even googles beat Cnc router in 2020 and many have the x-carve as top 3 most top 2, but since I haven’t bought one yet, these forums and people like you my friend, can keep guys like me from having to make the same decisions as the people like you did and then save us time and trouble since we can learn from your experience with them and take your advice on what you woulda bought or have since upgraded too
1 Like
I wouldn’t sweat the bundles, they’re not that useful unless you actually want all those misc things. Mats and blades are easy and cheap to get, especially if you’re using the Michael’s and Joanns coupons. Cricut mats work just fine in a Cameo.
2 Likes
I know many buy their Cameos through Swing Designs. Might want to check them out. I’m not big on the bundles. Seems like you end up paying $$ for things you won’t use. I do highly recommend the CB09 blade but it is a learning curve. I have a few, each one set for different material. I strictly use mine as a hobby machine, the same as my GF.
1 Like
If I were to buy one again… it would probably be a shapeoko. Much sturdier with all of it’s rails, and sturdier == less chatter. Also uses the dewalt router.
But there are others… BobsCNC, Millwright Carve King… I think the carve king also uses the same dewalt 611 (? I think that’s the model).
2 Likes
This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.