How to keep pieces of cut paper from moving during the cutting process

I just tried to cut my first drawing out of paper but how do you keep the pieces that are being cut out of the inside of the drawing from blowing around and lifting off the surface of the crumb tray? I used magnets to hold the paper down.

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Get a low tack spray adhesive. Spray it on a piece of wood or heavy car stock. Put the paper on that. It removes well.

Also tape the edges for extra hold

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Do a quick search of the forum for Seklema mat and alternatives. The Seklema mat is crazy expensive but works great. Other options include making your own mat with spray adhesive as marmak3261 mentioned.

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Thank you!

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And another possibility is to engrave away the holes in the paper instead of cutting them out. This ends up vaporizing the bits of paper. It does take a lot longer though.

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I used the engraving method for my : Cutwork Scroll, an 8x10 sheet took 1 hour and 11 minutes…so definitely slower, but no issues with the fan :slight_smile:

Your cutwork scroll is beautiful! What settings did you use?

The settings are right there with the photo in the Beyond the Manual section. Please note, the settings would be specific to the type of paper used. Click the above link for the settings.

Got it- thanks

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