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Monday, December 31, 2012

Saving a Cricut Mat

 

One year for Christmas, my mother-in-law graciously gave me a Cricut. I can not tell you enough how incredible this machine is... or how expensive.

Fortunately I found a way around paying $60 for a cartridge, by purchasing Sure-Cuts-A-Lot to use on my computer, which can connect via USB. However, until recently, I was still paying $8 for two mats, which are required for the device to work.

You’d think you could keep using the same mat over and over, right? The catch, is that they are sticky. They have an adhesive on them which keeps the paper stuck tight to the mat, and once that adhesive wears off the blade will actually tear up your paper, rather than cutting it. Unfortunately, that adhesive isn’t exactly all that long lasting.

In the middle of another project, I became incredibly frustrated with my Cricut because it kept destroying the design I was trying to cut.



So after some research, I found a way to make the mat sticky enough to work again.

Go to any craft store - and sometimes even Wal-Mart - and pick up a bottle of Aleene’s Tack-It Over & Over Glue and a foam craft brush.



It must be this brand, and this type of glue, and it must be a liquid. Do not cheat on this step by getting something cheaper, because I promise you, you’ll end up with a mat covered in glue that isn’t sticky - or one that is so sticky, your paper never comes off. It isn’t very expensive, and you won’t use much so it will last a LONG time.

Once you have the glue, get a small plastic container with a lid. Choose something you won’t miss, because you’ll be storing the extra mixture in it and you probably won’t want to eat out of it again.

Mix equal parts glue and water into the container, and stir it up. It should be a bit on the watery-side.



Next, wash your mat with warm water. Try to scrape off as much of the paper remnants you can. Once it’s clean and dry again, paint the glue mixture onto the mat, keeping an even coat. You won’t need to put more than one coat on it. Set it aside to dry.

Once it is completely dry, you should be able to just touch it with your finger, and the adhesive should be strong enough to stay stuck to your finger while you lift it up.



Now that it’s sticky, put your hands on the mat, and pull them off again - and repeat this several times. I basically just made sure to touch the whole mat twice over. You need to condition it, so it doesn’t rip your paper later on.

It is now ready for use! I tested it by cutting out the Wonder Woman logo I’m using for another project. After applying the new adhesive, it works like a dream! This is a fast, cheap, and incredibly easy way to salvage your old mats.



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