Cricut Repair Info. Cricut Repair Info. One way to get yourself a cheap Cricut machine is to buy a busted one off eBay. Try searching for both 'broken cricut' and 'defective cricut'. Often you can win one for as low as $0.99 plus shipping for a Personal or Create model, or somewhat more for an Expression. Cricut Repair Info. Cricut Repair Info. One way to get yourself a cheap Cricut machine is to buy a busted one off eBay. Try searching for both 'broken cricut' and 'defective cricut'. Often you can win one for as low as $0.99 plus shipping for a Personal or Create model,.
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Second Generation Cricut models include the Mini, Expression 2 and Imagine. The hardware uses a PIC Microcontroller to handle USB and a few other communications functions and another Microcontroller for Cartridge, UI and Motor control. The User Interface (UI) goes from none on the Mini (uses Cricut Craftroom) to the Expression 2 which has a Touch Screen with Stylus. The software options include Cricut_Carts as well as the Cricut Imagine Cartridges and PC software Cricut Craftroom.
The Cricut line of Personal Paper cutters are a nice easy to use CNC paper cutter. This functionality requires following step by step instructions to cut patterns and shapes out of paper. The instructions come either over USB via the PIC chip or by inserting a cartridge and using the buttons and dials to select the pattern and size. The instructions are then converted to motor controls which move the cutting head in the X axis or rollers which position the Mat in the Y axis. The cutting depth could be considered as the Z axis, although the depth is limited to about 1/8'.
In this second version of the hardware the USB communication is handled by a PIC Microcontroller, which leaves the Atmel Microcontroller the task of possibly decrypting the cartridge data interpreting the data and moving the mechanical assembly to the required positions.
It is likely the primary decryption function and communication validation is provided by the PIC Microcontroller. The functions available in the PIC for this include a CRC engine and built in support for USB. It is unknown if the CRC engine is used and if so what bit level (8,16,32). It is also likely that the encrypted commands are decrypted inside this Microcontroller to offload the work from the primary Microcontroller.
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I was so very excited when I purchased my cricut. I got it last summer after drooling over it during middle-of-the-night-baby-feeding infomercials. After about five minutes of watching that infomercial I walk away wondering how any self-respecting mother can possibly exist without a cricut at their disposal. I mean, the possibilities! Oh the possibilities! And keep in mind, I am not a scrapbooker. I want my house covered in Vinyl quotes and fun, seasonal decorations.And in fairness, I've used the cricut a fair amount. I've cut fabric, made cards, made birthday party decorations, gift tags, bin labels... the list goes on.
Now though, I'm frustrated. The designs on cricut cartridges are too complex for my needs (most of the time). And I have a vision for a few projects that I'm working on that are specific and the cricut just isn't cutting it (pun fantastically intended).
![Software Software](http://everhack.blog.atxhackerspace.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/mtc-rfid-antenna.jpg)
It was time to turn to Sure Cuts A Lot.
It was a little tricky because we are a Linux family and SCAL requires Windows or Mac. Luckily I do have one laptop with a Windows partition (allowing me to access I-Tunes when necessary). I had to do a lot of updating... usb driver updating twice as well as two firmware updates for my cricut but now I have the freedom to cut out exactly what I want. FREEDOM. If I want to fill my entire cutting mat with one letter I CAN! Hooray!! No more $50 cartridges that fill only specific roles. FREEDOM!!
Of course, now that it's done it's midnight so hopefully tomorrow I can play with fonts and svg files and get these projects done!