# Cricut Explore? Silhouette Cameo? Other? Help a guy out!



## Show-Me-Stater (Dec 16, 2005)

My wife has wanted a Cricut or similar digitial cutting machine for a long while now. I've always balked at the idea. Her bday is next week and I'm ready to give in and surprise her with one. The Cricut Explore looks pretty amazing. So does the Silhouette Cameo. There's lots of online banter as to which is better, but it seems almost like a woman's version of Ford Vs Chevy :hammer:

Can anyone offer any real world advice or guidance? She's a preschool teacher and creates bulletin boards each month for her own class as well as helping out other teachers with theirs, since she's really got a knack for it. She also enjoys crafting and creating stuff of all types for our home, as well as for selling at a few craft shows per year that she and a friend have a booth at.

I need help quick! I'm about to go mad from reading all the various reviews on blogs far and wide....


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## fixitguy (Nov 2, 2010)

I can't give you much for advise, other that I know a girl that does lots of small vinyl stickers with a cricut.

I can tell you, don't buy vinyl from Wal-mart. Use a sign supply place like http://www.signsplusbanners.com/

I own a Roland 24 inch commercial machine, with $$$$ of software.


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## fixitguy (Nov 2, 2010)

I should add: I think the cricut use a 15" vinyl, at least that is what wal-mart sells.


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## hippygirl (Apr 3, 2010)

If it were me, I'd make sure I could use any image I wanted instead of having to purchase image cartridges...they're WAY too expensive and you'd be limited to only what's on the cartridges.

Just my .02.


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## bgraham (Jun 30, 2005)

I have a Silhouette Cameo.

I chose it over a cricut because I didn't want to have to purchase cartridges. I can create my own images or I can go to Silhouette's website and buy them (they have bazillions) for 99 cents each. Much better than $40 for a cartridge I would only use one or two from!



Beth


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## Show-Me-Stater (Dec 16, 2005)

that was what a lot of the reviews I was reading where making reference to, but apparently the Cricut Explore doesn't require cartridges any longer. It still has a port for inserting them, but it's moving to more of an online image database similar to the Silhouette.


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## fixitguy (Nov 2, 2010)

You can find lots of free images on the web.

I would assume the cricut uses a vector file? like AI or EPS?


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## Show-Me-Stater (Dec 16, 2005)

yes, uses SVG files


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