How do I make my Cricut mat sticky again? Its also difficult to even find a regular Explore Air for sale now, but you might be able to pick one up used. Cricut Maker Series Note: Knife Blade, Rotary Blade, QuickSwap Tools, machine mats, and other accessories sold separately. Just below, Ive picked out the most important features of the Explore Air 2. What do you use the rotary blade for Cricut? They tend to be both gorgeous, and easy to use. 
However, there are a couple of drawbacks to the 2x fast mode. What is it exactly that makes this craft cutting a crowd favorite? Infusible Ink Tie-Dye Shirt You dont even need your Cricut machine for this one! Can Cricut Explore Air 2 use infusible ink? Replacing Cricut blades every few months can get expensive, so learning to sharpen the blades will allow you to extend the life of the blades and lessen the frequency for purchasing new ones. 
Pat dry with a paper towel. How often should I sharpen my Cricut blade? The Cricut Maker comes with a Rotary Blade and housing. Please note that the Rotary Blade is only for use with the Cricut Maker it cannot be used with the Explore, Explore One, Explore Air, Explore Air 2, or any older machines. and papers, Very thick cardstock and things like Kraft board, Deep Point Blade (Explore) or Knife Blade (Maker). Cricut testing has shown that it lasts 100s of mats. This is used for thicker materials like: Cricut Pink Mat The Cricut Pink Mat is a fabric mat. I received this machine as a Christmas gift, no clue what materials I needed.This article was one of the most helpful ones I' ve found! Lets go over the tools youll get in the essential tool kit and what they can be used for. Iron-On comes in a variety of types too. The Deep Point Blade, Bonded Fabric Blade, and Premium Fine Point Blade. The Explore Air 2 is no exception! 
If youre cutting with it quite often, you might need to move that up to every six weeks. These cookies do not store any personal information. The short answer is YES. Have a blessed day. Its affordable, easy to use, and theres a great online community you can reach out to for support and ideas.
The Cricut Explore Deep Point blade has a steeper blade angle (60 degrees vs. 45) and harder, more durable steel. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Transfer tape helps you to apply the design to the surface youll want it on. With these tools, you can cut over a hundred different types of material including: You can use this cutter to make everything from vinyl decals to puzzles to quilts. Its a must for working with Iron-On. paper and vinyl, foam sheets and chipboard, to bonded fabric. The machine can also be used with some great accessories. Thats why we verify each and every bundle to include authentic, USA warranty machines. Both are great for getting started, but youll also need some more supplies like vinyl, weeding tools, and an EasyPress if youre going to make shirts. The only problem is that its hard to actually track down all these different colors! The added flexibility from the dual tool holder makes all sorts of projects even more accessible to you. The Cricut materials list for the Explore series includes the following: Paper, including cardstock, poster board, glitter paper, photo paper, cardboard and sticker paper. How Japanese Internment Camps Were Unconstitutional? Knife blade is compatible with Cricut Maker machines only. The blades can also be used in the Fine Point Blade housing. ENGRAVE ON ANYTHING: What kind of conditions can produce hydrolysis of an ester? Both the Cricut Explore series and the Cricut Maker can cut thin metal for all sorts of project ideas. Cricut Scraper and Cricut XL Scraper I love to use mine to get paper off my Cricut mats or other small particles that are stuck to my mat. With this dial, you can easily choose the material youll be cutting, and the Cricut will automatically select the appropriate cutting depth and speed. The Cricut Explore Deep Point blade has a steeper blade angle (60 degrees vs. 45) and harder, more durable steel. You can always find resources and people to help you create whatever youd like to make. Whether youre buying your first cutting machine (exciting!) Learn how your comment data is processed. It really is an amazing value for what you get: an easy-to-use home cutter that is reliable and versatile enough to tackle almost any project you can toss at it. Cricut Design Space is a cloud-based program. Can you use rotary blade with Cricut Explore Air 2? It sold out immediately and proved to be a lasting favorite among crafters. With the housing unit, you pop off one of the tips and place on another tip. Thankfully, it comes with everything you need to get started on your very first project. It can be paired with the Cricut Washable Fabric Pen to not only cut out patterns but draw all pattern markings eliminating two tedious tasks associated with sewing. Daily use and cutting heavy materials will dull your blade sooner. Make a plan to sharpen your blade after each day you use your blades.
They use carbide premium blade which means that they will last a long time its one of the few vinyl cutter machines that do it. Cricut included so many useful elements that real crafters would want. The housing unit is what you place into the Cricut Maker so it can cut your design. The blade housing is available either gold or silver in color (both are the same). Homemade cards, cake toppers, birthday banners, and so much more. Permanent vinyl is the kind youll use to make mugs, cups, signs, outdoor items, and decals for cars. If you want to go straight to the best deals and bundles, give that a click to head down to the bottom of this review where Ive collected those for you. When it comes to mats youll most likely mainly be using your Green Mat, but depending on what projects youre doing you might need the other colored mats. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. When you select the material setting, youll see whether the material is too thick for fast cutting. Also, the QuickSwap tools can use the same housing, so if you already own one, from now on, you only need to get the tip or blade. This is the biggest functional difference between the two models and can end up saving you a lot of time. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Use a plastic, hard-bristled brush to gently scrub in a circular motion until the entire surface of the mat had been cleaned. It can also be used to poke out pieces on cardstock or to help lift it off the Cricut mat.
Congratulations on getting your Cricut Explore Air 2. Accessories. Cricut Tweezers The Cricut tweezers are great for picking up small items and securing them to their proper place. This is a great vinyl cutter to make decals, printable vinyl stickers, or iron-on cutouts for fabric projects. These are the best places to buy a Cricut Explore Air 2 bundle: Heres what you get with the Cricut Explore Air 2: Absolutely! The Explore Air 2 cuts better than any other home cutter Ive reviewed in this price range (though it doesnt beat the more expensive Cricut Maker). Its fast and fairly easy to use. Want to get started on easy beginner projects? You can buy it complete with the Drive Housing here. That means you wont have to switch out tools and recheck your settings between passes, which is a real time saver. When choosing blade angle, the goal is to select one that will cut through the material and adhesive.
Then Cricut came out with black, sky blue, persimmon, fuchsia.and then came raspberry, boysenberry, sunflower, peacock, cobalt, merlot, lilac, coral, and more! Press CUT. The Explore Air 2 also comes in an incredible number of colors. It helps to lay your vinyl down smoothly and get out any bumps or air bubbles from under the design. The accessory adapter can be used with colorful Cricut pens, and you can even cut and draw at the same time. Cricut Explore Air 2 Review: 2022 Buyers Guide, Cricut Explore Air 2 vs Silhouette Cameo 3, How To Cut & Make Vinyl Decals With a Cricut, How to Save a Silhouette File as a JPEG, PDF, or PNG. Remember that youll need to purchase these additional blades to reliably cut through the different materials beyond vinyl and medium-weight types of paper. When asked, How long do Cricut blades last?, we think for a guideline you could start with, that at a minimum, you should change your blade every two months with average use of your Cricut machine. For machines in the Explore series, the thickest materials the devices can cut are 2 mm. 2022 Cut, Cut, Craft! Learn more about the EasyPress 2 here. Cricut Design Space software. The Fine Point blade and the Bonded Fabric blade can use the same housing. You can easily identify this blade in retail locations by the red or white protective cap.
This means that its ready for wireless cutting, straight out of the box. The Explore Air 2 is still the fastest home vinyl cutter you can find, with a 2x fast mode to cut at twice the speed of the previous model. While this is true of all vinyl cutters, Im reminded every time I try to make phone calls while completing a project.
Altogether, the Cricut Explore Air 2 can easily cut a great variety of materials with the three different blade options. You can easily identify this blade in retail locations by the red or white protective cap. This helps to cut down on hand cramps that traditional tweezers can give you and theyre more secure so your small items dont drop. The Cricut Explore Air 2 comes with Bluetooth built-in.
It's a great choice for crafters, and also makes a wonderful present. Does the Cricut maker come with a knife blade? 2x fast mode. Its gotten even more affordable over time and is still one of the best deals you can get for a home vinyl cutter. It is operated by a drive mechanism that Cricut Explore models do not have, and with which they cannot be upgraded. The Explore Air 2 is packed full of functional features that make it easy, reliable, and quick to use. Here Ill explain each mat and which materials work on it. In addition to that, the XL Scraper and Brayer are great tools to have. Do some test cuts with both paper and vinyl. Cricut Green Mat The Cricut Green Mat is the standard or medium grip mat and youll use this for a lot of materials like: Cricut Purple Mat The Cricut Purple Mat is a strong grip mat. Easy Tic Tac Toe bags. When asked, How long do Cricut blades last?, we think for a guideline you could start with, that at a minimum, you should change your blade every two months with average use of your Cricut machine. Since I think this is a great value for a vinyl cutter, I want to make sure that you always get the best price. A beginners guide to everything youll need to get started with your Cricut Explore Air 2 machine so you can easily make projects. A Cricut premium fine point blade should last 12-18 months. Overall, the Cricut Explore Air 2 is one of the more visually stunning vinyl cutters you can find. Tips for Learning How to Use your Cricut Machine! The Deep Point Blade is good for thicker materials like foam, chipboard, cardboard, magnet and more. It slides right under the paper to make for easier lifting. Refer to Custom Cut Guide table below to adjust machine settings. The Cricut Knife Blade is a tool you can use with your Cricut Maker that cuts through thicker and denser materials such as balsa wood, leather, matboard, and Cricut Chipboard easily. Youll need an EasyPress to apply the vinyl to your shirts. Chances are you are full of questions like what tools will you need, how can you make shirts, what type of vinyl do I need, and much much more. You can also make your own planner stickers, felt masks, and so much more with the variety of materials Cricut has to offer. And it closes up to a sleek, attractive capsule-shape that you wont mind taking up desk space. The biggest drawback of the Explore Air 2 is that it is a bit loud. Get the Deep Point Blade, Premium Fine Point Blade, Bonded Fabric Blade. This takes a lot of the frustration and guesswork out of picking the cut settings and will end up saving you significant time and material. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You can also use the blue mat for vinyl or iron-on, but you could run into issues if your mat has lost some of its stickiness. While the Fine-Point blade cuts at a 45-degree angle, with the additional purchase of the Deep-Point blade + housing (not included), youll be able to cut at a 60-degree angle to handle thicker materials such as: Additionally, with the Bonded-Fabric blade (not included), the Explore Air 2 can also cut bonded fabric so you can design and cut appliques or quilting squares. Cricut explore blade includes one 2.25 deep-cut housing and one 1.125 blade. Does the Cricut blade go in a certain way? I really like the Essential Tool Kit because it comes with everything youll need to get started. Since the Explore Air 2 features a double tool holder, you can use any two of these tools at once. This means you can cut & draw or cut & score in a single pass, without having to switch out tools in between. Papercrafts are usually made with the green Standard Grip Mat or the blue Light Grip mat. The EA2 can cut fabric. The Cricut Explore Air 2 was released in late 2016, packed full of features that made it the most versatile and speediest cutter on the market. Does the Cricut Maker come with the rotary blade? The weeder is the hook-looking tool and it great for weeding smaller items while the tweezers are good for weeding bigger items.
The 60 degree blade has the sharpest angle and has more cutting surface on the blade, making it ideal for thicker materials. Everyday which is the basic kind, pattern, prints, foil, glitter, and much more. Its also used to smooth vinyl designs to their surface like a cup, sign, window, and more.
Infusible Ink is compatible with Cricut Maker, Cricut Explore, and Cricut Joy machines, as well as Cricut EasyPress 2 and Cricut EasyPress. The Explore Air 2 is an amazing cutter: it is precise, reliable and flexible for a variety home projects. Or maybe you just want some tutorials or project inspiration? The blade housing that ships with the Explore machines was designed to house the Premium Fine-Point blades. Does the Cricut Explore Air 2 come with a deep cut blade?
Over time, the blades will wear down, becoming dull and cutting inconsistently. It is versatile enough to cut over a hundred different materials and is accurate enough to handle even intricate designs.
Cricut Design Space is cloud-based and works on many different operating systems, which means you can access and work on your projects from your phone, tablet, or computer. Overall, this speedy mode is a great new feature and works smoothly on the most common materials youll be cutting: paper and vinyl. Some crafters will be spending a lot of time in a design program, either tweaking designs youve downloaded or completely designing projects from scratch. Posted on Last updated: December 27, 2021, SnapIt Boards: Affordable Photography Backdrops to Elevate your Photography Game. There are almost 1.5 million people on their Facebook page and theres even a whole Cricut subreddit. However, it offers free access to all the basic tools youll need to design and edit vinyl decals, 3d paper art, cards, quilting squares, and more. Can I use this to make vinyl decals or stickers? Which is the fine point blade for Cricut? I love spending time with my family and we do everything together. And sometimes youll end up paying a premium if you really want to get a specific color. The Engraving Tip will also work with the iOS and Android versions of the Cricut Design Space app, so you can engrave from your phone or tablet in addition to your computer! Can I cut fabric with the Cricut Explore Air 2? It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. But there are specific apps for iOS and Android to use on your phones as well. The Fine-Point blade comes stock with the Explore Air 2 and Cricut Maker machines. Another huge time saver, since cutting some projects can take a surprising amount of time! The Explore Air 2 and Maker can cut over 100+ materials, but chances are the most common materials youll be cutting are vinyl, cardstock, felt, or stickers. The Brayer is great for applying your material to your cutting mat. It doesnt matter what Cricut machine you have because youll be using the same tools for each of them. I recommend getting the 3 pack of mats that has each type of mat (light, standard, and strong grip) in both the 1212 and 1224 sizes. Thank you so much for sharing. The Explore Air 2 also comes with an accessory adapter that can hold all the different colors of Cricut pens, or the scoring stylus (sold separately). You can engrave whatever you want on these ornaments, just as long as you can put the text into Design Space.
You can easily identify this blade in retail locations by, When asked, How long do Cricut blades last?, we think for a guideline you could start with, that at a minimum, you should change your blade, The Cricut Premium Fine-Point Blade (formerly known as the, Can the Cricut explore air 2 cut fabric?
The machine comes with a 2x fast mode that works with light-weight materials like vinyl, iron-on, most types of paper, and even cardstock. By simply setting the material type on the Smart Set dial, you ensure that the machine is set up to cut accurately and cleanly. The Cricut Explore Air 2 is a beautiful machine, and a wonderful experience to use. Either way, you should know the basic ins and outs of your design software so you are able to create exactly what you imagine. Change the design to match different holidays or events. Can you use the rotary blade with Cricut explore AIR 2? What is the Cricut deep cut blade used for? We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Its great for cards, envelopes. To get started on projects youre going to need a few tools like weeding tools, scraper, and brayer. In general, 3-6 months is the average useful life of a Premium Fine Point blade in a Cricut Maker machine. It can cut these thin materials at twice the speed as the regular setting. The blade housing is available either gold or silver in color (both are the same). When I consider the design of a machine, I look at not just its physical appearance, but also how it feels to use. The short answer is, The Engraving Tip will also work with the iOS and Android versions of the Cricut Design Space app, so you can. The machine comes with a Premium Fine-Point blade that is made from German carbide steel. The Cricut Maker blades can only be used with a Cricut Maker or Cricut Maker 3. Are Cricut Blades Interchangeable? - All Rights Reserved. Its definitely a great choice for crafters, and also makes a wonderful present. Use it with the Premium Fine-Point Blade Housing. We independently research our recommended products. The Explore Air 2 is afastcutter and can cut up to twice as fast as the original Cricut Explore Air 2. Removable vinyl youll use on walls, indoor windows, and labels. 3d paper designs, boxes, or embossing your paper. Cricuts Explore Air 2 is one of my favorite cutters to recommend because it has proven its ability to reliably cut all the most common materials used for crafts. You can find tons of videos on YouTube, both on their official channel and on dozens of maker channels. Are you wondering which materials work on which Cricut mats? Cuts over 100 different types of materials with 5 different cutting, drawing, and scoring accessories, Smart Set Dial will automatically set the cutting depth and speed for different materials, Double tool holder to draw & cut or cut & score in one go, Easy cutting with 2x fast mode, double tool holder, and Smart Set Dial, Web-based software requires an internet connection on PC and Mac, Cricut Design Space is simplistic and sometimes difficult to use, Not the best for cutting fabric or very thick materials, Premium Fine-Point Blade + blade housing (pre-installed), Fine point pen + accessory adapter (pre-installed), Cardstock + vinyl samples (varies by model), Cricut Design Space software (free download), Free trial membership to Cricut Access (for new subscribers), Dimensions: 24 wide by 9.5 tall by 9.5 deep, Maximum cutting depth: 1.5 mm (with Deep-Point blade, not included), iron-on vinyl (aka heat transfer vinyl, or HTV). I find that the first few times you use this method you will need to sharpen the blade twice but once you are in maintenance mode once will suffice. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Specifications: what comes with the Cricut Explore Air 2? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. With the cut, your project will look better with a skinny font. or looking to know if its worth it to upgrade from an older model, youre in the right place for my Cricut Explore Air 2 review. Premium Fine-Point Blade + Blade Housing (pre-installed in the B clamp). Check out the full list of compatible tools here, sold separately. Written by Ali Fields | Updated: April 25, 2022. It gives you straight cut lines with ease. The Explore Air 2 can cut intricate and precise patterns out of vinyl and cardstock, and can even handle thicker material like foam sheets and felt. Some very intricate designs will be cut more precisely on the slower setting. For Papercrafters: The Cricut Maker comes with the fine point blade and housing, which is what youll typically use for your blade. There are the original pastels: mint, cherry blossom, and pale blue. This little craft cutter can cut, draw, & score on over 100 different materials. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Theyre a reverse design so you squeeze them to open them and when you let go they close, making sure to hold onto whatever youre picking up. All Cricut blades are a universal shape that fit into the housing the came with your machine, so you dont have to worry about whether the blade will go in your housing. (Its the Air in Explore Air!) i just got this machine for Christmas Your site is one of the ones with simple and to the point what you need to start with your machine so thank you so much. It is capable of creating the most basic designs for cutting, drawing, and scoring. PLEASE NOTE: The Chomas engraving/etching tool works in the Maker, Explore, Explore Air, Explore Air 2 and Explore One (tool goes into slot B, the right side, in place of blade). It also comes with a superb collection accessories for reliable, precision cuts. The housing is calibrated specifically for your machine. How do you stop self closing doors from slamming? Whats the maximum size the Explore Air 2 can cut? You can also use it to cut down vinyl.
Please note that the Rotary Blade is only for use with the Cricut Maker it cannot be used with the Explore, Explore One, Explore Air, Explore Air 2, or any older machines. The weeder is used to remove the vinyl you dont want on your design aka the negative space. Cricut Tools: Must have tools for your Cricut machine whether youre using a Cricut Joy, Cricut Maker or Maker 3, Cricut Explore Air 2 or Explore Air 3, or Cricut Mug Press. The Bonded Fabric Blade isnt a rotary blade (see the Cricut Maker section for that) but it is able to cut bonded fabric. Its a gorgeous machine with useful features to make your cutting projects a success, such as the double tool holder and 2x fast mode. Cutting Adhesive Foil with a Cricut Machine Place Adhesive Foil (liner side down) onto Cricut StandardGrip cutting mat. When working with these types of vinyl youll need transfer tape. What is the thickest material a Cricut Explore Air 2 can cut? This is especially great when you are making a batch of invitations or stickers to give out, but is even useful to save a bit of time on single projects. So far I have cut quilting cotton, denim, faux leather (vinyl), felt & canvas. More importantly, its retro, streamlined body is mechanically well-built as well. Ive done everything from making holiday cards for family to making all of my kids birthday decorations. All these features contribute to the Explore Air 2 being easy to use. As youll discover, its a truly versatile machine that is great for anyone who wants to start making easy and professional-looking crafts, or those who are looking to upgrade from an older vinyl cutter to one with the newest technology.