Cutting a 7-Layer Memorial Shadow Box in Cricut: What Goes Wrong

Seven layers is seven chances to go wrong

Nothing about a layered shadow box is hard once you know the four things that actually go wrong. Every one of them is a physical problem, not a design problem.

1. The small parts lift off the mat

The feet, the dots, the small arches on the innermost layers are the first to come loose. Mat with extra-tack, and if you have it, a small roller to press them down before the blade lifts.

2. The blade drags on the inner curves

Change the blade every few layers. A dull blade does not cut, it pushes, and a pushed curve is a torn curve. If the arcs come out ragged, it is the blade, not the file.

3. The front layer curls

The largest sheet is the one that curls, because it is the most exposed to the air. Keep it flat under something heavy for an hour after cutting, and do not peel the backing paper until you are ready to mount it.

4. The stack is off-centre

Every layer is centred by eye, and every eye is wrong. Cut the largest layer, put it down, then cut the next one to the same centre while the first is still on the mat. Work downwards, one layer at a time, and never cut the whole set first and stack afterwards.

What to use

• Cardstock 250-350 gsm for the outer layers, thinner for the inner ones
• Foam tape, 1-2mm, on the back of every layer except the base
• A backing board, cut to the size of the largest layer
• A deep frame, so the stack does not touch the glass

And the name: keep it on the front layer as editable text so you can change it right up until the moment you cut it. You can preview the whole thing free in the memorial maker before you touch a blade.

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