Tutorial
Supply List

Supply List

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Equipment

I recommend the Cameo 5 because it’s the cutting machine I use and it’s the latest and greatest from Silhouette. However, if the cost is too prohibitive, you can consider the Cameo 4. The Cameo 4 Plus is still available and it’s cheaper than the Cameo 5 but also larger. Another option is the Portrait 4, which is compact (only supporting letter and A4 size material) but lacks a dual tool carriage. Regardless of the machine, I’d recommend purchasing the machine only and avoiding the bundles as they’re not relevant to making cards and proxies.

I recommend this laminator for a few reasons. First, it’s not particularly expensive compared to others. Second, most laminators support only one or two hot settings (3 and 5 mil). This is the only reasonably priced laminator I’ve found with 4 hot settings: 3, 4, 5, and 6 mil. Because laminators are built for printer paper and not card stock, it’s helpful to have these additional settings to ensure lamination quality. Lastly, this laminator is wide, which makes it easy to feed sheets and finish cards.

I don’t have a printer recommendation because people buy printers for different reasons. There isn’t a one size fits all printer that I can suggest. If you’re unsure about the whole card cutting thing, I suggest you first ask a friend or a family member with a printer or go to a print shop for your initial testing. This way, if for whatever reason you don’t think it’s going to work out, you only have one expensive purchase to deal with instead of two.

However, if you’d still like some printer advice, I can give some pointers. You’ll probably want an inkjet printer because they’re better for producing high quality photos and also laser toner seems to have an adverse effect on lamination adhesion. You’ll also want a duplex printer so you can easily and consistently make double-sided cards. Lastly, I think a printer is something you should splurge on. With printers, you’ll get your money’s worth. You’ll want good looking cards and a good printer can give you lots of other utility. People rarely upgrade their printers so make sure it’s the one you want.

As for some suggestions, the EcoTank line of printers are very popular among proxy makers as they can provide great results while also being affordable. For a budget option, consider the ET-2850, which supports duplex printing and uses pigment-based black ink, which provides better contrast than dye based. Above that, consider the ET-3850, which has the previous features and an auto document feeder (ADF), making it a great office printer. At the high end, consider the ET-8500 and the ET-8550, which support duplex printing and utilize 6 inks (including black pigment, black dye, and grey dye) making them the best photo printers. The main difference between the ET-8500 and the ET-8550 is that the latter supports wide format printing, which has the practical benefit of allowing you to utilize the tabloid and A3 size cutting templates meaning you can cut more cards before changing mats. In any case, please do your due diligence before buying a printer. These are only a few options out of many different models and many different brands.

This is just a cheap printer cable. It’s also a two pack so you can use it with your printer and your cutting machine. The Cameo 5 does not come with a cable because it supports Bluetooth. However, the Bluetooth connnectivity is known to be spotty so I recommend interfacing directly with a cable.

Materials

Use glossy card stock for better lamination clarity.

I recommend glossy lamination pouches as they function well and they’re cheaper and more wildly available than matte lamination pouches. Matte lamination pouches may also reduce the contrast and color saturation of your prints.

Optional

You’ll want to pick up extra cutting mats. Cutting mats are sticky and they hold the sheet as its being cut. Over time, they’ll lose their stickiness and must be replaced. Additionally, it’s nice to have extra mats so you can prep one as another one is being cut. Each mat should last for a few hundred cards or a few dozen sheets as long as you take care of them.

The Cameo 5 can cut a lot of materials including tough materials like corrugated paper, chipboard, and wood. However, if you’re only cutting cards, your blade should last a long time. At the same time, if you’re new to these machines, you could accidentally break the blade due to improper set up. Consider buying an extra as a back up.

A hobby knife and a (non-sticky) cutting mat can come in handy. Occasionally, the Cameo will leave you a straggler card where it’s not completely detached. You can use the hobby knife to finish the cut.

Estimated CostsSilhouette Primer