This project was made using XCS.

I got my M1U about 2 months ago and this is my first project using this machine to upload to Atomm. That being said, I have learned a lot about what to do and not do. If you have better ideas on how to do a step or process, please let me know in the comments. Thanks.

I used Vinyl Sticker Paper Glossy for Inkjet printers from Amazon. I have used the .1mm White Sticker Paper from xTool  but I wanted that gloss look that a lot of higher end stickers have, especially since I will be selling stickers at my booth this holiday. 

The settings I provide are for my own machine and setup, they could be different for you.

Can you do this project without the M1U? I would imagine you can, you just need an inkjet printer and a way to cut the magnet sheet - Scissors, anyone?

There is an ink test line file included with this project which is discussed in the final step.

For this step, you need to feel comfortable using AI to help.

 I found a few photos of some of our pets. The first is the Green Budgie, Basil. The next is our three dogs, Winston the Beagle, Rose the Maltipoo, and Saint the Chihuahua. The last is of Sprite, our mischevious Sun Conure.

For the AI program, you could use any number of free ones out there or even AImake from xTool, which I have used and it works well. However, for this one, I went to ChatGPT. Once I set up an account (its free for the basics which allows you 3 photo transforms per 24 hour period), I chose which picture I wanted. I click the plus sign in the chat box to upload a picture from my PC and then in the box I type what I want which for this was “Make this picture a cartoon”. This will take up to 10 minutes to do. If 10 minutes have passed and the transform has not populated, reload your screen and most often it will pop up the picture. 

NOTE: You can do multiple processes in one statement. For example, on my dogs I stated just “Make this picture a cartoon.” But for my birds, I typed in “Remove the background from this picture and then make it a cartoon.”  If you make it two separate steps, you use up two of your photo transforms for the day.

I then copy and paste the results into XCS.

For this step you will use the Blue Sticky mat which you can get from xTool. 

Line up a sheet of sticker paper in the machine, lining one edge up with a guideline on the sticky mat. 

Next, you will mark the processing area. Use a rectangle and mark the two corners. 

Line up your images within the processing area on XCS. 

Click each image and select Offset at the top. Depending on how wide you want the border of the sticker, you may want to adjust the offset size. Click complete and then right click and change this outline to a different color. I chose red to represent my cutlines. I then group the image and the cutline together incase I need to move it around my screen. 

At the top, I select Multi Mode Processing under processing mode. 

At the bottom of the screen, I select the color of my images (in my case, light blue) and then on the right, I set Module to Ink Module and then change the intensity to 100. (I do 100 for most print images to help bring out the brightest colors but you can adjust this to suit you.)

Then at the bottom I select the color red to select all my cut lines. On the right I select Fine Point Blade under Module and then 95 Pressure and 75 speed. NOTE: This setting is for the Vinyl Sticker Paper. On the .1mm white sticker paper form xTool, it is 90 Pressure and 80 speed.

I ensure that the interior of my machine is set up correctly with the blot paper on the right and the cap removed from the ink module. 

I then process the project.

Once complete, I let the ink dry for approximately 1-2 minutes, although 30 seconds is the recommeneded time. Then I gently pull out the sticker paper, using a finger to hold down the cut out stickers as I pull. Go slow as pulling it fast can result in the stickers actually coming up with the discard part. Once the sticker paper is removed, my stickers are left on the mat, I then carefully pry up the edge of a sticker, making sure I have the backing as well, and then pull it up.

For this step, keep in mind that you will do the previous step as well. I also used the Pink Mat for this step to hold the magnet sheet.

After placing my pink mat, I line up the magnet sheet on a guide line of the pink sheet. Ensure the black side is down. 

I then copy and paste the red lines from my stickers into a new canvas. I change the processing mode to blade cut at the top.

I then mark my processing area of the magnet sheet and line up the red outlines I copied over to fit within that area. 

I select all my red lines and on the right side of XCS, I make sure it states Fine Point Blade under Module. I set my Pressure at 400 and Speed at 50 and then, due to the thickness of the magnet sheet, I set it for 2 passes. 

I then ensure everything in the machine is set correctly and then process the project.

When done, I had 3 magnets in the same shape as the stickers I made in the previous step.

Then it is a matter of peeling the backing from the stickers and the magnet sheet (which is the white part that was on top) and then putting them together. NOTE: Being that both parts have adhesive, I recommend lining up the longest straight edge of the sticker to the magnet and NOT pressing down until you have it lined up. Once the very edge is lined up, you can slowly move the sticker down onto the magnet backing. Once it is on, press the sticker down firmly.

You can use regular paper or inkjet photo paper to create the magnet fronts. I used the sticker paper I had since I was intending to make stickers at first but then wanted to make magnets instead. 

Do not print onto the front of the magnet sheet as it is not set to accept ink. 

Always run a small ink test in a corner to get your ink flowing right, especially if your ink cartridge has sat for longer than a day. You can do this by opening the Ink Test Line XCS file I included with this project and copying it over to your project and placing it somewhere along the edge of your paper and running it. This just helps to get the ink flowing without causing faded image starts.