Stencil cutting is by far the most time-consuming part of airbrushing. In another post, I explained the three main ways to increase the size of your stencil collection:
- buying them,
- cutting them out by hand,
- or using a stencil cutting machine.
Hand cutting stencils takes about 10 times longer than using a machine. That’s because you can design your stencils digitally and cut them out with impeccable precision. So if you use a lot of stencils and like to design your own, a stencil cutting machine is a great investment that will more than pay for itself in the long run.
This article is about my top recommendations for stencil cutting machines that will save you a ton of time and help you make beautiful stencils with ease.
If you want to skip over the technicalities, check out the Roland GS-24 Vinyl Cutter for the best home stencil cutting machine you can get. If you want a great intro-level stencil cutter for an affordable price, check out the Silhouette Cameo 4.
So which stencil cutting machine should you get? First, let’s take a look at what features are important in a stencil cutting machine.
The Most Important Features of Stencil Cutting Machines
Over my years of experimenting with making stencils for body painting artwork, here’s what I’ve found to be the 5 most important features in stencil cutting machines.
- Cutting Width
- Cutting Thickness
- Downforce
- Precision
- Motor Type
Cutting Width
You want to get something that can cut stencils the size you want. Too big is better than not big enough. This article covers stencil cutting machines of up to 24 inches of cutting space. 24 inches is likely big enough for any stencils you would want to make for airbrushing. There are stencil cutting machines with larger cutting widths out there, but they get significantly more expensive.
Cutting Thickness
The cutting thickness refers to how thick of a substrate your stencil cutting machine can cut through. The thickness of stencil material is often measured in “Mil” which means thousandths of an inch. 1 mm comes out to about 39 mil. For reference, stencil material such as mylar is generally sold between 3 mil and 14 mil. Therefore, every stencil cutting machine reviewed in this article has more than enough cutting power to cut this type of plastic.
Cutting Downforce
The cutting force gives you an idea of exactly how thick of a material the machine can cut through. Thicker material requires greater cutting force. This stat is more for the nerds like me, because in reality, the cutting thickness is what’s important. However, you can compare the cutting downforce with cutting thickness to get an idea of the thickness of the material your stencil cutting machine is capable of cutting.
Precision
Some stencil cutting machines have published their precision specifications. Generally, the machines with good digital servo motors have precision specifications published, while the machines that have mechanical steppers do not (this is because digital servos are more precise and mechanical steppers are less precise). I’ve found that these specifications are often estimates and averages anyway, but it gives you an idea of how precisely your machine can cut.
Motor Type
Digital servo motors are quieter, smoother, and more precise than mechanical stepper motors. Mechanical stepper motors start to get a jagged edge on very precise cuts (under 0.01 inches). Digital servo motors cut extremely tiny stencil designs (more like 0.0004 inches).
Stencil cutting machines with mechanical stepper motors are generally ⅓ of the cost of those with digital servos. Honestly, most mechanical steppers are more than adequate to cut great airbrushing stencils. So if you’re looking to save some money, the mechanical stepper is the way to go. But if you want a machine that can cut extremely tiny designs perfectly, definitely go with the digital servo motor.
1. Silhouette Cameo 4
This machine is a great intro level option for smaller stencils. The main benefit of the Silhouette Cameo 4 is its strong down pressure and maximum cutting thickness. It will cut materials up to 3 mm thick which give you more latitude for choosing a stencil medium that you like. It comes with a standard 12 inch cutting width which is good for smaller stencils. You can cut stencils up to 10 or 11 inches across (keep in mind the stencil border). It also comes with 4 interchangeable blades for alternative cutting styles. Nothing to phone home about but you can check out these options on Amazon if you’d like.
| Silhouette Cameo 4 Most Important Features | |
|---|---|
| Cutting Width | 12 Inches |
| Cutting Thickness | 3 mm (117 mil) |
| Downforce | 1000 Grams |
| Drive Type | Mechanical Stepper |
The main drawback of the Cameo 4 is the mechanical stepper motor. Most stencil cutting machines in this price range will be mechanical which is more than adequate for the kind of precision most home users are after. However, designs with detail under 1 mm will start to develop a jagged edge with the mechanical stepper. With this one limitation, the Silhouette Cameo 4 is about the best intro level stencil cutter machine you can get for a very fair price.
2. Brother ScanNCut SDX85C
The Brother ScanNCut SDX85C is a great stencil cutting machine with diverse cutting options. The “ScanNCut” capability is the main differentiating feature from other 12 inch stencil cutting machines. It can scan physical designs, turn them into digital formats, and then cut the design into your chosen substrate. Some people love this unique feature because of how easily it can turn a drawing into a stencil – others find it gimmicky so I think it really depends on what you’re looking for. With a maximum cutting depth of 3 mm, the ScanNCut SDX85C has plenty of downforce to cut through thick stencil material.
| Brother ScanNCut SDX85C Most Important Features | |
|---|---|
| Cutting Width | 12 Inches |
| Cutting Thickness | 3 mm (117 mil) |
| Downforce | 1000 Grams |
| Drive Type | Mechanical Stepper |
Brother has really upped their stencil cutting game from their previous ScanNCut 2 – the SDX85C now features an auto blade that detects the thickness of the material and extends the blade accordingly. This will save you a lot of trial and error time from trying to find the perfect blade extension length. Other stencil cutting machines such as the Roland GS-24 will adjust the cutting force digitally to produce the most precise cut.
If you’re in need of a way to turn drawings into stencils quickly and easily, the Brother ScanNCut SDX85C is the way to go.
3. Vevor Vinyl Cutter
Don’t be fooled by the name, the Vevor Vinyl Cutter will cut stencils. It has more than enough cutting force and a 28-inch width for large stencil options. Vevor is an affordable brand with great value performance for its price. This mechanical stepper-level stencil-cutting machine is a great option if you’re shopping on a budget and need something that cuts larger stencils than the Silhouette Cameo 4 or the Brother ScanNcut SDX85C. It also comes in a 34-inch version if you want to cut super large stencils.
| Vevor Vinyl Cutter Most Important Features | |
|---|---|
| Cutting Width | 28 Inches |
| Cutting Thickness | 1.5 mm (58 mil) |
| Downforce | 500 Grams |
| Precision | 0.0004 in/step |
| Motor Type | Mechanical Stepper |
The main downside of this cutter is the finicky computer compatibility issues. Installation is a little trick. But once the driver is installed and linked to your computer, the included SignMaster software is intuitive to use and easily handles complex designs. A much better software in my opinion is the Cut Studio program that comes with the Roland GS – 24.
4. Roland GS-24 Vinyl Cutter
The Roland GS-24 is a beast. It has a large 24 inch cutting area, plenty of cutting force for most materials, and it rocks an extremely precise digital servo. Because of all these features, the price will be on the high end among home stencil cutting machines. But it’s well worth the price tag. Roland is a reputable company and stands behind their product with a 3-year trouble-free warranty.
Cut Studio, the software that comes with the GS-24, is a remarkable stencil editing program. Its easy to install on Mac or Windows, it links up to the machine without issue, and allows you to create dynamic vector files that come out as near perfect stencils.
| Roland GS – 24 Most Important Features | |
|---|---|
| Cutting Width | 22.9 Inches |
| Cutting Thickness | 1 mm (39 mil) |
| Downforce | 350 Grams |
| Precision | 0.000492 in/step |
| Drive Type | Digital Servo |
The main downside of this flagship model is the price. But if you’re looking for a heavy-duty stencil cutting machine that will make the most precise cuts possible, get the Roland GS – 24, it is well worth the investment.
5. USCutter Titan 2
The Titan 2 really is a titan in the stencil cutting machine market. It combines a digital servo motor with an effective cutting width of up to 24 inches. It produces up to 750 grams of downforce with a digitally adjustable downforce setting. These features give you the ability to produce large stencils with smooth precision cuts.
| USCutter Titan 2 Most Important Features | |
|---|---|
| Cutting Width | 24 Inches |
| Cutting Thickness | 2 mm (78 mil) |
| Downforce | 750 Grams |
| Precision | 0.0003 in/step |
| Motor Type | Digital Servo |
The Titan 2 comes with a stand and a stencil cutting software – VinylMaster. The software is good and easy to setup on Mac or PC. However, the basic version has some limitations in terms of creating vector files directly on the platform – for example, it does not have the ability to write text on a curve. It does however have a design trace option which converts images to cuttable vector files. Just be aware that some designs will have to be made on other digital applications and imported into the VinylMaster software.
All in all, the Titan 2 by USCutter checks all the marks for an optimal stencil cutting machine – large cutting width, adequate cutting thickness, digital servo for precision, and plenty of downforce. If you’re looking for a premium yet affordable stencil cutting machine to do it all, the Titan 2 is your pick.
Stencil Cutting Mat
When you’re cutting completely through your chosen stencil substrate, you will need a cutting mat to act as a backdrop. Some stencil cutting machines come with a cutting mat, others don’t. Cutting mats come with different tack levels. The tack refers to the stickiness of the mat which holds the substrate in place while it is being cut. I would recommend getting a medium to high tack mat just because the tack wears off with use and you want something that will maintain its stickiness over time.
And there you have it, the 5 best stencil cutting machines for airbrushing. Stencils are a great tool for making your airbrush art eye-popping, unique, and impressive. Stencil cutting machines save you a ton of time and make your stencils that much better than hand-cutting.
If you’re a stencil cutting phenom like me, get the Roland GS-24 Vinyl Cutter. If you’re just getting into stencil cutting but want a good machine with great 12 inch functionality, get the Silhouette Cameo 4. The Brother ScanNCut SDX85C is your pick if you want to scan lots of physical designs into digital format. The large mechanical stepper option for an affordable price is the Vevor Vinyl Cutter. The USCutter Titan 2 is the 2nd best option for a digital servo stencil cutting machine that you can get.
I hope this article has provided you with the information that has helped me over the years and will allow you to save a ton of time and make the best stencils possible.
