Brother Scan and Cut 2 is one of the most popular cutters on the market.
Crafters are getting obsessed with the Brother Scan and Cut 2 because it’s packed with new features and a wide range of CUTTING and SCANNING abilities.
It’s a super-versatile, electronic die cutting machine with a built-in 300 DPI scanner and a big display that makes working with designs and adjusting cuts simple and easy.
This cutter can work as a stand-alone unit but you can also connect this machine to your computer. Let’s take a closer look at this cutting machine and see if it’s worth it.
Without further ado, let’s dive into my thorough Brother Scan and Cut 2 review.
What is a Brother Scan and Cut Machine?
Scan and Cut 2 is truly an exceptional innovation in electronic cutting units. It’s made with the cutting-edge, advanced technology that this brand is known for.
This specific model has a feature that allows users to connect wirelessly to move cut information to and from the cutting machine through Scan and Cut Canvas software.
If you’re interested in this machine, keep on reading. Below, I will share all the important information on this machine and help you decide if it’s right for you or not.
Is the Brother Scan and Cut Worth the Money?
The Brother Scan and Cut 2 is a great unit for crafters who want to draw, cut, and scan without having to be tied up to a computer. It’s portable and flexible in design aspects.
As you can notice, this die-cutting machine is suitable for different types of projects. Of course, there are better and more powerful cutters out there which can handle wood and metal.
However, if you’re a paper crafter, DIY enthusiast or sewer, and you don’t mind working in smaller sizes, this cutter is perfect. And most importantly, it’s worth the money.
What Can Brother Scan and Cut do?
The popular Brother Scan and Cut can cut fabric, leather, paper, poster board, and so on. However, most crafters use this unit for scrapbooking and different paper projects.
This unit is perfect for people who want to draw, cut and scan without having to depend on a computer. It’s easy to use, portable, and suitable for different types of projects.
What Materials Can the Brother Scan and Cut Cut?
The Scan and Cut 3 is known for delivering excellent scan and design results. But what about cutting? It’s a solid die-cutting machine but not the best household cutter out there!
You will get precise cuts with this machine. It’s capable of cutting different materials. The Scan and Cut 2 isn’t as versatile as the famous Maker by Cricut but it’s certainly versatile.
You can cut different types of vinyl, paper, fabric, printed paper, thin scrapbook, tracing paper, felt and denim up to 1mm dense with the deep cut blade, sticker paper, and magnetic sheet.
it’s also perfect for cutting poster board and cardstock up to 0.5mm dense, adhesive vinyl up to 0.2mm dense, flannel, cotton and other fabrics up to 0.6mm dense, plastic sheet and so on.
It’s not suitable for cutting super dense cardstock and you might experience issues with denser flocked vinyl but overall, it’s a versatile unit that will help you complete various projects.
How Does Brother Scan and Cut Work?
First and foremost, this unit is super easy to use and learn. Yes, there is a learning curve when it comes to drawing, cutting and scanning for absolute beginners.
However, it’s not impossible to master. All you need is patience, dedication and practice. Designing files can be made in the unit or on your tablet or computer.
You can use the Canvas or other more advanced software. If you work in Photoshop or Illustrator, save the photo files in .jpg or .png for opening in Canvas.
Then, you can memorize them in a format your unit can recognize. After, you can move the files to your Scan and Cut 2. You can also pick one of the countless files on the unit.
The Scan and Cut 2 is loaded with designs. You can also scan in a pattern from a photo, a piece of fabric, or a magazine. Use an old art print if you want to get creative.
As long as what you select lays flat, Scan and Cut 2 will scan it and turn it into a design. What I like most about this machine is that you can draw designs with pen tools.
Once you select your design, you then instruct the cutter how deep the cutting depth is according to the type of material you will be utilizing.
Learning how to cut fabric can be a bit hard for beginners, as different fabrics of different thickness work differently to different cuts. However, don’t worry!
There are plenty of tutorials you can watch and learn.
Also, I recommend keeping a journal where you can take notes of your cutting experience with different materials and thicknesses.
This way, you can keep track of what works best for your cutting machine.
Does Brother Scan and Cut Use SVG Files?
Yes, all you need to do is insert them into the unit and cut. This machine cuts SVG files directly while the original Scan and Cut unit doesn’t accept SVG files for cutting.
Brother Scan and Cut 2 Review
If you’re someone who likes drawing in scrapbooks, or on paper, then you will appreciate the ability to feed your designs right into this cutter!
The Scan and Cut 2 is a well-rounded and super-versatile unit that still has great things to offer despite being present on the market for a while.
If you’re looking for an electronic cutter that doesn’t need dies, cartridges, and monthly subscriptions, look no further than Scan and Cut 2.
This cutter was released in 2015 as the upgrade for the original Scan and Cut. It’s available in 2 different models at a different price. You can buy the Scan and Cut 2 as an alternative to other vinyl cutters such as the Silhouette Cameo 4. Or the Cricut Explore Air 2.
This machine is well-known among artsy craft fans, especially those who prefer to design on paper. Or in scrapbooks. Let’s take a closer look at some of the features.
Large Display
The machine is loaded with a brand new LCD that’s 30% bigger than the touchscreen of the old model. This is a generous upgrade that makes designing easier.
Also, the display supports wireless design transfer which means you can forget about tripping over cords or depending on the computer.
This ability allows users to transfer files from the Brother Scan and Cut software right to the machine. You can also do this on a tablet as well.
Supports Direct Connection Via USB Cable
You can send designs from your Brother Scan and Cut software through a USB cable with this cutter. But the USB cable isn’t included in your purchase.
You will have to buy a USB cable separately. Also, there is a scanning colour recognition. You can choose between RGB or grayscale colour mode when you scan designs.
Pain-free Conversion of SVG Files
This was a painful task in the past. However, this machine enables importing SVG files without having to convert your files and lose precious time.
You will also get new inbuilt patterns. They can help beginners create a basic project without having to learn how to make designs or scan.
Some of the designs are bad but some are good. The number of designs you receive depends on which model of the Scan and Cut 2 you buy.
Brother Scan and Cut Software
Scan and Cut Canvas is a cloud-based program where crafters can resize, edit, and design their cut data. And it’s completely free unlike other software on the market.
If you’re looking for software that allows you to be creative, look no further than this cutter. You don’t have to deal with monthly subscriptions.
This application allows users to convert SVG files into the FCM format that Scan and Cut recognizes. It’s loaded with different templates, guides, and tutorials.
Things like these can help beginners launch their first project in record time. However, keep in mind that some users claim that this software isn’t user-friendly.
At least, it’s not as user-friendly as the program offered by Silhouette or Cricut. I also confirm this claim. I have been using this software. It’s a bit hard to master.
If you’re a professional designer, use your professional-grade program to deal with intricate work before sending the patterns over to Brother Scan and Cut software.
You can use CorelDraw, Illustrator, etc. This software is suitable for tablets since it’s web-based which is amazing. If you want to work from your couch, you will adore this feature.
Materials and Cutting Abilities
The maximum cutting width of this unit is 11.7 inches. It’s packed with a German carbide blade. This tool has a great design quality and can handle materials up to 2mm thick.
You can adjust your cut speed and pressure settings through the display for the maximum performance. It’s a popular cutter among quilters, tailors, seamstresses, and sewers.
It performs well with light materials and delivers precise and clean cuts. If you’re looking for a machine with good consistency, look no further than Brother Scan and Cut 2 unit.
Brother Scan and Cut 2 also allows users to add seam allowances to help piece fabric pieces together for quilts. Now, let’s talk about the materials that this machine can handle.
Scan and Cut 2 is a solid cutting machine. It’s super-versatile because it can scan, design and cut. It’s not the best cutting machine you can purchase but it’s worth it.
This unit delivers precise cuts and deals with different materials. It’s not as versatile as the Cricut Maker, but it’s still versatile. Some of the materials it can handle include:
- Sticker paper
- Magnetic sheet
- Tracing paper or thin scrapbook
- Flannel, cotton and other fabrics up to 0.6mm dense
- Denim and felt up to 1mm dense with the deep cut blade
- Adhesive vinyl up to 0.2mm dense
- Plastic sheet up to 0.2mm dense
- HTV up to 0.5mm dense
- Printer paper
It’s not capable of cutting super dense cardstock and you might experience problems with dense flocked vinyl but it’s still suitable for different types of projects.
This Brother unit can slice up to 12 x 12 inches with the cutting mat included in your purchase. However, you can cut up to 12 x 24 inches if you buy the bigger cutting mats.
The cutting mats are needed. This cutter can’t create very long cuts right from vinyl rolls like other units, such as Silhouette cutting machines can.
It’s loaded with 2 different fabric backings. They make cutting fabric easier. One delivers more precision for slicing applique forms out of thin fabric.
The other mat is perfect for cutting hard fabrics with seam allowances because you don’t need to be as careful as cutting applique forms.
Scan and Cut 2 doesn’t just scan and cut. It’s also capable of drawing. You will receive a pen holder along with different pens so you can add lettering to scrapbooks and cards, or draw.
It’s even loaded with pens that are super useful for numbering your fabric pieces before they’re cut out. This is essential for more complicated projects.
This unit can also deboss and emboss with an extra embossing tool. A special embossing mat is required as well as the Brother embossing metal sheets.
Appearance
Honestly, I don’t find the Brother units as appealing as the Silhouette or Cricut machines in the aspect of design. This model, in particular, is boxy, light grey, and has rounded corners,
Also, it looks like a printer but this doesn’t come as a surprise because Brother is known for its printers. What I like about this unit the most is the LED touch screen.
It’s situated right on top. If you have seen photos of this cutter, you would know that it look like a phone sitting on top of the machine. Now, let’s take a look at the accessories included.
Accessories
This cutter comes with a lot of accessories including a regular cut blade holder with the blade installed. You will also get the following accessories:
- Spatula
- Pen holder
- AC adapter
- Standard 12 x 12 inches mat (turquoise and purple)
- Stylus for the display
- Two colour pens
- Accessory tote
- Power cord
You will also get a CD with an operation manual, wireless network setup tutorial, pattern list, and a basic quilting guide. As you can see, this cutter brings great value for money.
It’s best for quilting and applique, cutting out designs from your paper designs and drawings, and works as a standalone unit. You can use the Scan and Cut 2 without a computer.
You can easily import anything you want into your cut patterns. However, just like any machine available out there, this one also has flaws. Let’s summarize the pros and cons.
Pros of Scan and Cut 2
- Clean and precise cuts
- Free and basic software
- The only unit with inbuilt scanning
- Wireless support and multi-device
- Perfect for scrapbookers
- Consistent and reliable
Cons of Scan and Cut 2
- Restricted for vinyl cutting
- It can cut up to a maximum of 12 x 24 inches
- Basic software unlike CorelDraw and Illustrator
- Costlier than other cutting machines
- Not the best-looking cutter
FAQ
Final Thoughts
Overall, Scan and Cut 2 is a solid cutter with original features.
This cutter is a great choice for people who want to be able to slice patterns without a computer. It lets users find and make designs with the touch screen situated on the machine.
It’s ideal for everyone who’s into hand-drawn projects. Scanning your drawings or premade graphics is a super easy process and turns them into scrapbook forms and vinyl decals.
What many people love about this machine is that you can use it for different projects. For example, you can write out a party invitation by hand and have it copied onto 30 other cards.
And you can do all this on a single unit. Brother Scan and Cut 2 is made with quilters and seamstresses in mind. You can utilize inbuilt applique and quilting forms.
Add seam allowances easily and utilize different backings for different kinds of fabric cuts (with seams or applique). If you like what you hear, this is the unit for you!
However, if you think that this unit doesn’t respond to your needs, consider purchasing something more powerful such as the Maker or Silhouette Cameo 4.
Hopefully, my detailed Brother Scan and Cut 2 review can help you determine if this is the model for you or not. Have you ever used this machine? What’s your opinion?
Please, share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
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