That dusty first printer in your closet isn't dead weight — with a few cheap parts from AliExpress and an afternoon of tinkering, it can become a working vinyl cutter for stickers, decals, and stencils. Maker Cocoanix 3D Printing recently showed off the conversion using an old Anycubic Mega S, and the result is a perfect rainy-Saturday project.
What is this hack, exactly?
The idea is simple: a 3D printer's nozzle moves in precise X-Y paths along a flat bed, which is also exactly what a vinyl cutter needs. By swapping the hot end for a small spring-loaded blade holder, you can drag a sharp tip through a sheet of vinyl and cut out any vector shape you can design.
The trick is the blade. Don't just bolt on a hobby knife and hope for the best — you need a proper drag knife. These blades are mounted off-center so they swivel and follow the direction of travel, just like the wheels on a shopping cart. Without the swivel, sharp corners tear the vinyl instead of slicing it cleanly.
How the conversion works
