2D Arts

Turn digital designs into prints, signs, decals, apparel, packaging, and other creative projects with HackPGH’s cutting, pressing, printing, and finishing tools.

Whether you want to print a photo, cut a long run of vinyl, press a shirt, laminate a poster, or experiment with paint and pyrography, the 2D Arts area gives you several ways to move from an idea to a finished object.

HackPGH’s 2D Arts workspace with Cricut cutters, hand tools, and open work tables

Make it in two dimensions

The 2D Arts area supports projects that begin on a screen or a sheet and end as something you can display, wear, package, or share. Its tools cover vinyl and paper cutting, heat-transfer work, photo and document printing, lamination, airbrushing, and other hands-on craft processes.

Cut & Press

Two Cricut cutters handle projects ranging from detailed paper and fabric pieces to wide-format vinyl. Three heat presses provide different work areas for apparel, sublimation, and other heat-transfer projects.

Cricut Maker 3 and Cricut Venture cutters in the 2D Arts workspace

Vinyl Cutters

Cricut Maker 3

Desktop smart cutting machine

Functions
Cut, foil, write, score, deboss, and engrave
Maximum cut width
11.7 in.
Maximum cut length
12 ft. with Smart Vinyl
Maximum material thickness
2.4 mm, depending on material rigidity and density
Available tools
Fine-point and deep-point blades, rotary blade, foil transfer kit, engraving tip, and fine debossing tip

Materials: Works with more than 300 materials, including vinyl, iron-on (HTV), Infusible Ink, paper, cardstock, labels, craft foam, bonded and unbonded fabric, felt, leather, wood veneer, softwood, and chipboard.

Cricut Venture

Wide-format smart cutting machine

Functions
Cut, foil, write, and score
Maximum cut width
24 in.
Maximum cut length
12 ft. for a single image; 75 ft. for repeated images
Maximum material thickness
2 mm
Available tools
Fine-point, auto cutoff, deep-point, and bonded-fabric blades, plus a foil transfer kit

Materials: Works with more than 100 materials, including vinyl, iron-on (HTV), Infusible Ink, paper, cardstock, labels, craft foam, bonded fabric, felt, leather, and wood veneer.

Heat Presses

Cricut AutoPress

Press area: 15 in. × 12 in.

A large-format press for iron-on, Infusible Ink, and sublimation projects. It automatically adjusts pressure, releases when the press is complete, and includes a control pod with four presets.

Maximum temperature: 400°F / 205°C

Cricut EasyPress 3 (Medium)

Press area: 9 in. × 9 in.

A portable heat press for iron-on, Infusible Ink, and sublimation projects, with wireless and Bluetooth controls and auto-shutoff.

Maximum temperature: 400°F / 205°C

Cricut EasyPress 3 (Large)

Press area: 12 in. × 10 in.

A larger portable heat press for iron-on, Infusible Ink, and sublimation projects, with wireless and Bluetooth controls and auto-shutoff.

Maximum temperature: 400°F / 205°C

Paint Supplies & General Crafting

Explore tools for adding color, texture, and dimensional details after the cutting and printing are done.

Colorful permanent markers organized in a wooden holder at HackPGH

Master Airbrush Cool Runner II

Airbrush kit with 1/5 HP compressor

Includes 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, and 0.8 mm airbrushes; six colors; a six-foot braided hose; regulator gauge; water trap; three-brush holder; color-mixing wheel; and cleaning brushes.

Scissortailed Beginner’s Wood-Burning Kit

Adjustable-temperature pyrography kit

A cased beginner’s kit with a safety stand, pliers, metal stencil, and 36 interchangeable wood-burning tips, knife tips, embossing tips, and stamps.

Note: This tool is not a soldering gun and does not have auto-shutoff.

Vacuum Chamber & Pump Kit

Five-gallon stainless-steel chamber with 1/3 HP, 5 CFM pump

Used to remove trapped air from materials such as silicone, epoxy resin, and essential oils.

Shared Design Tools

FABRICation Arts & 2D Arts Laptop

The two areas share an HP Victus laptop with a 32-inch monitor. Installed creative software includes Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, Clip Studio Paint EX 5, Cricut Design Space with Cricut Access Premium, and the embroidery tools used in FABRICation Arts.

Use the computer to prepare cutting layouts, illustrations, print files, and other digital artwork before moving to the area’s equipment.