Cricut Roll Holder: How to Use This Attachment

The Cricut Roll Holder is an attachment that is exclusively for the Cricut Maker 3 and Cricut Explore 3. I thought I would give this attachment its own post so you can see just how it works and get your questions answered. The roll holder holds a large roll of vinyl on the front of the machine as that vinyl is being cut by the machine. That means you use this attachment when you are cutting without a mat. What machines will this fit on? What types of vinyl can you use with it? Read on to find out!

Cricut Roll Holder

If you want to see all about the roll holder attachment for the newer Cricut machines, you can watch the video below. Just click play to see all of the details.

Can’t watch the video or missed some of the steps? You can also follow along with the details below.

Which Cricut machines can you use the roll holder on?

The roll holder will fit the Cricut Maker 3 and Cricut Explore 3. As you can see below, it attached to the guides that have been added to these machines. That means that there is nothing for it to attach to on older Cricut models.

What materials fit the Cricut roll holder?

The roll holder is designed to work with Cricut Smart Materials which are 13 inches wide. It will not work with a 12 inch wide roll of vinyl which is a standard roll size. I don’t know of any other 13 inch wide rolls of material at this time, so I have not tested it with any other brands.

The holder will accept rolls up to 75 feet in length so even those super long rolls work. The short 3 foot rolls can also be used in this holder.

Features of the Cricut Roll Attachment

Here is a close up view of the Cricut Roll Holder. You will see that it has wheels on the inside for the vinyl roll to easily glide along as it feeds into the machine.

The back includes pads for resting on the table as well as the slots that will lock it into place on the tray of the Maker 3 and Explore 3.

My absolute favorite feature, however, is the trimmer! This allows you to cut your vinyl roll straight right on the machine as soon as your cut is finished. The straight cuts on the vinyl rolls are imperative when cutting without a mat so this is a feature that should have you considering purchasing this attachment!

Attaching the Roll Holder from Cricut

Step 1: Line up the slots

Now you need to attach the roll feeder to your Cricut Maker 3 or Explore 3. Just line up the slots on the roll holder with the guides on the tray.

Step 2: Lock into place

Push it all the way up until it stops the squeeze slightly on both sides to lock it into place. Please note that I would attach the roll holder where you plan on using the Cricut machine as it is not easy to move the holder while attached to the machine.

How to Load a Roll of Material

Step 1: Add your vinyl

Add your roll of Smart Vinyl or Iron-on to the roll holder where it rests on the wheels.

Step 2: Feed the vinyl through the slot

Then feed the end of the roll through the slot in the holder.

Step 3: Continue feeding the vinyl

Continue feeding until the roll comes out of the holder and into the machine. When going into the machine, the vinyl should feed under the guides on both sides. Stop once the vinyl is touching the gray rollers on the feeder bar.

These pictures are all of the Cricut roll holder on a Maker 3 but the same procedure can be used on an Explore 3 as the basic function is the same.

How to Use the Cricut Roll Feeder

Now that your roll feeder is on your machine, you are ready to cut. Just send a cut to your machine and it will take care of the rest! You will want to make sure to choose without a mat if you are prompted. Otherwise, just hit the unload/load button when it starts flashing. I do like to hold the end of the roll when I press this button against the rollers just to make sure it feeds in properly.

Then your machine will feed through and measure the amount of material it needs for a cut. It will then eject that material before starting to cut. When the material comes back out of the machine it will loop around and lay on your table and NOT go back onto the roll. This is okay!

You can then press the play button to start the cut and the Cricut will feed that material back through as it cuts.

Once the cut is complete, the load/unload button will start flashing. Be sure to run your trimmer over your material BEFORE pressing that button.

Then once you press the button, your project will eject from the machine over the top of your roll. Just remove it from the machine and you are ready to load the vinyl again for your next cut or change rolls to a different color or type.

The photos above are using adhesive vinyl but the same methods work with Smart Iron-On material. This material loads into your machine with the shiny side down and you will need to mirror before cutting as always.

How to Remove the Roll Attachment

Once you are done with all of your cuts, simply lift up on the Cricut Roll Holder to remove it from your machine. It does lock into place but it lifts up easily for removal. You can then store the roll holder with the roll inside if you would like.

How to Buy the Roll Feeder from Cricut

Now the big question! How much is it and where can you buy it? Well, the Cricut Roll Holder is available for purchase along with the Cricut Maker 3 and Cricut Explore 3 on the Cricut website. It’s also available from many other retailers that carry the Cricut Brand, and prices may vary. Note: as of this writing, the Cricut Roll Holder is $54.99.

FAQ

I know there are all sorts of questions regarding these new releases from Cricut. I will try to answer some of the most common ones below. If you have any questions that I did not answer in this post, please feel free to leave them in the comment section.

Why can’t I use this with my Explore Air or Cricut Maker machine?

The older Cricut machines do not have the guides on the try for this to attach to so there would be no way to add it and keep it lined up with the rollers.

Why can’t I use with with any roll of vinyl?

This is designed to be used with 13 inch wide rolls of vinyl. Most commercial vinyl comes in 12 inch wide rolls.

Is the roll holder included with my Cricut machine?

The Cricut Roll Holder is an additional accessory and a separate purchase.

Do I have to have this attachment to cut without a mat?

Definitely not! You can cut without a mat with just the roll laying on the table. This holder is nice but it is also completely optional. If you don’t get the roll holder, I do recommend a 13 inch wide paper trimmer for the Smart Materials to keep them straight for matless cutting.

So, will you be adding the Cricut Roll Holder to your Cricut machine? I think if you are going to be cutting Smart Materials without the mat often, it is definitely something that you will enjoy and will be worth the extra investment. You can read more about the Cricut Maker 3 or the Cricut Explore 3 on my blog, and there is a video as well comparing machines.