Q1: I'm using xTool Hot Foil Pen, but I'm not seeing much difference in line thickness between the bold, regular, and thin pen tips. Why is this, and what can I do?

Explanation

• The observed line thickness primarily depends on the material's deformability – that is, how easily it changes shape under pressure – and the pressure settings used.

How xTool Hot Foil Pen works

• The Hot Foil Pen works by applying pressure to the foil through its tip, transferring the foil to the material beneath.

Material deformability and contact area

• Low Deformability Materials: These materials are rigid and don't easily deform under pressure. That means the contact area between the pen tip and the material is minimal, regardless of which pen tip size you use. Therefore, the line thicknesses will appear very similar.
• High Deformability Materials (e.g., notebook covers): These materials are more flexible and do deform easily under pressure. You can significantly enhance the contact area by increasing the pressure setting within the xTool Creative Space (XCS) software. This will cause the tip to press further into the material, resulting in a more noticeable difference in line thickness between the Bold, Regular, and Fine tips.

Solution

• For the most noticeable difference in line thicknesses, use highly deformable materials and/or increase the pressure settings as needed within XCS.

Q2: Why is there loose foil powder along the lines after processing with the included foil?

Explanation

• During the hot foiling process, the foil near the edges of the pen tip area is also subject to some pressure. This causes loose foil powder to appear near the processed lines.

Solution

• This loose powder does not affect the quality of the foiling. You can simply wipe away the excess powder with a clean cloth or paper.