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You are describing exactly how LYFT and UBER operate --- use your personal car, and basically depreciate it rather quickly towards zero (with all the mileage and maintenance) but those mega-companies provided some money in your pocket each week, so you keep the money and keep driving. Not really enough to cover your true expenses, but hey, who's really keeping track of that? I read one person describe the entire UBER/LYFT thing as a situation whereby drivers are effectively borrowing money against the value of their cars and also subsidizing the ridesharing companies by working for low wages. But, I digress...

I’ve worked with a couple programs from various shops I worked at... a couple of them would tell the time remaining for the cut job. i do have to say I like the cut quality of the graphtec over the Titan 3. Corners are a bit sharper and cuts are more consistent. I basically run that thing 3 days a week for 6 hours at a time in 5100 series reflective and it just eats it up. The blades are lasting quite a bit longer (same company, same degree...)

That stuff is 7 mil and really tough on blades. I don't know how you could ever forecast a blade problem. I would make sure your prices are high enough to cover an occasional issue because it's going to happen again. I bought a little lighted high magnification hand held microscope someone on the forum had suggested. Similar to this:https://www.ebay.com/p/Pocket-Microscope-Carson-MicroBrite-Plus-60x120x-Power-LED-Lighted/2254813830?iid=113506320660&chn=ps It takes some figuring out but you can actually see your blade tip and what shape it's in. That's how I figured out I actually sanded my tip off trying to cut glitter HTV in two passes.

9 times out of 10 that is from too much blade and tip breaking during turn in the cutting strip. food for thought

VicT, you are Hooked !!! I don't want to make too much of this, but honestly, what we did here tonight is a life-altering thing. Peace. Start other new thread(s) with other concerns/questions in the SignBlazer category, or T-Shirts, or Business Practices. Oh, one more thing ------------ you MUST remember to Mirror Cut for production of heat-press decals. In the Cutter preview screen, look for the checkboxes -- Fit to Origin (yes, you want to do that), Rotate Across Vinyl (orientation), and the all-important Mirror.

HP = Heat Press Slice smacks forehead, of course heat press, it's 2:30am and I am not thinking straight anymore. Too bad you aren't in Baltimore, you could hire me to provide consulting services in person! SignBlazer is plenty powerful for what you're aiming at. Once you get through these initial hiccups, the ease of use and simplicity of functionality will be apparent. The guy who put it all together (Jerry Bonham, R.I.P.) did so with the idea that even a raw newbie like yourself could get a cutter up and working out of the box quickly and have fun making Signs, with virtually no prior experience. There is a MANUAL for SB operations, if you are that type of person to read it. http://www.uscuttersupport.com/downloads/Software/SignBlazer/signblazer_manual.pdf

Blazer Com4: USB serial port C'mon, vic, the suspense is killing me.

The correct SBE link is embedded in blue lettering right within Sunday's 8:51 post above that you answered. Click on the blue text that says "Is that correct" and voila. (A tricky bit of internet magic) Yep, trust me, there's no problem with the software, so go ahead and disable Norton before getting involved with downloading and installing. Slice, your going to kill me but I don't even know how to load the vinyl.... lol I am a fairly patient guy, as you can tell, and I'll play along for a while longer before sending in a drone strike!! I'll look at some YouTube videos unless you have a very quick way to show me. I have a sheet of white thermal film vinyl in which I am trying to print names and numbers for the back of a t-shirt. You have no other vinyl than that one sheet of HTV? Hmmmmmmm, then just pull out blade holder for now, until you are sure the machine talks to the computer, and we'll revisit the whole vinyl material situation later on. You also have a heat press, is that correct? I am trying your advice on your previous reply! Thank you so very much for your help! Honestly! This ain't easy, and I have to go slowly because there's a lot going on here, as you've noticed. You are welcome, and I'm getting detailed because these types of focused directions are useful also to others who are new to the processes and may see this thread later.

I once had a beta version of that software. It has changed a lot since and so I don't know if it still does what it used to but it will only cut what is on your cutting mat in the design view so make sure the entire design you want cut is on the mat and that the mat matches your actual vinyl width. Graphtec like all the higher end cutters also measure the available vinyl width and will stop cutting if it goes outside the pinch rollers (unless you turn that setting off) so that could be another potential cause. I agree with MZ Skeeter and recommend something better suited to a pro cutter. Sure Cuts is a hot rod version of a craft cutter program.

Okey-dokey!!! Now we're getting somewhere! I love when there's an actual effort to get things rolling, so let's move on ---- 1. To begin with, a cutter is not going to install as a printer, and will not appear as such in your devices. 2. Yes, put SignBlazer on your computer (disable your anti-virus before running the installer because the program has a bit of code that allows you to run SBE without the Registration scheme, but although it's actually harmless, anti-virus WILL likely prohibit installation) 3. After that, get the CDM20828 into the machine. It's a very rudimentary thing, and actually runs in DOS mode. 4. Restart. (have the cutter hooked up -- USB) 5. Open SBE. Go to Cutter/Cutter Setup. Ahhhhh, here we are, LiYu is the model. (or should be, we'll hope). In the setup screen, you'll be seeing the USB com connection. (And a whole bunch of other stuff, let's skip all that for now, the defaults are usually enough to get started). Exit Setup. 6. Right-click on the Toolbar, and drag the WORKSPACE icon onto the toolbar, so you'll have this important item available (otherwise you have to go to File menu/Workspace Setup every time to change the size of your design area, and it's just easier to have the icon button along the top with all the other icons. Toolbar Configure is a real crazy deal, for sure! You will customize further as needed once you get going...) 7. OK, now you are facing a pink rectangle. This is your new document. Go to DRAW menu /Library and choose something and just drag it over into the pink and resize to fit (This Library of graphics is very cool, and you'll be amazed at the amount of ideas for designing it offers) -- or just hit the TEXT icon and type right into the pink. 8. WHEW! Are you ready? Here's where you can get excited! Pop that CUTTER button, and that sucker should MOVE. (edited --- make sure you have vinyl inserted )

You need the driver in order for your PC to be able to detect and determine how to communicate with your cutter. Might want to see if you get that going. Try Sign Blazer, because yes, it can be used with bunch of cutters. Then at the very least you can see if you can successfully communicate with the cutter and actually get something cut. Even after you install the driver, go to your Device Manager and see what COM PORT Windows has assigned to it, then - if you're using Sign Blazer, go to Cutter > Setup > (Select your cutter & Output Device (which should match the com port #) Give that a go, and get back to us.

I think that button is called SPEED.

Exactly what I'm doing, looking for something else, I hate those types of fonts

problem with printing now days is there are so many printers around every corner selling on lowest cost - not like 6-7 years ago. now they buy a printer with their tax return and don't even worry about how to pay that back to themselves, upkeep and future upgrades as long as they cover current material cost wit a little pocket change. just my view on the current market

Not the greatest of fonts, and yah - I don't think I would bother tweaking it, it would just move on to look for a better font.

I wonder why they even bothered to alter any of the EarthQuest typeface lettering (See the 'R' and "N") -- makes no readily apparent improvement on the original text. And the 2019 is not the same font. But, good detective work, that's for sure!

It's still customized, but here's your base font: Earth Quest.

I love me a good squeegee! This is my squeegee of choice (lately)

If I was sitting in the same room as him, I would have that SC up and running in two minutes with SignBlazer (the 'can-opener' of cutting software, since it can work with basically any plotter ever made) However, since I'm wayyyy over here, and he's wayyyyy over there, there's not much more I can do right now other than hope he returns with some more details and info.

he is trying to use the sc with a plug in from action illustrated - I haven't owned a SC so not sure but usually those plug ins for corel or illy are designed for the roland and graphtecs - I know they always have rolands in their displays at the shows - - I would suggest getting going with a real cutting software first

OK, Vic, let's back up a bit. You own a "SC 631e plotter" (let's assume it is the same SC/Liyu OEM as USCutter was selling) that you purchased second-hand. Is that correct? When you made that acquisition, you saw the cutter operating in person, and it was demonstrated to your satisfaction that the machine is running fine? (What cut software was being utilized by the seller? Why did you not obtain it along with the SC?) Is that correct? Before posting here, there was some effort on your part to investigate numerous threads about SignBlazer being a terrific solution to troubleshoot pretty much any cutter that is acting wonky? ( I post such advice here myself probably twice a month) Is that correct? You know where to obtain SignBlazer for FREE, and how to set it to run a SC/Liyu machine? Is that correct? Let's get those questions answered first, and move ahead later about to what to do with designs produced from Corel

"Drivers" are only for USB emulation as a Com port. The executable file is http://www.uscuttersupport.com/downloads/Drivers/cdm20828_setup_windows.exe Your software for design/cut should already contain the appropriate choices of Cutter models so the computer can talk to the machine. What program are you depending on for that to happen?

skeeter are you trying to say it is like running your Porsche on Kerosene? Not my favorite either but it can get the job done

Maybe you don't have both designs selected when you cut. Sure Cuts A Lot software has problems. Cheap software on a great cutter. . Find better software.

I found SBE at https://download.freedownloadmanager.org/Windows-PC/SignBlazer-Elements-for-USCutter/FREE-6.0.24.html When I tried to download it I got this message. I have not disabled my Norton Antivirus yet. From what I understand I need to disable it when I run the install application. Correct?