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Showing content with the highest reputation since 03/19/2023 in all areas
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2 pointsJimbo, you got a solution that was offered 15 years ago, which is a fine testament to the effectiveness of these Forums and its Search functionality. By the way, 'mobby' was one of the most-well-versed people regarding SignBlazer, as he was personally familiar with the developer (Jerry Bonham). All of that is water under the bridge, of course, but it's great to see people are still able to obtain "Help" on a program that's long since been abandoned in the marketplace.
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2 pointsDXF files are not really cutter friendly. They look like a constant line, but they are actually several line segments and are typically not joined. VM can't do a contour, because it doesn't see a shape to contour cut around. You will need to join all the segments in order to create a shape. I might be as simple as joining the 3 areas circled below or you might need to join every single little line segment. Some software has the ability to automatically join line segments that are close enough, although this can give some funky results some times. I believe Inkscape has this ability. If you can get the file as an eps, ai, or svg rather than a dxf that would be the easiest way to go.
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2 pointsUpdate! Since we're in Hawai'i, Graphtec recommended that we check with a local authorized repair shop rather than send the whole thing to continental US. We called up the recommended shop and after hearing of our issue asked, "when did you last replace the plunger?" They noted that those can stop working, preventing the blade from spinning/rotating. We ordered a new plunger from them and we're back in business! We finished out the 15mil synthetic job and are getting through the 10mil job as I write this. The old plunger has been marked and is still good enough for most of our paper jobs. I did let the boss know about the other blades you folks recommended. Thank you
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2 points. Has this cutter ever cut correctly? Is it new or used? Your cutter is a value cutter with a cheap Chinese chipset on it,, will take a bit of fine tuning to cut correctly. Best to use with a Tripplite Keyspan Adapter and your null modem cable. Setting your blade depth correctly is the first thing you have to get correct, You do not use the depth of a credit card or post it notes. That is way too much blade exposed out of the blade holder. You set the blade depth to the vinyl you will be cutting.( Instructions below). For blade offset, start at 0.25mm and adjust at 0.05 to be correct. Show your test cuts from the TEST cut feature on the machine. That has to be correct first, before you cut anything. Square should be square. You could also ad a little overcut in your cutting software, but that is not going to fix what you have going on. You have to start with the correct blade depth first. this info has been posted on here hundreds and hundreds of times, it applies to any brand of vinyl cutter, except a Graphtec has a ZERO blade offset. Something that you will have to do if you haven't, if that cutter is on a stand, it needs grounded to the stand, or static from the vinyl, will stop the cutter. The tracking is not good on those cutters for larger designs. The memory is also not good for larger designs. To start with, you should set your blade depth correctly, by taking the blade holder out of the machine, and firmly cut across a piece of scrap vinyl, you will be cutting. You should only be cutting the vinyl and barely a mark on wax paper backing, Adjust blade to get there, Then put the blade holder back in machine, and use the force of the machine to get there, same results, only cutting the vinyl and barely a mark in wax paper backing. You should barely see and feel the blade tip out of the blade holder. Regular sign vinyl is only 2-3 mil thick. You only cut with the very tip of the blade. When you think the blade is so far in the blade holder, that you think it would not even cut, that is probably correct.
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2 pointsI'm assuming poll size tells the machine to measure the paper? You still have to remember there is going to be unusable space at the end of the paper that the rollers hold onto and the machine is not going to account for this because in the vinyl world you don't worry about how much vinyl is at the end, you are just going to cut it off and continue to use the roll. You are trying to use the machine as a plotter, which is not what it was designed for and thereby missing some of the abilities a true plotter would have. You seem to be getting pretty close to your goal, but as you've discovered it's just going to be a matter of trial and error to find the settings and conditions that work for you.
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2 pointsI have never tried to draw on sheets or ever use sheets with my Graphtec. But have you calibrated the cutter to the cutting software? As in cut/draw a 3" x 3" square and make sure that it measures exactly at 3" x 3"? That adjustment is in Resolution. Mine is set at 1016 in/steps. I have a FC7000 and FC8000. but the same adjustment is made in Resolution in my cutting software.. I use Flexi software. And Graphtec Pro Studio, which is also Flexi software. So you are putting your cutter head exactly where you want it and you are pushing the ORIGIN button on the cutter? You must push the Origin button before sending a job. That Origin point is the measuring point for your design. Most people here are cutting vinyl on 15"-30" wide vinyl rolls. Only a couple hand fulls answer questions. Your cutter will not cut past the pinch rollers unless, you use expand or turn off the pinch roller sensor. I don't know of anyone on here, doing what you are trying to do.
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2 pointsAPPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR DECAL 1. Clean window or desired smooth surface to remove dirt, grime... (70% ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL) Do not use Windex or other similar ammonia-based product, as it leaves a trace behind that is not suitable for decal applications 2. Remove and discard decal backing material (white paper) ---- peel away carefully, making sure the decal stays on the clear "transfer tape" HINT: Don't take the tape away from the backing, but rather, take the paper away from the tape. 3. With the backing paper completely removed from the decal & transfer tape, gently place the decal with the sticky transfer tape onto the surface of the glass (or other desired smooth substrate) in the position you want the decal to be and rub it down lightly with your hand --- be careful, once it's down, it's down ! 4. Take a credit card and use the edge as a squeegee to firmly wipe over the surface of the transfer tape to affix the decal onto the glass or substrate. The decal adhesive is activated by strong pressure. 5. Finally, peel off the transfer tape gently, at a 45-degree angle. The decal will adhere to the surface, but make sure that the decal remains stuck onto the glass and doesn't come back up ---- sometimes you have to 'coax' it from letting go of the transfer tape. 6. Your decal installation is complete. If there are bubbles present under the decal that cannot be removed by working them to the edge, a small needle or pin can be used to puncture the bubble and remove the trapped air
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2 pointsI cut stencils from time to time out of used carrier sheet and have found that applying a couple layers of transfer paper to the back side to act as a cutting mat works pretty good.
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1 pointAgain, have you checked what COM Port your Windows machine has assigned to the cutter? Yes, VinylMaster does work with Windows 7. Sign Blazer (SBE) - I would recommend that you absolutely find out with COM Port, and manually designated it in SBE, because auto detect doesn't always work properly. I don't have an LP II, but I do have an original LP, and the machine that I needed to select from the list was the Creation PCUT 735.
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1 pointWithout knowing much about Roland machines, I can tell you that this error is related to some sensor within the circuitry that's failed. Think of it like a car that displays a CheckEngineLight --- it could be caused by any number of things within the sensor loops. Until you have the vehicle computer scanned to read the code which describes specifically what is wrong, you cannot troubleshoot. Your unit is throwing a 'code' that explains what is wrong. The internal computer has discovered that a pinchroller sensor isn't sending back a clear signal, and if I were in your shoes, that machine would be disassembled and the wiring from the pinchrollers to the motherboard checked for electrical continuity. That would be the first thing to investigate, certainly. By the way, a google search for CJ500 produces a Mahindra jeep, a classic!
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1 pointJust wanted to say HI and let all my friends on the forum that I am still around. I spent the past few years taking care of my wife so I had to put all my work on the back burner. I'm doing very little work, mainly for friends at the moment. I'm still in the process of getting all the paperwork done. Once again, Hello everyone.
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1 pointOk, did some test cuts, came out great but what just blew me away was cutting some glitter. I hated working with glitter, the Graphtec just laughed at me and cut it amazingly. Wish I got this thing sooner. I spent several hours last week weeding glitter. Had I only known. ha!
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1 pointHate to say this, Kainth, but what you did there is not very useful, at all, from the standpoint of providing what was requested. .pdf? How is that even cuttable? He wants an SBD file, which I could make in two minutes, but I won't. In fact, I think this poster is just messing around with us, he was here with the exact same 'threepers' militia logo in 2020. For the record, Three Percenters have a track record of criminal activity ranging from weapons violations to terrorist plots and attacks. (according to the ADL, the Jewish Anti-Defamation League). He was given the exact information he needs to do his own cutting file. If he can't manage it, that's his problem, not ours.
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1 point
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1 pointI have not used your cutter, but most cutting software cuts as close to the origin as possible. IE if you put a small circle in the middle of your drawing, when you cut it, it will cut at the origin point you set on the cutter. If you want it to cut in the center you need to set your software to WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get)
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1 pointSignblazer is an unlimited trial now. It has been for quite sometime. It cannot upgrade. There is not any support for it. The owner passed away, years back.
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1 point
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1 pointHi Guys, I got a very cheap (and ancient) Roland ColorCAMM PC-60. I know that driver support and software is a problem. But I am fine using it through a Windows XP VM if required. I am actually more of a Mac user and the single Software that I found that listed the scanner in its compatible devices was SignCut Pro 2. Cutting vinyl works with it, but it doesn't have any design functions and I consider it rather expensive to just "drive a cutter". Right now I am not even looking intro printing with it but even options to get it to cut are limited. I have read that people "just use the software from the Roland website" to work with it. But I couldn't find anything besides firmware and drivers. The XP driver is probably the only useful thing from their website. Q1: Can you point me to that particular software or any other (old) software that I can use? The cutter understands two protocols: CAMM-GLIII and RD-RTL. I would assume that even if this particular cutter isn't listed, it would be to some extend compatible to other or even different manufacturer models. Q2: To what cutters would the PC-60 be considered compatible? I have tried e.g. EasyCut Pro and picked PNC. But that doesnt do anything... Also InkCut as a free alternative and picking PNC-900 doesn't do anything. Any help would be appreciated. I am new to the world of vinyl cutting :-)
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1 point
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1 pointNot sure how you sized the logos. But when I do race cars or any vehicle, I usually take a picture of it with a piece of 8.5x11 piece of paper taped to it. Then I do my design work. The when the design is ready for print or cut. I make an 8.5 inch line. Then I size the picture with the design to match the line using the piece of paper. Car looks good.
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1 pointI think I read somewhere that you should also wipe down the vinyl with rubbing alcohol before printing...
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1 point
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1 pointI agree with SA 1000%. Never apply any wrap material wet. It will in time disolve the adhesive and fall badly. Get in doors out of the wind, wrap material is way easier to apply at a steady temp.. You will learn a feel for it. Stroke from the middle to the outside of your panels. When you get wrinkles pull it off and apply just enough heat to form it back, then reapply. Never tent or stretch it over a concaved area. Push the vinyl in. Try to not stretch the vinyl, only apply heat until it looks like glass then squeegee. If you have had to stretch any area make sure you post heat so the vinyl will lose memory. Justine Pate has great videos, or take one of the mmm courses. Good Luck, you will get there!
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1 pointIf your using a wrapping cast, never wet install. period. If your "wrapping" with a regular sign vinyl then you might want to do it wet but I do not suggest this at all. It is all together wrong material for the job.
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1 point