Grashopr

Here is the chain file that I used... this may be the rough version, but it'll get you close.

Yeah, I've got a few more tank blanks to do in the next couple of weeks, I could put together a how-to on the vinyl side of it. The airbrush side is a different story.

Yeah, I've got the .jpg I built that chain off of somewhere. I'll look around for it.

More stuff I use my Pcut as a vinyl mask for my airbrush work. Quick and reproduceable. I've ran about 1000 ft of vinyl mask through it in the last year, and have gone through one blade. Works perfectly, looking forward to another year of no hassles.

Another

It's been about a year since I bought my Pcut. This is just a fraction of the stuff I've done with it since then:

Sorry to respond so late (almost a year later). I have no pics of the finished and cleared peice, as I was only doing the airbrush work, another shop was doing the clearcoating, and I haven't seen the hood since. To make the rasterized File, I scanned the original image into Adobe Photoshop, increased the image size by bumping it up to 300dpi, and created a new layer on which I created a selection using the Polygonal Lasso Tool of the outside of the image. The higher dpi on the underlying layer makes it easy to create a smooth enough selection. I then deleted out sections of the eyes, lips and nostrils, mostly as reference points. With the selection set, I filled the selection with white, then filled the inverted selection with black to make a high-contrast image. I then changed the size of the image back to 72dpi (the Pcut seems to not like it when I send it a rasterized 300dpi file). I then increased the overall size of the photo to the actual size I wanted it to be in the end, then used the Canvas Size tool to resize the canvas to the thinner width that the cutter could handle (or in this case, to match my 15" wide vinyl). Once I had the center section cut out, I saved that as a .jpg, then subtracted what was left for the left and right sides and used the Canvas Size tool to make 2 more .jpg's, one for the left and one for the right. Then I imported the files into signblazer and cut them. Anyways, sorry for the late response. I've done so much with my Pcut in the last year, it's crazy. I've only gone through one blade, and had no other problems at all with it. it's loud, but it gets the job done every time. Thank you Pcut!

Some more basic paint done with a PCut... These bags go off to clearcoat tomorrow. It's really difficult to tell from the pics, but the skulls go from solid aluminum silver, fading to a nearly-not-there skull on the end.

Sorry for the late updates, ran out of batteries in the camera and then we got hit by a huge ice storm.. we're about 70% done now. Just detail work left. Gotta rough in shoulders, more clouds and some fingernails (keep forgetting the darned fingernails).. then it's delivery.

Couple of pics from today's go.

White pre-mask. I dont know what brand it is or what the product number is... I've had the roll for a while. It's very high tack (and seems to be causing some problems; there are white 'dots' showing up all over the place from my overspray that seems to be being caused by the glue residue from the vinyl). I'll try to get some more pics up tomorrow.

Here's a couple hours work on it from today. It's not going to be in full color, so a lot of time is going into the white toning. Much more than normal. But this'll get you an idea.

I had to do the 40x40 in sections, but it was relatively easy. I just paid for the Pcut on what I would have spent getting this mask done by my local supplier. A young man lost his infant daughter, wants a mural of a pic of the infant on his hood. The pic I was given to work with: The mask done with my Pcut: Ready for the airbrush:

Just got the cutter today, and I figured I'd post up my thoughts on the cutter before I forget my initial feelings as a new owner. Box made it to Kansas on FedEx without being destroyed. Always a plus! It even came 2 days early! Opening the box was a PITA. From what appears to be the 'top' of the box, it's not obvious that the easiest way to get the cutter out of its enclosure is to stand it up on its side and open the 'bottom flaps' and slide the box off of the unit. The Directions for isntalling the drivers was a bit off for Windows XP (specifically the first 'click no' reference before selecting where the drivers would be found), but it all worked out. Anyone with any experience installing drivers will have no problem with it. Cable and cord are good length, but I'd have prefered a 'less bling-y' USB cable for my office. Again, not a major problem, but if 'bland' cables are cheaper than 'sparkle' cables, it may save USCutter some money. Installing the SignBlazer software was very straightforward. However, syncronizing my ports required changing my flow control to Hardware on my Hardware Manager. Other than that, using USB was simple and quick. While installing my cutting blade, I found that once I put the cutting blade into the blade holder, and then put the blade holder into the cutter, the 'thumb screw' that pinches down on the blade holder to hold it in place isn't long enough to reach the nut that sinches it down. Maybe the blade holder is too large of a diameter for the cutter, or maybe the two washers that came on the thumb screw are overkill, but I had to 'bend' the plastic bracket on the cutter to get the thumb screw to bite back into the nut. Adjusting the blade in the blade holder isn't properly described on the setup manual. The page says something about chrome/brass set screws? The blade holder is a typical screw-up/screw-down housing. The cutter and the stand showed up seperately (lucky for me, the cutter showed up first , I'd have been an unhappy Thanksgiving Guy if the stand had shown up first...and the cutter didn't show) From getting the box in the door to having my first mask cut in hand was under 40 minutes. Definitely better time than my Master Cutter, which I'm STILL fighting with after nearly 8 months of ownership. When I went to cut my first item, I set my vinyl width and thought that I 'saved' the setting using the 'save' button.. but when I closed the program and re-opened it, then went to cut another mask, the width was wrong, and had to be reset again. I'm definitely not interested in resetting my vinyl width before each job. So far my overall impression with the cutter and USCutter's service has been outstanding. I'm definitely pleased with the service and quality-per-dollar so far.

I've been lurking here for a couple of weeks when I was doing research about a Pcut that I was watching on Ebay. The interaction by the distributor and the 1-on-1 helpfulness of these forums was a major decision maker when I went ahead and purchased the cutter. It was slated to arrive on the 23rd (Friday), but low-and-behold, I found it on my doorstep this AM (2 full days early). From a box on the doorstep to a cut stencil in my hand was 38 minutes (would have been sooner, but I forgot to set my Flow Control to Hardware on my port). The Cutter works terrifically for what I'm looking to do with it (cut vinyl masks for airbrushing and some easy stickers). Thank you USCutter for the assistance over the phone regarding my order status and tracking number (called in twice between when I purchased it and when it showed up.. both times everything about the contact with USCutter was good). Definitely looking forward to cutting more stuff!