marcuso

Have you set the baud rate in the software and on the cutter to 4800? I don't think getting a keyspan adapter would help. The keyspan adapters have been offered as a fix for people having problems with the Copam machine with the Mac address. Otherwise, we have not recommended a keyspan adapter as it should offer no advantage over the built-in FTDI chip.

Gary, While I understand that Kjell isn't thrilled with the Serial->USB convertor, I think that part of the reason for it is because it is more difficult to support due to using the extra driver. I do not think that using an external serial->USB convetor will magically solve any problems. The built in unit is effectively the same as an external cable using the FTDI chipset which is the second best chipset available (second to the Keyspan cable, which would add about $30 to the cost of the machine). For those having problems, please describe them. If you are having problems connecting, it is usually caused by software that monitors serial ports or incorrect settings in your cutting software. If you are having problems cutting (such as lines going through the image), it is probably related to static which can be solved by first grounding, and second, increasing conductivity using methods such as humidifying or misting. If the machines stops cutting mid-graphic, make consider static issues, or also try setting your baud rate to 4800. We have sold more than 3000 of these units, and most of our customers are using the machine without incident. It seems that there are a high number of incidents simply because this is the first place than many customers come for support. If you have an issue, please be respectful of the forums and post to the correct boards and do not double post.

Do you guys need heat presses for t-shirts? Any other uses?

You mean there have been test users on the software and I wasn't invited? I invited the top five posters on our board, and you were one of them.... Did you miss the email?

Are you using the USB or serial cable?

You will receive a receipt and a Fedex tracking number. If we send express to Mexico, I think that you should receive it in less than a a week, and probably even quicker. You have no need to worry.

Did you buy the machine from us? I don't have access to our orders database at the moment, but we haven't sold Artcut in a very long time. I have no love for the program.... We are probably going to start selling SignBlazer for $60-$70 if you are interested in better quality software. You can download a trial at: http://www.colorchromefirst.com/s2q/intdemodwn.htm

Go with the Copam. Shipping costs are high to Mexico, so you might as well get the strongest, most reliable machine we offer.

I honestly do not see a printer/cutter coming over the near horizon. There are only two manufacturers of such muchines, and they start in the $15,000 range. The worst part about it is that these printers are subsidized by over-priced ink, so realistically, the price is much higher. What I do see as a possibility is a cutter that can contour cut using registration marks. Now, with that said, I would like to hear about peoples printing needs. For indoor printing, I think that the HP, Canon, Epson wide format machines that start at about $3000 are a great value. Of course, you pay an arm and a leg for ink with these. There is also the option of Encad Nova and the knockoffs. I have considered carrying these machines, and I think that I would be able to supply the really large models 60+ inches for about $1500. These would be models that aren't locked to a certain ink, so ink could be had for as low as $30 / liter. I don't know about the legality of selling these models in the US, but it would certainly be an option for those who are looking to print wide-format indoor graphics and then laminate (of course we would provide laminators too). Of course, the aforementioned machines are of little use to those producing work for outdoors. To really take your business to the net level, you really need to go with a solvent type printer. I spent most of the last week looking at solvent printers and wondering if it was realistic for us to sell these via mail order without on-site service. I would like to hear your opinions. Is there a market for printers starting at $15,000? What are your printing needs?

It is unusual that you would have an LPT2 rather than LPT1. Try LPT1. Also, you should not have any printer drivers installed on the port (especially HP), so uninstall that and give it a try.

This was an open bug from Signcut that they say they have resolved. Download the newest version, and if you are still having an issue, let us know.

None of our current machines can read registration marks. We are looking at carrying machines that do in the future, so stay tuned.

I would say that 3mm is out of the question. 3/10 of a mm is quoted by the manufacturer. This refers to vinyl material. There are two main aspects that determine the maximum material thickness. First the blade. 60 degree blades are the standard for cutting thick material, and I would estimate that it is usefull for cutting no more than 2mm and probably less than that. The other aspect (related to the cutter) is the strenght of the components. The motors must have the force necessary to slice through the thicker material with a blade that has less cutting edge (so it will need more pressure). Also, the carriage must have enough strenght to not flex under pressure. What we found is that the Refine cutter will flex under significant pressure. It can be partically compensated for with blade offset, but if you are looking to cut stencils, I would recommend the Copam. The PCUT would probably also be better than the Refine for stencil material, as it uses a stronger carriage mechanism, but we have not tried it yet. Now, if anybody has any material that they would like tested, please feel free to send it in, and we will test it on whichever machines you would like. - Marcus

I guess that I have sort of let the cat out of the bag on this one. For those of you who have been trying it out, you are free to discuss.... We are now bundling Signblazer, and for anybody that is not using Illustrator, Corel, or a Mac, I honestly think it is the way to go. As far as the question regarding differences between our other models, I think the description is accurate. Parts quality and design of the PCUT are certainly of a higher caliber than the Refines. Our failure rate on the Refine models has been relatively high, and while I assumed that over time, the manufacturer would implement a quality improvement process, it seems that they are simply interesting in figuring out how to produce more machines. As such, I went out in search of a better product. The PCUT line while not perfect, is a very mature product and has a strong reputation. I always assumed that the pricing would be in the same ballpark as our Copam machines, but after probably 100+ hours of negotiating, we were able to get our pricing down to a reasonable level.... While still higher than the Refines, I would suggest that anybody considering a plotter purchase only chose between the PCUT or Copam. Now with regard to the Copam, I am going to stick with what I have been saying all along. The Copam is THE MACHINE for professionals. It is much sturdier and heavier than ANY import plotter. It was engineer by Tiawanees rather than Chinese and quality was chosen over price. I am sure that anybody that is using a Copam will atest to this statement (please feel free to chime in)!

Are you using USB? Does it always happen in the same place? I have been at an industry show in China all week. One of the things that came up in discussions is that some Celeron processor motherboards have faulty USB chipsets. It was indicated that it might be related to current draw. First I would try using a serial port if you have one. Second, I would unplug all other USB devices and try again. If that does not work, try disabling virus protection and other non-essential programs.

The issue mentioned sounds like the sprocket / cog (whatever is on the end of the motor shaft) has come loose. Open up the side cover and see if that is the case. You can test by unplugging, and holding the the roller while you move the cog. If it is a bit loose, you can tighten it by removing the small belt and finding the hole. Inside, you should be able to tighten with an allen wrench. Let us know if this is indeed the issue. - Marcus

Are those that are having problems using the USB adapter? What settings are you using? Are you using hardware flow control?

Good point and congratulations. You are now a global mod. Use the force wisely my friend.

aamotox, What connection method are you using? If you are using USB, what settings are you using?

Our costs on eBay are higher than the website, so we would prefer to sell through the website.

You can cut pieces of vinyl to size for this cutter. My recommendation is to buy 24" rolls and cut 12"x24" pieces. These cutters are mostly used for making stickers. The 25" unit is far more versatile and usually worth the small price difference.

Beardown, I previously read that you have the blade sticking far out of the blade holder. Make sure that the knife tip is just barely out (enough to cut through just the vinyl without the backing). Use a new blade, and make sure that the blade rotates freely in the holder. Make sure that the blade holder is held tightly by the clamp. If it is still not closing cuts, set the offset much higher (if .032 is in inches, set it to .1 - that should overcut, but you can use it for testing). Let me know if that helps.

This could be an issue with the serial port baud setting. Do you have it set to "4800"?

What is your offset setting? (Try setting to 0 and see what it does....)

Yep, You are the first to point it out. I am trying eliminate the number of posts that are going to the wrong categories. I hope everybody is happy with the changes.