Wildgoose

For design you will probably be disappointed with your assumption about sure cuts a lot. It sure cuts a lot fine but they didn't name it sure designs a lot. LOL Inkscape is totally free and many here use it exclusively for design. I use Illustrator and many use Corel both of which will cost money. SCALP works as a cutting tool which you will still need so the program isn't a total waste. There are several other cutting utility options out there for a few bucks too.

Here is a trace. The red tassels are two of the same and I wasn't sure you would want them hooked together so I stuck an extra one by itself in there too. Boots.svg

Dude those are cool freakin' boats! I think if you can afford to shell out for the titan it will feed full 15" vinyl otherwise you will have to cut down any quality vinyl you buy. It also has way more cutting force which may never matter but very well could should you decide to do some carbon fiber or something. You can probably get some business once you get good enough to start having the sweetest graphics at the races. May take a while to achieve ROI but it's tons of fun and if you look at it like a new hobby it will at least have the potential to pay for itself over time which very few hobbies can offer. There are other factors to consider such as cutting is only one piece of the puzzle. Design is another as is install. Design can be handled with Inkscape (free open source vector program) and install on smaller stuff like you are going to start out with won't be too tough but plan on doing things over a few times.

Those look nice BTW.

I usually put a crease down the middle on tough to align garments. Just fold it it half and press for a couple seconds and it will give you a line. You can look at it before you even put it in the press to be sure you got it right, then place it on the lower platen so it is square to the world and line up your design. I also put a crease in my design if it's hard to judge (just a pinch at the top and bottom of the carrier, not the vinyl) then line up the crease in the plastic carrier to the crease in the shirt and your golden.

Those are both nice. Grabbed for future use!

Trim board is a good idea ShowAndGo. The line-up-before-you-push is something you have to do with the BS too so I think about any method is going to be similar. I totally hear you on the static cling, that's exactly what got me upset enough to go ahead and spring for the BS. LOL

Most of the time it is from either low heat (have you checked your temperature with an infra-red thermometer? The budget presses are often off A LOT) or uneven pressure. If the shirts have thick seams or collars they may have caused the pressure issue. I use a pres pillow to combat this. If it's not that then it could be something with the shirts like an anti-stain coating but this is less likely if they are basic t-shirts.

Try PTF Nordic or License Plate. You may have to make it an outline version.

This is an old post Patrick. Illustrator will still layer within a single layer. Everything is still ordered and you can move things from within the stack any time you need to regardless of whether it is technically on a separate layer or not. Just grab it and drag it up or down or use the command] or command[ (control[ on pc) to move things.

Softshell are probably fine but you want to check fabric because a lot of jackets are pure nylon and you will need to switch to something with the correct adhesive. I have some of the easyweed extra for nylon and was surprised at the grip that stuff gets. I missed the inside of a small letter and with regular easyweed you can usually re-heat and pull the offending piece off but I couldn't get the extra to come off. Luckily it was in a spot that you couldn't tell so I was ok.

I have had partials when they had to ship something from a different location but always got a full ship confirmation when the last item shipped.

Hard to tell from the pic. Did the email say full ship confirmation or partial ship confirmation?

I agree but it should say Entrance only - no exit.

Good app tape helps and a little practice helps too. Glad you have a combination worked out that is doing it for you!

I use the cut vinyl tool (with black felt) for masking with app tape. The only time I DON"T use it is if the piece is small enough to just flip the app tape over and lay the graphic on it. Basically everything else I use the BS. Fast perfect no issues. Especially on full width 24" wide stuff that was always risky before.

If you can find someone close to you who has one to look at it's not that complicated. I have seen ones just cut out of pvc pipe without the straight piece that supposedly worked similar by just flipping them over and pushing. The felt is nothing too radical either. i am thinking about building something a little smaller for 12-14" and under out of a wide drywall mud trowel or something. if I do it and it works I'll post it up. I totally hear you on the expense. There is a little learning curve too. Took a few times to get it right and then no problems.

I used to do my masking similar to what you're doing but then I sprung for a Big Squeege cut vinyl tool and wow what a difference. They are $100 so it's an investment that you might not be interested in making right now but for long stuff I wouldn't do it any other way now. There isn't anything all that sacred about the design and a guy could build a similar product for cheap. Had I had one in hand to see how it's built I would have considered building my own. I just use the straight side and push the roll across the vinyl rather than the roll holder option and rarely have a wrinkle.

Nice work on the RPG stuff. Looks like a kick. Graphically I spend most of my efforts on the other side of the coin doing 2D vector work for signs. Started out doing file conversions from raster images for folks who have lost or never had their svg files. The 3D side is intense for sure. Glad to hear you are experienced. We get a lot of traffic through the forum who just don't know the best way to get from point A to point B so I try to help when I have time.

I just went ahead and did it so you would have what you need e-j-anderson1clr.ai

I don't use flexi so I can't comment on that side but I opened the AI file at work with CS2 and all the elements had stroked lines. Maybe that is causing you issues. The black background doesn't and shouldn't have the inner parts of the letters if your cutting this with vinyl so I think it's good to go assuming you are doing a black with white overlay. I dropped out the stoke on the attached version. Try it out. (this is in the older CS2 version) edit< whoops I just read you lower post about it being one color. If you just cut all the colors at once you can weed out accordingly or use the minus front to remove the white (in illustrator). Let me know if you need more help> e-j-andersonnostroke.ai

Is that coupler going to cause issues at all? Seems like it might cause your roll to run funny.

Necroware?

12 now and thanks!

To clarify, are you making that exact thing or similar look for a color guard team?