slice&dice

Or, looking at this another way, these machine(s) will be around producing stuff for a few years, easily. Let's say 36 months (3 yrs.) $200 higher difference in pricing on purchase (more expensive/upgrade/add-ons) That's like $5.50 monthly, or $1.40 a week, or about 20 cents a day. Just empty your pockets of loose change every night and the higher up-front cost is absorbed without any extra effort.

Hey Chad, glad to see ya stick around for this thread -- lots of newbs just post a few times ("What's the best cutter?", etc, etc.) and then vanish. Let's review a few things, as per your inquiry. 1. The size of the throat of the cutter (allowing the vinyl to fit through, either 24" or 30") -- this means having BOTH sizes in stock (and often three sizes for each color, as 15" is very useful as well for many things). And the different sizes of App Tape as well. Don't forget, you'll need a means to roll out the App tape cleanly. Unfortunately, the standard App Taping Dispenser roller that is sold by USCUTTER only handles 24" rolls. I wish they had a version not as wide as 54" and around 34" -- anyway, I can wish, can't I? I solved this issue by simply building my own App tape dispenser/holder from wood pieces and a thick dowell. 2. How much open table space you have? Don't forget, grasshopper, the cutting is just part of the overall battle and other steps are involved. (See: Weeding & Taping & Application to substrates -- not to mention cutting up those substrates for signs/banners, as I need to do.) 3. Storage for materials? It's a bit of a science, to figure out where stuff all goes, and how it's fitted-together as an equipment array squeezed within a production studio space, and all the various combinations thereof. 4. "SC2/heat press combo that is $599 now was only $479" ---- Don't get hung up on a few bucks here & there when starting out, you'll be pouring more than you expected into this before you're done shopping online, trust me. The key is to get moving, to set it up, to experience the ins&outs of what you'll find is a rather challenging operation, right out of the box! There are so many "moving parts" (figuratively) to this, from designing on your computer screen, to getting the computer to communicate to the cutter and having all the wires and connections routed, and then tools tools tools, weeding, cutting, taping, measuring, snipping, slicing & dicing! After you do your first few jobs for several hundred $$$ each, you'll realize that a $156 difference in savings from a particular purchase of equipment is not worth discussing when measured in the long run. Buy what you want, and keep in mind the cutter/press equipment is a single CAPITAL expense and you'll also need consumables (ONGOING expenses).

Chad, you are correct. I own the SC2 and that laser-light pointer alignment thingy is useless in the normal course of operations to cut designs in vinyl.

Your SC2 should have come with VinylMasterCUT program. If that doesn't suit you, perhaps try SignBlazer Elements (use LiYu driver)

We all did, very valuable info. Also thanks to you guys (and gals). Great threads here lately, good details on things. Fun to watch things become resolved so often !!!

You'll have to hook it up with the RS232 serial port, since your older computer is not gonna support USB. Remember one thing --- the plotters we use today were actually developed by Hewlett-Packard in the 1950s and the basic operation remains the same (as does the underlying interface language -- HPGL -- with slight driver/code variations by manufacturer). Also, if you can afford to do so, the SC2 would be a better choice.

Oh, and by the way, this truck was burned to a crisp because it displayed TRUMP stickers.

Anticipate getting calls soon enough -- to curse you out for supporting the 45th President of the United States. You may want to rethink this "advertisement" since it absolutely alienates potential customers. Also, "Vinyl Stuff" is unreadable at 5 feet.

The MH Cutters are easy to take apart. Just remove the phillips screws holding the bottom on, and you'll have access to the grit rollers.

Use this program

34" --- Gary, if you have the room for it, this is the way to go. I do wish, however, that USCUTTER would sell an app-tape holder that wide. (currently, their largest app tape roll unit handles up to 24")

A few replies to the non-questions !! ---- 1. The SignBlazerElements program is indeed limited in functionality --- all those greyed-out items were only offered in the full version released as "HotShot Pro" but that was discontinued upon the passing of developer/owner of ColorChrome, Jerry Bonham. 2. This version located in a 'secret' archive at USCUTTER (download hosting) does contain the Roland GX24 in cutter setup. Shows as v.7.0 in the HELP/ABOUT menu 3. The MH and SC machines are NOT specifically listed in the cutter setup. The MH will work with RedSail driver and SC with LiYu. You're welcome.

We all have good things to be thankful for... thankfully. By the way, with Thanksgiving here it's now the time to put up Christmas decorations. So, here is a good way to decorate --- (FONT DINGS)

You should open a support ticket with VinylMaster.

Sure, text WILL vectorize, but if you zoom into the NODES that result from that process/conversion, you'll see it's not clean and smooth, like a font that is typed directly. Here is proof -- (exaggerated, but shows typical result). vector conversion of Text

Dunno, but try this --- Download and install SignBlazerElements Copy-Paste the logo from Inkscape into SBE. Export the design as .eps from the FILE menu. Should work.

"I think I'm going to have to fire up one of our older computers to get this to work properly." Which is exactly what was suggested about a week ago, trying to help you avoid these ongoing headaches attempting work-arounds. This is the version of SBE you should be running --- http://www.uscuttersupport.com/downloads/Software/SignBlazer/signblazer_setup.exe

If you are going to have it printed anyway, then send the company a .pdf file with the entire design, lettering and all.

Just for your reference --- there is a substantial Library of vector graphics available right within SignBlazerElements. Animals, Flourishes, Arrows, Ampersands, Stars, etc etc. http://www.uscuttersupport.com/downloads/Software/SignBlazer/signblazer_setup.exe

Hi there, cubby. This one is easy ---- using the 'SAVE AS' dialogue box (File menu) choose an existing folder or make a new folder, and place the VM file there. Next time you open the program, it will remember that.

Getting involved with garment transfers is a major financial investment, not in the hundreds, but several thousands of $$$. Not to mention the amount of physical space it would require, and you probably are in a condo that has limited room (even squeezing in that MH cutter was likely a challenge). You would be well-advised to outsource this type of work.

" I have a lady who is supposed to ship me one tomorrow. " Hopefully it arrives as promised. Wishing you good luck, as we all know that having a cutter not working is a very frustrating thing, as customers are lined up and you can't deliver their work. Let us know the outcome.

(I searched eBay and there are no MH units listed non-working, and since craigslist is for local transactions only, I feel it's unlikely Chris will be able to find a broken machine nearby to him, wherever that happens to be). What exactly happened that led you to require replacing the carriage?

You purchased a cutter from someone, and saw it running OK before you took it, right? Since you're seeking assistance from random people on the internet, it might be worthwhile to give some more information beyond "It ain't working..."

INSTRUCTIONS and MORE INSTRUCTIONS and .pdf INSTRUCTIONS