darcshadow

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Everything posted by darcshadow

  1. darcshadow

    Need help

    You can't. Those are basically two different measurements of the same thing. The A box is the typeface height, the T box is the height of the letter. Watch this video and it'll explain it. https://youtu.be/dxnzMTB7npw?t=480
  2. Have never tried. Just cutting a simple square with a knife or scissors is what most people do I believe. You could try cutting a registration mark. I don't know exactly how the registration marks work but you might be able to cut a thin enough line the cutter would detect it.
  3. darcshadow

    Which one

    Do you mean the box with the T next to it and a value of 4.925? The VM support guy just posted a thing about this the other day. That is the height of the capital H. Presumable all capital letters will be the same height but some fonts do do some fancy things that would go above or below the H. You can't have every single letter be the same height, unless the font is designed that way. Some fonts are, but several are not. I am curious now though, what is the box with the A next to it for?
  4. I don't think they really mean start, but rather layout. The N will be cut where the B was cut with the old cutter. But yeah, you don't need to change your design, just the way you think of plotter orientation. You say it cuts right to left, but if you look at the cutter from the other side it's cutting left to right. If I'm reading correct, the bottom right corner will be the origin point on the cutter so that when the job is done you'd be able to read the words as the vinyl hangs from the cutter. I don't know your software, but most programs you can change the orientation so that it will plot like your old one if you can't wrap your head around the different orientation.
  5. Yeah, if the on board test cut doesn't cut right something with the cutter itself is wrong and a replacement component will probably be needed.
  6. Are you talking about contour cutting the transfer tape after you apply it?
  7. darcshadow

    Which one

    What do you mean which one? The top is the width, the bottom is the height, that's what those arrows to the left indicate.
  8. darcshadow

    What software can I use with Qe6000

    It appears that that cutter has an RS-232 serial interface and can be controlled with HPGL. So Inkscape could be used. I have not messed with many cutting software, but pretty much any of them should work if you can configure the protocol that they use to be HPGL.
  9. darcshadow

    MH 871 Carrier Hangup

    With the belt removed do you still get a grinding noise? If not, then I would say you do not have a control or motor problem. My guess would be something is not aligned quite right and getting bound up. The grinding noise is the belt slipping at the motor. Is the machine new? If so call tech support and have them trouble shoot it for you.
  10. Clip art is typically a vector already so you shouldn't need to vector it. Also are you actually printing or cutting? Big difference.
  11. Are the circles objects or paths? If objects try converting them to a path then save the EPS.
  12. darcshadow

    Connect to Mac? USB? Not found!

    Except the driver you need, is for the chip that is doing the comm connection inside the cutter. The USB connection on the cutter is nothing more than a cheap RS-232 converter. HGPL is just the language which is why I said if you can plug directly into the comm port on the cutter you should be able to make it work on a mac as you don't need a driver. No, but most do seem to be 1012 steps per inch. This value is determined by the type of stepper motor used. Driver has nothing to do with this value. Again, the driver is nothing more than a usb to rs-232 converter. The step count would be a setting in the software being used. Most cutting programs have a drop down list to select your cutter and have settings such as this preset just to make it easier for the user. Inkscape for example, at least the windows version, just has the settings, it doesn't care what model of cutter you have. You set the step count, the comm baud rate, and a few other things I can't recall right now and that's it.
  13. darcshadow

    Connect to Mac? USB? Not found!

    Download and give Inkscape a try. You can use just about any measurement you like in it. Inches, mm, cm, pixels, pt, pc (not even sure what those last two are).
  14. Lots of people use this logic but I never really understood it. If you have $10 cash in hand. Just put it in the bank, or a mason jar, and and don't touch it then spend $10 on your credit card. At the end of the month take the $10 out and pay the credit card. You're still spending the same amount of money. The only difference is you just keep track of what you spend vs what you make and don't spend more than you make. And if you get a good credit card you get cash back so using the credit card will actually save you money.
  15. darcshadow

    Connect to Mac? USB? Not found!

    It's not USB that is the problem. It's the conversion of USB to the comm chip. Basically the cutter has a USB2COMM chip in it, just like the trip lite adapter, only the version in the cutter is cheaper and not a robust. It does seem odd that no one has created a mac driver for the chipset used in these cutters but I'm not a driver developer, it could be more work than I'd think. The cutter itself at it's core runns on the protocol RS-232 and uses HPGL as it's command language. Which is why I say you should be able to get it to work using a usb comm adapter that is supported by macs. And don't be fooled by the age of RS-232. It is an extremely robust and a very reliable communication protocol, superior to USB in several ways actually. It's biggest down side is speed, and for devices like a cutter, CNC machine, 3D printer, etc, communication speed is not really a factor and 9600 baud rate over a serial cable is more than fast enough.
  16. darcshadow

    New to this!!!

    If you have a specific goal in mind with what you plan to use the cutter for I'd skip the bundle. Get the cutter and software, should be included, a stand for the cutter (not absolutely necessary but very worth having) and get a roll or two of vinyl in the colors you want. That's all you really need. Everything else you might need can be found a local stores or improvised with stuff laying around the house.
  17. Why contact paper rather than actual sign vinyl? 631 removable wall vinyl would be easy to apply to the wood and then remove and would not wear out your blade as quick.
  18. darcshadow

    Connect to Mac? USB? Not found!

    If your cutter is not showing up when you connect it to the computer Inkscape isn't going to work for you either because you don't have a mac driver. That being said, you should be able to use the comm port. If you don't have a serial port on your computer a Tripp-lite USB2COMM adapter can be purchased that will work with a mac. From there it should be just a matter of setting up the comm port connection correctly.
  19. darcshadow

    mh871 grinding and overlapping

    Have you been looking at the cutter during the grinding sound? If you're not in the room at the time and just seeing the aftermath I would guess the cutting head is hitting the far side of the cutter. How big is your design?
  20. darcshadow

    Multiple colors

    Break apart the design then apply a color to the various sections.
  21. darcshadow

    Need an idea for trailers

    How long is temp and how easy do they want to remove it? Normal vinyl is pretty easy to remove a day or two after application, and not too hard to remove a few months later. Removable wall vinyl might work, it doesn't have as long of an outdoor life but should remove easily.
  22. darcshadow

    Print with cutter

    Also be aware, that PDFs are not necessary a vector file. If it is, and you just "cut" as it, you'll only get outlines, it'll look like it does when you view the design in wire frame mode. Some software does have a fill option for doing just this but I have only heard it mentioned on here, don't actually know anything about it.
  23. darcshadow

    Z axis issue?

    My first thought would be the cable cable controlling the solenoid is damaged/wore out. Kinds out sounds like the wire is making and breaking it's connection as the head moves back and forth which causes the wire to bend and flex.
  24. darcshadow

    Need to ID this font please!

    The key with script fonts is to edit the image and break apart the letters before loading it into a font finding program/web page.
  25. darcshadow

    Need to ID this font please!

    Whatthefont.com says Bonheur Royale https://www.myfonts.com/fonts/typesetit/bonheur-royale/bonheur-royale/