Capt'n Morgan

Hi all, Been reading for a couple days and there sure looks to be a lot of talent on here. I recently started looking into Rock Carving and in doing so, and reading one thing after another, I have found there are many things that can be done in this hobby. I also made the mistake of showing my Wife all I have learned thus far now I am under strict orders to investigate what will be needed to do these things, Rock Carving (deep) large rocks, small rocks, Glass Etching Frosting, Decals, layered and sublimation, Hats, T- Shirts, Coffee Cups, It kinda looks like the Full Monty. I don't think we will be going into full production mode but I do see the equipment getting some pretty heavy use. The other thing is the wife and I will retire in December so we will have plenty of time for this and if we can make a few bucks along the way so be it. The first order of business is a vinyl cutter. I have decided a 24" would fit our needs, In my research and in comparison I found that Graphtec to be at the top, and recently the Titan2 to be a pretty good cutter since they have went servo and oh(Great Price Too! . The Titan 2 has some serious down pressure for thicker resist films for heavy blasting, and it looks like the FC-8600 has good pressure too Along with some serious accuracy with the (advance registration mark system). The CE-6000 looks to be a great machine also and from what I have read is a very accurate but has a short falling cutting thicker films? I am a firm believer in not pushing a machine to its limit and I realize many machines have strong and weak points and costs usually enter into the purchase decision. Is their an advantage to having two machines say the Titan2 24" for thicker film and not so accurate cuts along with the Graphtec CE-6000 for more accurate and precise work? both of those machines combined are like $ 3045.00 or should I pull the trigger on the Graphtec FC-8600 24" for $ 3295.00? Is the FC really more accurate than the CE? There is an advantage for two machines in that redundancy will prevent down time in case of a failure, and both my wife and I could both be using one. So what is your thoughts on this? If you had a $3500.00 Cap for a vinyl cutter(s) what would you do. So what about heat presses? for T shirts, Hats & Mugs? Any Ideas There? How about Sublimation? I have seen Rich's stuff from Cobra Ink, how does his printers work and hold up? Any Ideas in this field Looks to be a savings in Ink over the long haul? What's your thoughts. Thanks, I really appreciate all of your input. ~Bob

Thank you Wild Goose and Mz Skeeter, along with Dakota who I have been in PM contact with. After reading, reading, and more reading I am certainly going to get (1) Graphtec Cutter. On top of that I think I am going to spend the extra money and get the FC-8600 60 which I can load 30" vinyl -vs- 28" and has double the pressure at 600 gr -vs- 300. I will take Dakota's recommendation and use Clean Cut Blades. I still am not sure what all I will be doing, but I figure having that extra horse power is sure not going to hurt anything. And I think I wont have to look back and say Gosh...... I wish I would have went the better unit! Dakota I value your opinion in the PM, and I wasn't trying to second guess you, I just was gathering information and other opinions best I could. Thanks to all of you. Now when I get the Cutter I can Get rid of the Scissors and Kitchen Knife.

I like it. Makes me think of the Ole CE Saying......."Go Ahead Make My Day"

Thanks Cyber Sultan of SWING! great explanation I was wondering all that myself.

Thanks Madhatter and for everyone else that chimed in and gave a brother some advice when he needed it. Maybe ill save myself some money and buy a pair of scissors. And use the wife's Sunbeam Iron for a heat press.

Hi, The wife and I looked into stone carving rocks for her garden and found one thing after another that could be done with a vinyl cutter. Its been just two days and I have been reading my a*# off. Jeesh so much info to absorb. I would like to make decals, along with making graphic's for apparel, coffee cups, stone carving, glass etching and that sort of thing. I can also see us getting into Sublimation printing for decals. Looks like I'm gonna be getting into THE FULL MONTY! Looks like Ole US Cutters is going to be getting heavy into my wallet as will others as I will be looking into a Cutter, Heat Press, and a Sub printer from Cobra Ink systems. As for cutters I was looking into the Titan 2 -vs- the Graphtec CE-6000 or the BIG BOY Graphtec FC-8600. Naturally I don't want to spend excessive dinero if features wont be used, but by the same token I don't mind spending the bucks for a long lasting piece of equipment. The wife sells on Flee Bay and this will just give her an extra tool to make some cash along with saving me decals, banners, & stuff I could use to help support my hobby. I am pretty good with Compukers cause I assemble my own from components and have fiddled them since the Commodore Vic 20. Well I guess I gave my age away there huh? Anyways I am also pretty good with graphics also so I think I can grasp a lot of the hardware and software end of things. What I am looking for is opinions of equipment from what I have said I will be using. I really appreciate your help and Ideas. Thanks ~Duke

Thanks Edge, Are you sure you have the right guy you may want to look at that picture again? I did have a pretty full beard and my hair was longer. Shula's??? I hate Bowling 1974?? I was almost legal to drink back then I could easily get into Busters Bar then tho. If not there I usually could go to Pat's Pharmacy for a carry out at least when I was 16. it might have been the FIGHT House errr I mean White House. ~Duke

Welcome Pete

You win!

Howdy and welcome.

Howdy! welcome aboard.

Thanks Doug, Yep they are great tractors. And they save my ARSE from a heart attack from shoveling! You can see some of the decals that I have had made in the past few years on the trailer and horses I have restored. Just Below is a 1956 and the last couple are of my Snow Chucker a 1991 520-H and the one throwing the snow 75' in my neighbors yard Is a 1975 C-120. ~Duke

Thanks Folks, John Banner I have a friend that lives pretty close to you in Mountain City, Tenn. Mz Skeeter you have me beat by a few I guess which is ok by me Doug I can Imagine a lot of Companies do not like that. Wheel Horse Tractors are no longer made, the last one rolled off the Line 10 miles up the road from me across the line in South Bend, Indiana in 1999 or there bouts. Toro purchased the company in 1986 and owns the name but could care less as they dropped the name Wheel Horse years ago. Memorabilia and decals are made out the Ying, Yang. People have contacted WH and from what I have heard they say they could care less because they no longer support the tractor. I figure it is pretty nice of them to let people reproduce their stuff. Thanks ~Duke

Thanx for heads up.