Openco

I have the same set up - Graphtec/MAC. I use Inkscape to design (free) and SignCut Pro to cut. I spent all day yesterday with Graphtec support (no help there) and found out that the CutMaster2 software is a PLUGIN for AI or COREL. It is not a stand alone program and is not compatible with Inkscape. The technician said that if I would buy AI or Corel, then he would help me... Have you had any luck since you posted this?

I've been cutting "regular" stuff successfully for a while, but I've been having trouble getting contour to work as well. Can't seem to get any answers for an Inkscape and SC-Pro combination (and I'm MAC). My cutter is a ce5000-60, the plug ins are there for SC-Pro, with ARMS it will try to find the registration marks - finds the first one - then gives an error. Upon trying simple contour, I get the same off sized attempts as yourself. The fact that it tries lets us at least know we are in the right direction... I spent yesterday with Graphtec support and got no help unless I purchased AI or Corel - then he said he would help me...

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Here is a copied post from the"other" forum - he deserves the credit. Here's the link too: http://www.vinylforum.org/smf/all-other-software/inksacpe-text/ "Draw a line curve . Match it up with where you want the text to go .Then type in your text ,go to "text and font" in the text tab and make sure your text is set to center justified ( it's the second doc button in the Layout area ) . Then select both the line and text ( click on one ,hold shift and click the other ) . With the two selected go to the text tab and select "put on path " . Now you can select your line and node edit to tweak it into place . When you are satisfied with your placement you can right click the line and select "Object properties" And tick the box that says "Hide" and close that window . Now you still need to make your text cuttable so select it and go to the "Path" tab and select "object to path" . Now you can select individual letters and do a final tweek if you need ! "

I bought this heat press knowing there would be limitations, and I've found a "fix" for something that others may have had to deal with. On my press, the upper steel disk and lower electro-magnet did not line up causing it to not want to stay locked in some of the differing thicknesses dealt with in pressing. This situation also required the disk to be run out so far that there was limited adjusting ability. My solution cost about $15. Remove the upper steel disk and close the press. the you can see where the steel disk "should have been." I bought the right bit and tap, and simply moved the hole. If your new hole and old over lap, you may have to get a welder to build out the metal for you - but all is not lost. Once I got things lined up, the threading was a little tight, as the original was made purposely sloppy to allow easy adjustment - so I cut a slit in the end of the threading of the steel disk post to allow a slotted screwdriver to adjust the disk. I'm not a machinist, but this little fix really makes this press seem like a Caddy on a Yugo budget. I hope this is useful!

Did you ever get the file? I wouldn't mind doing mine in carbon...

Thanks roger. I was hoping it was me and not the machine. I did the blade change, but don't know that the new blade is perfect - except for the great cuts at other times. I sharpen chisels sharp enough to shave, but these are tiny to see... I've ordered some clean cut blades for my next try. Also, one thing I've read was less blade more force (others recommend less force). Though this seems counter intuitive (since I sometimes have the dreaded peel up problem), but there may be a happy in between here...

Thanks man. that's not it. When I start messing with this, by the time I can get more solid cuts, I get the dreaded peel ups on small stuff. I can solve for one - not both. Even with "harder" cutting, the weeding box on the right to left cut is a chatter cut. I'm sure it's due to my inexperience. When I teach woodworking the hardest thing to get across to the students is that "the difference between not enough and too much is not very much."

I've seen this issue recurring with various descriptions on vinyl forums. This is how I would describe it. Please help if you can. As I face the out feed side of the cutter it chatters on cuts from right to left. Those left to right are very smooth. It also chatters on right to left "lower right to upper left" cuts like those on the inside upper climbing left cut of a "Y" or "N", or the two inside upper climbing left cuts of a "W". It looks like a perforated tear off sheet. Yes, I loosen up the roll so the machine does not have to pull it - more blade, less blade - more pressure, less pressure - yada, yada, yada... I thought the loud chatter that causes the blade to skip might be an issue with something not moving freely within the machine in the right to left direction. So I plotted out the same cut on paper with pen - no chatter - almost perfect. The other odd thing that I do notice is that even though I have the machine set to the slowest speed setting, it will speed up at certain points. I realize complex cuts will cut slower than lines but, for example, I may have a twenty inch line and the first half it cuts slow and the second half it speeds up. I've seen it go fast - slow - fast (etc...) on the same line. I've tried setting it to cut in steps instead of full lengths. I only mention the speed issue because if it is a long right to left cut the speeding up makes it worse. Also - this always happens with WHITE vinyl. Not so much with darker colors. Go figure...

Way cool!

We are having fun so far with our small endeavor. I own a building business and started the vinyl by wanting to re-do the old work on my truck ( I also use the plotter for drawing. I've been doing that for over twenty years). So we did the truck, then added a logo on the Mustang for our new (very small) graphics department - mostly doing for friends and current clients. Officially, my daughter is my main help, but my son and wife are interested too.

Mine acted crazy yesterday. I THINK it might be that I was on my cell phone and leaned over to get really close for something. RFI?

Welcome form Clayton, GA! New here also - the free download Inkscape has been a great place for me to start, then I checked the "how to" section of the forum link for tracing paths/bitmaps, etc. I was up and running in no time. Your not stuck with any particular program - enjoy the search!

Like others, I've been lurking and learning. Most FAQs help greatly. I may be hovering in the MAC corner mostly - i Mac running 10.6+ Snow-leopard with Parallels/Win7. I plan on using my Copam (arrives tomorrow) for drafting plotting as well as standard vinyl graphics advertising for my business.