racinboy30 9 Posted July 26, 2009 Is there or ever was a rear roller bracket instead of the cross member type supplied? Any ideas for fabricating one. I'm sure it would completely fix the tracking problem because i'm sure the cause is when the machine jerks on the material when rolling and if there was one with rewind it would no longer be a problem for you to use 50 yd rolls. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rodger 527 Posted July 26, 2009 The instructions 2 years ago showed the vinyl roller bracket as you want . It came with the crossmember unit . Seems you could make a bracket using the 6 bolts that attaches the cutter to the head , to mount the crossmember roller behind the cutter . What most everybody does is unroll more than what is being cut to eliminate any friction . I don't think the vinyl roll would rewind well . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kenya Posted July 26, 2009 Rodger, do you have a terrible time with tracking issues when using your Copam? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rodger 527 Posted July 26, 2009 Hey Kenya , I have never had a tracking issue at all . I only spend a second aligning the vinyl , but I have not done anything over 3' though . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kenya Posted July 26, 2009 Hey Kenya , I have never had a tracking issue at all . I only spend a second aligning the vinyl , but I have not done anything over 3' though . Does the copam have a fan like the pcut? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racinboy30 9 Posted July 26, 2009 I've done up to 8 ft but have lost a whole 8 ft figuring out how to make it work well when doing cuts that long. Get rid of any weed cutting, or weed all. smart cut doesn't work and just move the material more than the regular way. Use tiles whenever possible. I usually stand next to it and help it along untill i am sure it is tracking and then i might step away for a second. As far as a roller deal, i have a good concept in my head of what i would need. For the rewind all you need is a light tension coil spring and cable pull like a garage door assist. Tensioned properly would be a trial and error deal i guess. I was just wondering if any one had a roller like that. I'm going to try and fab one up in my free time as well as a front catch to stop the vinyl from reaching the floor. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mars 45 Posted July 26, 2009 My Copam tracks straight, but not if I don't have sufficient material rolled off to complete the cut. Anytime the material has to pull off of the roll it will skew and be off track. You can babysit and roll off extra as it needs it - or you can advance enough to handle the job. Just moving where the roll is mounted without actually freeing up the amount needed for the job wouldn't work. I can see moving the roller higher would allow more room to keep the extra material you roll off from hitting the floor. As to making a different bracket I just looked at mine and the first idea I would consider is making a rail the size of the crossmember the bracket now fits on and mounting it via an extension arm on both ends to the uprights of the stand near the top and just far enough back to keep the vinyl feeding back from dropping between the roller and the machine. Or you could use a couple of the clothes hanger bar brackets and run a pipe between them and do away with the double roller holder piece. If anybody else has made and used one pictures might help the rest of us decide if this is something we need to make for our cutters. Kenya, are you having tracking problems? Is it that the vinyl is getting out of kilter on long cuts - or is it that it is hard to load it straight enough to stay on the pinch rollers over a long feed run? The copam I have only has 2 pinch rollers and no fan - I don't think any of the copams have the fan. -Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rodger 527 Posted July 26, 2009 I can't hear a fan , though there are 8 air holes . I read in 1 post that Ken did not think the fan did much & I think he was talking about a pcut . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racinboy30 9 Posted July 26, 2009 Yes mine has a fan, it is temperature controlled I believe. I hear it run sometimes on really long cuts or if i've been using it all day. If it's just sitting there it will not work only when cutting have i heard it. Tracking for me is a problem even when i unroll what i need, one because of the tight confines of the space i work in and also its environment i witch i work is not optimal. But i deal with it and it just takes me longer. I've used all the techniques i could find but it still will not cut beyond 5 ft without sidetracking. What i have learned is that it is much easier for me to just tile a job as much as i can so that i'm working in smaller area and for the most part it save vinyl too. The bracket i was just wondering about, My parents have there own cutter and printer and both of them have something like i'm talking. They just lack the rewinding. As far as rewinding goes it would be cool if i could make something up. I know where i can get an electric motor that is a variable pull and would release when pulled against. Either that or a ratcheting gear mechanism like a ratchet that would free wheel one way. The roll holder I'm imagining would also be setup with prepositions for the roll guide against the first pinch roller so that it would track. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rodger 527 Posted July 26, 2009 There is a setting in the software i use ( SignBlazer ) It is in the " cutter setup " under " cutter movement " . It is the middle option . " Best Tracking ( minimize vinyl movement ) ". It cuts everything horizontally as it feeds the vinyl . I have read where members feed the length vinyl back & forth & adjust the vinyl with the pinch rollers until they get it tracking correct . I would cut in sections & then put in the extra time to align when applying if I had tracking problems ( would save much vinyl I bet ) . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kenya Posted July 26, 2009 Kenya, are you having tracking problems? Is it that the vinyl is getting out of kilter on long cuts - or is it that it is hard to load it straight enough to stay on the pinch rollers over a long feed run? The copam I have only has 2 pinch rollers and no fan - I don't think any of the copams have the fan. -Mike Mike, actually I don't have a Copam..... yet. I'm just trying to find out all that I can, before I buy one. That or I'll just bite the bullet & buy a GraphTec. I will be asking alot of questions in the next few weeks. Thanks for the info. Vette Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted July 26, 2009 do yourself a great justice and just bite the bullet and buy the Graphtec. I personally have a Graphtec FC7000MK2-75 tracking is great, it will pay for it's self in no time flat. And a great warranty... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kenya Posted July 26, 2009 do yourself a great justice and just bite the bullet and buy the Graphtec. I personally have a Graphtec FC7000MK2-75 tracking is great, it will pay for it's self in no time flat. And a great warranty... What software do you use? Also, do you use Vista? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racinboy30 9 Posted July 26, 2009 The copam is a great buy, even with it's down falls, you more than likely will want to stay away from large work where tracking is a problem at first. Start out small. I only had enough money to buy a copam when i was shopping. If you have the dough, buy a graphtech or roland. Me i prefer roland. My parents have a graphtech and they have had problems on several occations, although there warranty covered it all. It was still down time. I would recommended a copam just for a spare or to cut heavy material with just to save ware and tare on a roland or graphtech Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kenya Posted July 26, 2009 The copam is a great buy, even with it's down falls, you more than likely will want to stay away from large work where tracking is a problem at first. Start out small. I only had enough money to buy a copam when i was shopping. If you have the dough, buy a graphtech or roland. Me i prefer roland. My parents have a graphtech and they have had problems on several occations, although there warranty covered it all. It was still down time. I would recommended a copam just for a spare or to cut heavy material with just to save ware and tare on a roland or graphtech I can't start out small, I've been cutting material 6' - 8' long already with the cutters that I have. I just want to upgrade to a more professional cutter. I love being able to ask alot of questions first......... it's making my decision alot more informed. Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racinboy30 9 Posted July 26, 2009 I did the same when i bought mine, now i'm looking to upgrade as well. As far as what you need for that type of business. I would even look at buying a print cutter like a roland versacamm, it will do cutting alone as well as give you a chance to do small printed decals to wraps if you like. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted July 26, 2009 do yourself a great justice and just bite the bullet and buy the Graphtec. I personally have a Graphtec FC7000MK2-75 tracking is great, it will pay for it's self in no time flat. And a great warranty... What software do you use? Also, do you use Vista? My Graphtec is on a Toshiba laptop XP bought in Nov 2006, Vista was just coming in then. I do have the upgrade Vista CD for it, but never changed it. and I use Flexistarter for my cutting software. I bought my cutter Feb/2008, and have NEVER been down and I cut everyday.. Also, believe it or not, I do see that Walmart still sells new computers (laptops) with XP,, but online sales only.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
