Copam pulling up white vinyl

[JP Auto N Design 36]

I have been following this forum since i started researching vinyl cutters and I must say, some of you guys are pretty slick when it comes to

troubleshooting so hopefully someone can help.

I recently received my copam 2500 about 2 weeks ago so thats how long ive been experienced in the biz. lol. Im using inkscape, the signcut pro software and i started with shinerite vinyl. In that time, I have cut some designs that I never thought i'd be doing this soon with no problems what-so-ever, UNTIL....it came to semi detailed designs on white vinyl. The blade seemed to keep pulling the very small cuts of vinyl out and dragging them. Now granted, i liked the thought of less weeding but the vinyl that it pulled was meant to stay in the image. This was only happening with the white vinyl, so, I bought a roll of the oracal 651.....same results. Now being new to all this, I'm 100% sure It's me thats doing something wrong but i have tried EVERYTHING I can think of to correct it: less blade/more pressure=impossible to weed, more blade/less pressure=pulling up pieces of vinyl, different offsets, speed all the way down, new 60 degree blade, rotating the image in signcut to cut it, doing 1 cut of the image at a time. Nothin really worked perfectly, Its like i cant find a happy-medium with this white vinyl. My next step is gonna be those "clean cut"?? blades and maybe the 3 in 1 oil trick to the blade holder, unless someone out there can tell me what i am doin wrong.

I am really happy with the machine and I can see why you guys are so into doin this type of work. It's Awesome! Now if i can only figure out why the white vinyl hates me, we'll be in business. Thanks in advance for any help

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I think you covered everything I would have suggested - I used to have a copam and loved it.  the 3 in 1 will let it turn a little more freely and the cleancut is always a good idea but I really can't think what might be going on here with everything your tried. - no bits of vinyl in hte blade holder is there?

[JP Auto N Design 36]

No, there was no vinyl in the blade holder but here is what i tried. I had my speed at 10, my force at 20 and the offset at .25. That setup is what i was using to get atleast usable cuts with the current blade depth but it was still pulling up the white vinyl. I kinda figured that the blade depth was my problem. Since i didnt have the "experience" to fine tune the blade like you guys have, I sorta improvised. I mean, what other option did i have when ur talking about adjusting something that is already sticking out thousandths of an inch to begin with? Here's what i did: I marked (with a sharpie) the thumb screw that turns the blade up and down, the jamb nut and the blade holder itself with a straight vertical line thru all 3 things. I then backed the blade up until it cut the vinyl without pulling it (yet not enough to weed it) i then marked the blade holder at that spot (in line with the previous mark on the thumbscrew), this way i knew i had to have the mark on the thumbscrew somewhere in between the 2 marks on the blade  holder to find the happy medium. So what better way to start than put the thumbscrew mark right in between the 2 marks on the blade holder? I cut 3 of the images right in a row and didnt pull a single piece of vinyl, not even pieces the size of a ball point pen tip, and i weeded it while it was still in the cutter! I shoulda done that before wastin your guys time without thinkin it thru more, sorry. But hopefully my experience with it will help someone else down the road with similar blade adjustment problems. Hopefully i didnt jinx myself now when i go to cut the rest. lol. Thanks again

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

Thanks for posting your findings - that is what helps other people! - when time to change blades try a cleancut blade for the ultimate cut!  no I don't work for Ross just a loyal user!

[Czottola 0]

I am having this same issue but with metallic silver.  I am going to try your marking technique on the blade holder to see what results I get.

I also think the orical metallic silver vinyl is thinner than the white but ill report back.

Thanks all.

[mars 45]

Very good technique to  know! and well explained - even I could understand it.

-Mike

[FrogDog 1]

Thanks.  This sounds like a fix for my problem.

I am trying to cut 18 pt letters out of Venture Tape (spray mask) but it isn't happening.  Same thing like you only the blade holder gets a bunch of vinyl in it and I have to pick it out between tries (all failures).

At about 1/4 inch tall I wondered if the letters were just too small for the copam to cut.  I've got the stock blade so I was wonderiing if I needed a different blade, or a new one or what.

I'll try this tomorrow and see what happens.