Help A Beginner Start Cutting Vinyl Decals PLEASE

[VQpoweredZ 0]

Hey guys,

I'm looking to start cutting vinyl decals for cars, I'm buying a cutter for this only reason, to cut vinyl decals for car windows.  I've done some research but am looking for some advice to help me out.

Looking to buy a fairly cheap cutter that can cut decals up to 12 inches in length.  I'm confused about the difference between plotters/cutters, and which one would suit me best if I'm only cutting vinyl for car windows.

I know i'll need a cutter or plotter, vinyl colors, transfer paper, and an exacto knife for weeding.  Not sure if software for the computer comes with the cutter/plotter.

Like I said i'm sorry for asking such elementary questions to you guys, but I'm looking to make a small business for myself (Making different simple car window vinyl decal designs and cutting them)

Could you guys link me to some sites where I could buy the supplies I need, and to further learn the proper way to cut decals?  I'm trying to find a cheap cutter/plotter that would be best for cutting decals for cheap.  Is there a kit that would suit me well?

Thanks in advance,

Dan

[mars 45]

http://www.uscutter.com/ is the site of the company that owns this forum.  At least look there.  There are others - I am sure somebody will post their favorite.  Google is your firend - look for sign suppliers or vinyl cutters in a google search.  Ask them about cutting software - some come with cutting  programs, some may not. 

A cutter can hold a blade or a pen in it's carrier.  With a blade it is a cutter - there is adjustment of the pressure it puts on the blade so you can make it cut various materials.  If you put a pen in the holder it becomes a plotter - will lift and lower a pen and move around to plot (draw lines).

A plotter is designed to use a pen - or several different color pens that it can select automatically to just draw lines - not much in the way of pressure adjustment - but I could be wrong there.  Plotters have been around longer than cutters - but are both similar in design - probably cutters were made from plotters and then improvements for making them more suitable to cutting sheet materials.were made.

Any of the cutter will cut a 12" long decal.  Even the cheapest ones will work to cut window decals.  Do yourself a favor and don't get the cheapest one you see - money spent on a better cutter will pay off.  If you find you like making window decals - you will wind up wanting to make other things - and a better cutter will probably be on your shopping list before you know it.

Most of the suppliers have startup kits available.  I bought my cutter from USCutter several years ago - a Copam cp-2500 and have been happy with it's quality and the accuracy of the cuts I can make.  Others have been happy with several of the cheaper models - and still others have been very happy with their Graphtecs and other higher end models. 

-Mike

[VQpoweredZ 0]

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I appreciate it.  I had been looking at their site. 

http://www.uscutter.com/USCutter-MH-series-Vinyl-Cutter-_p_25.html#

I've came up with this, the 25'' Cutter w/stand.  The MH series cutter.  With the weeding application and starter kit.  It says it includes software.  I'll be using this with a Mac, and I think it's compatible.  Would any type of vinyl work for this machine?

If i'm just cutting decals for car windows like I said would it be more beneficial buying the 12'' one or the 25''?

Is there any reason why I should buy the 25" one? 

Thanks again,

Dan

[Rodger 527]

"  Any of the cutter will cut a 12" long decal.  Even the cheapest ones will work to cut window decals.  Do yourself a favor and don't get the cheapest one you see - money spent on a better cutter will pay off.  If you find you like making window decals - you will wind up wanting to make other things - and a better cutter will probably be on your shopping list before you know it.

Most of the suppliers have startup kits available.  I bought my cutter from USCutter several years ago - a Copam cp-2500 and have been happy with it's quality and the accuracy of the cuts I can make.  Others have been happy with several of the cheaper models - and still others have been very happy with their Graphtecs and other higher end models.  "

 I second this good advice . I bought a CoPam 2500 also & am very happy with it . Money well spent !!! USCutter techs has advised the CoPam if it is in the budget . A 24" machine will prove much more versatile in the long run as well as the professional division machine instead of the value described machine . If you are not sure you will like making decals for yourself with the possibility of making them for others for profit , the smaller value division machine may be the best option ... If you are certain this won't be a fad & end up in storage , the 24 " CoPam or better is the best spent money .

[mars 45]

Yeah Rodger - I'm glad I went with the Copam - I bought mine back when they were selling them on eBay with no reserve - I bid on every auction they listed and finally won mine at a good price - paid $90 shipping on top of that, but still was under the list price by a couple of hundred bucks

Dan,

Standard roll vinyl is commonly available in 15" and 24" rolls.  A 12" machine will require you to use narrower rolls - or have a standard roll cut down - either way it is more hassle than having a machine that can handle 15" and 24" rolls.  Definitely get the stand.

The software that comes with the cutter is SignBlazer Elements trial that doesn't expire -- I like it fine and there are a lot of knowledgeable people on this forum you can look to for answers to any snags you hit while learning to use it.  Do install and use the tutorials - time well spent.  Read all the topics in the SignBlazer section - you will get answers to questions you don't know you have yet.  

Also there is a 1 year subscription to Signcut Productivity Pro - you may like it better - I didn't use it enough to really form an opinion - I just didn't care to have to pay an ongoing subscription to run my cutter.

As to vinyl you will be much happier if you don't cheap out on buying the supplies.  I like Oracal and that is what I use  - mainly 651.

-Mike

[VQpoweredZ 0]

Thanks a lot for the information.  I think I might go with the 25'' w/stand.  I'm going to do some research on the forums and other sites and will update with my decision. Thanks again

[Rodger 527]

Yeah Rodger - I'm glad I went with the Copam - I bought mine back when they were selling them on eBay with no reserve - I bid on every auction they listed and finally won mine at a good price - paid $90 shipping on top of that, but still was under the list price by a couple of hundred bucks

  Mike ,

  So you were the 1 that I was bidding against in 2007 . I did buy the very last 2 auctions USC had on e-bay without a reserve . I saved a couple hundred each from the list price then , but bought the extra years warranty for $99 . The warranty was good for peace of mind , but I did not need any warranty on either Copam . Ken told me it was worth the difference in buying the CoPam if it was in the budget .

  on the support you are giving

Rodger

[mars 45]

Thanks - I had almost given up trying to bid cheap on one when I finally won an auction.  I thought of getting the extra warranty, but decided to just chance that I would not need service - Never a minutes problem with the equipment -  lots of problems with idiotic operator errors at first.

-Mike

[NukleoN 34]

Hey guys,

I'm looking to start cutting vinyl decals for cars, I'm buying a cutter for this only reason, to cut vinyl decals for car windows.  I've done some research but am looking for some advice to help me out.

Looking to buy a fairly cheap cutter that can cut decals up to 12 inches in length.  I'm confused about the difference between plotters/cutters, and which one would suit me best if I'm only cutting vinyl for car windows.

I know i'll need a cutter or plotter, vinyl colors, transfer paper, and an exacto knife for weeding.  Not sure if software for the computer comes with the cutter/plotter.

Like I said i'm sorry for asking such elementary questions to you guys, but I'm looking to make a small business for myself (Making different simple car window vinyl decal designs and cutting them)

Could you guys link me to some sites where I could buy the supplies I need, and to further learn the proper way to cut decals?  I'm trying to find a cheap cutter/plotter that would be best for cutting decals for cheap.  Is there a kit that would suit me well?

Thanks in advance,

Dan

Hi Dan,

Welcome to U.S. Cutter's forum. You've come to the right place, and these are the kinds of questions most people ask before buy a cutter...nothing wrong with that!

You've gotten some good answers here already about the differences between a plotter and a cutter. Essentially, they are the same thing...except a plotter uses a pen and the cutter uses a rotating blade to cut whatever you send from the computer. The information coming in would be the same to the cutter.

If you want to design your own window decals, I recommend Photoshop for design work, Illustrator or Corel for vector work (whichever you prefer), Inkscape for vectorizing raster graphics (free!) and SignCut Productivity Pro for cutting. I would avoid Sign Blazer Elements (SBE) like the plague even though it's free. It's unsupported and sorely outdated. I would not waste any amount of effort on that program, but that's just my opinion after trying to use it. SignCut is fairly inexpensive but worth it. You know software is pretty bad when it's free and people still won't use it (though some have gotten ok with it), but I would never recommend it.

Consider what you want to do with a cutter before buying. As people already recommended, I would not go narrower than a 24" cutter, since you may find you want bigger graphics in the future, especially for cars. The LaserPoint 24 (LP24) has a laser on it to make contour-cutting easier....so if you plan to do contour cutting you're going to want to look at this. Contour Cutting is generally defined as printing something out with a printer (Epson Workforce 1100, for example) and then 'cutting it out' on your cutter using a contour sent as a vector file from SignCut. The LP24 gives you tremendous flexibility for future jobs.

Also, if you don't yet have a regular printer, I highly recommend the Epson Workforce 1100. You'll find support for CIS (Continuous Ink Systems) for this printer (as well as the Workforce 30) and this makes buying ink a lot less expensive. Also, these printers make use of 'Durabrite' ink which is recommended for some types of inkjet vinyl from Papilio (which you could then contour cut).

For vinyl, I recommend nothing less than Oracal 651. You'll find cheap vinyl harder to weed, and if there are other vinyls (cast) for more permanent adhesion to car bodies, but Oracal 651 is amazing for car windows and sticks great through rain, washes, etc.

Application tape, I recommend RLA 4075 and others might recommend their favorites. Good application tape makes a difference for applying decals and having the decals actually want to stick to the tape....and will benefit your customers too when they go to peel off the decal from the backing. If the vinyl doesn't want to come off the backing it's gonna make things tough on your customers.

Also, check out something called a 'Keyspan' connector, to connect the cutter's serial port to the computer. More secure connection with less chance of any errors due to the USB cable wiggling around and what not.

Good luck (I know there's a lot to digest here).

[john! 1]

just do one thing, charge well for your work. We don't need another person defacing the industry.

Don't want to sound mean but it's reality.

[NukleoN 34]

just do one thing, charge well for your work. We don't need another person defacing the industry.

Don't want to sound mean but it's reality.

Hear, hear.