Need help choosing an entry level cutter.

[TEinVA 0]

I am a stay-at-home Mom who quit my job as an RN to be with the kids. However I do need to supplement our income a little and am venturing into starting a vinyl decor business on the side. I'm also interested in making children's t-shirts with vinyl as well as auto decals later down the road. I originally ordered the Sillhouette then felt it would be too small to create some of the larger designs (wall quotes mainly). I'm pretty computer literate although tend to learn more through playing with a program and trial and error rather than reading instruction manuals! So I need an entry level cutter and have been torn between the 24" models here on the site. Any recommendations regarding the best one to meet my needs? I am trying not to go overboard (hubby would prefer I keep the total initial investment around $500 including supplies.)

Thanks in advance for your input!

[Rodger 527]

Copam is $700 delivered thru e-bay . I don't have any experience with any other cutter , but bought the Copam because it was the 1rst industrial model . Has an Optic eye . I would buy a roll of Oracal white , black & red ( about $80 each in 24" ) . Give your customers their choice of colors .. as long as it is 1 of those

[BannerJohn 1,324]

In your price range, I recommend the Creation PCut.  Good cutter. I use one every day.

[Jay2703 704]

I had a PCut for my first cutter. It paid for itself in about a month. Good starter cutter.

[NiteWalker 10]

Check out this deal from imprintables. You really can't lose. You get a free servo motor vinyl cutter (it's a GCC bengal, which sells for around $890) and a bunch of supplies to get you started. The only stipulation is that you have to purchase $100 in materials a month from imprintables for 1 year. I did it, and I'm still buying another cutter at the end of the month. You really can't beat a free great quality cutter. It's pink, but you're supporting the fight against breast cancer so I don't mind the pink. When you make your first order of $100 or more, that's when they send your cutter, supplies and order.

Steve is a great guy to work with too.

Again, you can't go wrong.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I started with the p-cut and it made the money so I could upgrade to the next . . .and so on and so on

[hagen8492 4]

I bought a MH 721 thru US Cutter and it works fine if you want to keep the investment small.  Also you need to look at application tapes and things such as that.  Any questions e-mail me.  vinylletters09@yahoo.com

Chris

[banzaimini1 1]

I got the creation pcut and it has been awesome.. Well worth the money and has paid for itself numerous times

[TEinVA 0]

Thanks for the input everyone. The deal from imprintables is great but since I'll be doing this part time and don't want the $100 hanging over my head each month, I'm going to go ahead and get the pcut. Sending back the Sillhouette!

Thanks again.

[roxanneupnorth 106]

It is not really 100.00 per month.  It works out to 75.00 per month if instead of a 400.00 machine you use that 400.00 for supplies to start. Then you only have to buy 800.00 during the next 12 months.

[Rodger 527]

That is what it works out to/same as etc  , but what I read ... Honey ,  It is $100 a month for 1 year .

[xJoey Dubsx 42]

I like my MH721... made money back in a few weeks.

[roxanneupnorth 106]

Yes but if she has to spend 400.00 up front anyway, that only leaves 800.00 more she has to spend.

[Rodger 527]

I would do the same thing as Te . The added advantage is being loyal to USCutter since we are all on their forum ( Karma !!! ) . Plus the pride in feeling the loyalty . It amazes me when competitors products are promoted on this site ... that would NOT work on anybody elses site ... USCutter is too nice IMO  .  Nothing stays the same .... especially in this economy . I would rather strengthen allies instead of undermining them . That is just the way this " Yankee " is/are/am  .

[TEinVA 0]

Thanks again for the input. I will be doing this on a part-time basis when I have time in-between caring for two young children (and trying for our 3rd!). So having any amount to pay each month just does make me a bit nervous.

I called USCutter to ask about possibly waiving the restocking fee if I sent the Silhouette back to upgrade to a larger machine. The person I spoke with encouraged me to actually keep the Silhouette because it does contour cutting, which none of the "value" cutters do. Something about sub dye. I do want to do shirts, and was planning on using heat transfer vinyl. Do I need contour cutting for that?

Sorry for the ignorance.  :-

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

Thanks again for the input. I will be doing this on a part-time basis when I have time in-between caring for two young children (and trying for our 3rd!). So having any amount to pay each month just does make me a bit nervous.

I called USCutter to ask about possibly waiving the restocking fee if I sent the Silhouette back to upgrade to a larger machine. The person I spoke with encouraged me to actually keep the Silhouette because it does contour cutting, which none of the "value" cutters do. Something about sub dye. I do want to do shirts, and was planning on using heat transfer vinyl. Do I need contour cutting for that?

Sorry for the ignorance.  :-

Check out the prices on dye sub equipment - instead you will probably want to go with pigmented ink and jpss transfers.  On the dye sub - the special ink is heated and it turns directly to a gas and attaches itself to special (polyester) shirts directly with no carrier transferred.  none of us that do dye sub understand why you would want to contour cut a dye sub sheet as nothing but the ink transfers.  1 person at USC suggested that it reduces the imprint from the press - also accomplished with a Teflon pillow - that is even overkill

[johng1970 0]

Check out this deal from imprintables.

Steve is a great guy to work with too.

Again, you can't go wrong.

It said I had to login before I can see the thread.  Is there a way you can post the link to imprintables without logging into to the forums?  The "Preferred vendor introductions" implies that forum might not be available to first time visitors_...  I'd be interested in seeing the deal, but if you have to buy $100 in supplies each month, that might get costly for someone who is using it for hobby work_.... Even in the case of the original poster wanting to do boat letters and letters on the back of the boat, she probably would never buy $100 every month in Vinyl, unless she plans on doing a free service of placing letters on every boat in the city, even then she's going to reach a poing where she's done all the boats and they allready have way more vinyl than they need...  In fact at that rate, she'd likely be forced to doing the letters in a rainbow of colors, each letter in 2 different colors just to use up the extra vinyl.... ;-)

[PAUPAU 0]

Here's the info from the post on the T-shirt Forum

The cutter is a GCC Bengal in Hot Pink

I jumped on this offer and I'm expecting delivery by the end off the week.  I just purchased a MH 871 about 3 weeks ago and have recouped 2/3 of the cost, . I figured that since I'm just getting started still have materials to buy to get my setup this would be a good deal and I have a second cutter,(and one more easily portable should I need it to be).  Since most posters say that there machines have paid for themselves, I'm hoping to recoupe part if not all of the $100/month It comes out to 3 rolls of heat press vinyl a month.

Imprintables Warehouse Cut 3000 Business Expansion Offer:

We are happy to offer the following package to T-Shirt forum members!

The Cut-3000 package is valued at over $2000.

It includes all these great items and more:

Susan G. Komen limited edition Cut-3000 cutter

Cadworxlive online design program

Great cut software

6 yards of materials

What do you need to do for Imprintables Warehouse?

It pretty simple really. In exchange for the great business package above you agree to purchase our materials for use with the cutter for 12 months.

What dollar retail value of materials?

$1,200

This works out to be $100 per month measured once per quarter to make sure you are on track. Here is the beauty of this arrangement: you are getting the entire equipment and software package up front at no charge and all of the material you purchase, spread out over twelve months, will be used to make yourself a lot of profit.

There are absolutely no gimmicks here. You own the equipment and all the extras free of charge after completing the material purchase requirement. Even more, you get the complete, experienced support of the entire staff at Imprintables Warehouse. Our company has made its reputation in the industry base on our expertise and excellent customer support. There are no banks or financing companies involved. It is simply an agreement between you and Imprintables Warehouse.

This is a very unique arrangement and while you are making money with the equipment and materials you also will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have contributed

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