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allenallen

Is my cutter dead?

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I have a Vinyl Express Q100 (42") Signwarehouse's equivalent to a Graphtec 8000.

My 4-year old son was in the shop this morning.  While the cutter was ON, but resting between jobs, he slid the cutting head all the way to the left.  I jumped up as he did this, and the machine powered itself off.

Everything SEEMS alright physically, but the cutter will not turn on.  When I press the power switch, I hear the normal internal "click" a second later, but the display screen never lights and the cutting head never moves.  Nothing but that one internal click.

I have 3 of these machines and have never seen this!  Is there a top-secret reset sequence or an internal fuse? 

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have you tried manually moving the cutting head away from the edge before you turn the machine back on?

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have you tried manually moving the cutting head away from the edge before you turn the machine back on?

Yes, and it moves with the normal resistance.  I unplugged everything, and removed the side trim.  I am pretty handy with electronics - used to fix ham radios.  So I know how to not get zapped.  But I am really stumped by this.  No fans running, nothing.  I am guessing the internal "click" about a second after the power is turned on (or off) is the DC power supply.  I have a huge job starting next week and am getting anxious.

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if you can't get it figured out,call SW first thing in the morning. Maybe they have someone in support who can help..and if a part is needed, they should be able to overnight it to you.

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Can't seem to find one - unless it is in the bottom - neither end have one.  

I did take the shroud off the cutter head and looked at the cut-off blade mechanics.  This seems to be in order, and I have compared it to one of my other working machines (and then put that one back together!) I see how it works to engage and disengagee the cut-off blade by driving into the left-edge stud.  All seems perfect up top.

I guess I'll look underneath for an in-line fuse..

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I took the front long shroud off - access to the two fans, and the front media sensor.  The rear shroud is nothing but access to the rear media sensor.  

I guess my next exploration will be the top shroud just above the cutting head.

EDIT: Nothing found there.  It has to be some sort of an abuse lockout sequence.  Aaaagh!

BannerJohn, do they actually have circuit boards to change out?  I was under the impression that their parts were just blades and cut strips.  Shoot, I can't even get a media basket for the one without!

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I have used SW for a little while..I have been dealing with Santiago, Ron and Billy in the service dept there..When you call the service number press 2 for printer support..They told me that way you go into the sr tech que yhey all work with the cutters to..Santoago seems to be the most knowledgable. some of the others end up talking to him before you hang up if you have a really good problem...

Good luck!

stetson5331

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I took the front long shroud off - access to the two fans, and the front media sensor.  The rear shroud is nothing but access to the rear media sensor.  

I guess my next exploration will be the top shroud just above the cutting head.

EDIT: Nothing found there.  It has to be some sort of an abuse lockout sequence.  Aaaagh!

BannerJohn, do they actually have circuit boards to change out?  I was under the impression that their parts were just blades and cut strips.  Shoot, I can't even get a media basket for the one without!

no idea..but if they don't carry parts for what they sell...I wouldn't buy from them to begin with. However, they should be able to tell you where to get the part...if a part is needed.

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have you tried the factory reset button?   At same time as turning the machine on, HOLD down the UP arrow....

also,  I have the FC7000 and when the cutting head goes all the way to the left  that shaft sticking out on the frame, which is stationary,, is telling something  in the cutting head what to do. Because it goes into the cutting head when measuring the media.  Have you taken the plastic cover off your cutting head and looked there?    There is a trip lever there somewhere.  I haven't taken mine off, but I can see that metal plate.

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Well, SignWarehouse says they can send a new motherboard for $633, if I feel handy enough to install it (and I do).  I have three of these cutters, two 42" and one 24". The 24" is really worn out, and has been used for some jobs in Hawaii, and UPS and the airlines have NOT been kind to it.

So I plan to pull the mother board off of the dying 24" and swap the two.  If that is it, then I will just part off the entire 24" cutter. 

$633 doesn't sound too awful when considering $3500 machine, but I have only bought one of these new from SW.  The other two I got on eBay for $1200 used, with the stand.  So I will replace the whole thing rather than get one part for $600.

Thanks for everyone's help on this.  We didn't find an easy solution, but I hope everyone will know of the terrible risk of forcing that cutter head!

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If replacing it, check with SW's clearance dept..I was going to buy a Graphtec 30" the other day from them for $999 and then I bought a new 54" as a package deal instead...Don't take their first price on a cutter I got them down to that just because I didn't want to pony up more dogh...

hope that helps

stetson5331

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I did the same thing to my Fc7000-130. were you able to get it running after switching the boards? because mines makes a clicking sound and nothing turns on.

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