Cutter that does contour cutting

[RHConcepts 16]

I bought a Copam 2500 a few mo back and I love it. At the time I didn't think I would need to do contour cutting. But now I'm looking to buy a epson 1100 printer but thats no good if I cant do contour cuts lol. So I can do 2 things but I need help on what would be the best.

1. Sell mine and buy a ZenCut Green Series Vinyl Cutter

2. Buy a USCutter LaserPoint Vinyl Cutter w/ CONTOUR CUTTING Feature and have that just for backup and contour cutting.

I like #2 but how good is the cutter. Will I be OK with it if I don't use it much? Are they junk?

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

#3 or buy Flexistarter 10 with advanced contour cutting... a whole lot cheaper. Yes, it works with the Copam

http://cgi.ebay.com/Flexi-Starter-10-vinyl-cutter-FlexiStarter-Design-NEW-/270788204639?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0c3c185f

user Boosted is using it with his PCUT.

Then save your money for a Graphtec.. LOL

[RHConcepts 16]

#3 or buy Flexistarter 10 with advanced contour cutting... a whole lot cheaper. Yes, it works with the Copam

http://cgi.ebay.com/Flexi-Starter-10-vinyl-cutter-FlexiStarter-Design-NEW-/270788204639?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0c3c185f

user Boosted is using it with his PCUT.

Then save your money for a Graphtec.. LOL

Ok this sounds cool but what do I align the marks to the blade? because I have no laser on the cutter.

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

Ok this sounds cool but what do I align the marks to the blade? because I have no laser on the cutter.

Yes, it IS for vinyl cutters without a laser. You center the blade in the center of the registration marks. and click ok. The info is held in the software, read down where it displays the pictures in the ad. You jog your cutter with interactive keys in the Flexi software.

[RHConcepts 16]

Yes, it IS for vinyl cutters without a laser. You center the blade in the center of the registration marks. and click ok. The info is held in the software, read down where it displays the pictures in the ad. You jog your cutter with interactive keys in the Flexi software.

Thanks so much for that info. Now I have #2 and #3 lol

But how good are the USCutter LaserPoint Vinyl Cutter w/ CONTOUR CUTTING

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

Thanks so much for that info. Now I have #2 and #3 lol

But how good are the USCutter LaserPoint Vinyl Cutter w/ CONTOUR CUTTING

Your welcome, I don't have one. I have a Graphtec.. The laser pointer is all manual, and you have to use Signblazer cut a print version with it.. A laser pointer is a PCUT, with a laser on it. most people seem to like the PCUT,

[vinylmotivations 143]

I have the LP24 and love it.... I do wish it was slightly more accurate, but then again thats why I am just under a year into sign making and cutting and already buying a graphtec! My LP24 and Epson paid for THEMSELVES AND a Graphtec... LOL... WELL worth it!

Truth be told you can contour cut using flexi and any cutter, but honestly- nothing can beat the ARMS capability of a graphtec or other optical sensing route.... SO much easier!!! Depending on how much you cut should weigh your decision the most....

[RHConcepts 16]

I have the LP24 and love it.... I do wish it was slightly more accurate, but then again thats why I am just under a year into sign making and cutting and already buying a graphtec! My LP24 and Epson paid for THEMSELVES AND a Graphtec... LOL... WELL worth it!

Truth be told you can contour cut using flexi and any cutter, but honestly- nothing can beat the ARMS capability of a graphtec or other optical sensing route.... SO much easier!!! Depending on how much you cut should weigh your decision the most....

So the LP24 is that the US Cutter that I was talking about? I was down for 2 weeks because my cutter needed a part. That is one reason I was thinking of getting a 2nd cutter. But if using software on mine to do contour cuts would be better than a cheap US cutter then that may be the way to go. I wish I could buy a graphtec but I don’t have the money yet. I could buy a Graphtec Craft ROBO Pro but then I can’t buy my Epson 1100 that I wanted.

Please I need more feedback, so far the info has been very useful. I hope new buyers learn from this.

[vinylmotivations 143]

I love my epson printer... sometimes it frustrates me because I don't use it daily so the heads tend to get goofy when you dont print a lot. I would definitely go the software approach and save for a graphtec. Don't buy a craft robo pro when a CE5000-60 (24" model...) is only a couple hundred more....

I have the same issue with parts availability with my laserpoint too, so you'd be SOL if they both broke. Mine cracked a carriage backplate and it was 3 months before Levi finally could get me one sent. Amen I was able to epoxy mine up and make it useable....

PS> An LP24 makes a VERY LARGE, VERY EXPENSIVE, albeit very effective door stop! LOL.

[roxanneupnorth 106]

You can contour cut with any cutter......You just have to line up your starting point manually.....

[RHConcepts 16]

I was hoping someone would say the LP cutter will do just fine. What if I sell mine its only 2 or 3 months old. Would the 2 year warranty transfer to the new owner?

[vinylmotivations 143]

I bought my LP used and USCutter has been gracious enough to honor its warranty.

Like I said I have made enough to buy a new graphtec with mine- so will it be fine? sure! I made my gamble on it. Then again could you get it and not so much? yes. Also you will probably eat it in your shorts if you sell your cutter only a few months old.

[RHConcepts 16]

I bought my LP used and USCutter has been gracious enough to honor its warranty.

Like I said I have made enough to buy a new graphtec with mine- so will it be fine? sure! I made my gamble on it. Then again could you get it and not so much? yes. Also you will probably eat it in your shorts if you sell your cutter only a few months old.

Ya your right. I love my cutter and I just found this post

I was trying to get info on the steps you take to print on vinyl. But the best part of the post was this

"manual registration is a breeze and very accurate. Takes 10 seconds. and by any right you should be reloading your work anyways after laminate.

it takes no longer than auto registration. if fact if your using arms 4 point, which is way overkill for anything small, doing a 2 point manual is faster.

Before i got my printer i had jb welded a holder for a laser pointer to the side of my blade carriage and just put in the offset within flexi. Super fast, super easy. Never a issue or a problem using 2 points for anything up to 3 feet plus."

I like what he did. I did look up Flexistarter 10 like Skeeter told me about and I may try that. So I thinks its down to #3 and #2 But before I go with Flexistarter 10 I need to make sure I can offset the blade so i can add a laser. I could save alot of money but I wont be happy if my Copam goes down lol. You can never win..

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

with Flexistarter10 you don't need the laser. You are centering the blade in the center of the registration mark, and clicking OK, When you are clicking OK, you are telling the software where to cut/ with the Flexistarter software. The only way it could be close to accurate, would be take the blade holder out and insert a laser. The soft ware needs to record on the registration marks from appox the center of the blade holder.

with the laser pointer you have to first get the red eye offset set in Signblazer to make it work correctly somehow. I have read a section on it.

[RHConcepts 16]

with Flexistarter10 you don't need the laser. You are centering the blade in the center of the registration mark, and clicking OK, When you are clicking OK, you are telling the software where to cut/ with the Flexistarter software. The only way it could be close to accurate, would be take the blade holder out and insert a laser. The soft ware needs to record on the registration marks from appox the center of the blade holder.

with the laser pointer you have to first get the red eye offset set in Signblazer to make it work correctly somehow. I have read a section on it.

Hey thats even better, take the blade out and put in the laser to line them up and then put the blade back in. I'm sure its not hard to line up with just the blade but having a laser would be alot easier on the eyes and quicker.