Acrylic Conceptions 5 Posted August 7, 2012 Hello. My name is AJ. A few months ago we came to acquire a laser engraver and a vinyl plotter. www.AcrylicConceptions.com is our site. Got the laser stuff down, learning the vinyl. Its a P-Cut CT630. I am using Sign Blazer for it. Its been a learning experience. Destroyed some vinyl the other night, just could not get the file to cut right. It kept lifting. I am trying different pressure and speed settings. I have noticed that it changes between vinyl and some times colors (odd). So I stumbled on to this site via Google. I hope to learn more tricks of the trade... Little Sample of a show car done with our stuff. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jay2703 704 Posted August 7, 2012 Welcome to the forum. Great work on the interior. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr12volt1338 116 Posted August 7, 2012 Welcome! Different colors along with different brands can all cut differently... I have issues with white vinyl every time I try to cut them. I have found using Oracal vinyl was a HUGE help in cutting quality... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MooreEmergency 4 Posted August 7, 2012 Ditto on the vinyl brand I ran the greenstar that came with my cutter then switched to Oracal 651. It was the biggest difference in the world with the cut. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Acrylic Conceptions 5 Posted August 7, 2012 Thank you. Well being new to it all... I was not expecting to get vinyl orders so when I did... 400 stickers I about crapped my pants. Found beacon graphics and ordered up some Avery stuff. Seems really good but I'm pretty sure that I bought really good stuff...more then I needed. I'll look into the Oracal stuff. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mabscotthandyman 1,410 Posted August 7, 2012 HELLO AND WELCOME AJ vinyl is like anything you can buy different grades the avery vinyl is good stuff as long as it is intermediate or better . Sounds like a blade depth/offset or pressure read up on those here and try adjustments till you get it set right . If the depth is off you will probably ruin the blade in the first cut or two then the vinyl will try to lift or look jagged or both . Do a little reading and adjustments and you should be good . Btw your work is awesome. Dan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Acrylic Conceptions 5 Posted August 8, 2012 Thanks Dan. Here is a vid I shot the other night. I'm told by the person I bought the equipment off that I have something adjusted wrong.... but I cut fine the way I have it now, a few weeks ago. But I'm going to try a few things any how. I hope I didnt ruin the blade, I have a couple orders to finish this week. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Signs Down Under 19 Posted August 9, 2012 For one it looks like your blade is out way too far from what l can see in the video. You probably have too much pressure on the blade as well. So the combination of the 2 is pulling up your vinyl and sticking underneath the blade holder and as your cutting thats sticking to what your cutting out which is pulling up everthing as you cut and making a real mess of it !!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Signs Down Under 19 Posted August 9, 2012 Also in the video you can see and hear how hard the blade is coming down and hitting the vinyl... Back it off !! Do a little research on correct settings, you will find heaps about it on this forum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,450 Posted August 9, 2012 Ouch! Yep, that vid certainly doesn't look good. I find it interesting that you noted it was cutting OK previously, using the same configuration. Something must have changed, and you'll have to perform some detective work to see what did. (What does your cutting strip look like? Is it damaged?) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Acrylic Conceptions 5 Posted August 9, 2012 when I brought the plotter home the pressure was around 120. I ended up with it around 90. I have the speed down to 30 or 40. I was having a problem with straight lines. They would cut like they were perforated. But last week I was able to cut windshield logos for a car show and I even cut MY logos out. I hadn't changed any settings, just the vinyl. How big a deal does ambient temp play? Its been 80 - 85 in the garage lately. On the blade, I had taken it all apart to clean/lube it. When I put it together I just screwed the bottom part back on and up all the way. I swore that's how it was when I took it apart. I attached a couple photos of how I have it adjusted now. I wont be able to test cut anything until tonight, I have to finish some engraving jobs 1st. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr12volt1338 116 Posted August 9, 2012 Thats to much blade sticking out..... It should be just the absolute tip sticking out.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,708 Posted August 9, 2012 absolutely too much blade. I have written this so many times on here, Take the blade holder out of the machine, and with it in your hand, firmly cut across a piece of scrap vinyl that you plan on cutting. You should only be cutting the vinyl and barely a mark in wax paper backing, Put the blade holder back in machine and use the force to get the same results. Only cutting the vinyl and barely a mark on wax paper backing. Adjust til you get there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Acrylic Conceptions 5 Posted August 9, 2012 interesting. I was told to put about the thickness of a CC out. Now how does this work? I'm sorry, my machine came with NO paper work and I'm trying to understand he theory behind it. When the blade is moved down, does the holder sense the pressure from the adjusting "cap" hitting the vinyl and knows where it has to be? I basically want that "cap" to be dragging almost ON the vinyl then right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,708 Posted August 9, 2012 you should barely be seeing the tip of that blade.. or barely feeling it. I referenced how to get the blade set. You don't need much blade to cut. Most vinyl is only 2.5-3 mil. You just need the blade tip. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Neuromax 97 Posted August 9, 2012 Everyone else has already hit it but that blade is WAY to far out. You should be able to run your finger over the holder and just barely feel the blade. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Acrylic Conceptions 5 Posted August 9, 2012 yes. I understand that. That's why I adjusted it like I did. I see that I still have What I'm asking now in the mean time (until I can get home to the machine) is the way it works. Does that cap actually come in contact with the vinyl and that's how the pressure is sensed? Looking for the theory behind it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,708 Posted August 9, 2012 yes. I understand that. That's why I adjusted it like I did. I see that I still have What I'm asking now in the mean time (until I can get home to the machine) is the way it works. Does that cap actually come in contact with the vinyl and that's how the pressure is sensed? Looking for the theory behind it. no ,, there is no pressure sensed,, as your describing. .The cap has nothing to do with it,, except hold your blade. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Acrylic Conceptions 5 Posted August 9, 2012 okay. So then, what changes when you have more or less blade sticking out? Sorry for all the questions, but I cannot get to my machine to see how things work with different setting right now...frustrating as all hell right now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,708 Posted August 9, 2012 the blade changes, your cutting too deep... you only need to cut with the tip of the blade. which isn't much at all. Sounds like you need to wait til you get to your machine.. You should be more able to figure it out with the machine in front of you... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Signs Down Under 19 Posted August 9, 2012 No there is no pressure sensor on the blade holder, everyone including myself have told you the blade is out too far and how it should be. You also need to set the force on your cutter as well, so with the blade set correctly and the correct force set on your actual cutter will fix your problem. You say you never got documantation when you bought the cutter (The Manual) It's easy enough to google it so you have one... Here l've done it for you... It's the first thing l would of done if l had no clue on what l was doing... A bit of common sense, hope you have a better understanding after looking through the manual. FYI... I like to use a Roland blade holder, it is better quality and has better adjustments... It fits straight in and would be better than what you have, you would need to use Roland blades though because they are different to the Pcut blades. http://www.sc-x2.com/files/man/creation/ct.pdf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Acrylic Conceptions 5 Posted August 9, 2012 naw. I was having a good run on doing the stickers I needed to do so figured I was okay. I mean, the 1st order was 400 stickers and I had no problems with it. I was stumped when I ran into this. I cannot believe that I spaced on the manual. dumb ass me. I've DL'd them for just about everything else I own. oh well. smack my self in the forehead. Thanks for the link! I need to get the internet at the house (we just moved), then I could post my findings tonight. But I'll make my adjustments and do some cutting. Thank's to everyone that's lent a hand/tips.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thewhiterhino 0 Posted August 10, 2012 I also have a p-cut 630 and it took me a long time to obtain good cuts, Then I acquired a Roland GX-24 and couldn't believe the difference in the cut of small letters. The Roland has a vacuum on the vinyl that keeps it from lifting. Using a paper spring clamp I add a little weight to the leading edge of the vinyl on the P-Cut to combat the lifting and it made a huge difference. Once the vinyl is near the floor it's own weight seems to be enough. Every one is right about the blade adjustment, my P-Cut is very sensitive to proper blade adjustment also. I believe having only the tip of the blade exposed helps to hold the vinyl down. I also found that really cheap vinyl is hard to cut on the P-Cut. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Acrylic Conceptions 5 Posted August 10, 2012 Well I did what everyone suggested. Thank you for the help. At this point I am about to take the file somewhere and have it cut out for me. I have a line that is not getting fully cut. When I DO get it to cut it pulls the corners up. I have rotated the design and tried to re cut it. I am currently at 130 pressure and 40 speed. Seems to make NO difference on the speed. I have made small adjustments to how much of the blade is sticking out and I have really not seen a difference. I have attached a few photos of what happened last night. I think I went though about 5' of vinyl and I have maybe ONE sticker that I can salvage. I even tried another logo. I'm thinking its the vinyl. I'm going to try another color tonight. Too bad I cannot cut this with my laser..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,708 Posted August 10, 2012 do you even do test cuts, before you cut this? Test cut on cutter? What did they look like? If they looked like this, after you adjusted your blade, then it is very apparent you using way too much force. Back it off. And have you made sure there is nothing in your blade holder, vinyl scraps or such, a drop of light oil in for blade to spin freely. Have you also checked your blade to see it it is not damaged on the tip? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
