piscespokerbrat

Tracking and setup

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Ok, so tonight I am playing with my SC cutter, and I notice that it was tracking off. So, I put it in Origin mode and zip it forwards and backwards watching the vinyl. So, I load up the PDF on material loading, and I learn how to make it track mainly straight. SO, the question is, how many of you take the time to set up tracking and make sure the vinyl tracks straight every time you load new vinyl?

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I do it every time regardless of what I am cutting. Even if I am using a scrape piece I want to make sure it doesn't fall off the rollers obviously. It's just a quality thing in my opinion.

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Thats awesome Ravenwind! Do all cutters have to be set manually I wonder? Also, I noticed that the vinyl gets the roller bumps under the pinch rollers.. does that mean the pinch rollers have too much pressure downwards?

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No all cutters do not have to be set manually, The Graphtec will track great. If has a prefeed feature. I just load my vinyl, which I do make sure is straight when putting in the machine. Then just prefeed it the length of the order. It is automatic on a Graphtec. Then just cut, it tracks great. Also the bumps from the grit rollers will go away when you apply the vinyl. They are on all machines. It's mostly the bumps are in the paper, which makes it look like it's in the vinyl.

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Yea ive noticed, ( im new ) that i do make sure its straight as can be, and the rollers are not too close to the edge. I want to learn to get and stay in the habbit. Thats the last thing anyone wants, to be half way through a cut, and tracking is off...

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No cutter is going to track straight unless you have the vinyl straight to begin with. I have been doing what you are doing every time I load a roll,going on 8 years now.

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Keep your eye on the middle roller, making sure it does not sit right above the gap between the bottom grit rollers.

There's actually a sticker located right at that position that looks like this |____|

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Yes, I know that sticker well! :D Today, I loaded vinyl up, and out of the 3 rolls I used, I had 2 set just about dead on from the get go! But, I still go through the motions just because I dont want crooked cut outs.. lol

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I also cheated and put a bit of tape where i load my vinyl. I still check it but it is great for my scrap chunks.

post-19735-0-71402700-1348187758.jpg

wow i am going to do that tape idea. good idea i think !!!..

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Yup everytime I load vinyl onto the cutter I have to spend a good bit of time to get it to track straight. I try and get it to track as straight as possible for about 1-2' of vinyl feedout. It seems to make the cut a little bit more accurate.

-Scott

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