Looking for Advice on New Cutter

[TxVinyl 0]

A friend and I are planning to invest in a vinyl cutter for a new business. We just plan on doing some small part time work with it and filling online orders from a home office. We had initially decided on the US Cutter Laser Point II. When including the vinyl, clip art, accessories and all that we would like to come with it, we'll be spending close to $900 on the setup. Does anyone have any input on this as a first cutter? We are both new to the field.

However, from reading on the forums, a lot of people tend to like the Graphtec cutters. The package that comes with the Graphtec CE-5000 includes basically the same things we were adding to the other for "free" but the package alltogether costs about $1700.

We have everything pieced together and the last part we need is the cutter itself. We are already in for this several hundred dollars more than we had initially budgeted for when we started this, and that is with the LaserPoint cutter, so we are a little behind already. We will run whichever cutter we choose with CorelDraw X5. Does anyone have any input on how the US Cutter brand cutter works with the amount of cutting in a beginning business and how well it does small details? If the business picks up well within the first year, we're not opposed to upgrading to a better cutter after about a year and then keeping the first cutter to bring with us if we decide to do events and things. I know Roland is supposed to be the best but they are out of the question for now.

We are looking at the 24" cutters of each. We plan on using Oracal 651 for decals and Oracal 631 for wall decals. For starters we plan on just doing window decals, interior wall decals, and maybe getting started with some simpler banners and magnetic signs within the first year and expanding as we see the need/ability to.

I guess my biggest question is will the LaserPoint cutter work for us for the first year or so until we can get some experience and a feel for the business and be able to do everything we need until we have the means to upgrade to a more professional cutter? Or do yall think it is really worth the extra money for the Graphtec to start out with and go another $800 over budget that we didn't really plan on spending for the startup? Basically, what can the Graphtec do that the LaserPoint can't? And is it worth the extra money? We just don't want to go broke on all the equipment to start out with if it's not going to pay off quick enough to make it worth it.

Sorry for the book but we really appreciate any input.

[slice&dice 2,450]

If you get a cutter with a servo motor, you will appreciate it more.

The profit margins in the business you are about to enter are normally very high, and the payback curve is usually short.

(For instance, when I first opened a retail sign store, with an MH cutter, I had earned back the initial investment in a week.

I've since purchased an SC unit --- when the MH went down with a broken USB board --- and I decided to obtain the SC, which is OK, and kinda in the same ballpark as the LPII, but not in the class of Graphtec.)

[Jay2703 704]

The LaserPoint is a good entry level cutter. It will not cut small detail as well at the Graphtec or Rolands. The major difference is the type of motors that drive the cutters, stepper vs. servo. Stepper motors or incremental motors have a set number of stops per revolution where the servo motors have an infinite number of stops. Servo motors found in the high end cutters will always be more accurate. (and a lot quieter) You could also look at the ZenCut Green. It is a lower cost Pro grade cutter with servo motors.

[TxVinyl 0]

Ok, thanks for the help. Do yall have any input on clip art that would work well for what we're trying to do? I was first looking at the Ultimate Ornaments Mega Pack but I think the package with vector art for the home and the stick figure collection may work better for us instead. What else would be beneficial?

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

Ok, thanks for the help. Do yall have any input on clip art that would work well for what we're trying to do? I was first looking at the Ultimate Ornaments Mega Pack but I think the package with vector art for the home and the stick figure collection may work better for us instead. What else would be beneficial?

Doing designs that everybody else does, is not the best plan.. you need your own niche', something different, If your going to just do what everybody else does, it will be just who is the cheapest. You have to be different than everybody else to make any money. Design your own different designs..

Having purchased 2 Graphtecs, YES,,,, they are worth it.... I previously owned a Chinese cutter with a stepper motor. The Graphtecs have servo motors and do great on small detailed designs. And tracking is great with a Graphtec, and very quiet machines to run. I would always purchase another Graphtec.

[vinylmotivations 143]

Also the only machines that will cut directly FROM Corel X5 are the Graphtec and the Zen Green/Black series...

[bikemike 711]

Having purchased 2 Graphtecs, YES,,,, they are worth it.... I previously owned a Chinese cutter with a stepper motor. The Graphtecs have servo motors and do great on small detailed designs. And tracking is great with a Graphtec, and very quiet machines to run. I would always purchase another Graphtec.

X2. I have cut 6 1/2 feet on my Graphtec and would not be able to find where the start and finish met.

On my Chinese cutter, there would be probably a 1/4 inch difference between the 2.

As far as the small stuff, the Graphtec blows the Chinese cutter away. The difference is just to much to put into words.

[OWJones 1,981]

It all boils down to the size of the product(s) you plan to produce.

If you're wanting to make signs, banners, etc. then you can produce excellent work with any cutter that USCutter sells.

If you're wanting to focus on smaller decals, and especially anything that is intricate or has small letters, then you'll be better off with a high end cutter.

I started off with a non-USCutter brand cutter that I got cheap - within a very short period of time I knew that it wasn't going to do what I wanted. I upgraded to a Graphtec and couldn't be happier. It cuts very intricate details and is fast *and* quiet.