Blade offset in SB

[Hippie459MN 6]

I have SBE and wondering if there is anywqay to set the blade offset ot a negative number. If I increase it its leaving a bigger gap on cuts but at 0 it pretty darn close and I feel if I could go to a -0.10 offset it would be about perfect. Anyone have any ideas? I was on Win Vista before and had to use .15 offset but now I am running Windows 8 and just installed and some reason it is different now and could really use a negative offset to get the cleanest cuts.

[Rodger 527]

Check & see if the cutter you are using has a setting for offset . If it does , only using 1 or the other to adjust offset has worked best for me .

[slice&dice 2,450]

What happens when you just type it in?   -0.10

My SBE Cutter Settings allows me to type it in, but I don't know if the cutter actually recognizes the negative number and does anything with it.

[Hippie459MN 6]

Well, I messed around with it more. What my problem is is that it is not fully closing out all cuts. I set my offset to about .15 and cut some simple small squares and get great corners but it will not close the cut fully and leave a little piece there (Kinda like a little dove tail kinda thing I guess you could call it). Now I can take the offset way up to about .60 and it will close out the cut much better but it will make a nice curve right at the corner. I am going to take a pic of some simple cuts I made on some scrap and will post it so you can see better what I am talking about.

 

Also, the gap in the cut seems to be less at 0 offset then at .15 but I get the best overall corners and such at that setting. This has always been a tiny problem but now that I have upgraded to Windows8 and did a fresh install of SBE, I am having the issues.

 

Also, I am hooked up with the DB9 cable (I forgot the technical term off the top of my head) and not on USB (That was a nightmare for the longest time but that a whole other story)

[slice&dice 2,450]

Did you ever try to increase the belt tension of the cutter head? Remove the entire end cap (the one with the power plug) and there's a screw in there that will add some pressure on the belt.

[Hippie459MN 6]

I have not. I have not really heard of this but I will check it out tomorrow. The belt does seem pretty tight now but I will give it a look.Thanks.

[slice&dice 2,450]

Another thing to consider, are you using RedSail drivers?

Edited January 21, 2013 by slice&dice

[Hippie459MN 6]

Whatever got installed when I installed SBE. I honestly cant remember what and if any drivers were installed to be honest. I didnt think running on a serial port any extra drivers needed to installed but I could be wrong. lol

 

I know when I was using USB I installed some drivers when I was on vista. I have it set to the Refine MH721 cutter also as there is no MH871 in the list and was told to use that.

[jisep32 0]

Sorry for bringing this post back alive but I'm having the same issue.  Any luck fixing this?

[Rodger 527]

Blade offset is the distance from the center of the blade to where the vinyl hits on the cutting edge of the blade ( think of the blade as a drill bit ) . If you need to put a negative # in , something else is wrong . PLENTY to read about it if a search is done . Some things to check or read up on if not understood = offset only set in software or on cutter ( the total offset in both is what is done , I only use 1 to set the offset & zero the other out ) .... if on a usb , correct driver ... overcut adjusted .

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

offset corrects how the blade cuts the corners like Roger said - it is not about how far the blade moves - that would be an overcut if you software has it like flexi.  signblazer does not have an overcut feature - for some reason the rolands and graphtecs don't require the overcut like the value cutters.  I think it is just a way of life with the cutters with a cheap stepper motor - I don't remember it being a problems starting with the copam (higher end stepper) nor with any servo motor cutter.  once you get your corners correct leave the offest alone. get your blade adjusted with the least amount of blade possible and without the overcut it is about the best you can do

http://www.vinylforum.org/smf/cutter-tutorials/blade-length-and-offset/

[Hippie459MN 6]

So here is the issue I have. I should have explained it better I think but at where the cut starts and then finishes, a lot of the time it will leave a little dove tail if you know what I mean. It doesnt always do it but it does it enough to bother me and effect the outcome of the decal. Before I switched to Win8 I pretty much had the issue taken care of it seemed by udjusting the offset but now I just cant seem to get rid of them. As for corners cutting and stuff, that is fine, its just the little dovetail things that get left. I will try and get a picture later today.

 

And I am using SignBlazer if that makes a difference at all.

[Rodger 527]

It may have been a post/thread of your's . but I remember reading about something causing a little j when starting/ending a decal & it was described exactly as what you describe . It seems i read it a couple months ago .

[MZ SKEETER 4,708]

it was on a Graphtec.  The J  ,   I remember it also,  and it was fixed in the Graphtec menu.

 

Another member had the scallop / dovetail with their SC cutter and it pretty much got fixed by using SCALP 

 

So have you tired a different driver?

[Rodger 527]

I could not remember the details , Thanks Skeet . I thought there was an overcut in SB . I looked & did not see a setting ... Hmmm . When I 1rst started , I had the blade way out & adjusted the cutting with pressure . I did not have any problems for a good while . Started having problems with certain decals & read up on blade exposure & pressure . IMO .. most everybody is using too much blade & not enough pressure . It is doing the job , but much more unreliable than how Ken Imes posted back in the day . Ken said to use ( going from my bad memory here ) something like minimum 150 & could be 200+ for pressure . I read somebody posting ( think it was John ) saying their blade holder rubs the vinyl & leaves color on white vinyl . That is how I cut now . I have a flat spot on the bottom of my blade holder & I think that is where most of the pressure is read , not the bottom of the blade against the backing paper . When I read about pressure being very low , I am very opinionated about those people using WAY too much blade . Motochick might benifit cutting those A's ( another thread ) by having the blade holder rub the vinyl ! 

[Hippie459MN 6]

As far as the driver, would that be selectiong a cutter from the set up menu? I have MH721 selected now.

 

I am using the COM port and not USB so I did not install any drivers like I had when I first got this cutter years ago and was on USB. I then went to the COM port after having a lot of cutting issues and at just after I did a fresh install of my OS (Vista) and then I installed the UK version with the patch or whatever it was of SB when I was on Vista and dont think the MH Series were in there for cutter selection but since just installed the latest verion of SB from USCutter since doing a fres install of Win8. I will give a few of the cutters in the list a try and see what happens.

[MZ SKEETER 4,708]

I think Redsail is the same driver.  Roland PNC1000 is a generic driver...

[Hippie459MN 6]

When I 1rst started , I had the blade way out & adjusted the cutting with pressure . I did not have any problems for a good while . Started having problems with certain decals & read up on blade exposure & pressure . IMO .. most everybody is using too much blade & not enough pressure . It is doing the job , but much more unreliable than how Ken Imes posted back in the day . Ken said to use ( going from my bad memory here ) something like minimum 150 & could be 200+ for pressure . I read somebody posting ( think it was John ) saying their blade holder rubs the vinyl & leaves color on white vinyl . That is how I cut now . I have a flat spot on the bottom of my blade holder & I think that is where most of the pressure is read , not the bottom of the blade against the backing paper . When I read about pressure being very low , I am very opinionated about those people using WAY too much blade . Motochick might benifit cutting those A's ( another thread ) by having the blade holder rub the vinyl ! 

 

Maybe that is my issue. My cutter defaults to speed of 30 or something like that with a pressure of 100 and I ususally bump it down to 90 and it seems to cut good without going to deep. When I adjusted my blade I read somewhere about half the thickness of a credit card sticking out so thats what I have been doing. Maybe I will turn it in a bit and try it out. Got nothing to loose. lol

[MZ SKEETER 4,708]

1/2 thickness of credit card is too much.  You need to set your blade for the vinyl you are using

 

 

To start with, you should set your blade depth correctly, by taking the blade holder out of the machine, and firmly cut across a piece of scrap vinyl, you will be cutting. You should only be cutting the vinyl and barely a mark on wax paper backing, Adjust blade to get there, Then put the blade holder back in machine, and use the force of the machine to get there, same results, only cutting the vinyl and barely a mark in wax paper backing.

[Hippie459MN 6]

Doing some adjusting now. Will report back. Thank you for the help so far.

 

Oh yeah, Using Oracle 651

[MZ SKEETER 4,708]

Your welcome, hope you get it.

[Rodger 527]

When adjusting the blade by hand method .. I make sure I am putting alot of pressure when cutting . If I come across the diiscussion about what pressure that should be used , I'll post it . Seems Ken Imes went over that many times . I think he said start at 200 & go up ,. not down . 200 grams of pressure is not very heavy

[Hippie459MN 6]

Well, I turned the blade way in and set the pressure at 150 and got a way better cut and was able to adjust the offset and looks like .35 was about best. And my cutter is actually way quieter now. Weird...

 

But now the issue of the wavy (saw tooth looking) lines in the straight cuts Its not super bad but it is noticable. I remember having them long ago but I just slowed the cutter way down and have always run it slower to avoid this. I will get it figured out though. So far its cutting a lot better it looks like and its way easier to weed now so I am going in the right direction. Going to turn the pressure up to about 200 and see what I end up with.

[Rodger 527]

I have always used the offset on the blade package ( .25 mm ) & never needed to adjust . As you go up in pressure , lessen blade exposure if cutting the backing paper .

 

 

The wavey lines could be the actual node path , or how stepper motored cutters cut with some decals . I usually have to look close to find anything like that cutting with my stepper motored Copams . Some files with a low number of nodes & long cuts in between shows the stepper's inferiority more . Only another vinyl cutter would ever catch any of that IMO . Anybody being that critical usually is having it hand painted anyway . Cut vinyl , printed vinyl is a distant second to painted stuff . Price is what is great about vinyl

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

Hello John T,
Welcome to the mysteries of vinyl cutting.
For a short question this will be a long reply.
I believe that the answer should go beyond the actual question to answer what has not been asked by you because you are new.
Actually it is all so simple that when you have grasped the basics you will laugh at yourself.
Ok, first before I answer your question I will explain some of the basic terms used in sign making and attempt to translate your terms.  It is OK to be wrong, that is why we are here to help so please do not feel embarrassed by any lack of knowledge.  We all have to start somewhere.

Actually as a new comer I feel that you have done well!
So here goes with my translation.  If I have it wrong just reply and I will try again.
When you say PRINT ? I think you mean CUT.
When you say PIN ? I think you mean BLADE.

So you are actually asking about cutting with a blade not printing with a pin?

When you start it is a good idea to start cutting simple objects and work up to complex stuff.
Cut a square or rectangle with a weeding border.
Weeding border?  This when ticked cuts a rectangle around your work.
Why?  This makes is easier to weed your work.
Weed?  This refers to the removal of vinyl to be discarded after you have cut your job.

Then move onto some text.  I suggest that you cut the word TEST about 5 or 6 inches high (100 to 120mm) in a block letter such as Helvetica (H003 Helvetica Font).  I have never used inches in my life so find it a bit weird trying to put stuff into inches instead of millimetres.
Try all the weeding options (one at a time of course) and see what they actually do.
Then you will know how to use these options to your advantage.

Now I will talk about your problem of work not being cut.
SignBlazer and other vinyl cutting graphics software works quite differently to Corel or Illustrator.
There are some simple basic things to understand.
1. Everything must be one layer with NO OVERLAPS.
2. Work to cut MUST be inside the workspace (purple border on the screen).
3. We suggest until you know SignBlazer inside out then you always make the height of your workspace the width of the vinyl in the cutter.
4. Oh, I should explain that unlike Corel or Illustrator it is conventional for the workspace to be always in landscape mode never portrait mode.
5. Why? So that an entire job can be put into the cutting areas (workspace area).
6. Lastly you always should go into cutter setup and make the width of the vinyl what you have in your cutter.

Should you follow these simple rules then you will find it so easy to do work.
Lastly why should all the work be inside the workspace area to cut?

Outside the workspace area is a ?virtual clipboard?. 
This is where you put graphics that you DO NOT WANT TO CUT.
So I think that your problem may be that you have to
a. Have the right workspace (try 24 inches by 48 inches - landscape)
b. Make sure everything you want to cut is inside the workspace area.
c. Make sure that the width of vinyl in cutter setup is the same as the vinyl in your cutter.
d. Start off with simple graphics and cut increasingly more complex work as you build your confidence.

Oh, another hint I should put in for ALL newbies.
This is about blades.
1. Only ever have the smallest potion of blade extruding from the holder.  Less than the thickness of the vinyl.  Why? Better cutting and blades last longer and even more important this allows the blade to turn in its holder more easily.
2. When using new vinyl always start of with the LOWEST pressure to find the right pressure.  Never go from high to low. Always low to high.  Why?  Blades last longer and your cutting strip should never have to be replaced, EVER!

Finally this is what this forum is for, to help users.
So please never feel embarrassed about asking what may only be simple questions.  This is why we are here to answer questions.  We all have to learn and the fastest way to ask questions.  We do not think less of you ? actually we admire you for asking.

Remember others are reading this and they are likely to be embarrassed to ask the question you ask but will read it.  So when you ask you are helping not just yourself but many, many others.
So ask away.
Oh, when you become experienced most of or all the rules above can be broken (except overlaps and the bit about blades) when you know how to do it the way you want to do it.  However to start make it simple for yourself and follow a few simple rules.
Remember the KISS principle.
Regards
Jerry from SignBlazer.