Any Advice Welcomed - Laserpoint ll vs SC series

[LMG0822 0]

I am new to this...

 

I am trying to decide which machine to buy.  (ive been trying to figure this out for 6 weeks now)  I have narrowed it down to the 34" SC series or 25" LaserPoint ll

 

I don't expect have many things to make larger than 24" but would like the option of making larger if I needed to. Is it worth it to buy a larger machine vs having to tile cuts

 

Also - Im new to this - so I dont know for sure if I will have a lot of contour cutting that I need to do.  Does the SC series do everything the LaserPoint does except the contour cutting? 

 

I intend to use the machine for making decals for personalizing things that I make such as plaques, picture frames, mirrors, license plates, and decals for cars and walls.

 

Thanks for any input...

[mabscotthandyman 1,410]

From what I have read the sc is one of the better value cutters . If you don't print I doubt that you would need contour cut . The 34 in. may come in handy at times . Good luck

Dan

[petroman2012 168]

I own 2 R31 cutters and have no problems with them and they have cut up to 23-24in which of course thats close t their limit BUT I just got the LP II unit and truthfully I have only been making test runs as I work daily so time is only avail on weekends right now, anyway, once I had the stand built, mounted the cutter, configed my USB driver, configed the usb port, then load software I went to test runs, small run on simple words on scrap vinyl, depending on if you use/have any of the what I call highend Graphic s/ware as Adobe or Corel these come in handy along with the s/ware provided with the LP II called Sure-Cuts-Alot which I will be teaching my self as my R-31 came with LXi  which I upgraded to Master, anyway I think the investment of 499.00 was and is well worth the money in the long run as one can invest for a Graphtec and you do get what you pay for with those highend machines but for what you stated you were going to do I am basing on MY THINKING so dont take it as gospel but mid-range machines will get someone started and after some time you will know if this "interest" will need to progress to a higher stage...Right now I am happy with the LP II and plan to dwell into it while till using my R-31's BTW I paid 299.00 for each R-31 and they came with material and starter software and it didnt take long to get hooked on designing once I got the jest of what and how BUT I again am still teaching myself when I can squeez in time after work.. Again this is ONLY my input and not gospel...Have a good one and hope you find what you are looking for..

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I own 2 R31 cutters and have no problems with them and they have cut up to 23-24in which of course thats close t their limit BUT I just got the LP II unit and truthfully I have only been making test runs as I work daily so time is only avail on weekends right now, anyway, once I had the stand built, mounted the cutter, configed my USB driver, configed the usb port, then load software I went to test runs, small run on simple words on scrap vinyl, depending on if you use/have any of the what I call highend Graphic s/ware as Adobe or Corel these come in handy along with the s/ware provided with the LP II called Sure-Cuts-Alot which I will be teaching my self as my R-31 came with LXi  which I upgraded to Master, anyway I think the investment of 499.00 was and is well worth the money in the long run as one can invest for a Graphtec and you do get what you pay for with those highend machines but for what you stated you were going to do I am basing on MY THINKING so dont take it as gospel but mid-range machines will get someone started and after some time you will know if this "interest" will need to progress to a higher stage...Right now I am happy with the LP II and plan to dwell into it while till using my R-31's BTW I paid 299.00 for each R-31 and they came with material and starter software and it didnt take long to get hooked on designing once I got the jest of what and how BUT I again am still teaching myself when I can squeez in time after work.. Again this is ONLY my input and not gospel...Have a good one and hope you find what you are looking for..

find a driver in the ve-lxi and use it with your new lpII - it is a far superior program written by SAI - the makers of flexisign.  many cutters will work with the roland pnc1000 drivers . . . .

[mabscotthandyman 1,410]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="dakotagrafx" data-cid="299531" data-time="1360381116"><p>

find a driver in the ve-lxi and use it with your new lpII - it is a far superior program written by SAI - the makers of flexisign. many cutters will work with the roland pnc1000 drivers . . . .</p></blockquote>

That is very good advice if you was needing software it would be almost better to buy a packaged cutter and negotiate an upgrade on the software ( they offered that to me before I bought from USCutter ) flexi would cost you much more then the complete package .

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I have had 3 versions of ve-lxi-master plus now - currently on version 10.5 with rhinestone add on - It is just like flexisign pro just with the Raster Image Processor removed so it won't output to a large format printer - but that is ok I just save it and osend it to print in versaworks for my Roland.   Wish USC would get a private branded flexi like that - Ultraflex is also the same thing but for another companies cutters along with the major brand names

[mabscotthandyman 1,410]

I looked at the enduracut it is a rebranded graphtec at that time I belive the package was about 1395.00 if I am not mistaken and came with apprentice and they offered master with the package.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I am pretty sure the enduracut is not a graphtec - maybe a gcc but the carrage looks nothing like any graphtec - besides the outter case is different.  theri version of the graphtec is the q and qe series

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

yup enduracut is a gcc bengal .  . .

[bigmax 166]

I personally use the SC and have no problems cutting just about everything needed (so far) I've done several 4'x8' signs using 24" Orcal 651 vinyl.You can cut "tiles" and with about a 1/8th in. overlap, about any size can be done. For the $$, U S Cutter offers the best deal on an "inexpensive" machine.I've been impressed with them because when I had a problem, they were great about walking me through. Just my $.02 

[mabscotthandyman 1,410]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="dakotagrafx" data-cid="299648" data-time="1360459051"><p>

yup enduracut is a gcc bengal . . .</p></blockquote>

Yep the qe 60 is the graphtec the enduracut started at 699.00 and the servo was more the qe60 was the package I was looking at and the lady at Signwarehouse actualy said it was made by graphtec and I do belive she said the enduracut was gcc

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

Yes, and those Q series are supposed to like the  Graphtec FC models, but they have less force and speed than the FC models.. and I don't see a media basket.

 

I'm sure they are probably great cutters, but still not an FC,

 

 

That QE-60 is a slow machine also.   not any faster than the Graphtec CE-40  15"  machine...

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I had a qe-60 earlier in the year and it was just like my ce5000 exept it HAD to use the vinyl express drivers and it did not come with the optical sensor - it is optional with that machine - and upgrading is very expensive - I refurbed it (new cutting strip and blade along with a good cleaning) and found it a great home.  personally I don't like having to use special drivers - the ce adn fc will work with their own drivers or some generic - the ve's won't.