gcextreme 475 Posted March 11, 2013 Hey guys my name is glenn. I am a web developer and graphic designer. Im looking for a simpler vinly plotter cutter at least 28" or 31-34" for making my own custom decals and selling a few online in some forums... I have Adobe CS5 that has photoshop and illustrator and more. I have been designing stuff and having my local shop make them...but i want to do it from my own home now...cut out the middleman. Im looking at a few Signwarehouse vinyl express cutter series and some us cutters series on ebay... Im not sure which to get...help me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted March 11, 2013 well, you don't state your budget, so buy the best you can afford. I would buy a Graphtec. Any vinyl cutter will do what you want. Here is a buying guide. http://www.uscutter.com/index/page/static/subpage/buying_guides Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 11, 2013 Oh budget..like under $500.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted March 11, 2013 I gave you the buying guide above. you have some options. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 11, 2013 Thanks..thats helpful. Do u recomend the SC or the MH series?I want to cut out basic words and logos like this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted March 11, 2013 most I have read, say the SC is a better built machine. Any cutter will cut those. It's just that the value cutters take more patience to fine tune in. Value cutters have less memory, and more patience for tracking. They all have stepper motors and are loud, They are not smooth and quiet, and great tracking like the servo motors of a Graphtec or a Roland. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,450 Posted March 11, 2013 Glad to have you here, Glenn. The cutter itself is only one part of the equation. You'll need other accessories and materials, such as the vinyl itself & app tape, which (depending on how much you order) can cost a few hundreds of $$. The SC is the way to go, it's more "robust" than the MH. I've used both. Get the 34" if you have the room for it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted March 11, 2013 and if you have the room. get a stand,,, a must have. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,450 Posted March 11, 2013 ...and build a media catch-basket. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 11, 2013 Maybe i will get the 34" SC with stand? I know i will have to spend more on supplies...theres alot on ebay...would u recommend buying the cutter and/or supplies from there? Like i said im a web developer and graphic artist and want to extend my business a bit to help my customers advertise and sell stuff on online forums....im a member of several online forums and have been selling stuff for the past two years and had my local shop make the graphics and sell them to me at a small discount. I just want to cut out the middleman and save trips to town to go go that shop...and do stuff in my own office. Will my adobe illustrator work? I normally email the shop the files in .eps format made from illustrator... Thanks for the welcomes and the help! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rodger 527 Posted March 12, 2013 USC has the best prices I have found . I buy Oracal 651 from them . $9 shippping on all material orders & most all equipment ( some LARGE stuff costs more ) . Only time I buy elsewhere is when buying 3" etc rolls for 1 line of text ... or if I don't plan ahead & run out of something & need it that day . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 12, 2013 What is oracal 651??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted March 12, 2013 vinyl http://www.uscutter.com/Intermediate-Vinyl#product_listing=%3Fcurrent_page%3D1%26results_per_page%3D16%26order_by%3Dcategory_product_position%26search_params%3DCategory_DELIMITER_id%3A11%3A%3AProductTypeAttribute_DELIMITER_custom_series%3A651 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 12, 2013 cool thanks for the link. there are a lot of bundles on eBay would you recommend any of those? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 12, 2013 Looking at this lasercut 2...what is countour cutting?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mopar691 281 Posted March 12, 2013 OMG, Glen I went to tech school with you, har har Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mopar691 281 Posted March 12, 2013 If you want to see how some of this equipment works and the difference between some of the machines come on over, My shop is in LP. Couple large format printers, Mutoh and Mimaki for solvent, Epsons for Dye. Including whats in the back maybe 10 various working and not working cuters including, seikis, SC series, a Roland, Graphtec FC-8000 and a Summa D-160 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 12, 2013 Yeah sure...are u open on saturdays? Otherwise i can maybe come out on a friday evening. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mopar691 281 Posted March 12, 2013 Normally yes, But I am out Fri and Sat for a supplier open house in Rogers this weekend. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 12, 2013 Ok cool..keep in touch and we can arrange something. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 12, 2013 Thanks for all the info guys.....im going to keep looking..but think im going to get the 34"SC with stand....but im going to wait a week or two...save some money for materials and stuff too..and get my office room organized and ready for all this stuff.. Im also going to meet up with mopar691 since he lives so close to me and has a shop and business of his own..he can walk me thru and help alot.. But one question i need answered is will my Adobe CS5 collection be useful with this cutter...specially Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted March 12, 2013 You really need a vector program, Like Adobe Illustrator.. because vinyl cutters cut vector files. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 12, 2013 I do have Adobe Illustrator....its included in my Adobe CS5 Master Collection...i just asked if that would work in my previous post... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted March 12, 2013 I do have Adobe Illustrator....its included in my Adobe CS5 Master Collection...i just asked if that would work in my previous post... Yes, it will work, as you need a vector program. I answered it. Photoshop is not a vector program. That was your question Illustrator or Photoshop? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
