express2100 154 Posted February 27, 2014 Been interested for a long time, know very little, researching the industry now, leaning towards Graphtec CE6000-60, lots to learn before I dive in, very excited though Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,708 Posted February 27, 2014 Welcome from Indiana Great choice with the Graphtec... you will not be disappointed. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted February 27, 2014 welcome from Michigan and second that Graphtec is great choice Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Go-C Graphics 856 Posted February 27, 2014 I've only had my Graphtec 3 days but I agree. Good choice LOL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
express2100 154 Posted February 27, 2014 That's one of the best things about these forums and the world wide web!!! A little research and I can make a semi informed decision based on other peoples experiences. I joined vinylforum.org also but so far this one seems to have more action. Could just be the timing. Hoping to learn from both sites and enjoy this new adventure. Thanks for the welcome!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted February 27, 2014 vinylforum is more old timers helping each other - not as many newbies so different crowd makes the difference in info and activity Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted February 27, 2014 Welcome from SC and go with the Graphtec. You'll also find several regulars here on vinylforum as well. Both are great sources of knowledge. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mabscotthandyman 1,410 Posted February 27, 2014 Welcome from West Virginia. I am glad to see someone actually research the trade and cutter atributes before ordering then wondering how the hell does this work. The Graphtec will cost a lot more in the begining but will be worth more later and the ease of cutting will be well worth it. There are also things like the vinyl, app tape, installation tools and tricks described both on here and with viedos on you tube. There are also instructions for vectoring an image in inkscape and other design software. Again welcome and good luck. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted February 27, 2014 Welcome to the forum. There are several parts to the equation like the previous post alluded. You will need to be figuring out which design direction to head as well as the actual application of the end products. Can't go wrong with the Graphtec cutter, good choice. I was hesitant to invest too much when starting out because I was afraid it would be a waste of money. It didn't take long to get hooked and then I was wishing I had bought a better first machine. Was real happy when upgrade time came! Design program options in order of cost Inkscape Corel draw Adobe Illustrator Flexi The flexi is actually available in multiple set up variations as I understand but is widely accepted at THE sign makers software. Very few of us on here have the full suite but quite a few us the starter version to cut with. Inkscape is totally free and not a bad program. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
express2100 154 Posted February 27, 2014 Thanks! According to my wife I do tend to over analyze most things. Which I still believe is a good thing. In this case though I made a relatively quick decision on the cutter after a little research. It's pretty cut n dry. Now onto the rest..... I am partial to Mac and have one in my office but will be buying a new one for the cutter in my shop. Does it need to be connected to the cutter 24/7? Would like the ability to use it for other work when not cutting. Software, design etc is my week point for now 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted February 27, 2014 Only needs to be connected to the cutter when actually cutting other than that no need to be hooked up if you don't want to. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
express2100 154 Posted February 27, 2014 Great! I'm thinking about a MacBook Air and they do not have a drive. Is all of the software downloadable or will I need to buy the $80 external drive? Probably be a good thing to have anyhow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted February 27, 2014 Depends on what software you end up using but most if not all of it can be downloaded. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted February 27, 2014 You can get an aftermarket brand drive for half that too. My drive went out on my iMac (common I hear) and I found a different brand at best buy for about $40. I think it's LG but I can't remember and I'm not at home right now. I currently design on my mac and then cut with a window laptop over at the cutter. I just transfer the files on a thumb drive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dwp99 283 Posted February 28, 2014 Hello and Welcome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,450 Posted March 1, 2014 Howdy. I would NOT buy a mac to run a cutter. My first choice would be a cheap WinXP machine (under $100) -- either a desktop or laptop model, and I would want it to have a dedicated Serial port. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,708 Posted March 1, 2014 With a Mac, you are going to find your self more limited on cutting software. I have a Graphtec, and I stay back on an XP laptop. Very stable, and I use Flexistarter for my cutting software. I also have XP back ups... pretty ez set up. Been using it since 2008.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
express2100 154 Posted March 1, 2014 I'm listening........ I guess I was thinking Mac so I could do some of the work in my office. Been looking for an excuse to buy a Macbook Air for work but if it is that limited then......?......? Would I have the ability to design some on my office Mac, save on a thumb drive and transfer it to XP? Novice here and pretty lost with this end of it all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,450 Posted March 2, 2014 "Would I have the ability to design some on my office Mac, save on a thumb drive and transfer it to XP?" This question leaves out the definition of "design" --- as it turns out, you are talking to a guy who primarily cuts texts while making my signs. So, my working designs are font based, top to bottom. Anyway, the general answer to your query is "YES" you'll be able to create stuff on the mac in a format that can be deciphered in Windows. I seem to recall that when saving a file on a mac, you'll have to append the dot-three file reference to the file name. For instance, Wolf.EPS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted March 2, 2014 I design on a mac all the time and cut on a windows 7 without any problems. Never had any file conversion issues, I have mac illustrator and a copy of cs2 illy on my windows laptop, have used Scalp on the windows and still use SignCut on it both cutting files built on the mac and directly transferred with a thumb drive between the two. I think the old days of mac incompatibility are gone as far as .ai, .pdf, .eps, etc... macs are awesome and I will never go back to pc for my main work but they are a bit more picky where drivers are concerned. BUT if you can get it to work at all it will work great. PC's are just software whores, they'll sleep with anything that comes along and that's most of the reason there are so many glitches. Does anyone even know how many pc software builders there are? Too many to count. There are like 12 for mac, LOL 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
express2100 154 Posted March 2, 2014 Yesser Mac is the chit! No doubt in my mind there. Zero issues, Zero viruses in the 9 years I've been running the same one. I would have been through at least 4 PC's in that time with tons of frustrations to boot!!! So MAC or a POS PC as a designated cutter brain? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted March 2, 2014 I think if you had a pc that was not connected to the net and just cut with it you would probably be fine. Personally I didn't want my design computer tied to the cutter. In your case that sounds like it will be a laptop. I am sure it can be figured out to go with a mc and if for some reason in the end it won't then your only out the cost of an old pc that won't need to be big fancy or fast, in fact I think most cutting software would prefer widows xp, I don't think that is true of flexi but I'm still checking that out. You are going to spend 95% of your time on the design side and just a few clicks to send to the cutter so I would def go the mac way for designing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,450 Posted March 2, 2014 Yesser Mac is the chit! No doubt in my mind there. Zero issues, Zero viruses in the 9 years I've been running the same one. I would have been through at least 4 PC's in that time with tons of frustrations to boot!!!So MAC or a POS PC as a designated cutter brain? While not wishing to get into a pissing match regarding the relative benefits and considerations of mac vs.pc computers, the entire main point of this thread must be kept in perspective ---- Cutters are fairly unsophisticated devices, developed in the 1950's (by Hewlett Packard) and virtually unchanged technologically for decades. I successfully ran my sign store for years using a used $70 Dell computer. Yessir. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
express2100 154 Posted March 5, 2014 <blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="slice&dice" data-cid="346143" data-time="1393634387"><p> Howdy.<br /> <br /> I would NOT buy a mac to run a cutter.<br /> My first choice would be a cheap WinXP machine (under $100) -- either a desktop or laptop model, and I would want it to have a dedicated Serial port.</p></blockquote> Thanks Slice! Could you please clarify on the "dedicated serial port"? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted March 5, 2014 A serial port is one of the pin connections that stick out of the back of PC computers. Some laptops have them but not very often. You can easily install one in a desktop box and they don't cost much. This lets you just hook up your computer and skip the translation process that has to happen to push the info through a usb port. I agree with slice that this is a good way to go if you don't mind having on old tower sitting around your house. You shouldn't need to connect it to the internet or anything so some of the inherent pc issues would be reduced that way as well. The thing about mac and pc is as you know its a ford vs chevy thing and there will always be a conflict. There are far fewer developers who build mac compatible software for cutting so it does pose a challenge. Part of the reason is that mac won't allow just anyone to make stuff for them and I assume charges them up the ying-yang to be a licensed developer, don't know. The funny thing is that a lot of the heavy hitter programs that true programmers work on are unix based (way over my head but I have a brother that develops software for Boeing and a nephew who writes for some sort of web program design firm) They both agree that the mac program is basically a branch off of that type of system and that is why it's also much more stable as is Linux than windows. I think windows was just the first real attempt to make computers user friendly to the masses. And it has worked and influenced even the mac and linux crowd to the point that windows-similar style interfaces are now here for the mac and linux too. I got tired of windows and ran a linux based computer for about a year but found that I am not computer savy enough to deal with that program so on the advice of my brother bought a mac and have never even looked back. Still have a windows based laptop and use windows daily at my other work and still get pissed every time my comparably new windows laptop gives me a blue screen and I have to restore it. My kids play on my mac like it's some sort of gaming console and 9 different people use it daily for howework, facebook surfing, you name it, and it has just chugged away without any real issues for 3 years now. I know from past history I would have already been on a second computer if not ready for a third if we were still using windows. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
