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I would love some feedback from those who are EXPERIENCED!! Starting a new business & want to add in Vinyl/ heat press options to my work but have NEVER worked with it (minus pre-made decals). My husband slowly put away money to surprise me for Christmas to get a cutter & start, but he received most of his information from SIGNWAREHOUSE. I have been researching the last few weeks and found that I like speaking with US CUTTERS a lot better than the other companies. Not too impressed with sign warehouse, or the information they gave my husband....but they gave him an amazing deal on product.

 

I am looking at the Roland GX-24 OR Titan 3-28" - But I don't know a lot! Trying to also compare the  GraphTek but unsure of which one to go with on theirs. I like the idea of the optical eye (but is this a HUGE deal?) I like the idea of having options for thicker material being used in the future, (but how needed is this?) I need some thing easy on technology end, durable, and that I can incorporate into my business (work a lot with wood, glass, ceramic, vintage items) Looking at going to craft shows, etc... and possibly transporting this, so I didn't want anything too hefty. Budget is $2000 for everything.

 

Need suggestions of starting tools and software that people LOVE! I like to create and have set clipart. Titan 3 comes with RAZORCUT and would like to know if others have used this and what do they think compared to other software.

 

I appreciate ALL thoughts and comments in advance...its truly invaluable to me and I will take every suggestion and process it through! THANK YOU!! -Alie

 

 

 

 

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Welcome.

 

You will be told to buy the Graphtec.

 

The Titan III will be slightly less expensive, and F.Y.I. the RAZORCUT program is a derivative of DragonCut.

As of November 2014, the people using RC said it will not support opening Adobe Illustrator native files.

http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php?/topic/46312-razorcut/

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Welcome.

 

You will be told to buy the Graphtec.

 

The Titan III will be slightly less expensive, and F.Y.I. the RAZORCUT program is a derivative of DragonCut.

As of November 2014, the people using RC said it will not support opening Adobe Illustrator native files.

http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php?/topic/46312-razorcut/

 

Graphtec hands down.

 

mark-s

Do you have specifics for the Graphtec? Is it easier to use? Perform better? Have better software? Are they all comparable? 

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Graphtec is just a well built machine. As a general rule by the best you can afford and remember the less you spend the more fussy the machines tend to be. That beino said software is really independent of the cutter and depends on whether you intend to design things or just open Clipart to cut as is. Sign blazer and Inkscape are bother available free and can get you started. From there your budgets the limit when it comes to software.

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Graphtec is just a well built machine. As a general rule by the best you can afford and remember the less you spend the more fussy the machines tend to be. That beino said software is really independent of the cutter and depends on whether you intend to design things or just open Clipart to cut as is. Sign blazer and Inkscape are bother available free and can get you started. From there your budgets the limit when it comes to software.

I hear a lot of complaints about cutters not cutting corners...machines being difficult to figure out. I have read lots of reviews on the Roland and how its easy to use and cuts well...does Graphtec have the same type of reviews and ability that I hear the Roland have?

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Graphtec CE6000-60   And keep in mind that the Graphtec comes with a a stand as standard equipment.  You will have to purchase  the stand extra, or make one for a Roland... 

 

I would never have a cutter without a stand.

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Graphtec CE6000-60   And keep in mind that the Graphtec comes with a a stand as standard equipment.  You will have to purchase  the stand extra, or make one for a Roland... 

 

I would never have a cutter without a stand.

This was actually another question I had. I have just remodeled an office and have a place where I was going to put my cutter, but then I noticed the stands and wondered if they are a much needed accessory or just nice to have....are there benefits in using one, versus putting it on something (like does the paper need to be hanging when it comes out? Thanks for mentioning this!

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I've never owned a Roland although I've always heard great things about them. The big 3 in the cutter world from what I've seen are roland, graphtec and summa. Summa is way outside your budget and based on my experiences I love graphtecs and would recommend them to anyone.

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Stands make the vinyl tracking (stay straight) much easier, and yes, you will have vinyl hanging,  front and back... depending on what sizes you are cutting,  vinyl has to travel to cut your designs.

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I don't know of too many Roland owners on this forum,  maybe they will speak up and show their work,  But there are many Graphtec owners on here, and we praise our Graphtecs,,

 

If you go thru this thread you can see many designs cut with a Graphtec and very impressive work..

 

http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php?/topic/42357-lease-vs-purchase/page-3?hl=bossman#entry332261

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I have only used one brand of cutter for the past 2 years -   A Roland GX-24 with Cut Studio Software (included free) plug in for Illustrator 5-6, so I can't compare it to other brands, but, I will say, "I have never had a lock-up problem part way through the job, no matter how large, no static electricity problems, or it never failed to cut any way except as instructed by a Illustrator file."  It once ran the material off the pinch rollers on a long 18 foot X 23" job, but that was my fault for not getting the material lined-up properly.

With a super sharp Clean Cut 60 degree blade, the cutting depth is extended considerably, However, a little more $ for all.

hope this helps.

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The higher end cutters, you don't have the static problems or memory problems, and great tracking goes with any of them...

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Owned the graphtec and Roland. The Roland's are rock solid and do contour cutting of prints easier but I keep a graphtec cause it does finer work better imho. Strange thing is the new Roland announced today looks more like a graphtec than the older rolands

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I have a Roland GX-24 and am very pleased but did strongly consider the Graphtec...  Check out Utube for a side by side comparison.  They actually run both machines at the same time so you can see how each operates.

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I have a Roland GX-24 and am very pleased but did strongly consider the Graphtec...  Check out Utube for a side by side comparison.  They actually run both machines at the same time so you can see how each operates.

Maybe you could post up some detailed work that you have done with your Roland?

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<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="suz1234" data-cid="382675" data-time="1421202039"><p>

I have a Roland GX-24 and am very pleased but did strongly consider the Graphtec... Check out Utube for a side by side comparison. They actually run both machines at the same time so you can see how each operates.</p></blockquote>

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Owned the graphtec and Roland. The Roland's are rock solid and do contour cutting of prints easier but I keep a graphtec cause it does finer work better imho. Strange thing is the new Roland announced today looks more like a graphtec than the older rolands

Contour versus finer cuts...could you explain this to me a little more? How would you choose which one you need?

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I tried to upload some of my work but apparently I am saving the photos in a file that is too large...  Sorry.

I use a Roland GX-24 and also have a Silhouette Cameo.  The Roland can cut just as detailed as the Cameo and do these cuts flawlessly.  Love them both.  Roland is very versatile for large or small projects as long as you keep a sharp blade in the machine and use the correct settings.  Highly recommend both!

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My cutter I like to be able to do the small intricate stuff that seams much easier with the graphtec. I have a Roland print and cut machine too so the separate print and contour isn't an issue for me. For about $16,000 you can have the best of both worlds. I guess for a single machine it would depend on if you want to do fine small detail more or print and contour stuff like dark shirt transfers. Depends on your plans on which is better for you

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If you are on a budget then you cannot go past the Titan 3 with RazorCut because the software has full blade compensation that you can adjust for the machine in YOUR shop which means within a few minutes tweaking you will get just as good a results as any Roland or Graphtec cutter.

 

The other major advantage the Titan 3 with RazorCut has which Roland, Graphtec, Mimaki and Summa do not is the ability to contour cut yards and yards (meters) of decals with super tight registration and within a 16th or mm or two... 

 

I saw the machine working in Shanghai and I've never seen anything anywhere near as accurate as the Titan 3 (Saga) and RazorCut... there is a video here:

 

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