Guest gracewriter

Help! vinyl is sliding and cuts, forget about it!

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Guest gracewriter

Thanks for cutting it for me. I thought it shouldn't make a difference if it was a little croocked.  So now I'm wondering what else I can do.  I did notice a few times where the lines "jumped" tracks. <---I thought that was due to a tracking problem, maybe not?

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Guest fivestar

John you just saved me 4 ft of vinyl.  :tyvm:  I was just about to cut it when I seen your post.  Grace, your letters all need welded for one thing, all though that shouldn't matter for this problem.

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well,fivestar...I am happy to have done it. I just happened to have 4 feet of 20 inch black left from a roll. Now I have a nice sign for my shop.

Anyhow, I have no idea what the problem is on your end but if it is NOT returning to origin to complete the cut as it should, I expect it is either a hardware problem, a matter of cutting ORDER,or you are the unluckiest person I ever met.

Maybe Ken will attempt it on a Pcut and see what happens.

One question....I have been told that the pcut has a suction fan or something that helps hold the vinyl in place...can you tell if yours is working? This might be the problem.

and where in the hell did all those wierd emoticons come from? They were there a minute ago or I am going nuts.

What an ODYSSEY this has been...(note my post count Ha Ha)

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Guest fivestar

lol..... They are gone again.

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lol..... They are gone again.

Was doing some cleaning and they were back for just a short period. I kept the basic bear (for BearDwon), and the thumbs up, but nothing with action.

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Thanks Ken for making me think I was having an LSD flashback from 1969.

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Guest gracewriter

For some reason the vinyl is staying perfectly straight on the left side on the machine (where the zero in the ruler is), but I don't know how to set the home position for the blade head over there.

Fan?  No fan that I can see, hear, touch etc.  I think it did say it came with a fan.

It takes almost an hour to cut this same image you cut at the lowest speed setting.  So I'm still waiting on the final result but it's almost finished and hasn't seem to move.  Like I said, I think it likes it better being fed from the left instead of the right.

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will someone who ACTUALLY HAS A Pcut please post how to set it to cut from the left,or how to change the origin??? I have no idea.

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Guest gracewriter

NOT returning to origin to complete the cut as it should, I expect it is either a hardware problem, a matter of cutting ORDER

It returns, what about cutting order, I don't see very many options in the signblazer menu.

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NOT returning to origin to complete the cut as it should, I expect it is either a hardware problem, a matter of cutting ORDER

It returns, what about cutting order, I don't see very many options in the signblazer menu.

I just sent you a direct email.

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Guest gracewriter

Do you really think the problem is serious enough to exchange the machine?  I'd like to try a couple other things first.  For one, can I position the blade head on the left side of the machine?  Seems the vinyl is much more stable being feed on that side.

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Guest gracewriter

I'm a little more than half way through the cut and it looks better than any other cut I've done so far. (at least in the major problem areas) I did cut the image down from 24 x 48 to 16 x 45.  So far so good, but still I'll need to bump it back up to 24 x 48.

If it gives me a good cut at the smaller size and not the larger size then I think I found the problem.  Right now however, I do not have it fed incredibly straight, I just couldn't face another half hour getting it lined up perfectly.

So, right now the bottom line is, the vinyl wants to be fed from the left, and hopefully this is the final issue....and hopefully someone will tell me if I can change the head position.  I sent ken a personal email asking him, posted on the pcut forum so any minute now would be great to hear from someone about the head.

Update...

spoke too soon the lines are merging together.  Not happy.

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Do you really think the problem is serious enough to exchange the machine?  I'd like to try a couple other things first.  For one, can I position the blade head on the left side of the machine?  Seems the vinyl is much more stable being feed on that side.

Would rather you not waste another $200 in vinyl is all. You sounded as though you were at the end of your rope, so it was a suggestion.

To set the origin on the PCut series, press the Online button, then use the left or right arrows to move the carriage left or right, or the up and down arrows to advance or retract the material, then press the button in the middle of the arrows to zero out your origin. Then press Online to get it back Online.

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Guest gracewriter

In the past I just set the head where I wanted it to cut. but it moves automatically from right to left.  I wanted it to move from left to right.  So I'll try what you suggested after it finishes cutting this last ditch effort to get it to cut.    It just seems really unstable because I'm having the same problems again on the left side. 

How long to get an exchange.

The vinyl is not croocked it is sliding and not just one vinyl, but all of them.

and yes I do have a digital camera.

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do this....take a section that you have cut and was cut wrong...weed it (just a section will do...take a pic and post it so we can see what is going on. That might help.

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Do you really think the problem is serious enough to exchange the machine?  I'd like to try a couple other things first.  For one, can I position the blade head on the left side of the machine?  Seems the vinyl is much more stable being feed on that side.

There has been more than extensive discussion to assist you with this issue. If the PCut isn't happening for you, then I would suggest that you move to a different model. I know that you want your finished cut to be 24", and i'm not sure about the other models, but I have an LP 24", and I can tell you that I don't think I'd be able to get a 24" x 48" without some drift or without hitting the red buttons.

It sounds like the vinyl just isn't tracking properly regardless of what the blade is doing. If that is the case, then yes, turn your machine in. If you've tried all that has been suggested in this thread, then there probably isn't too much more that can be done. Either the rollers are having issues or the track bar is. But it doesn't really matter, if I understand correctly, part of the issue is that half of the vinyl is tracked and fed at a different speed than the other half. That's not a good situation, and that's something that is and will always be problematic.

I'm guessing that your machine is still under warranty. Either exchange it or upgrade to a different model. I have no complaints with the LP24". Why make yourself completely mental with something that doesn't quite work right?

Please don't think that the members here are attacking you. It's just as frustrating for us not being able to find the right solution for you as it is for you not being able to make the cutter do what you need it to do. By far, this is probably one of the longest support/technical assistant threads that are on this forum, everyone is that dedicated and caring to assist you. Don't give up on US Cutter or us forum members, just exchange your cutter. Every company has a "lemon" produced once in a while, but the "lemon" is unknown until it actually hits the field and put to work. Keep the faith, there is a cutter that will do what you need, it's just for some reason, your particular (individual) cutter won't.

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Do you really think the problem is serious enough to exchange the machine?  I'd like to try a couple other things first.  For one, can I position the blade head on the left side of the machine?  Seems the vinyl is much more stable being feed on that side.

There has been more than extensive discussion to assist you with this issue. If the PCut isn't happening for you, then I would suggest that you move to a different model. I know that you want your finished cut to be 24", and i'm not sure about the other models, but I have an LP 24", and I can tell you that I don't think I'd be able to get a 24" x 48" without some drift or without hitting the red buttons.

It sounds like the vinyl just isn't tracking properly regardless of what the blade is doing. If that is the case, then yes, turn your machine in. If you've tried all that has been suggested in this thread, then there probably isn't too much more that can be done. Either the rollers are having issues or the track bar is. But it doesn't really matter, if I understand correctly, part of the issue is that half of the vinyl is tracked and fed at a different speed than the other half. That's not a good situation, and that's something that is and will always be problematic.

I'm guessing that your machine is still under warranty. Either exchange it or upgrade to a different model. I have no complaints with the LP24". Why make yourself completely mental with something that doesn't quite work right?

Please don't think that the members here are attacking you. It's just as frustrating for us not being able to find the right solution for you as it is for you not being able to make the cutter do what you need it to do. By far, this is probably one of the longest support/technical assistant threads that are on this forum, everyone is that dedicated and caring to assist you. Don't give up on US Cutter or us forum members, just exchange your cutter. Every company has a "lemon" produced once in a while, but the "lemon" is unknown until it actually hits the field and put to work. Keep the faith, there is a cutter that will do what you need, it's just for some reason, your particular (individual) cutter won't.

I have an LP 24" too and just cut 40" stripes for the mini and they came out relatively straight, the only advice I can offer is that you make sure that there is no radial force on the paper whatsoever, let the paper rest freely in the holder in the back, I imagine the pcut has one like the LP24..

Wayne

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Guest gracewriter

I do appologize if I gave the impression to anyone that I thought they were attacking me.  No one here was doing that, I was doing that to myself.  I just finally "lost it" on my own. 

I have not only followed everyone's suggestions to the "T" but re-read the posts many times over the last few days to make sure I was understanding what they were saying.  I appologize for not letting all of you know that, but from the moment I wake up till I go to bed all I have been doing is feeding vinyl and reading and re-reading your advice.  My whole family is irritated with me because I haven't cooked dinner, or helped the kids with much of anything since this problem arose. 

I have a lot riding on this machine functioning, financially and emotionally---The money to start this whole thing came from a very small inheretance from my mother who was extremely abusive to me all my life.  I feel like this is a gift from her that she could not give me when she was alive.  My entire life has been spent (I'm 48 now) searching for something I could do to make money that was enjoyable and didn't "suck the life out of me."

Right before I discovered cutters, I was praying (which I don't ever pray and don't really believe in it) to my mom every day (what the heck nothing else ever worked) to help me find something I could make with my hands that I could make a living at.  So, shortly after when I stumbled upon the cutting world, you can only imagine how much it meant to me and I instantly knew I needed one of these machines (and was so grateful for the few thousand dollars her little trailer left me so I could afford to buy one along with all the saws necessary to make the signs I at least knew I could make a few bucks on)  and the timing was a bit miraculous--at least to me.  And I don't really believe in the esoteric miracle world.  But there you have it.

So whether it was providence or just dumb luck that I discovered cutters, I can only say how thrilled I am to have found it, and how devistating the last several days have been....because I need a specific size of signs where I know I can make a little money,  I don't need them exactly 24" as I know I can't get that out of my pcut, (well actually when I'm not cutting such a long sign I have gotten 24.75") but I do need them long and accurate.

We all have our own personal reasons why we chose to join the cutting world and no doubt they are as personal as mine.  I just hope your journey hasn't been as painful or as long as mine to get here.  But I am honored and glad we all ended up at the same place, whether for profit or because we just don't fit in the 9 to 5 world.

You have no idea how much I have appreciated all your help, encouragement, support and words of advice.  Especially the person (can't think of who it was right now that sent me (((huggs))).  You have no idea how stupid I felt after writing the post about crying (was balling my eyes out in frustration) and then to hear the "hugs" made me feel not so stupid, inept and so alone.

I've always been a problem solver, but sometimes I need someone else's eyes to look through.  I feel I have done that in this thread and am opting now to exchange my pcut for a refine.  After all, it was mostly refine people who seemed to love bragging about how much they LOVED their cutters and how incredibly LONG and ACCURATE they were able to cut.  OMG, there were times I wanted to do bad things to those people :thumbsup:...you have no idea... ;D I was so jealous!!! :lol:

So, I have given up on my pcut with much regret.  I still believe in that machine, US Cutter, this forum, etc., etc. and am now relatively convinced it is not operator error but  just dumb luck. (which if you knew my mother, (where the money came from to buy it) it's just too funny and somewhat appropriate, and makes me somehow appreciate her all the more).

Suffice it to say, if Ken calls me after receiving my cutter on exchange and says "What's up!  This thing never slides and makes perfect cuts," I'm going to feel like a complete a##%(@le and will never show my un-vectorized words on this forum again out of sheer embarrassment.

But I did give it my best and the "old college try" and maybe I am just not smart enough to line this thing up.

Thanks a million for all your efforts and the precious time you spent out of your own day to help me.

Sorry if this was too personal, I don't even tell my own friends this stuff about me.  But somehow, whether my candor has been well recieved or not, it has made me feel better and I am looking forward to getting some much needed rest from all this frustration, at least until my new machine shows up with all it's own learning curves.

Tonight I shall dream dreams of straight lines, and my mother's ever present insistance of making me a stronger person.

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i am curious, when you were shoping for a plotter to make 24 x 48 inch signs. did you consider a 48 inch cutter?that way your vinyl would only travel back and forth 24 inches? it would definitely improve cutting perfection, and reduce tracking issues. just a thought.

bb

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Guest gracewriter

Thanks for your thoughts.  But a 48"  cutter was a lot more expensive than a 24"

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Guest fivestar

Grace, that "OMG, there were times I wanted to do bad things to those people ...you have no idea...  I was so jealous!!!

" sounds a little kinky and may end up in the Mature Section"  :thumbsup: 

Don't give up, never give up.  I mean don't ever give up, you will get things going one way or another.  I still wished you could post a pic or video of your cutting, I want to see exactly what it's doing.  If you was close to me I'd go there and try to see if I could help "in person".

BTW, we tend to tell alot more things to our "online friends" then we do to our "face to face friends".

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I know how you feel. But let me give you a tip...I NEVER try to cut a sign over 18x24 all at once. I divide it up and cut one or two lines at a time,and assemble on the substrate. The sign you were trying to cut,for example... I would have just cut the main part in black (as my pic shows,and cut the lettering separately in white...laid the lettering over the top of the black. Reverse weeding isn't all that easy and with that much text, and especially that font, getting it down smooth would be a nightmare for me.

Anyway, in future, feel free to PM me directly if you need any help in any way.

And teach your husband (and the kids) how to cook. I've been married 4 times and I NEVER asked or expected a woman to cook for me. I'm not an invalid and can operate a stove with the best of them. Plus,you never know...I can't afford a 'food taster'.

I love my refine. If I were YOU I would order an extra pinch roller or two. Mine came with 3 but I'm not sure now if it still does.

Best of luck to you and DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!! If I gave up every time things went wrong the first time, I'd still be spending my days sitting in a tree like I did when I was a boy.

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Grace - I hope that my post didn't make you feel like I was chastising you. It definitely wasn't meant that way. I'm glad that you're not giving up, and that many here aren't prepared to let you give up (so in reality you really don't have a choice  :lol:).

Not to worry about posting personal things. We all have our moments of meltdown, or in some cases getting the cops called on you. I'm sorry to hear about your mother. I lost mine a while back but think about her each and everyday. She left behind a whole lot of debt and the only thing the wasn't taken by creditors was her little MGB that was left to me. It is a testament to the strength, courage, and wisdom that you have that you want something productive to come out of it. That in itself is huge! Pat yourself on the back (seriously!).

Out of the ashes, some good will come to you. If you feel like "stumbled upon the cutting world" was a sign to you, then it was. Believe it in. I'm not a religious person by any means, but I do believe that there are definite signs in the universe that help to illuminate the path we are meant to be, even if it brings us some frustration and aggravation - there are always lessons to be learned in the good, but are usually more obvious in the bad :thumbsup:

I personally can't wait till you get your Refine and we'll help you get buzzing on your way to profit! WooHoo!!!!

Just make sure you keep us posted.

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Guest gracewriter

Wow,

Thanks for all your posts.  Made me cry again (and laugh...the cops called? too funny).

Ever since I made the commitment to make signs I have been terrified I am going to fail yet again.  I have no one in my life who believes in or encourages me.  I do have a good husband but he's never once said anything like "You can do it"  or "How can I help you?"  And it hurts a lot.  So, he's waiting around to see if my "hair-brained" scheme is going to fail without lifting a finger to help.  It's a lot of pressure and not easy to try to believe in yourself when no one else does or ever has.  It's been a tough row to hoe.

Most women in my position would be perfectly content having a husband who supports her and just gets a little part time job to bring in some extra money.  Although I am grateful, I am not content and am driven to make my own living and not be dependent on anyone financially ever again.  Although I have owned a couple of businesses of my own in the past, in the real world I have no marketable skills to make enough money to live on down here in South Florida.   

It's also important to me that my children see a partent doing something she loves for a living so they are never afraid to follow their own dreams.  The thought of them getting stuck in a job that they hate, (like what happened to me for 20 years) would break my heart.

I'm just glad I didn't try to make those 48" cuts before I bought all the other equipment because I may have given up entirely.  But looking at all the money I invested, along with your kind support, and the extra pressure from my husband was motivation to keep trying.

BannerJohn, I would give my right arm to never again have to hear the words, "What's for dinner?"  Frankly, I think that's one of my greatest motivations to make my own living, so I can one day I can say to him, "What's for dinner?  Oh, that again!?  Did it come out of a box or did you make it from scratch?"  Then leave my dirty dishes on the table for him to clean up.

:thumbsup:

I do love him and never want to be without him but frankly, sometimes I just want to choke him. :lol: or smack him into consciousness.

I may just take the day off today, it feels so good to sit here drinking my coffe not worrying about tracking, straight lines, and all this other crap.

As ever, always grateful for your kind support,

Grace

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