Preferd Vinyl

[JLS Design 39]

Just as the Topic says, what is your preferd vinyl, and why?  

 

I just recently received my Laserpoint II cutter, and the sample rolls I got are greenstar.  I'm just curious what all everyone has tried, and prefers over the other. It seems to me the stuff I have is a bit "greasy", for lack of better terms, on the backing paper.  Last night I made my 2nd cuts, and had a hard time keeping some of the vinyl in place.  I think I may need to increas the presure of the cutter too a bit, as I was not able to weed some text.  

 

Thoughts?

[slice&dice 2,450]

JLS, the opinions of many of us regulars here regarding GreenStar are easily researched with a quick search, and the general view is --- go with a brand name, like Oracal, or 3M or Avery.

[Wildgoose 4,200]

I agree with what slice said although I find GS cuts fine so if you are having issues cutting and weeding it you probably have some dialing in to do with your cutter. GS may not be the best overall but it IS the vinyl of choice for learning.  The pressure setting for Oracal 651 is going to be very close to the same as the GS. I still use GS for very temporary work once in a while because it is very inexpensive. 

[JLS Design 39]

JLS, the opinions of many of us regulars here regarding GreenStar are easily researched with a quick search, and the general view is --- go with a brand name, like Oracal, or 3M or Avery.

 

Thanks for the tip.  I'm pretty familiar with forums, so I appologize for not utilizing the search better.  Typically I start with pinned threads, then search, then post new topics.  Thank you though for your thoughts on the vinyl.

 

I agree with what slice said although I find GS cuts fine so if you are having issues cutting and weeding it you probably have some dialing in to do with your cutter. GS may not be the best overall but it IS the vinyl of choice for learning.  The pressure setting for Oracal 651 is going to be very close to the same as the GS. I still use GS for very temporary work once in a while because it is very inexpensive. 

 

I have seen several different vinyl manufacturers out there, and prices do vary.  My plan is to use the GS until I feel confident enough to move on.  I'm actually going to try adjusting settings on the cutter.  I'm currently using what they recomend.    Again, thanks for you input!!

[slice&dice 2,450]

For the record, I routinely use the value brands from companies like Felllers (shine rite) and Grimco (brite line).

I wish that USCUTTER would sell a low-cost product that is better than Greenstar (like FDC, for example).

 

I cannot count the number of times I've just ordered a 10 yard roll of ShineRite and gone over to the Feller's warehouse (15 mins. away) to pick it up as needed.

 

Your plan to use Greenstar will last a week.

Put in your order on Monday for Oracal, and try it.

Trust me on this.

[JLS Design 39]

For the record, I routinely use the value brands from companies like Felllers (shine rite) and Grimco (brite line).

I wish that USCUTTER would sell a low-cost product that is better than Greenstar (like FDC, for example).

 

I cannot count the number of times I've just ordered a 10 yard roll of ShineRite and gone over to the Feller's warehouse (15 mins. away) to pick it up as needed.

 

Your plan to use Greenstar will last a week.

Put in your order on Monday for Oracal, and try it.

Trust me on this.

 

Ok, thanks.  Unfortunately it'll have to wait a week or two.  Purchasing this machine tapped out the funds for the time being, and hoping with a few other jobs lined up, I should be able to get something then.  I don't have any "local" shops by for me to pick up vinyl, and until I get busy enough with art work, and decals, I'm busy working my "9-5" job and a second job every other night.

[KYSIGN 233]

Slice,

I thought briteline, greenstar etc were all made by general formulations and just rebranded.

[slice&dice 2,450]

Slice,

I thought briteline, greenstar etc were all made by general formulations and just rebranded.

 

CompuCut is their official in-house brand.http://generalformulations.com/

(CC500 intermediate)

 

I've used Greenstar and Briteline and ShineRite, and it doesn't seem to me that they're manufactured by the same factory.

My guess is USCUTTER buys their GS vinyl from China.

 

In any case, I'm not trying to knock GreenStar -- just pointing out that it's a lower-end material, with the drawbacks associated with a Not-Top-Quality product and priced accordingly.

USCUTTER has no need to apologize for offering it, just as they have no need to apologize for providing inexpensive 'value' cutters made in China.

 

It is what it is.

[KYSIGN 233]

I have avoided those brands because I thought they were the same material. If that's not the case I may need to give them a try. I have only cut greenstar a few times and other than the smell it wasn't that difficult to work with. I can't speak for longevity.

[Wildgoose 4,200]

Ok, thanks.  Unfortunately it'll have to wait a week or two.  Purchasing this machine tapped out the funds for the time being, and hoping with a few other jobs lined up, I should be able to get something then.  I don't have any "local" shops by for me to pick up vinyl, and until I get busy enough with art work, and decals, I'm busy working my "9-5" job and a second job every other night.

I don't know where you live but I would almost guarantee that there is a commercial sign supplier in your local area. I do most of my purchasing online but it's nice to have the option to run across town and grab something when the excrement hits the fan. They will usually sell cast vinyl by the yard too so you can do small one off work without the wait. 

 

The biggest problems I have seen with the GS is that it will shrink and I do mean shrink, so be careful what you sell to someone because you could very easily ruin a good client base selling poor quality material. If it's on a banner or a yard sign you will probably be fine but if you try using it on a vehicle or someones plate glass window you may get a hot customer at the end of the day. 

 

As far as your settings on the cutter you will need to learn to adjust things for each product. I have even occasionally had to fine tune from roll to roll of the very same vinyl. Different colors or age of rolls can effect the cut and so can current temperature and humidity. New owners don't usually realize this and struggle with consistency when often it is just the room temperature or something silly that is causing the issue. Test cut, test cut, test cut. After a year or two you will develop a better sense of what's going on but it really does take some time to gain the experience. Start with blade depth, once set correctly you will just be adjusting pressure between vinyl. Your blade should just be scoring the paper carrier but you should not be able to feel the line from the back side. 

[tomk 19]

Slice,

I thought briteline, greenstar etc were all made by general formulations and just rebranded.

 

I was told the Briteline from Grimco was an OEM Avery product, at least the 5651 I use.  I use it for our printing on the Hp 310, and have had zero problems with it to date.

[randalle 50]

Cast > Calendered. 

 

 

I prefer Oracal, but have used a lot of Avery.  Both fine products.  I use 751 the majority of the time.

[KYSIGN 233]

I was informed that Greenstar is not General Formulations after all and that General Formulations is actually pretty good. I love how helpful the members of this forum can be without being negative. +1

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

[slice&dice 2,450]

When purchasing my SC unit a few years back, I went ahead and ordered the Greenstar 12-roll pack (5 yards each).

 

I sliced& diced through those 15-foot rolls REALLY quickly, slapping that stuff on banners and coroplast blanks and MaxMetal, and sending it out the door every day with customers, and let me say, I earned a REALLY good return on the investment of $99.

[JLS Design 39]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.  I'm learning rather quickly what to keep an eye out for!

[Primal Decals 621]

When i got into this in jan-feb I went with Oracal 651,751 and then i buy mossy oak camo 4'x5' sheets from Fellers and 3d carbon fiber from another ,and i have never had an issue with any of my products.I am very happy with it all. I rarely go to a local sign shop for material unless i need a special color that i dont have,but im happy with Uscutters prices. I just try to buy in bulk. I also buy 6 yr  black and white vinyl from a ebay seller 12"x50 yds for around $25-$30 i think and no issues as well. I make a fortune of those 2 rolls alone,..

[JLS Design 39]

When i got into this in jan-feb I went with Oracal 651,751 and then i buy mossy oak camo 4'x5' sheets from Fellers and 3d carbon fiber from another ,and i have never had an issue with any of my products.I am very happy with it all. I rarely go to a local sign shop for material unless i need a special color that i dont have,but im happy with Uscutters prices. I just try to buy in bulk. I also buy 6 yr  black and white vinyl from a ebay seller 12"x50 yds for around $25-$30 i think and no issues as well. I make a fortune of those 2 rolls alone,..

 

Yeah I've already had a few people ask me if I'll be able to do carbon fiber, and chromoly vinyl.  So I'll be looking here in the forum, and trying to do some research on what works the best.  Anyone here ever done anything with reflective vinyl?  Once I'm satisfied with how to use the cutter, I'm going to take on my first real big job, and that's a outdoor sign for my buddies Dyno and Performance shop.  He doesn't have a light up sign, so I was thinking reflective vinyl that cars will see well at night.