Saknika

New to the Software, Need help understanding settings

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I'm just getting started with a vinyl cutter of my own, having used them before at work years ago. However, at work everything was all set-up already and I never adjusted any settings nor did I need to know more then how to export to a cutter to make things happen. Now, I've purchased the US Cutter MH MK2 and I'm having so much trouble making my design cut properly. It starts out okay, and then seems to lose track of itself and starts overcutting. I am guessing the reason why is because I need to better understand my software and how it is I'm sending it to cut, because the cutter is fresh out of the box and should not have any issues (I didn't change a single setting).

 

My main problem is that the help manuals and guides are all useless at explaining what each setting does. Useless might not actually be a strong enough word it's so bad... So, I ventured to Google and tried there to no avail. I'm hoping that some seasoned folks here can help explain the settings to me, so I can better understand what it is I'm doing and maybe solve my issues.

 

Here are my basic setting questions:

 

1. What is blade offset, and how does it affect cutting?

2. Is Overcut literally just how much beyond my lines it will go to get a complete cut? If not, then what is it?

3. What is baud and how does it affect cutting?

4. Do registartion marks change where it cuts? I'm used to placing a box around what I'm cutting to weed off so I can find where I need to put my transfer paper...

5. How does Jog distance affect cutting?

 

So essentially, I have no idea what the cutter settings do, so I'm unable to determine if these are, in fact, what's causing me woes in trying to get my design to work properly.

 

I'm pretty sure it's not the design itself, as I crafted it in CorelDraw X4, and made to weld everything together so there are no overlapping objects, and then get it down so I have one object that's my design, and one object that's a box to be my perimeter mark so I know where to cut it to line it up right for precision application. Exported it to .svg so I could get it into SCALP, because when the export didn't work from CorelDraw X4 for cutting I figured it was just a program thing... but SCALP didn't cut it right either (though it did do better than CorelDraw).

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated, even if you just give me a link to a manual that explains what it is I'm asking about, because I've been unsuccessful with that as well.

 

Thanks in advance! :D

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I don't have SCALP, but I can give some answers, as some or your questions are general.

 

Blade offset is the distance from the tip of the blade to the center of the blade.

BLD-19.png

It has to be set based on the angle type of blade you are using.  http://www.uscuttersupport.com/downloads/Support_PDF/CutterSetup/Blade_Guide.pdf  Note that some software uses inches and others mm.

 

Overcut isn't available in the software I use, but It is the distance that the blade will continue to cut after reaching its end point.  The default should be fine.  The only time it might need adjusting if you are cutting something very tiny.

 

Baud rate is the speed at which data is transmitted.  Setting it too low is safer, but slows things down.  Setting it too high can foul transmission.  However, today most gear handles this all pretty well so I am inclined to set it high as the gear will slow itself down, buffering when needed.  The defaults should be fine.  Old gear might need a slow setting, but your's is brand new.

 

I am not sure what SCALP has as far as inserting registration marks.  There are two kinds.  One kind is for when your design has more than one color.  You add a shape, a diamond, a cross or a circle on each color layer.  This is cut out when you cut that color.  Then after masking, you can use those shapes to line the colors up by placing the diamond or cross on top of each other.  Another kind of registration mark is for cutters than have optical sensors for contour cutting.  This works with your printer when you wish to cut something you have printed, could be paper or something else.  You print an image with a normal or solvent printer, with the registration mark and then load it into your cutter.  The cutter has an eye that sees those marks and knows where to cut.

 

Jog distance is for when you are using software controls, (SCALP I presume,) to move the blade.  It effects how far each click on the mouse on the control moves the blade.  It is for special circumstances like alignment or setting up contour cutting.  It should not effect normal cutting.

 

Maybe you could take a picture of what is happening and post it.  Posting the files involved say on something like dropbox could help also.

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I always suggest that people having any kind of issue with their machine should do the following --

 

Download and install SignBlazer ELEMENTS (no cost) and choose the RedSail driver in Setup.

 

http://support.uscutter.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/GetAttachment/190/24198

Yeah and it will work best if you happen to be running windows 3.1

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SignBlazer is capable of running just fine even under the latest Windows 10 system, as far as I know.

 

When suggestions that can work are offered here, it's best to avoid making snide remarks that disparage a possible solution.

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DCBevins: Thank you very much for those explanations, they're extremely helpful! It would seem that I'm not misusing the program then...

 

So, as you requested, I'm posting some pictures. The photo is of what I'm getting. I apologize about the quality, but all I have available right now is my phone and the contrast isn't so great... I tried to fix it a bit in Photoshop to make it easier to see...

 

But, you'll notice that the cuts just start going absolutely willy-nilly at some point, and overlapping.

 

I've also attached images of what I'm cutting. One is what the design will look like when weeded and complete, as I'm cutting a stencil for glass etching.

 

The other is of the lines that the cutter should be following, to show that they're definitely all one object.

 

Overall size is about 11.875" square for the intricate design, within a 12" square box so the stencil can be applied to a 12" diameter mirror. So, it's fairly large for my 14" cutter.

 

Slice & Dice: I'm open to trying new software, but what advantage does it have over SCALP and just exporting from CorelDraw X4 (which I also tried, with similar results). I just want to know before I go installing more software, because uninstalling and cleaning software you won't be using from a computer can be a real chore sometimes. ;)

 

Thanks all, your input is very valuable to me.

post-96670-0-39646800-1449792513_thumb.j

post-96670-0-54682400-1449792550_thumb.p

post-96670-0-91650000-1449792606_thumb.p

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Did you unroll enough vinyl for the job or is the cutter pulling from the roll?

 

I cannot find a roll of the stencil material short enough for the cutter (and I don't have a holder for a roll anyways at this point), so I cut a piece off of the roll with a straight edge and exacto knife to fit exactly 14" across. The roll only came as small as 15". So I have a 14" wide piece, by 15" long. I considered that it wasn't tracking the first time, but upon watching the second it moves back and forth perfectly straight without deviation. It also lined the center up pefrectly where the 3-aspects and smaller pentacle are in the center, and the box on the outside is fine (all corners meet). That's why i was thinking it was the program... but now I'm not so sure.

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I can't see all to well on that pic, but it looks like it is all over the place as to cutting.  It is horrible.  If it were a roll, I too would ask if you had unwound it and if it were pulling.  But that doesn't seem to be the issue as your using a cut piece.  The margin the cuts are off in your pic seem too far to be something like a roll pulling.

 

Some king of slipping seems possible, like the pinch rollers are up, or you are not aligning things to the pinch rollers.  Maybe the pinch rollers don't have enough tension.  

 

Also, maybe poor electrical grounding is causing some havoc.  Static electricity can cause such havoc also.  You might want to search the forums on static and grounding.  Some machines you can attach a wire to the ground to discharge electrical build up.  Vinyl builds pretty hefty static charges.  Some people report  success spraying an anti static spray onto the vinyl.  Others store their vinyl with anti static dryer sheets or rub the vinyl with them.  It might not be static, but it is something to try.

 

It would be worth trying lowering the Baud rate.  9600 is a low value, but should be fast enough for cutting.  Try setting it to 9600.  Remember what it was before the change and set it back if that is not it.   If you have alternative cables, try them.  Cables go bad.

 

There is still the possibility that some other setting in SCALP is wrong.  That it communicates with the cutter leads me to believe that is not it, as either something happens or nothing happens.

 

Worse possibilities are bad memory or a bad motherboard.  It will likely be long phone calls with support if all else fails.

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I can't see all to well on that pic, but it looks like it is all over the place as to cutting.  It is horrible.  If it were a roll, I too would ask if you had unwound it and if it were pulling.  But that doesn't seem to be the issue as your using a cut piece.  The margin the cuts are off in your pic seem too far to be something like a roll pulling.

 

Some king of slipping seems possible, like the pinch rollers are up, or you are not aligning things to the pinch rollers.  Maybe the pinch rollers don't have enough tension.  

 

Also, maybe poor electrical grounding is causing some havoc.  Static electricity can cause such havoc also.  You might want to search the forums on static and grounding.  Some machines you can attach a wire to the ground to discharge electrical build up.  Vinyl builds pretty hefty static charges.  Some people report  success spraying an anti static spray onto the vinyl.  Others store their vinyl with anti static dryer sheets or rub the vinyl with them.  It might not be static, but it is something to try.

 

It would be worth trying lowering the Baud rate.  9600 is a low value, but should be fast enough for cutting.  Try setting it to 9600.  Remember what it was before the change and set it back if that is not it.   If you have alternative cables, try them.  Cables go bad.

 

There is still the possibility that some other setting in SCALP is wrong.  That it communicates with the cutter leads me to believe that is not it, as either something happens or nothing happens.

 

Worse possibilities are bad memory or a bad motherboard.  It will likely be long phone calls with support if all else fails.

 

Thanks David. I will definitely look into the grounding issues. I had it plugged into a surge protector, but that might not be enough where I live. I'm pretty out-of-the-way from any cities, and the electrical on this side of the house (we put an addition on several years ago) was not wired so great... I've never had issues with anything else that I run equipment wise so I don't think it's completely awful, but my other equipment is not as precision-based as this is. I wish I had a good location in the area of the house with the new wiring, but we have a ton of animals and none of those areas are blocked off to them so I don't think it's such a great idea...

 

I will also try lowering the baud rate. I just sent this to the cutter with default settings, figuring it should work, which obviously it did not.

 

I think the pressure on the pinch rollers should be okay, but I'll double-check just in case. It took me a bit to figure out how to lift and lower them, so I'm 100% confident they weren't up. LOL Not to mention I made that mistake with a serger once, not lowering the foot... I know just how much havoc not lowering something can cause, and how easy it is to spot. Hahaha :) But it's definitely a valid concern to raise (no pun intended lol).

 

Thank you so much for the ideas to consider. It's certainly better than trying to google search it and just getting results of "Hate this cutter, it's garbage" instead of manuals or possible solutions. Now I have something to look into. I am glad the google searches at least lead me to realize there was a forum (never would have thought to look for one on US Cutter's website), because you are all marvelous. :)

 

If I cannot get a solution, I'll call tech support. I certainly hope it's not a bad memory or motherboard on a brand new machine though! However, I do accept the fact that there are lemons in any group of items produced, so I won't rule it out as a possibility, either.

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The baud rate on the MH MK2 is 4800...   You don't state which windows program you are using.  I am showing windows 7..

 

From set up page

 

http://www.uscuttersupport.com/downloads/Support_PDF/USBSetup/MH/MH_USB_WIN7.pdf

 

but choose from here...

 

http://www.uscuttersupport.com/mh-series-vinyl-cutter-setup.html

 

IMPORTANT:
The Baud Rate in the cutter settings needs to be changed from 9600 to 4800.

Turn on your cutter and follow the steps below

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The baud rate on the MH MK2 is 4800...   You don't state which windows program you are using.  I am showing windows 7.

I would never have thought it that low.  If so, that could be your problem.  I thought 9600 was low.  I can remember using a 300 buad modem in 1986....1986!

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If you're cutting a 12" decal with 14" of material, the material might be running past the point of the pinch rollers actually working. You'll still get cuts, then it'll grab the vinyl and pull it back through and cut normally until it runs out again. The cutter has no idea where the vinyl is.

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