Laserpoint II Cut Issues

[JLS Design 39]

So just recently I've had some cutter issues.  

 

For the most part I love this machine.  I use the key-span since my PC does not have the serial plug in.

 

I found this video on YouTube as it shows perfectly what my cutter is doing.  

 

 

I have not grounded mine yet, as it just started this little issue.  But it's on my "to do list" tomorrow.  

 

Has anyone else had this issue, and if so, what did you do to resolve this?

What's the best way to ground the machine?  The video I posted does not look as if it makes any sense the way it's done.

I was going to run a wire from the ground point to the ground attached to a metal washer.  

 

Any thoughts or feedback would be great.  I did search a bunch of pages here, and used the search, but didn't find what I was looking for exactly.

 

 

[slice&dice 2,450]

Dryer sheet(s) inserted to the center of the roll of vinyl.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

So just recently I've had some cutter issues.  

 

For the most part I love this machine.  I use the key-span since my PC does not have the serial plug in.

 

I found this video on YouTube as it shows perfectly what my cutter is doing.  

 

 

 

I have not grounded mine yet, as it just started this little issue.  But it's on my "to do list" tomorrow.  

 

Has anyone else had this issue, and if so, what did you do to resolve this?

What's the best way to ground the machine?  The video I posted does not look as if it makes any sense the way it's done.

I was going to run a wire from the ground point to the ground attached to a metal washer.  

 

Any thoughts or feedback would be great.  I did search a bunch of pages here, and used the search, but didn't find what I was looking for exactly.

the grounding that you read about is actually grounding the stand to the cutter - on many value cutters they sit on rubber feet on the stand - then static builds in the vinyl roll and stand till it discharges thru the carriage causing issues or blown boards  - so the wire is added from the stand (bare metal with paint removed) to a screw on the bottom of the cutter that is actually grounded thru the plug already.  their wire to the plug is redundant - that one may have been zapped before they decided to ground the stand. . . .  In your case I would try another usb cable to the keyspan just to rule that part out as we have seen usb cables go bad on here from time to time

[Command 97]

5 Years ago I exclusively used an MH series cutter. It would have intermittent static issues on occasion and once went on a diagonal cutting spree.

 

I resolved the issue by grounding both the inside of the chassis and the stand directly to the ground on a nearby outlet. In combination with a sheet in the vinyl and keeping all app tape away from the machine, it should mitigate most issues.

[mb20music 760]

Dryer sheet(s) inserted to the center of the roll of vinyl.

 

Yes, this makes your decals soft and smell nice. LOL

[JLS Design 39]

the grounding that you read about is actually grounding the stand to the cutter - on many value cutters they sit on rubber feet on the stand - then static builds in the vinyl roll and stand till it discharges thru the carriage causing issues or blown boards  - so the wire is added from the stand (bare metal with paint removed) to a screw on the bottom of the cutter that is actually grounded thru the plug already.  their wire to the plug is redundant - that one may have been zapped before they decided to ground the stand. . . .  In your case I would try another usb cable to the keyspan just to rule that part out as we have seen usb cables go bad on here from time to time

Ok, I grounded the machine.  I'm going to try a test cut here shortly.  I do have another USB I will try too.  

It only does it if I try to run a large quantity of cuts.  Leads me to believe maybe a bug in the program too.  

One step at a time.  Grounding properly first...

 

5 Years ago I exclusively used an MH series cutter. It would have intermittent static issues on occasion and once went on a diagonal cutting spree.

 

I resolved the issue by grounding both the inside of the chassis and the stand directly to the ground on a nearby outlet. In combination with a sheet in the vinyl and keeping all app tape away from the machine, it should mitigate most issues.

My outlets are not close enough for me to ground like that.  If the grounding I'm trying now doesn't work, I'll buy some new wire (used what I had laying around) and try that next.

My app  tape is close, but not that close I don't think.  Maybe like 3' away?

 

Yes, this makes your decals soft and smell nice. LOL

Thanks for the laugh...my sheets are scent free.  Kids are alergic to some of the perfumes.

 

I'll try the sheets in the roll too.  

[MZ SKEETER 4,708]

You say your cutting a lot of decals at one time, then you could be overloading the memory,,, Try running less.. The value cutters don't have the memory of the higher end cutters. 

[JLS Design 39]

You say your cutting a lot of decals at one time, then you could be overloading the memory,,, Try running less.. The value cutters don't have the memory of the higher end cutters. 

 

Yep I noticed I was having issues like that when I was trying to cut a dozen or more the other night.  I cut 6 of them, no issue.

[JLS Design 39]

So the machine is properly grounded.  I ran another fairly large quantity through the cutter.  

1 of them was a 6" x 24" text.  This cut fine, and even did the weeding lines.

Then the chaos started.  Cut two decals at the bottom of my mat space, cut 2 out of 3 at the top.

During the 3rd cut at the top, it only cut partial, and went into it's random cut line, cutting through the two at the bottom.

It didn't even bother cutting the images in the center of the job....

 

Very weird.  

 

Leaves me to believe it's probably a glitch with the program?  It's SCAL Pro3.

I recall watching a video on how to operate SCAL Pro3, and I remember it saying something about the nodes.

IIRC it said the fewer the nodes, the easier it is for the machine to cut.  

I wonder if this is why they suggested lower node counts?

[JLS Design 39]

After a few more test, I've concluded it is for sure a memory or program issue.

 

Which kinda bothers me that this happens, as I have a few jobs lined up now I may not be able to do.

 

If the image is to large = consuming memory, then It will go off and do a random diagonal cut.

 

So my next test I think is on another software I have installed, and see if the same issue occurs there.

[MZ SKEETER 4,708]

If it does the same thing with the pen installed, It is more than likely memory...And always turn off your cutter between jobs to dump the data from the last order..   I had the memory issue with my Seiki on a couple large orders, and the only way it would get thru the order was to turn the speed at full blast...  I used that cutter for about 14 months, and jumped to a Graphtec in 2008 and never had a problem  since.