amaterasu

Editing artboards in illustrator for cutting

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Hi

I want to use illustrator to send files to my cutter but I dont know how I should set up my document dimensions. My paper width is 130 cm and my cutter can eat 130 cm paper so thats fine but max cutting width for the cutter is 120cm. Should I customise my artboard to be 120cm? Or 130cm and draw inside a 120cm area?

Please help

 

 

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When cutting, you are required to set a workspace and that's how you define the extent of the cut space.

For instance, when I use 24" vinyl, I set my workspace to 22.5" and that allows me 3/4" extra room to each side of the media, to allow for any slight tracking discrepancy.

I suggest you download and install SignBlazerElements and play with it a minute or two, you'll understand immediately how this all works.

 

 

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what software are you cuttiing with? I use ai as well all the time but only for designing and then bring the design into my cutting software,I used to send my file from Ai to my cutter software but stopped doing it .

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What software are you using to connect to your cutter? I don't always get too worried about dartboard size other than to use it as a frame of reference. If I am cutting on 24' vinyl and I know that I like to keep my design within a given dimension like slice suggested of 22" to allow room for error or in my case to keep the cut inside my pinch rollers. The cutting software you use can be effected by the art board size in programs such as SCALP.  Ultimately it matters most to your cutting software. I use SignCut Pro and it doesn't care about dartboard size just the design size and is adjustable if you want to shrink or expand it at that moment. 

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On 15.3.2017 at 2:32 AM, slice&dice said:

When cutting, you are required to set a workspace and that's how you define the extent of the cut space.

For instance, when I use 24" vinyl, I set my workspace to 22.5" and that allows me 3/4" extra room to each side of the media, to allow for any slight tracking discrepancy.

I suggest you download and install SignBlazerElements and play with it a minute or two, you'll understand immediately how this all works.

 

 

Isn't workspace and artboard the same thing? Thanks for the link, I will give it a try. 

 

On 15.3.2017 at 2:41 AM, Primal Decals said:

what software are you cuttiing with? I use ai as well all the time but only for designing and then bring the design into my cutting software,I used to send my file from Ai to my cutter software but stopped doing it .

 

On 15.3.2017 at 2:45 AM, Wildgoose said:

What software are you using to connect to your cutter? I don't always get too worried about dartboard size other than to use it as a frame of reference. If I am cutting on 24' vinyl and I know that I like to keep my design within a given dimension like slice suggested of 22" to allow room for error or in my case to keep the cut inside my pinch rollers. The cutting software you use can be effected by the art board size in programs such as SCALP.  Ultimately it matters most to your cutting software. I use SignCut Pro and it doesn't care about dartboard size just the design size and is adjustable if you want to shrink or expand it at that moment. 

 

Unfortunately I was stupid enough to invest all my savings in a cutter without even knowing how it works. I had no idea that Ill need special drivers to make it compatible with different software. I bough a redsail cutter for 1K and just found out that it does not support Sure cuts a lot or Illustrator. I have no idea what to do now :'(

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You can use the FREE Signblazer software, for design and cut.  and use the Illustrator for design also., But as Signblazer has not been updated for years, you must save your Illustrator files back to version 8 to import into Signblazer...

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Skeeter is correct. You also have the concept backwards. IT isn't the cutter than supports the software its whether the software supports your cutter. I wold bet that most any cutting utility such as SCALP, Vinyl Master, SignCut Pro, Flexi etc... will support your Redsail although it might possibly be under another generic name. 

Illustrator, Inkscape and Corel are all vector design programs that can do the design elements but are not actually capable of connecting to your cutter directly. Some of the aforementioned cutting utilities have "plug-ins" that you can install into AI, Inkscape (free program) or Corel and then allow you to export and cut from within the program but in reality are still functioning as a separate program. I design in AI and then save to version 8 and pull the file off my main computer and go cut from a laptop using SignCut Pro 1. I don't like my main workstation being tied to the cutter because you can't keep working efficiently when it's in the middle of a cut. 

As mentioned IF you can get the Signblazer program to download and run (it's really old) you can get yourself up and running. SignCut Pro 1 offers a free 7 day trial to so you can get up and going and learning. SignCut Pro 1 offers no design options, it is basically just a cutting utility so the designs have to be built elsewhere.

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I just wrote Craftedge.com (SCALPS) to see what they say. that cutter looks identical to a titan 2 ,so i assume it should work with scalps but i could be wrong, ill see what they say and let you know.

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41 minutes ago, Primal Decals said:

I just wrote Craftedge.com (SCALPS) to see what they say. that cutter looks identical to a titan 2 ,so i assume it should work with scalps but i could be wrong, ill see what they say and let you know.

A Redsail is like an MH cutter,  they even use the same drivers,  That is what Signwarehouse sells for their VALUE cutter.  

http://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Stock-24-Redsail-Sign-Vinyl-Cutter-with-Contour-Cut-Function-Fast-Accurate-/262692975987?hash=item3d29b8b573:g:9DcAAOSwcLxYEV3B

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39 minutes ago, Primal Decals said:

I just wrote Craftedge.com (SCALPS) to see what they say. that cutter looks identical to a titan 2 ,so i assume it should work with scalps but i could be wrong, ill see what they say and let you know.

chipset inside a titan is far different than the cheezy set inside the redsail as others have said - the redsail being an entry level value cutter is on sale right now with the software for $225 and I wouldn't recommend one at that price other than to get the software.  I hate hearing of people that got ripped off because they didn't do research first - 

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1 minute ago, Dakotagrafx said:

chipset inside a titan is far different than the cheezy set inside the redsail as others have said - the redsail being an entry level value cutter is on sale right now with the software for $225 and I wouldn't recommend one at that price other than to get the software.  I hate hearing of people that got ripped off because they didn't do research first - 

Good to know..Research before buying is important....

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On 17.3.2017 at 2:07 PM, Wildgoose said:

Skeeter is correct. You also have the concept backwards. IT isn't the cutter than supports the software its whether the software supports your cutter. I wold bet that most any cutting utility such as SCALP, Vinyl Master, SignCut Pro, Flexi etc... will support your Redsail although it might possibly be under another generic name. 

Illustrator, Inkscape and Corel are all vector design programs that can do the design elements but are not actually capable of connecting to your cutter directly. Some of the aforementioned cutting utilities have "plug-ins" that you can install into AI, Inkscape (free program) or Corel and then allow you to export and cut from within the program but in reality are still functioning as a separate program. I design in AI and then save to version 8 and pull the file off my main computer and go cut from a laptop using SignCut Pro 1. I don't like my main workstation being tied to the cutter because you can't keep working efficiently when it's in the middle of a cut. 

As mentioned IF you can get the Signblazer program to download and run (it's really old) you can get yourself up and running. SignCut Pro 1 offers a free 7 day trial to so you can get up and going and learning. SignCut Pro 1 offers no design options, it is basically just a cutting utility so the designs have to be built elsewhere.

If I can design with AI and use any other program to cut it is fine, I just dont want to lose AI as my designing program. I Downloaded a trial of Signcut, There are many options I dont understand but Im currently watching some tutorial on youtube. It looks promising

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On 17.3.2017 at 7:11 PM, MZ SKEETER said:

A Redsail is like an MH cutter,  they even use the same drivers,  That is what Signwarehouse sells for their VALUE cutter.  

http://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Stock-24-Redsail-Sign-Vinyl-Cutter-with-Contour-Cut-Function-Fast-Accurate-/262692975987?hash=item3d29b8b573:g:9DcAAOSwcLxYEV3B

Thank you! Let me know when you find out

 

On 17.3.2017 at 7:11 PM, MZ SKEETER said:

A Redsail is like an MH cutter,  they even use the same drivers,  That is what Signwarehouse sells for their VALUE cutter.  

http://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Stock-24-Redsail-Sign-Vinyl-Cutter-with-Contour-Cut-Function-Fast-Accurate-/262692975987?hash=item3d29b8b573:g:9DcAAOSwcLxYEV3B

Are you sure it is the same drivers? And wouldn't it be different drivers for the different sizes? 

 

I received my package today and tried to mount it but the part that holds the legs together broke and the two parts that holds the rolls got bent :( I hope this doesn't mean the cutter will pull the cutting material unevenly. I haven't had the opurtunity to test the cutter yet as Im waiting for my Serial to USB cable but the quality of the stand is absolutely garbage.

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Wildgoose was correct on you thinking backwards,  There are hundreds of different vinyl cutter brands,  But only a handful of good cutting software for those vinyl cutters.   Good luck with your venture.    

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1 minute ago, amaterasu said:

Thank you! Let me know when you find out

 

Are you sure it is the same drivers? And wouldn't it be different drivers for the different sizes? 

 

I my package today and tried to mount it but the part that holds the legs together broke :( And the two parts that holds the rolls got bent, I hope this doesn't mean the cutter will pull the cutting material unevenly. I haven't had the opurtunity to test the cutter yet as Im waiting for my Serial to USB cable but the quality of the stand is absolutely garbage.

MH also has drivers for different sizes,,  Many people are using the REDSAIL drivers in Signblazer to run their MH cutters, ,Where did you get this REDSAIL cutter for $1000?   

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Not any ol' USB to serial cable will work.    You need a Tripp-Lite Keyspan Adapter  or a Belkin,  Those are the only 2 that will work with a vinyl cutter.   Those are the brand names

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33 minutes ago, MZ SKEETER said:

MH also has drivers for different sizes,,  Many people are using the REDSAIL drivers in Signblazer to run their MH cutters, ,Where did you get this REDSAIL cutter for $1000?   

It was actually 1 300.387 U.S. dollars to be more precise. I bought it from Norway. (Everything is expensive here) I was going to buy A titan3  but us cutter doesn't ship internationally if you dont buy for at least 3 000 Dollars. Why wouldn't any USB to serial cable work?

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4 minutes ago, amaterasu said:

It was actually 1 300.387 U.S. dollars to be more precise. I bought it from Norway. (Everything is expensive here) I was going to buy A titan3  but us cutter doesn't ship internationally if you dont buy for at least 3 000 Dollars. Why wouldn't any USB to serial cable work?

there is a huge difference in the usb to serial chipset used - the cheaper ones use the same flaky chipset that ships inside of the value plotters while the triplite uses one more like the titans use that is a much better performing chipset to convert the serial to usb

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2 minutes ago, Dakotagrafx said:

there is a huge difference in the usb to serial chipset used - the cheaper ones use the same flaky chipset that ships inside of the value plotters while the triplite uses one more like the titans use that is a much better performing chipset to convert the serial to usb

So it won't work at all with a different usb to serial cable? 

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Many people have purchased,  any ol'  USB to serial cable from Radio Shack,  Best Buy, etc...They just won't work.  Usually dead in the water.  The Tripp;lite turns it into TRUE USB, like higher end vinyl cutters, like Graphtec Roland,  Summa, etc..You will soon find out.    

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many times you can get them to work somewhat but thought you wanted it to work the best it can.   using a cheap usb to serial set that uses the same chipset as the cutter has internally is not an improvement.  USCutter recommends the Tripplite because it has been proven to be the best solution for years and solved a lot of problems.   your choice if you want to keep banging your head on the wall or go with a proven solution.  sometimes the cheapest isn't the best solution

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The old timers on this board offer advise based on what we have read and personally experienced over the years - what you choose to do is entirely up to you.  we can only offer advice that has worked before.  is it the only route - probably not - is it the proven route - yes

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I will definitely buy one but as of right now I have used so much money on the cutter and materials. I simply can't afford a 100 dollar cable right now. I have already ordered a standard cable so I will use that one temporarily if it is possible to get it to work

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