Shadow 44 8 Posted August 21, 2018 Hi everyone, I'm currently deployed and looking to start something on the side when I get home. I have so many questions lol. I was thinking about doing vinyl graphics to start just my own stuff (enclosed trailer, boat, motorcycle, stencils for sandblasting mugs) I will be going to bike nights once a week as a vender for t-shirts, so I could test the waters on stuff I make there. I am brand new at this with absolutely no experience with vinyl. Question is, to start I know the Titan 2 printer is the better printer but looking at cost and over head would the MH 721 kit in your opinion be the smarter option to begin and learn with? I don't think I will be using the printer for making shirts, again something I have to test out first. Of course I would upgrade printers if it takes off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,708 Posted August 21, 2018 Stay away from the MH cutters. Too many problems, Communication, memory, static, tracking, any cutter above is better. Start now losing the word "printer" A vinyl cutter is not a printer. A printer has ink and prints. These questions have been answered thousands of time. Read the forum. Look thru all of the posts in the category your in. A servo cutter is always better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shadow 44 8 Posted August 21, 2018 I figured you get what you pay for, still learning the lingo. Thank you for your advice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted August 21, 2018 I have found the market for custom shirts to be far more robust than for cut vinyl graphics. It requires a heat press as well as a cutter but I do 95% apparel but started out 95% signage. I concur with Skeeter. Avoid the MH. Any of the other options will get you passable results but if you are trying to do large graphics like a trailer you will struggle much more with the budget models. If you had several years experience you could probably make do with a low budget machine but being new you will have a larger learning curve and a lot of the issues of the cheaper machines come into play as soon as you go really big or really small. Budget cutters will do fair work up to about 3ft long and avoid lettering smaller than an inch. Experienced users who know how to "tune" their cutters to the best possible precision can do more and one good reason to get a budget is that you may end up learning more from having to do this. Or you'll just get frustrated and quit altogether. We see both happen. Depends on your ability to grasp technical things and willingness to put in the time to learn. It's not rocket science as they say but cutting a 15ft long graphic on a bottom dollar cutter comes pretty close. Now when you jump to a solid name brand servo machine like the Graphtec, Summa or Roland you just don'e have that battle anymore. Again, I sort of think owning a cheaper cutter can make you a better cutter operator in the long run but it is a long journey. On top of the cutter itself there is also the file building side as well as application all of which come together for a nice final product. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shadow 44 8 Posted August 21, 2018 Wildgoose, That does make sense being a better cutter from fighting and learning from a cheap budget cutter, not something I personally want to do lol, I do have a decent grasp on technical programs, with time and messing around with it I'll eventually figure it out ( I hope ) I will be doing my own stuff first for trial and error. I think I will go for titan 2 cutter, the more I read about it the more I think it will work for what my needs are. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,625 Posted August 21, 2018 The next step, and you can get started on it now, is to learn the software. If you've never worked with vector graphics before it can take some time to wrap your head around vector vs raster graphics. Inkscape is a free, and extremely powerful vector design program. Download it and start playing around with creating designs. Another plus for Inkscape, it can be downloaded in a portable version, meaning you can put it on a thumb drive and run it on any computer without the need for admin rights to install it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shadow 44 8 Posted August 21, 2018 3 hours ago, darcshadow said: The next step, and you can get started on it now, is to learn the software. If you've never worked with vector graphics before it can take some time to wrap your head around vector vs raster graphics. Inkscape is a free, and extremely powerful vector design program. Download it and start playing around with creating designs. Another plus for Inkscape, it can be downloaded in a portable version, meaning you can put it on a thumb drive and run it on any computer without the need for admin rights to install it. I have a few months left here with a lot of down time so I will take that advice and download inkscape, that is exactly what I need is to familiarize myself with these programs. Thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,450 Posted August 22, 2018 Hey, Shadow, you can also download and experiment with demo of VinylMaster (the standard cutting software packaged with USCUTTER machines). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shadow 44 8 Posted September 4, 2018 After tons of research and all your extremely helpful advice from all of you, I have it narrowed down to a titan 3 cutter and a geo knight press 16x20 DK20. What are your thoughts with starting out with these? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,450 Posted September 4, 2018 Yep, that'll work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shadow 44 8 Posted September 4, 2018 Just now, slice&dice said: Yep, that'll work. I'm over budget but I'm going with, you get what you pay for, so who ever buys my stuff I only want quality for them just as I do when I buy something Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted September 4, 2018 great choice and won't have to upgrade down the road - knights run forever 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dwp99 283 Posted September 4, 2018 Hello and welcome to the forum. There is a lot of talent, helpful and friendly people on this site. I started out with a used Summa D60 vinyl cutter and that was 10 years ago. It still does everything I need it to do. It tracks well, I have cut vinyl N numbers for helicopters that are 6 feet in length. I have also used it to cut instrument panels for model airplanes. Good luck with your venture and once again welcome. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shadow 44 8 Posted September 4, 2018 Just now, dwp99 said: Hello and welcome to the forum. There is a lot of talent, helpful and friendly people on this site. I started out with a used Summa D60 vinyl cutter and that was 10 years ago. It still does everything I need it to do. It tracks well, I have cut vinyl N numbers for helicopters that are 6 feet in length. I have also used it to cut instrument panels for model airplanes. Good luck with your venture and once again welcome. Small world, I'm a helicopter mechanic and inspector, getting ready to retire Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dwp99 283 Posted September 4, 2018 11 minutes ago, Shadow 44 said: Small world, I'm a helicopter mechanic and inspector, getting ready to retire Very cool, I have always like helicopters but never got my pilots license. I'm a retired automotive mechanic and have done vinyl work on friends helicopters. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shadow 44 8 Posted March 29, 2019 Update: Graphtec cutter is running great! Coral x8 I have a little learning curve with but able to navigate okay through it. Goes knight press I have but still boxed up, other projects have been priority but I will get to the point on making shirts and hoodies. Been doing some glass carving with the help of the graphtec. I want to thank you all so much for helping me get going with this! 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted March 29, 2019 very nice work 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,708 Posted March 29, 2019 Beautiful work. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrackHawk707 34 Posted April 7, 2019 Very awesome to see you knew nothing to growing now ! Congratulations to you and awesome work. Happy to see you went graphtec! I started with a titan and now use a graphtec and still have the titan as a backup but what a difference with certain work. Good for you keep go stay motivated this field is filled with so many people and most I met here are extremely helpful and it’s awesome community to reference back too! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites