Wilson

Equipment Advice Please!

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Longtime lurker, first time poster...

I'm looking to get my first cutter and trying to make the right decision.  My plan is to get this to start using as a not too serious side hustle and see where it leads to as well as fun for the family.

Due to budget constraints and using the "buy the best cutter you can afford" advice, I've narrowed it down to the SC2 for a cutter.  When I look at the specifications for the SC2, Titan & Laser Point 3 they are all stepper based with the same resolution.  The main difference seems to be the cutting force & max cutting length.  Are there any great advantages to the Titan or the Laser Point 3 that I'm not picking up on?

I've also been looking at the cutter / heat press combos as well since the heat press would open up a lot more options for me.  Is it worth getting the cutter & basically what is the cheapest heat press as a combo to start with or is the cheap heat press not worth it?  I've seen in other posts it suggested that what is considered an entry level press is $300 - $400.  Adding one of these right out of the gate isn't really an option so will the heat press in the combo do quality work or is this something that I should save up the funds to buy a better one?

Thanks for your input!

Chad

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The Laser pointer 3 has automated contour cutting,  where as the Titan 1 and the SC2  have manual contour cutting.  If that makes any difference to you. It is very true, each step up in vinyl cutters is better.  I don't do heat press vinyl, so someone else will have to chime in. 

 

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It might be my ignorance of what I would use contour cutting for but I don't think that would make a difference.  My understanding of contour cutting is that you would use the cutter to cut around something that was printed on the vinyl.  Can't really think of what I would use this for.

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Chad, you are correct.

I own the SC2 and that laser-light pointer alignment thingy is useless in the normal course of operations to cut designs in vinyl.

 

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Yeah you won't likely find a lot of use for contour work. I have a top end cutter with a true optical eye and I have only used it for a couple project that were totally just to see if I could figure out how to use it. No printer no contour needed. Save your money on that laser it's not worth it. 

Tracking is the worst of the budget cutters issues and you can definitely deal with it and it will even help you be a better owner when you do upgrade assuming you even worry about doing so. Many get by with the budget cutters if their volume and size of work are not an issue. 

The super budget heat presses will probably get you started. They will be the clam shell style which are definitely not my fav but many people use them. Be sure to secure a digital infrared temp gun to check your press temp. Most are off by a lot and you will want to see if the platen has cool spots and probably turn it up so the cool area is at the correct temp. If you can find one that has a center point pressure mechanism that allows the platen to self adjust to have even pressure over the whole garment that is the biggest single thing I would look for. The solid mount style will pinch the back and not enough pressure on the front on thicker things and will be hard to use with a press pillow. Definitely recommend some sort of heat press as the shirt market IMO is the most assured path to ROI on your investment. 

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Thanks for all the great info!  With the SC2 is there any reason, other than price, to stay with the 28" instead of upgrading to the 34"?  

Now to just watch for a sale... is there any normal sales other than Black Friday (Christmas, New Years, Presidents Day, etc.)?  I'm kinda kicking myself because the SC2/heat press combo that is $599 now was only $479 around Thanksgiving.

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Sounds like you've already made up your mind and are planning on getting the SC2, so Ill add to your decision.  Keeping in mind that this is my first experience with a vinyl cutter so I don't really have any other experience.... But my SC2 has been super easy to setup, use, and has given me zero problems at all.  My only complaint is a pretty weak one... The loudness of the stepper motors.  I have my cutter in an area of the house where it seems to echo all over the place.  It doesn't bother me, but it does the rest of the family.  Not enough for me to wish I spent more money on servos though.  They all complain when I'm making decals for other people, but they don't seem to complain about the noise when I'm making decals for their Hydroflasks or bedroom walls...

I haven't used contour cutting and have no plans to yet, but should be able to struggle through manual setup when I need to, and as far as size goes... I have the 28" which I'm happy with.  I don't do a lot of larger stuff, and actually most of my stuff could be cut on a 12" roll.

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Hey Chad, glad to see ya stick around for this thread -- lots of newbs just post a few times ("What's the best cutter?", etc, etc.) and then vanish.

Let's review a few things, as per your inquiry.

1. The size of the throat of the cutter (allowing the vinyl to fit through, either 24" or 30") -- this means having BOTH sizes in stock (and often three sizes for each color, as 15" is very useful as well for many things). And the different sizes of App Tape as well. Don't forget, you'll need a means to roll out the App tape cleanly. Unfortunately, the standard App Taping Dispenser roller that is sold by USCUTTER only handles 24" rolls. I wish they had a version not as wide as 54" and around 34" --  anyway, I can wish, can't I?

I solved this issue by simply building my own App tape dispenser/holder from wood pieces and a thick dowell.

2. How much open table space you have? Don't forget, grasshopper, the cutting is just part of the overall battle and other steps are involved. (See: Weeding & Taping & Application to substrates -- not to mention cutting up those substrates for signs/banners, as I need to do.)

3. Storage for materials? It's a bit of a science, to figure out where stuff all goes, and how it's fitted-together as an equipment array squeezed within a production studio space, and all the various combinations thereof.

4.  "SC2/heat press combo that is $599 now was only $479"  ----  Don't get hung up on a few bucks here & there when starting out, you'll be pouring more than you expected into this before you're done shopping online, trust me. The key is to get moving, to set it up, to experience the ins&outs of what you'll find is a rather challenging operation, right out of the box! There are so many "moving parts" (figuratively) to this, from designing on your computer screen, to getting the computer to communicate to the cutter and having all the wires and connections routed, and then tools tools tools, weeding, cutting, taping, measuring, snipping, slicing & dicing! After you do your first few jobs for several hundred $$$ each, you'll realize that a $156 difference in savings from a particular purchase of equipment is not worth discussing when measured in the long run. Buy what you want, and keep in mind the cutter/press equipment is a single CAPITAL expense and you'll also need consumables (ONGOING expenses).

 

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Or, looking at this another way,  these machine(s) will be around producing stuff for a few years, easily.

Let's say 36 months (3 yrs.)

$200 higher difference in pricing on purchase (more expensive/upgrade/add-ons)

That's like $5.50 monthly, or $1.40 a week, or about 20 cents a day.

Just empty your pockets of loose change every night and the higher up-front cost is absorbed without any extra effort.

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Scratchthejeepguy - Thanks for the input and glad to hear you've had a good experience with the SC2.  I'm not too concerned about the noise as I'll have it down in the basement in our storage/spare bedroom/RC car room.

Slice&Dice - "Hey Chad, glad to see ya stick around for this thread -- lots of newbs just post a few times ("What's the best cutter?", etc, etc.) and then vanish."  If you knew how long I've been stalking this forum it might be kind of creepy... LOL

Thanks for the input and all great things to consider!

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There is an old rule-of-thumb in engineering that if you buy a piece of equipment you will spend an additional 50-150% in accessories.  So we always estimated the best we could and then doubled it.  Buying your first cutter isn't much different. 

Once you add in squeegees, good blades, tape rollers, straight edge, computer cables, knives, weeding tools, magnifying glass, cutting mat, material storage and software upgrades you can easily rack up way more than the cost of a budget cutter. I know I did.  Then turn around and buy your consumables: vinyl and transfer tape.  Slice&Dice is right, that $200 upgrade is just a small piece of the puzzle.

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I was doing this a few yrs ago. I ended up buying a 54" sc starter combo. I felt like being a newbie never cutting vinyl before, this would be the easiest way to make my own sign for our business .  no heat press, just all the tools to start cutting vinyl. maybe the sign shop combo. but always had intentions to add htv . I even ordered htv with my initial order. so 6 months or so later after learning how to cut vinyl a friend came in on a fri wanting shirts for a biz meeting with FEMA by mon. Quickest thing I could get because of amazons sun del was a press from there. so I didn't see anything I really was interested in so didn't want to spend a lot.  in the jam I ordered a $125- $150 9x12 swing arm press. I def made my $ back quickly. have now upgraded both cutter and press.  with that being said, I would def do it different if I was starting from scratch again, and that is starting with higher quality servo cutter from the start. there is a difference. like others have posted , it really shows in larger cuts. I had to redo my 1st BIG commercial job. I didn't catch the error before the customer did. so that was a tough 1. starting out with the cheaper stepper cutter you will def learn all the tricks to getting clean cuts. then really appreciate a servo cutter when you get there. my upgrade to servo was with a pre owned cutter, but if doing it from the beginning , Ive seen the Titan 2 on sale at affordable price for a servo. a friend of mine loves and swears by his, less than half the price of a Graphtec or Roland.

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Well, I did it!  I ordered a cutter yesterday.  I went with the SC2 T-Shirt bundle that included a 15x15 heat press and a bunch of Siser HTV.  Also added on a bunch of closeout sign vinyl for my "education".  Looking forward to getting everything and getting started.

Thanks for all the input and advice... I'm sure I'll be asking for more. :) 

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don't forget to get a cheap ir thermometer to check the temp of the platen - it is not uncommon for Chinese presses to have displays that are not correct and uneven heat over the parts of the platen due to less heating elements per sq inch of the more expensive ones - but with that said most of us started with a Chinese press and stepper cutter before moving up

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Thanks for the reminder on mirroring when cutting HTV.  Hopefully my memory will work when I'm actually doing it.

I just got a new IR temp gun to check motor temps on our RC cars so I'll be able to use that with the heat press as well.  

59 minutes ago, Dakotagrafx said:

but with that said most of us started with a Chinese press and stepper cutter before moving up

That's the plan... to move up to a Titan 2/3 or Graphtec and a nice heat press... but I'm gonna force the SC2 to pay for it!  :)  Now if I could just figure out how to do that in RC

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You can easily do that with t-shirts. Great revenue stream especially if you have a lot of contacts. Make something fun and wear it to the next get together. My mind is off color a bit but something like "If my hand slaps your face it was in remote control" might go over well. 

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21 hours ago, Wilson said:

Thanks for the reminder on mirroring when cutting HTV.  Hopefully my memory will work when I'm actually doing it.

I just got a new IR temp gun to check motor temps on our RC cars so I'll be able to use that with the heat press as well.  

That's the plan... to move up to a Titan 2/3 or Graphtec and a nice heat press... but I'm gonna force the SC2 to pay for it!  :)  Now if I could just figure out how to do that in RC

you WILL forget to mirror at some point - it happens to everyone - and if they say it hasn't , they lied :)

 

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