elpelon

full sticker cutting / tool position

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I know this is an easy solve - it has to be.  And I also know that my base issue is that I don't know the correct terminology so I can research it properly.  These are both disclaimers so you hopefully don't roast me for either.

I have a Graphtec ce6000-40, and I'm somewhat experienced with it, and moderately experienced with vinyl cutting in general.  Recently, I started attempting die-cut stickers (vinyl that's been printed on and has a cut path) - which have worked spectacularly, until I try to cut them out.  My blade holder is in the front position to allow for full cutting (as opposed to half or preforated). The registration marks are read fine, but when it comes to cutting time, the cuts are off by about what the difference is between the front and back blade holder positions.

I know there is a setting to correct this.  I just don't know what it is, or what it's called.  Yes, I've read the manual, but haven't found the solution.  Can someone please (pretty please) help me out on this one?  I know it's a simple solve, but it's making my hair fall out.

I love you guys!

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5 minutes ago, Dakotagrafx said:

I put something like that out there, but figured a non helping  answer might get me in trouble.  so I changed it.  LOL   But I am glad you posted it. 

 

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I figure if we don't know what software is being used - while waiting on the answer we might as well work on the correct terminology -I think cricut started the incorrect use of die cutting - and like the 1/2 credit card trick is wrong and just won't die.

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To the OP: You do realize that if you cut all the way through all the way around you will have a train wreck right? Sort of like the Coyote in the Road Runner cartoon when he cuts a hole around himself and falls through. If you need to cut the sticker clear out you'll need a cutting mat and at that point want to be back on the other holder location anyway I think.  That's exactly why they do the perf cut so that the carrier stay enough intact to allow proper operation. I don't own a Graphic so I can't help you with the offset problem sorry.

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:rolleyes:

16 minutes ago, Wildgoose said:

Interestingly enough I have seen at least one big name vinyl cutter that say that in their ads. 

To the OP: You do realize that if you cut all the way through all the way around you will have a train wreck right? Sort of like the Coyote in the Road Runner cartoon when he cuts a hole around himself and falls through. If you need to cut the sticker clear out you'll need a cutting mat and at that point want to be back on the other holder location anyway I think.  That's exactly why they do the perf cut so that the carrier stay enough intact to allow proper operation. I don't own a Graphic so I can't help you with the offset problem sorry.

there is a big name vinyl cutting  supply dealer that does the same thing.  14" Digital Electronic Cutting Machine Craft Vinyl Cutter - Die Cutting, Signs 

That is on a MH vinyl cutter ad. 

Just put the words die cut stickers into the Ebay search bar and see all the stuff that comes up.   I must be doing it wrong.:rolleyes: 

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I edited my post because I couldn't find the proof and didn't want to post untruths but then I found it. <snicker> 

I wonder if the editing department was asleep when they put this one out. :lol:

Screen Shot 2019-03-22 at 10.52.54 PM.png

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First, thank you for the fast replies.  Second, I knew I forgot to include something in the original post - the software.  I've used Signcut Pro.  I have a license for Cutting Master 4.  I also feel like I was using the incorrect terminology - it's not truly "die-cut" but more "contour cut".

@Wildgoose - no, I didn't realize cutting all the way through would be a nightmare, so thank you for saving me a few yards of vinyl. :)  I'll stick to the perf cuts.

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1 minute ago, MZ SKEETER said:

are you using a Mac?  

Yes, I am, as a matter of fact.

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5 minutes ago, elpelon said:

First, thank you for the fast replies.  Second, I knew I forgot to include something in the original post - the software.  I've used Signcut Pro.  I have a license for Cutting Master 4.  I also feel like I was using the incorrect terminology - it's not truly "die-cut" but more "contour cut".

Thoughts?

We weren't meaning to roast you either BTW just conversing on a sometime pet subject. 

You can do it easy with a cutting mat but limited to the area of the mat, if you're running long rolls it would be hard to be productive. Most of the Stickers I see tend to be contour cut and weeded around so only the printed sticker is left and the carrier either just cut up in squares or left on the roll to peel and stick. The perf cut way is cooler looking end product but will chew through your cutting strip if you do it a lot. It's also why they recommend only doing very simple shapes because simple shapes have less blade movement and thus less gouging into the strip. Pretty sure the Graphtec has a more robust and rubbery cutting strip in order to be able to withstand the perf cut better than the strictly plastic strips the cheaper cutters have. I know the Summa I own does. I still don't do it but I also don't print on vinyl so I'm not tempted. 

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@Wildgoose - thank you for the answer, and that totally tracks.  This is where it gets a little odd: the Graphtec has a bit of a different setup with the tool holder (Graphtec's verbiage, not mine) - it has 2 areas to put the blade holder in (or "cutter plunger", in their terminology - I'm sure you can see why I've had some trouble with this).  There is a front and a back.  The back aligns the blade with the cutting strip, which totally makes sense to me.  The front aligns the blade over a channel, which is there to allow perf cuts without damaging your cutting strip (please see the handy-dandy image attached).

I haven't seen this setup before, as I've used Titan cutters in the past, which just had a single hole for the blade holder and a kevlar strip along the cut path.

graphtec.png

@Dakotagrafx - good one on the 1/2 credit card thing.  I was setting my blades up wrong for so long after I read that, and I think it was actually in a manual somewhere, no less.

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If your just contour cutting, then the holder would be in the back, over the cutting strip,  no different than just cutting vinyl. Your not cutting thru the vinyl contour cutting.   My FC8000  blade holder is the same way.  But I have never used the ARMS on it.. The channel on mine is probably wider, as my cutter has the cross cutting feature on it. 

Too bad your not running on Windows,  Graphtec offers some really nice design and cutting software for FREE worth over $1000. Similar to Flexisignpro

https://www.graphtecamerica.com/cp-graphtec-pro-studio-request-form

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Yeah I knew they had the front blade holder spot. As far as aligning to it on your perf cutting I have no info. Cutting master is probably going to be a good place to start. That should be a plug-in for Illustrator or CorelDraw or Inkscape? Pretty sure. Being proprietary I would assume it will have the correct offset options. Other than that you'll have to get a support ticket going with SignCut and they may have some thoughts related to SC Pro and the front position. 

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With perf, it is a matter of setting up the force on 2 different conditions. 1 force deeper than the other.  There is a thread on here a couple years old. Where a couple guys were talking about it and got it working.  They were using the CE6000,  put their cutters did not have the 2 different places for the blade holder and he ripped the crap out of his cutting strip doing it.  

"You have to make sure you have 2 cut layers (Cut and perf cut) then set the cut layer to your normal contour cut setting. Set the perf cut to the setting to perf cut (haven't mastered this yet) then when you send it, it will cut the contour cut line first then press OK to continue to cut the perf layer."

From here

 

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6 hours ago, elpelon said:

 

@Dakotagrafx - good one on the 1/2 credit card thing.  I was setting my blades up wrong for so long after I read that, and I think it was actually in a manual somewhere, no less.

Been fighting with USC for years on that - they tried to correct it a couple of times and then new guys come in and do it again.

on verbage if we don't make an effort to inform of correct verbage nothing ever changes.  35 years ago at a after work get together the Michigan State Police head trainer was there when someone mentioned putting a "clip" in their pistol or AK - a rant started about a magazine having a spring and a clip the spring is housed in the weapon like the old M1 - no one at that table ever did that again lol

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I really appreciate everyone's posts around this.  I'll try the standard / back position for the perf cuts to see what my results are and if I damage my cutting strip.  I'll also keep digging and I'll post back here if I find a solution.

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20 minutes ago, elpelon said:

I really appreciate everyone's posts around this.  I'll try the standard / back position for the perf cuts to see what my results are and if I damage my cutting strip.  I'll also keep digging and I'll post back here if I find a solution.

Your post was about contour cutting, not perf cutting.   I would not perf cut on the cutting strip. You will most likely damage it. 

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11 hours ago, Dakotagrafx said:

I figure if we don;t know what software is being used - while waiting on the answer we might as well work on the correct terminology -I think cricut started the incorrect use of die cutting - and like the 1/2 credit card trick is wrong and just won't die.

when I first started .. OMG that credit card saying was a nightmare ... I ended up adjusting it nonstop till i got it cause I felt the internet knew nothing hahah till I of course now found you guys !

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9 hours ago, MZ SKEETER said:

If your just contour cutting, then the holder would be in the back, over the cutting strip,  no different than just cutting vinyl. Your not cutting thru the vinyl contour cutting.   My FC8000  blade holder is the same way.  But I have never used the ARMS on it.. The channel on mine is probably wider, as my cutter has the cross cutting feature on it. 

Too bad your not running on Windows,  Graphtec offers some really nice design and cutting software for FREE worth over $1000. Similar to Flexisignpro

https://www.graphtecamerica.com/cp-graphtec-pro-studio-request-form

I might have to buy a PC now I didn't know this & had my graphtec almost a year now. (may) Mac works flawless though I know many people are not a fan from what I see / read but thankfully nothing major here.

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1 hour ago, TrackHawk707 said:

I might have to buy a PC now I didn't know this & had my graphtec almost a year now. (may) Mac works flawless though I know many people are not a fan from what I see / read but thankfully nothing major here.

I run my Graphtecs on old 2006 Toshiba laptop with Windows XP.  I never have problems.  The last couple I picked up were less than $100 with Free ship.    I also picked up a couple Toshiba with Windows 7, not much more than $100.  Keep checking online,  plenty for sale.   I have spare laptops all set up for my Graphtec, with all the designs loaded. Just in case a computer fails.  I can just put another PC right and go again.  You will learn , you need to keep spares of most things, if your going to run a serious business.   I have never been down in 13 years.   

For this software, you need at least Windows 7, I think.  I picked up a cheap 17" Toshiba windows 7 and installed Windows 10 on it that i got for cheap. 

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Mac has it challenges with running some programs but I have not found it a problem. I wouldn't want to switch to a windows just to take advantage of a certain program. Several run parallels or other to create a windows environment within the mac. I just hate windows for all it's instability. Adobe Illustrator is actually better on a mac and I sure wouldn't want to do al my design work on a pc.  Then it's just a matter of a cutter interface. I have found SignCut Pro 1 to be my favorite of all the offerings out there and by golly it will run on EITHER one so it's perfect for about any scenario as a mac owner. I have said it before but I actually still have a windows 7 laptop that I actually cut with because it sits over where I have my cutter. I design on my iMac and then just stick it on a thumb drive and cut on the laptop. If that laptop has issues which being a windows based it does every so often, I just roll my cutter over to the other side of the room and plug it into my mac and keep on cutting. Has happened twice in as many years. 

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3 hours ago, MZ SKEETER said:

I run my Graphtecs on old 2006 Toshiba laptop with Windows XP.  I never have problems.  The last couple I picked up were less than $100 with Free ship.    I also picked up a couple Toshiba with Windows 7, not much more than $100.  Keep checking online,  plenty for sale.   I have spare laptops all set up for my Graphtec, with all the designs loaded. Just in case a computer fails.  I can just put another PC right and go again.  You will learn , you need to keep spares of most things, if your going to run a serious business.   I have never been down in 13 years.   

For this software, you need at least Windows 7, I think.  I picked up a cheap 17" Toshiba windows 7 and installed Windows 10 on it that i got for cheap. 

Wow that’s awesome to hear and congratulations on your 13 years without being down ! I did hear about programs for pc and not for Mac so I always considered it but I’m just an in home shop at the moment so I never really spent much time on the PC topic or getting something together so cheap like that. Thanks I’m looking into that now! Have you had issues with windows 10? I heard a lot of people had some issues when they released an update I believe. Especially with the sawgrass printer that I have the 400 model. 

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15 minutes ago, TrackHawk707 said:

Wow that’s awesome to hear and congratulations on your 13 years without being down ! I did hear about programs for pc and not for Mac so I always considered it but I’m just an in home shop at the moment so I never really spent much time on the PC topic or getting something together so cheap like that. Thanks I’m looking into that now! Have you had issues with windows 10? I heard a lot of people had some issues when they released an update I believe. Especially with the sawgrass printer that I have the 400 model. 

Thanks,  I rarely use that Windows 10 computer.  I never had a problem with it.  It's sitting in back up.  My XP computers are very stable. Plus my Windows 7, I have never had problems with either.  I was able to purchase a legal package of Flexidesigner 10 a few years back, for cheap.  I use that on my Windows 7. I use Flexistarter 8.6 v2  for my cutting software on my Graphtecs. It's a very stable combination for me.  

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