Lorne D. Manor.

New to vinyl. Just got a fc 7000 75

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I just bought a fc 7000-75. Seems like a very well built unit.  But it’s now 2019 and I am worried it may be obsolete. I can’t seem to make it work. I was using Inkscape 

i am

not against buying a good design software. But I just want to make sure it will work.  I joined this form because in my searches I saw a fellow named skeeter who has this unit and seems very helpful and knowledgeable 

can I just set the machine to hpgl and rock and roll with all the new software out there or what’s the best way to go about setting this thing up.  I tried for hours and I can’t do it. Thanks guys. 

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 Obsolete?  Not hardly,  I have been running mine  since 2008.  There are many great softwares that are FREE to use on the Graphtec  and get away from inkscape.  Graphtec has software on their site for Free as well as Signblazer is free. 

Mz Skeeter is not a fellow,  I am a woman!!:D

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Sorry I did not know you are a woman 

thanks for the quick reply.  I will dump Inkscape 

I have Windows 10 computers. I thought signblazer was no longer updated?

I looked on graphtecs site but it shows only two plug ins for my model. They go with ai and Corel. What other software do they offer that works? I’ll look again in the meantime 

i did down load the plug ins. 

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When I went back to the graphtec software pages it shows only cut master 2 for my model.  The fc7000 Mk model has other options 

can I just use these as well?

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People are still using Signblazer on Windows 10.    You would have to try them,  I don't know.   I only use Flexi software with my Graphtec.   Vinyl Master Cut is cheap enough to buy for cutting. 

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What happened to FREE Signblazer ?   Get what you can afford that works with your machine. 

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If you think you'll be cutting mostly text or designs that were provided to you, then SBE will work just fine. It looks a bit dated, but it's more than functional for cutting.

If you think  you'll want to do more design work on your own, then Corel or AI would probably better. Do not discount Inkscape, it's great program, and it's free.

If you're not sure what you really need, then stick with the free for now, until you get a feel for what you actually need before just plunking down some money.

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I will down load signblazer in the morning. I wasn’t sure if Corel would work with my machine. I have seen free Corel version 6x and I believe this older version works?

i was using Inkscape but was told to drop it in the above thread.  I could not seem to get the designs from my inkscape to cut on my fc 7000-75 cutting pro. I am planning on making signs.  Nothing too fancy. Just don’t want to be limited in one system and then have to learn a new one.  But I’ll definitely give signblazer a go and report back. I really want to thank you people for helping me out. I REALLY appreciate the comments and advice. I know that you folks have a ton of knowledge and experience and I will listen and use what you tell me. 

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I suggested you drop Inkscape for cutting with your vinyl cutter. It is still a great design program. Many people are still using Signblazer, with old and newly purchased vinyl cutters.  I have stayed with Flexi starter, because it came with my Seiki vinyl cutter and I like it real well. After I upgraded to a Graphtec, I upgraded my Flexi software and have been using this combo since 2008. 

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while signblazer still works and several still use it - once you are familiar with the plotter corel with the cutmaster plug in from graphtec will be much more capable after the learning curve to learn corel - signblazer will get you going and is easy to start with.

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I'm a fan of Inkscape as well, it's an extremely powerful FREE vector design program. Keep in mind, it is for design, not for cutting. It is possible to cut from it, but that is not what it's good at.

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so i down loaded the sign blazer and started playing with it. it wound not run my cutter untill i changed the comand setting to hp gl

now the cutter runs thru the paces but wont drop the knife on the media to cut.....even when i hit the test modes on the cutter its self. so as of yet i have been unsucsessfull in getting it to work but i think i am making progress...with the help from you fine folks. maybe some day i will be able to pay back something i learned to someone new.

using a windows 10 with signblazer...it has a cutting section that lists my cutter a fc 7000-75 pro cutter by graphtec.i have selected that one of the list.....still would not work until i changed to hp-gl

machine was gp-gl by default

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GP-GL is Graphtec language.  For Cutting Master  Only for Graphtec software.  Yes, the command has to be on HP-GL for "OTHER" software. 

Did you see this cutter work before you got it?   Did you go to the Graphtec site and download the driver, Install it and run it? 

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i got the driver down loaded  i thought i installed it...i got the firmware update but did not run that

i only saw t he machine run the tests from the machines test settings... it cut out the word cutting pro beautifully

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What does this mean  "now the cutter runs thru the paces" ?  Have you ever ran a Graphtec cutter before?  Are you sending the cutter a vector design?  Like just type some text in Signblazer. Select it, and send to the cutter. 

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well by moving thru its paces i mean it is running above the media and following a path that appers to be what i sent to the plotter. the knife just wont drop into the media. i typed the words test on sign blazer and sent to the cutter at first it was cutting a bunch of stuff very tight and vertical....i have seen this before on other machines...last time i changed the gp-gl to hp-gl and is solved it....so i did this again....it is going thru the motions now but not dropping the knife on the media.

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i hit test two....is goes thru the motions but does not drop the knife into the media......no cutting has happened...i did something because it used to work fine.

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I don't know what you have done, so that it doesn't come down now..   Does it try to come down if you take the blade holder out of the carriage head?  Does the arm move up and down?  Trying TEST 2 again. 

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took the blade holder out  run test two   i see the arm move up and down   same as when the blade holder is in   it moves down but the blade just barely touches the media   its just not

dropping down enough to actually cut 

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The way you were explaining the problem, was that it was not moving at all.  UP or Down.   Did you set the blade in the blade holder correctly for the vinyl you are cutting?    That is a blade holder for a CB15 blade for reflective vinyl.   

Again. Have you ever ran a Graphtec vinyl cutter? 

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