Machspeed

Cutting direction question

Recommended Posts

I'm new to cutting vinyl so this is pretty much my first time using any SCAL software but I have experience with cad/cam software. I recently bought a MH721-MK2 and have been able to successfully cut a few pieces. I noticed when the machine starts a cut it moves near the bottom of design and that's where it begins the cut. Is there way to change this so the cut will start at the 0,0 corner of the mat? Of course I wouldn't necessarily use 0,0 as the origin but if possible I want to start my cuts from the arrow side of the mat. This is mostly for preference and what I'm used to with my other pieces of equipment. Is there reason for a cut to be set up to start from the bottom?

Thanks in advance for any information.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 On any vinyl cutter, you must push the Orgin button on the machine. .  That is 0/0 and where the cutter starts measuring the design from.  Most cutters start cutting, where the design was originally designed at.   I Use a Graphtec, and Flexi software.  I cut very large designs.  My cutter may move several feet, before it starts cutting, but it comes back to finish the rest of the design at the front.   Is there a reason that you choose Scalp software over Vinyl Master software?    Scalp was created for hobby cutters like the Cricut.   Vinyl Master was created for the sign industry business.  Just throwing that out there. 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you for your reply. The SCAL software was included with the cutter. I'm at a point where I can not justify buying more software until it is necessary or I'm doing more with the cutter. I understand setting the origin on the cutter (or at least I think I do)but my problem is the orientation of the cut. For example if I simply use text to make an "A" that is 12" tall and the top of the "A" is toward the feed direction arrow at the top of the mat on the screen. For some reason when I preview the cut or make an actual cut the letter is inverted. Meaning the cut will start at the bottom of the "A" and when the cut is finished the "A" is upside down when I'm looking at it from the front of the machine. This is not actual project. It's just how my cuts have been coming out. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
21 minutes ago, Machspeed said:

Thank you for your reply. The SCAL software was included with the cutter. I'm at a point where I can not justify buying more software until it is necessary or I'm doing more with the cutter. I understand setting the origin on the cutter (or at least I think I do)but my problem is the orientation of the cut. For example if I simply use text to make an "A" that is 12" tall and the top of the "A" is toward the feed direction arrow at the top of the mat on the screen. For some reason when I preview the cut or make an actual cut the letter is inverted. Meaning the cut will start at the bottom of the "A" and when the cut is finished the "A" is upside down when I'm looking at it from the front of the machine. This is not actual project. It's just how my cuts have been coming out. 

Pretty sure there is a check box that will rotate the cut direction 90deg. I don't use SCALP either so I'm not 100% on that. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The cut is coming out exactly as it is shown on your screen. If the top of the A is the toward the top of the arrow then the top of the A will be at the edge of the vinyl as the cut starts. Or another way to think of it, the cutter will be at the bottom of the arrow when the cut is done and if you look at it from the front of the machine you are looking at it upside down.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Make sure you don't have WYSIWYG enabled.

Also, Why do you even care what direction the cut design faces? (with the exception being 'Rotate Across Vinyl' for wide or narrow/tall items to fit properly on the media)

I'm not seeing a problem.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just a follow-up, when anyone has an issue that needs to be addressed regarding their cutting software or hardware, the BEST thing is to download and install SignBlazer (disable anti-virus first, as has been explained countless times here). Your MH cutter is a RedSail unit.   http://www.uscuttersupport.com/downloads/Software/SignBlazer/signblazer_setup.exe

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 9/8/2019 at 7:38 PM, MZ SKEETER said:

 On any vinyl cutter, you must push the Orgin button on the machine. .  That is 0/0 and where the cutter starts measuring the design from.  Most cutters start cutting, where the design was originally designed at.   I Use a Graphtec, and Flexi software.  I cut very large designs.  My cutter may move several feet, before it starts cutting, but it comes back to finish the rest of the design at the front.   Is there a reason that you choose Scalp software over Vinyl Master software?    Scalp was created for hobby cutters like the Cricut.   Vinyl Master was created for the sign industry business.  Just throwing that out there. 

Say whatever you want, but SCALP has all the features you need to do any job out there. We use ours with a Titan 2 and do complex 4' decals all the time.

 

Just throwing that out there.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, GraphxNMore said:

Say whatever you want, but SCALP has all the features you need to do any job out there. We use ours with a Titan 2 and do complex 4' decals all the time.

 

Just throwing that out there.

I was given Scalp by UScutter, before it was included with the cutters years back, to try out, as well as other regular users on here.    My cutter Graphtec FC 7000, was not even listed as a cutter on it, and the max cutting the software would do is 72" x 72" which made it worthless to me. I cut very large graphics, up to 16ft long.  But I did look at it, and thought the software was a joke. After using Flexi software for years, which is a professional software, I can attest, that SCALP was for hobby cutters. I don't think the Graphtec FC is still listed on it. Someone on here tried to use an FC with it, as it stated Graphtec, and their resolution was way off. It would only cut the image at 50% 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Have you tried Sign Blazer? It looks a little antiquated, and it is compared to other software out there, but it's free and it works.

Since you're not interested in spending more money on software, it couldn't hurt to download a copy and give it a try. When I'm in a rush to get something cut, it's the software I go to, because it's what I learned on (since that was the only software USC offered up at the time), and it's the software I'm most proficient at doing very quick tweaks, layouts, and any necessary color layering for cutting.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
14 hours ago, MZ SKEETER said:

I was given Scalp by UScutter, before it was included with the cutters years back, to try out, as well as other regular users on here.    My cutter Graphtec FC 7000, was not even listed as a cutter on it, and the max cutting the software would do is 72" x 72" which made it worthless to me. I cut very large graphics, up to 16ft long.  But I did look at it, and thought the software was a joke. After using Flexi software for years, which is a professional software, I can attest, that SCALP was for hobby cutters. I don't think the Graphtec FC is still listed on it. Someone on here tried to use an FC with it, as it stated Graphtec, and their resolution was way off. It would only cut the image at 50% 

how many times has someone tried signblazer that has not been updated in 8+ years and it fixed a problem caused by scalp - - - putting pro on the end of scal was a genius marketing tool but very misleading IMHO

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It seems like the reason buyers are using SCALP is because they are on Macs.  It is their only choice of software for a Mac on UScutter.  And they don't want to mess with the Windows side, Bootcamp/Fusion. etc. They want to use their Macs,  you can't use Signblazer on a Mac. 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just now, MZ SKEETER said:

It seems like the reason buyers are using SCALP is because they are on Macs.  It is their only choice of software for a Mac on UScutter.  And they don't want to mess with the Windows side, Bootcamp/Fusion. etc. They want to use their Macs,  you can't use Signblazer on a Mac. 

A while back I had a chat with the Vinylmaster guy that said they was working on a mac version  - hope they get it finished soon

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, MZ SKEETER said:

It seems like the reason buyers are using SCALP is because they are on Macs.  It is their only choice of software for a Mac on UScutter.  And they don't want to mess with the Windows side, Bootcamp/Fusion. etc. They want to use their Macs,  you can't use Signblazer on a Mac. 

Yup, people fear Bootcamp, unnecessarily I might add. I just hobbled on two macs this weekend and Bootcamped both with Windows 7. It awesome, because Windows runs a lot faster on the Macs, than on a PC that has equivalent specs.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 9/24/2019 at 8:41 PM, MZ SKEETER said:

I was given Scalp by UScutter, before it was included with the cutters years back, to try out, as well as other regular users on here.    My cutter Graphtec FC 7000, was not even listed as a cutter on it, and the max cutting the software would do is 72" x 72" which made it worthless to me. I cut very large graphics, up to 16ft long.  But I did look at it, and thought the software was a joke. After using Flexi software for years, which is a professional software, I can attest, that SCALP was for hobby cutters. I don't think the Graphtec FC is still listed on it. Someone on here tried to use an FC with it, as it stated Graphtec, and their resolution was way off. It would only cut the image at 50% 

So you admittedly tried it "years back", yet you continue to trash it, thread after thread??

cutters1.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Have you tried flexi pro to see the workflow difference?   the layout and workflow from what I have seen hasn't changed since the cricut days - like skeeter I tried it back then and found it to have a hobby feel to it - after working with better software it was difficult to be comfortable with.   not saying changes haven't improved it but we continue to see people with issues that troubleshoot with signblazer that hasn't been updated in over 8 years say that signblazer did not have the same issues.
Now we do have a dedicated group that loves it and more power to them but trying to get someone to try it again that uses flexi is like trying to get someone to trade in their porsche for a pinto - - - IMHO

  • Thanks 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You don't even need to try full version Flexisignpro.  Even cheap bare bones Flexistarter which I paid $99 for and I cut with, has a better layout and workflow than SCALP.   Flexistarter has the same layout as Flexisignpro.   I have tried both,  Have you GraphxNMore?  And I would never go back it to that work flow and layout that SCALP has.   Scalp 5 still has that same layout. All you have to do is look at the Craftedge site and youtube videos to see that. It's the same layout that I received.  

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, MZ SKEETER said:

You don't even need to try full version Flexisignpro.  Even cheap bare bones Flexistarter which I paid $99 for and I cut with, has a better layout and workflow than SCALP.   Flexistarter has the same layout as Flexisignpro.   I have tried both,  Have you GraphxNMore?  And I would never go back it to that work flow and layout that SCALP has.   Scalp 5 still has that same layout. All you have to do is look at the Craftedge site and youtube videos to see that. It's the same layout that I received.  

I've tried them all, and it's opinion. If he likes the layout, then try to help him. If you don't know the software, then scroll on past the thread. It actually makes you look like an a$$ when you get on here and basically belittle people because they don't use "professional" equipment & software. Yeah, that whole "my graphtec" looks like another jab.

 

 But you get on here and always bad mouth it, especially since the namesake of this forum don't push it any more. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Have you ever gone back and read your "OWN" posts, where you are trashing and complaining about SCALP?  I have. You are ready to chunk it? Buy a better software.  We get our opinions about SCALP from posters like you. I sure would not want a software that has all the problems that you describe. YOUR posts and described problems, make for  perfect reasons not to buy SCALP. Oh, there is more you have written than this. Did you forget all of "YOUR" bad mouthing about Scalp?  I got my bad opinion about Scalp, right from your posts!

Nmore.JPG

nmore1.JPG

nmore2.JPG

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, GraphxNMore said:

I've tried them all, and it's opinion. If he likes the layout, then try to help him. If you don't know the software, then scroll on past the thread. It actually makes you look like an a$$ when you get on here and basically belittle people because they don't use "professional" equipment & software. Yeah, that whole "my graphtec" looks like another jab.

 

 But you get on here and always bad mouth it, especially since the namesake of this forum don't push it any more. 

don't get personal  -  

the OP hasn't been on for 10 days to see suggestions - I see you dredged this up 8 days after they had last checked the forum making this appear to just be pot stirring looking for a reaction.

Just an observation

On an old note is the aftermarket ricoh inks still working good after 3+ months?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, Dakotagrafx said:

don't get personal  -  

the OP hasn't been on for 10 days to see suggestions - I see you dredged this up 8 days after they had last checked the forum making this appear to just be pot stirring looking for a reaction.

Just an observation

On an old note is the aftermarket ricoh inks still working good after 3+ months?

They actually have more vivid colors. Another thing I've discovered is I can reduce temperature to about 330 degrees on most items. I still use the profile Conde set up. 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
50 minutes ago, GraphxNMore said:

They actually have more vivid colors. Another thing I've discovered is I can reduce temperature to about 330 degrees on most items. I still use the profile Conde set up. 

How long have you let it set unused with the new inks, sounds interesting but I have gone 8 months on sawgrass gel inks with no problems, so following your progress

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
13 minutes ago, Dakotagrafx said:

How long have you let it set unused with the new inks, sounds interesting but I have gone 8 months on sawgrass gel inks with no problems, so following your progress

I did a couple items in November. We put our house up for sale, boxed everything up. Got moved in late June. I've done a few things here & there since moving in. Another thing I've noticed with the refillable cartridges is the amount of time from powerup to ready status is considerably shorter. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now