1clo1

MH871 MK2

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Hello everyone,

I have an MH 871 MK2 Cutter that I recently purchased (4 months or less), it is cutting perfect except when it changes from one letter to the next or changes lines on the image it seems to drag across, it does it both with the cutting blade and the plotter pen. I even use the "test" button on the cutter instead of using the software, this tells me it's the machine, not the software. The carrier moves up and down when turned on and when cutting. I have the speed as low as 40 and if I do pressure less than 100 it doesn't even touch the media. the attached pic is pressure is the "test" file from the cutter using 100- 300 pressure on paper with the pen plotter. I am using windows 10 on a brand new laptop with the USB connection and using vinyl master DSR. I am using the standard calendared Greenstar vinyl that came with the cutter. I am using the 45-degree blade (red Cap) but have tried 30 and 60-degree blades as well with no change in the issue. I also have the ground wire attached to the cutter and the stand.  I am out of ideas.

Can anyone give me ideas as to what is causing this issue?

 

Thank you in advance.

20201116_230658.jpg

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Check you blade depth, and make sure that you have the blade holder positioned properly. Search the forum for the correct way to set the blade depth.

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This is the correct way to set your blade depth. Do not use instructions that have to do with credit card thickness or post it notes.  Make sure the wheels of the carriage head are firmly down in the track. 

To start with, you should set your blade depth correctly, by taking the blade holder out of the machine, and firmly cut across a piece of scrap vinyl, you will be cutting. You should only be cutting the vinyl and barely a mark on wax paper backing, Adjust blade to get there, Then put the blade holder back in machine, and use the force of the machine to get there, same results, only cutting the vinyl and barely a mark in wax paper backing. You should barely see and feel the blade out of the blade holder

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I don't think blade depth is the problem in this case if it is doing it with the pen attachment as well.

When you put the pen attachment in, does the pen touch the paper when the machine is on and just sitting there?

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The pen is up until I run the cutter, it drops down to draw the image even the test image as noted in the attachment. as I previously stated it does move up and down when I turn the cutter off and on. the design it does on the paper with the pen is identical to what it does with the blade on vinyl. I have adjusted the blade and have gone through more vinyl than id like to in order to adjust it. it seems to be operating properly except for the stated problem.

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5 minutes ago, Dakotagrafx said:

Sounds like time to call support 

Thanks thats what i was afraid of.

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1 minute ago, 1clo1 said:

Thanks thats what i was afraid of.

We’ve all been there at sometime since we got plotters 

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MH cutters are prone to having their carriage wheels not be 'seated' on the rails properly. All you need to do is literally grab the carriage head (black box) and make sure it's level on the track.

 

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11 hours ago, 1clo1 said:

The pen is up until I run the cutter, it drops down to draw the image even the test image as noted in the attachment. as I previously stated it does move up and down when I turn the cutter off and on.

So with the pen in, and the cutter on, it's not touching the paper? Then when you hit test it drops the pen to draw but doesn't lift it when needed to do the design correctly? Once the design is done does the pen go back up to where it's not touching the paper anymore?

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Thanks for all the advice guys, I called support and they sent me out a replacement carriage under warranty. I'm not having that issue anymore. However, another problem presents its self, when I cut the vinyl some of the sharp edges on letters don't cut and it damages the design when I try to weed it. Could it be a blade issue maybe it was damaged when I was trying to cut with a damaged carriage?

 

See attached pic

20201124_215217.jpg

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Add a little to the over cut . . . Not offset.    If you set the blade with skeeters instructions and a sharp blade should work good.  Mh plotters are notorious for needing a lot of fine tuning to cut good.  Use it to make some money, put a little aside from each job and upgrade down the road.  That is how many of us started 

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Thanks for the reply, how do I set the overcut? I set the blade per skeeters instructions, the blade is the brand new original one that came with the cutter, only cut a few times with damaged carriage and twice with new carriages, so unless it was damaged from the bad carriage, the blade should be good.  I thought of running 2 passes, would that work?

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  Get yourself some good vinyl also. I see your using Greenstar, consider it practice vinyl only.  Get some Oracal 651 or higher.  You do not need 2 passes for sign vinyl.  It is only 3 mil thick.  Overcut should be  your cutting software. 

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Send the design to to your vinyl spooler like your going to cut.  Look at the bottom of the page it says CUT NOW.  Then go ot the top of the page where it says Cut Options.   On the right side below Blade offset.  It says OVERCUT.   Also you will want to  Calibrate the cutter to the software first.  That is in the Vinyl Spooler. Meaning when you cut a 4" x 4" square. that it really is a 4" x 4" square as an example.

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I am only using the Greenstar because that is what was sent with the cutter, I have rolls of Oracal that I don't want to use till I get everything correct.

The pic is the default setting ( I haven't changed anything ) how should I  change?

 

Capture.PNG

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trial and error - if you try using the test feature from the control panel of the cutter, see if the blade offset is calibrated for you.  0.25 is typical, but it can vary, and that might affect cuts getting closed properly. (ie. the sweet spot of offset for my LP is .27)

once you know that your offset is good, or if .25 is the sweet spot offset for your machine, then you can adjust the overcut. can you cut a simple shape (square, circle, triangle, etc.) and the cut lines do not meet?

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when I cut simple shapes, like the test cut it cuts fine. if i put a star or oval in the software and cut it, it cuts fine. just if i cut something more detailed.

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It's hard to determine the size of what you're trying to cut based on your photo, so I it's hard for me to determine how small the details of you graphic actually are, or what the actual bad cut(s) look like.

Depending on size and detail, you might want to change the blade to a 60-degree and/or slow the cut speed. A general rule of thumb is that the smaller or more intricate the detail, the slower you're going to want to cut it. Using a 60* blade helps. If you don't have one and are considering one, I would get a Clean Cut blades - I would even get a Clean Cut blade in 45* too.

 

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haumana, if you look at the photo, you can see a utility knife on the tabletop. That provides a way to determine the relative size of this graphic (it's fairly small).

Naturally, changing out the blade would be the first thing to try. Blades are difficult to verify if the tip is broken, they're almost microscopic to see. Just go ahead and put in a new blade, they're not very expensive, and are the basis of making good cuts.

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Set the cutter to it's slowest setting, then once you get things cutting good you can step up the speed if you want although I've gotten to where I typically run mine pretty slow. I'm in no rush and would rather it cut good than fast.

I also run only 60 degree blades. I know they say it's over kill for simple sign vinyl but the cost is minimal and it's just one less thing to mess with.

The offset will vary from blade to blade. Typically blades from the same manufacturer and degree will have the same offset, but you'll want to pay attention when you change blades. The test cut from the control panel of the cutter is not affected by the offset in the software. You'll need to draw your own test image, a box works well, and do test cuts from the software.

Once you get all that dialed in, if it's still not cutting the GreenStar stuff as well as you think it should, put some Oracal in and give it a try. You will be surprised how much nicer that stuff cuts. You may need to adjust your blade depth. The GreenStar is slightly thicker I've found.

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Thanks, ill try a 60-degree blade, How do I know which is a 60-degree blade, I got 3 and the instructions said the use the 45degree which is the red cap but didn't tell me what the yellow and blue cap one was. I have the blades that came with the cutter so I'm guessing it's a US Cutter brand.  the size I'm cutting is I believe 5X5 not very big. cut speed is currently at 50 and pressure is at 100. SO should I just mess with the overcut setting till I get it correct?

 

Thanks

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blue = 60*

yellow = 30*

The Yellow Cap blade features a 30-degree angle and a tight offset. This blade is suitable for cutting intricate designs, providing small details, & cutting small text.

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