Byron999

871-MK2 Problems

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Hey all. Having issues with this machine. Just a few days old. Wish I had found these forums before buying this thing. I had a 20 year old Vinyl Express cutter I bought brand new years ago and it finally bit the dust. Worked great with no tracking etc issues..

 

Ok onto the problems.

Note: I am using the pen and a roll of paper but that should not affect things I would think.

Machine refuses to stack straight. I've tried adjusting the tension from all the way off (the way it came, threaded rod flush with top of nut) to all the way down a little at a time. I put a straight edge on each time to be sure they are even. Still doesn't track right and causing distortions in a drawing. My 20+ year old cutter never ever had tracking issues unless I got the vinyl in crooked. On this one since it's apparently to cheap to have 2 measuring tapes I did measure and put a mark on blue tape even with the marks on the tape.

 

Yes, I'm now realizing this is a bottom of the line cutter.. QUESTION? Will US Cutter take it back without screwing me over if I buy one of their better cutters? My old one had no issues doing big panels. This one cant even do small stuff. Sure, I would love a Roland or Graphtec. However I'm retired and on a fixed income. Just trying to make some boat gas money with sandblasting mugs etc.

Last pic was done with my old cutter years ago

20210305_104527.jpg

20210305_104624.jpg

20210305_104913.jpg

sb1.jpg

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I'm sorry that you're having issues with your cutter right out of the gate. I'm not quite what you mean by "stack" are you trying to cut(draw) this graphic twice, one on top of the other?

The people on this forum are volunteers, and USC does have someone to pop in every now and again, but don't hold your breath. If you're wanting to see if they will allow you to send the machine back in to get some kind of credit for an upgrade, the best I can do is recommend that you contact them and ask.

Nice work on that door panel!

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With any cutter you should never be pulling from the roll. Always have enough vinyl slack to do the entire design.  Make sure that the pinch rollers are equal distance from the vinyl edge. Best to prefeed the vinyl back and forth to see if it is drifting left or right.  As with any value cutter, it will take patience to cut small designs.   It is true, in vinyl cutters, you get what you pay for.   I don't know how much force it takes to use the pen tool, so if too much, it could cause paper shifting.  The Vinyl Express series now, has many complaints, It is a Redsail, Similar in quality as an MH vinyl cutter.   Those buyers come here for help.  Messing with the tension on the pinch rollers is not recommended. Many times, other things will help. That is a last resort. 

https://support.uscutter.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037895391-Tracking-vinyl-as-it-feeds-Vinyl-Skewing-when-cutting-

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9 hours ago, haumana said:

I'm sorry that you're having issues with your cutter right out of the gate. I'm not quite what you mean by "stack" are you trying to cut(draw) this graphic twice, one on top of the other?

The people on this forum are volunteers, and USC does have someone to pop in every now and again, but don't hold your breath. If you're wanting to see if they will allow you to send the machine back in to get some kind of credit for an upgrade, the best I can do is recommend that you contact them and ask.

Nice work on that door panel!

Sorry, darned autocorrect. Was supposed to say track, not stack

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Ok, so I figured out this cutter does NOT like paper at all.. Maybe to thin for this el cheapo cutter.. Vinyl tracks a lot better and the cuts are doing decent. Was hoping to use the pen for larger woodworking scroll saw patterns but I guess not. UGH! You truly do get what you pay for.

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I've used paper a few times and never noticed any issues. Are you putting the pen in the correct location? Mine has two spots in the holder arm, one for the blade over the cutting strip and one for the pen over the hard plastic.

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