Digital Printed Vinyl Graphics. (using home desktop printer)

[CRD 9]

Hi Eric,

Thanks for publishing your findings.

For those still unsure what I am talking about every time.

As home desk top printers cant print WHITE color I always talk about WHITE vinyl that is covered with a coating to accept water based inks.

If you print on transparent media you can not have white as print color.

Vinyl you use for cutting (Oracal 651 for example) can not be used for home desktop printer using waterbased inks or solvent based printers.

Vinyl (so called printable media) used for solvent based inkjet printers can not be used for home desktop printers using waterbased inks.

Why are desktop printers using waterbased inks having higher printout resolution then others using solvent based printers like model car based UPGRADE

[gozo 4]

Hi Paco,

1 sq metre is 10.56 sq feet.

[CRD 9]

Thanks Gozo.

paco

[dbtoutfit 5]

Thanks CRD for the additional info. That

[CRD 9]

Contour or inner contour are just cutlines you can create yourselve with ease.

In Corel X4 I create image data on the layer called data and then make one layer that only contains the cutlines called cutlayer.

If you print switch off the cutlayer.

If you cut switch off the printlayer.

What are you using for design now?

Paco

[harmfulgraphics 1]

License plate made using Avery A4 white vinyl, Brother 9440 laser printer and clear coat paint.  Seems to look good to me.

Harm

[dbtoutfit 5]

Contour or inner contour are just cutlines you can create yourselve with ease.

In Corel X4 I create image data on the layer called data and then make one layer that only contains the cutlines called cutlayer.

If you print switch off the cutlayer.

If you cut switch off the printlayer.

What are you using for design now?

Paco

Thats exactly what I've been doing. I had ran accross someone talking about having issues with inside contours and so I assumed there was some kind of issue I was not aware of though I could not think of one. I guess it had something to do with contour inside cut in SBE now that I think of it.

I've just been using SignCut for contour cutting Graphical designs and SBE for quick jobs.

Depends, Mostly Adobe Ill and Corel for vector. Photoshop for raster for the vector fills.

Eric

[CRD 9]

I have SBE but never use it, all is done in X4 and then through SC PRO.

So cant tell if there are problems for inner contour cut.

We have similar work flows.

Paco

[bulletsigns 0]

i was searching for a vinyl to use with my rx595  i just purchased, i have tried w/ no sucess to use the mactac  brand you all mentioned, i just cant get no responses so that i can order it. so i ventured to try to find a replacement so that i can purchase it readily from beacon, fellers, sign warehouse etc. i found sign warehouse has a waterbased inkjet media (sihl 3988 self adhesive vinyl 280 matte) vinyl, does anyone think this might work. i am new to this so please don't think im stupid im just trying to learn. this (i think ) appears to be a relavent material.  i know you can buy a roll (16') for $20.00

[CRD 9]

Which type of MACTAC you used?

Paco

[SSW 0]

Reading this thread makes me wish I would of got a cutter that contour cuts!

A nice printer is now of the list for my next upgrade. 

[dbtoutfit 5]

Not the place to go into it here but all you need to do is add a mini laser pen/pointer to your machine.

Eric

[SSW 0]

Can you give me some more info on that?

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

Not the place to go into it here but all you need to do is add a mini laser pen/pointer to your machine.

Eric

ditto on the info

just got some Glow in the dark inkjet paper from coastal (on sale) and will need to contour cut most things.  I am thinking of doing a shirt for Halloween night with the witch flying thru a glowing moon and other items related.  As some might remember from last year my wife likes dressing the chocolate lab up and taking him with us - last year he had a glow in the dark dog skeleton costume that was my avatar this year the poor thing is going to be a giant daisy or something . . .poor dog.  the up side is he gets called from the road to houses that actually have dog treats for Halloween and he is getting pretty well known.

[dbtoutfit 5]

Can you give me some more info on that?

Basically you just need to mount a laser pen/pointer to the cutter head. Then just as if you had an LP, in your software like SBE for an example you just go through the offset calibration wizard.  The LP doesn't have any sort of eye sensor like the Roland, you have to manually line the laser up on the reg marks. 

The LP just has a simple little laser added to the head.  This is all you need.  If you pick up a pen pointer that has a fat laser beam at close range you can purchase or make a black-out lens with like a .001 hole in the center.

Tully very simple to accomplish.

Eric

[CRD 9]

Sorry to say but you cant use ANY laser pointer.

Problem is these are much to bright!!!!!!! when they hit WHITE colores vinyl.

I rebuild a ZUND 1200 flatbed cutter with a laser pointer unit from ODICFORCE with adjustbale lens and I added a thin plastic milk color filter to reduce the beam intensity.

http://s243333424.e-shop.info/shop/article_OFL71/5mW-Focusing-Laser-Module-with-Dot-or-Crosshair-Beam-Pattern.html?shop_param=cid%3D13%26aid%3DOFL71%26

Still the laser point is to bright and I advised the user to use 10 mm round BLACK registration marks with a 0.2 mm inside hole. The black will absorb the laser beam 80%. As soon as you hit the white spot the laser point will brighten up.

For the laser pointer the USDIRECT ONLINE shop was selling the original laser pointer for 25 $ but is looks it is not on the site anymore with the PCut/Laserpoint spare parts.

Hope this helps.

Paco

[SSW 0]

This seems way over my head...lol

:thumbsup:

[cutme 5]

you can contour cut without a laser for alignment, just use the blade itself. not as easy but doable.

bb

[dbtoutfit 5]

I agree with Cutme.

His right you will just have to zero your x and y offset.

As far as the laser pointers go. It's true that they can be very bright but they have mini laser pointers and the cheap ones are weak as all get out. These are the ones I am referring to.  Small and cheap.

Eric

[CRD 9]

I also talking about small and cheap. 

But still to bright.

Paco

[dbtoutfit 5]

We had some small cheapo's at our gas station I purchased to use on my cnc machine and man I swear those things were super weak. 

I guess the thing to do is if you can is to test it out. Plus you could always lower the voltage which is a given.

But anyways getting off subject here a little.

What mill does your decals end up coming out CRD once you have them completed?

Eric

[CRD 9]

160 uM total that is 80 uM for the vinyl and 80 uM for the uv layer when it comes from my print shop.

Home made decals are 150 uM total that is for the vinyl 100 uM and 50uM for the transparant layer.

Paco

[dbtoutfit 5]

So about 6mil or .006"?

Thanks

[CRD 9]

um = micro meter.

Yes around 6 mil  (not milimeter)

http://www.convertunits.com/from/mils/to/mm#

Paco

[dbtoutfit 5]

yep