rastoma

WOW! Huge thanks to all of you... Sue, Primal and TenFour! I really appreciate ALL of you for helping me like this. All of your designs are something I can use and all are perfect.

Thank you so much for your help!! I haven't used any cutting programs yet as I was trying to design it in CorelDraw first. So the only files I have are the .cdr files. I'll attach one of those if it will help. I primarily use SCALP but I also have VinylMaster Cut, to actually cut with. I thought I would design it in CD then save as a PDF or some other file type to import into SCALP. Backup_of_sheriffs-badge.cdr

OK, I hope this is correct. I have so many versions of this due to me redoing it, this one is slightly different but again, the main things I'm having trouble with is getting the points of the large inside star to touch at all points and getting it to be a flat file (is that the correct wording?) so that it cuts out as one design so I can then weed it. The larger outside circle should be solid so that the text can be weeded out or I can cut the text separate. The smaller inside circle should be solid. I've attached a photo of the real badge that I'm using as a model. Backup_of_sheriffs-badge.eps

I live in a really small town. The local jail has had no signage on the front doors/windows since it was built over 15 years due to funds not in the budget for it. So I wanted to help and offered to do some basic lettering basically for cost of materials. And it would then get my foot in the door for things in the future such as t-shirts and things. But I had to stick my foot in my mouth and said "yeah and to make it a look a little nicer I'll put a badge under the sheriff's name". I've almost got the design but not having used practically any graphics program extensively I'm having trouble. I've been using Corel Draw. I've attached what I've come up with. I'm having trouble getting the star centered and touching in the circle and not sure how to flat everything so it cuts as one piece so I can then weed out the openings. Or would this type of design need to be cut out in pieces and layered on top of each other after cutting and weeding? Would anyone mind helping me with it? Like I said I'm not making any profit on it. The image behind the star is the outline of the state of TN. And I don't know why the stars are red. I tried to change the color but can't. The text I want to just weed out the letters so the glass is shown through the letters, unless it would indeed look better in black and then I could cut it separate and lay it on top of the badge. I'll but cutting this out in either white or yellow.

So just test cut some text and see if it cuts properly? Or is there a design like a test design to use to dial in the settings with? I've tried this when trying to cut flock. It won't cut the flock unless I hit 400 PRS and run the blade out to over twice the thickness of the flock.

I know this is an old post. But you never know. OP might see this. Did you get the sticky flock dialed in on your LP II? I'm using regular flock that I've made 'sticky' by pressing it to sign vinyl and I can't get a good decal yet.

No. That is a distinct pop/click. I should have mentioned I ruled that out. This is a deeper sound. And like I mentioned sometimes it's 3-4 pops fast, like you're popping bubble wrap, but loud.

It would be cool if this could be an ongoing thread that everyone contributes to so we can build sort of a database for others to use as guide. I know the blade height can't really be measured in numbers. But maybe list if you use the half thickness of a credit card measurement, or whatever. I haven't used my LP II enough to offer details yet because I think I'm having a mechanical issue at the moment. But I'll add to this list soon when I receive other sign vinyl to experiment with. So list the brand/type of vinyl, how you set your blade, PRS setting, blade type, offset and how much overcut if any you use.

Still trying to cut out rhinestone decals with flock and my 25" LPII. I can hold the blade holder and cut the flock cleanly through to the backing. The backing is regular sign vinyl that's I've pressed onto the back of the flock. I put the blade holder in and try to cut a template. The blade holder does not touch the flock. I have to run the blade out of the holder until it's more than double the thickness of the flock. It still won't cut the top layer of flock. I put in a new blade. No difference. I run the pressure to 250 (starting at 200) and no difference. I then set PRS to 275, then 300, and so on until I get to 400 PRS and now it cuts through the flock (which is not really hard material. It's cad cut heat transfer flock.). This makes no sense. The recommended pressure is 170-210 micro grams. I know each cutter is different and that's just guide. But FOUR HUNDRED? And the bottom of the blade carrier still doesn't touch the flock. I can see the blade while it cuts it's sticking out so far. I can cut sign vinyl and cad cut adhesive no problem. At least I could. Sign vinyl was the first thing I tried when I starting using the cutter and now I've been wanting to get the rhinestone decals going so I haven't switched back to vinyl yet. Oh... I'm using a 60 deg blade, 54 offset. Using SCALP. Also I have to use the setting for cut twice. I can have pressure up to 450 (on the cutter) and use cut once and it won't cut all the way through the flock. So something is wrong. I just can't figure out what.

So no one is doing rhinestones with this machine here?

I pressed cad cut flock to some standard sign vinyl. I removed the carrier sheet from the flock. I then attempt to cut a rhinestone template using a 60 deg blade. I couldn't get the flock to cut all the way through UNTIL I literally stuck the blade out as far as it would go in the blade holder and run the pressure up to 320. If I use the blade on the flock out of the machine it will cut through 2 layers of flock. But with the blade in the machine, I started at 150 on the pressure and kept doing tests up to 280. The cut did not change. It was the same depth. Then I went from 280 to 320 and it will cut the flock and just start cutting into the vinyl backing.

I have rolls of vinyl and flock. But I'm trying to use smaller sheets, around a 12"x12" sheet of flock to try and make rhinestone templates with. The pressure rollers cause dents in just regular vinyl (the vinyl that USCutter included in my package) but when I try a sheet of flock one side will inevitably get pushed out. So if I'm not staring at it then it one side will get pushed out and the flock will go back and forth under just one of the rollers and the blade will start cutting on the white strip on the cutter itself, which looks like it broke the tip of the 60 deg blade. So can I only run items that are on a roll through this machine? And can that white strip be replaced?

Just starting cutting with my new cutter. I'm using flock to do some rhinestone templates and the cutter is making sounds that's nerveracking. It's cutting fine. Nice clean cuts. The material is rolling back and forth fine. But every few seconds it making a deep knocking/popping sound. Sometimes just one. Sometimes 3-4 really fast. Since this is my first time using this cutter.... is this normal? I'm not talking about the servo noises, but distinct knocks/pops. It sounds like popcorn popping except a log deeper sound.

Awesome everyone. Hearing the pros and cons from multiple people has made me feel better about starting with VinylMaster. I'm sorry I was being accusatory toward USCutter in their auction. It was my fault for not reading every word in the auction. At quick glance, which is most of us do, I thought I got both. I won't make that mistake again. And I appreciate them. They have been really good about answering quickly. I just felt the choice was kind of made for me without me fully understanding either program. I've never used a vinyl cutter before. And so I got a little stressed and in turn made be a little rude sounding when I didn't mean to be. Thank you especially Mz Skeeter for your patience with me. But all of you have really calmed my fears. Now I can actually install it and start having some fun

MZ Skeeter - thank you so much for your time. I know you're really trying to help me and I so appreciate it. I just feel so lost. I haven't installed any software, I haven't powered up the cutter yet. Before I install what I was given I'm just scared I got the wrong piece of software since I don't get to try both. No I'm not listed in that auction. My Ebay username is rastoma as well. But you're right about only 1 piece of software. I'm not worried about that. My intention was not to try and get both pieces of software. I just didn't actually get to knowingly pick and I'm afraid I picked wrong.