vinylmotivations

I do MOST of my tracing in Inkscape.... or Flexi, but you will sink some money into it. Inkscape is free and works well. No matter the program you won't get any decent autotrace of this image.

My sentiment is that is a VERY small jpeg to get a good quality trace from... no matter how you do it.... You really need a higher resolution file to get a good trace.

I am just starting to do these myself.... I am ordering the ROLL of magnetic material... MUCH cheaper per piece and more flexible if you want something smaller or larger... USCUTTER is the best place thus far since flat rate 9.99 shipping- magnetic material is HEAVY!!! I personally use Oracal product. I only use Mactac when oracal isn't available or for my aqueous vinyl for printing.....

+1, Also do you have your blade depth set correctly as well as your blade offset in whatever software you're using, or in the cutter itself???

You would almost be better off mirroring the image and having it printed on transfer paper.... then you could have the full gradients and everything...

I was given design files to print and contour cut... and every stinkin time I run this file to cut through signcut pro, it gets to the VERY last item, 1/16th from closing the final cut it returns to the origin point with the blade down helmetreward1.ai

I have Flexi, and it opens in flexi just fine from what I can tell, but because of my cutter's inaccuracies- I prefer the 3-point calibration that SignCut Pro offers... and it works WELL... But I have found out that whomever created the original file, used Flexi, and exported as an .ai file.... why WHO KNOWS.... But in using flexi I was able to replicate this problem!!!! So I wonder what my next play is....

I will keep you guys in mind when I need printed product... These first few I need done in cut vinyl, as the customers both want the ability to change the banner later without completely having them redone. One is for a baseball team I have already done work for- and their sponsors change every season as do some players.... the other is for a new hair salon that will be relocating and changing phone numbers in 6 months when their lease is up..... I am just curious how well 13oz material will hold up with banner tape as thats what 100% of the local shops do- I even called around to verify.

I personally plan on buying SignCut..... Worth it with ease of weeding lines, resize etc... Can't go wrong.

I have a feeling there are vectors or unclosed items in the artwork but since I do not have illustrator I can't do anything with the file itself....

John made a good point to me via PM.... MOST banner tapes are only rated to 10-11oz material. The stuff I can get locally is 13. Anyone have good luck with 13oz banners and taped edges? Seems like most of the named shops around town here in Des Moines all use tape of some sort and only ever use 13oz material.....

I was not sure if it was proper etiquette to do so unless asked.... LOL. So I may do that if it is kosher.

One of my local competitors, that has been around a LONG time has a Mutoh 64" Valujet- Their only printing everything @ 72DPI? Why so low. Didn't figure it takes any more ink, and just a little more time to pipe up the resolution???

The cobra printer by far is worthwhile.... You never know what you're getting when you buy some CISS kit from ebay (also you forget to mention ebay kits only include DYE ink, not Pigment). Richard over at Cobra has fantastic ink quality, gurantees his product and all the while the CISS kit is installed so you don't have to operate with the lid open or anything goofy- its all installed internally other than the ink tanks. PLUS most CISS systems do not come with a waste ink tank and means of emptying that.... The cobra printer includes it, again, installed with everything cleanly installed. I would buy one again in a heartbeat....

Yeah I do with the cutter, If you look in my gallery there is a picture of a store-front that I did for In Focus Studios, it was approximately 9' long. I cut it in 2 pieces to minimize waste since I was installing. I had probably a quarter inch of drift acrss the 4.5-5' sections that I cut... thats with pre-feeding and aligning my roll etc. I don't know whats causing it. I am beginning to believe the deck of my plotter may not be square to the carriage... as the further I get to the left side cutting it seems as if pressure drops, feeding isn't dead to rights good tracking wise and on another issue, ONLY when I am contour cutting, when the plotter gets within 1/16th from making the overcut to finish it decides to return to origin with the blade down across everything... no matter WHAT form of comms I am using. I do not want to Hijack this thread at all... so please excuse my response!

Any chance of sharing the geaphic for that?? What software you using with your cutter?

The only thing I wish it could do would be to perform a little more accurately and track a bit better... then again i guess thats what you pay for.

I found this one that is from an Off Road forum... might be useful for an actual logo. Looks like lots of them out there are more of a technical drawing or diagram.... http://www.off-roadweb.com/tech/0006or_off_road_truck_suspension_systems/photo_02.html

Fire doors do not always have to have raised lettering.... I know it varies GREATLY depending on the AHJ. (Authority Having Jurisdiction). See NFPA 72 (National Fire Code) and NFPA 101 (National Life Safety Code), Also somewhere in there I know ADA (Disabilities Act) has their info out there. I am a NICET certified Fire Alarm Tech- and find that MOST... at least around here MOST, City Fire Inspectors would be GLAD to give you their interpretation of the laws and codes they enforce.

Here is a link to one on a website I use frequently when finding things I need in a pinch.... http://www.clker.com/clipart-15613.html This can be downloaded as a royalty free vector drawing. SVG only unfortunately, but if you have inkscape that should not be a problem.

There is opaque dark shirt transfer material that is white by default, you just print the color portion and contour cut the rest.... You would need the printer, and a cutter that supports contour cutting.

Kind of funny Roxy, Just realized that your prices are about inline with mine!!! Just a different way of calculating and you ask a little more for customization!!! Nice to know I am not totally off the rocker or cheating myself....

Yeah I got that, TECHNICALLY- sharing of any digital copywritten file can get you nailed with a DMCA regardless of the forum (torrent, forum post, FTP server etc.) I took no offense of any kind. Just a reminder to me of the ultimate legal implications. It would be nice if things like this were spelled out in lay-mans terms by the actual law book LOL>

I didn't even think about the legal implications of just SHARING the artwork on here... Rodger you make a valid point. The OP asked for someone to CREATE a vector, I was trying to be honest in saying I didn't create it. Technically even sharing it here is a no-no. One of those DMCA things that would give most a slap on the wrist and say not again tho. My apologies!

They are pretty reasonable, but also have to factor in that is for 2... 2 teams.... you get into doing those 2 then you have someone that wants University of Northern Iowa or another out of state college team, and they get bent out of shape if you don't have it or cant get it. Also the craft shows I tend to frequent, the operator of those shows requires some sort of proof that you HAVE necessary licensing before you can even sell college and pro stuff at his shows or he won't even let you set up shop....