marcuso

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Posts posted by marcuso

  4. Posted

    You are exactly right except for one thing.  You will use the buttons on the keyboard to align the laser rather than the control panel on the cutter.  You will be able to align very percisely this way.

    I've only had mine for less than a week now and not much experience with it however, by looking at it I would assume that once we receive the software update it will function within the software to contour cut.

    I imagine it will work much like this.

    print your image with registration marks

    load into your cutter and place image in Sign Blazer.

    using the arrows on the face of the cutter you move the laser to each registration mark and click "set"

    this marks the registration points within signblazer.

    once all registration points are "set" Signblazer will have the points of referrance to contour cut the image.

    Much like the cutters with the optical eye scanning for the marks except it's done manually.

    I could be wrong in the process but I bet it's close ;)

    Bill

    ps.

    I'm hoping there is a more precise way of moving the laser within SB. When using the arrows it's a hit or miss process to precisely place the laser on a fine point.

    the length of time you press the arrows is the determining factor in moving the laser head. once you get close to your location it becomes a matter of stabbing the arrow quickly

    and this just isn't good enough.

  5. Posted

    Hey Everybody,

    I just finished up a transition of our forums to a new server.  We are growing so much that we actually got a notice from our webhost that says they are going to shut us down in 1 month because our server resource usage is too high.  Good thing we were already in the process of moving to a new webhost.  So far I love them, and I expect our community members to love them too, as we have had a HUGE increase in speed!

    Anyways, a few things have changed.  Logins will now be handled exclusively by the forum, so there will be no more logging in through the main page.  The SMF site is down at the moment, so I cannot install the old Pn-Pn theme that we had been using....  I have not had a chance to thoroughly test the new server, so I hereby am promoting all our users to honorary beta testers.  If you find a problem, head on over to our new support site at http://support.uscutter.com or send me a PM.  Thanks for your help!

    - Marcus

  8. Posted

    StickyGrafix,

    The Refine MH-721 and the PCUT are completely different machines using different components from different manufacturers.  The Creation machines are the better machine of the two.

    The Creation machines that we sell now are different than the machines that were sold years ago.  Sign Warehouse does not sell as many machines as we sell, so if you bought a Creation from them a couple years ago, you probably bought a machine that was manufactured up to five years ago before Creation was split into two companies.  The machines we sell now are definitely a step up form the Refines.  That said, you will most likely be very happy with your Refine as it is a solid vinyl cutter as well.

    - Marcus

  9. Posted

    That is definitely a problem.  I think it is a hardware issue that may need to be fixed under warranty.  That said, I would like you to try something.  Just to see if is a static issue, use a spray bottle and spray a fine spray of water on the bed of the cutter as well as your cutting material.  If you are in a dry place that should allow static to discharge more easily.  It is not a final solution, but just one possible cause that I would like to rule out.

  10. Posted

    Sorry, it was my fault.  The default settings for this bulliten board deleted attached files after a certain amount of time.  After I noticed this was happening, I changed the settings so that attached files would not be deleted.  It was not intentional....

  11. Posted

    Here is the verdict on pricing:

    For SignBlazer Elements locked to machines that we sell (current and future), initial pricing will be $70 (subject to change).

    If you purchased a machine from USCutter before, we will probably offer special pricing of $60 (also subject to change).

    Download the trial from this link:

    http://blazertech.net/downloads/elements/USCutter/SBEforUSCutterSetup.exe

    Learning guide:

    http://www.blazertech.net/downloads/LearnGde.zip

    Come back and let us know what you think.

  12. Posted

    Bridge uses machines manufactured by the same factory, Redsail does not.  I admit that Redsail machines are electronically superior to the Refine machines, but they are inferior to the creation machines.  Most machines uses some version of the DMPL / HPGL command set, so that is why you can often times have drivers that work for both.

    well, to tell ya the truth... there are resons why i chose that driver.

    A redsail is a Refine

    A Bridge is a Refine

    just like US Cutter has a Refine.

    Refine is basically a company that manufactures equipment and sells it to companies like so and puts there name on it.

  13. Posted

    I think there are printer drivers that will work with most HPGL compliant vinyl cutters.  Printer drivers usually don't work well with vinyl cutting due to issues with offset, etc, but they are fine for drawing.  If you want to spend some time looking, I suggest you download drivers from Roland and try using them attached via serial and parallel.  I will try to get a more definite answer from Copam in the mean time.

  14. Posted

    Ken,

    Thanks. My daughter thinks she can do just that. I think she intends to make a mark on her printed material, or in the file she feeds the cutter. "Cut starts here, cut to here, follow outline of picture, finish here.

    Set up the cutter yesterday, cut a few "Tests" in matte photo paper, knife in front position.

    Couple questions, while I'm in this thread. I see the fibre cutting strip you mailed me about. Can that be bought for replacement, if and when it should get too ragged, like the nylon replacement strip I bought with the machine?

    The pinch roll on the head end of the machine does not move. At least not with any force I am willing to use on it till I learn whether it should or not. It looks to have kind of a round rivet head under the left edge, looking at it from the rear. I don't know whether that is to keep it in that position, or it is a limit to keep it from bieng moved any farther left, looking at it from the rear side. The other two slide like grease through a goose.

    I inadvertently moved the head when I was cutting the wrapping off it. Does it reset when you press the reset or source or whatever control. It does come to rest against what I thought was a reset button for a circuit breaker, but now think has to be a home limit switch.

    Bought 4 meg RAM for it. What little paperwork comes with the machine does not tell you where that GOES. Is there a better breakdown manual available on line for this machine? Extra/replacement motors are available from you, motherboard, too. Where in the heck do they go?

    Even more OT from my original question, machine comes with SignCut PE. I thought it came with LE. Bought what amounts to a second copy, for 60 bucks. Can I use both, for 6 years use? License is for 3 years on the one that came with it. Use both, or ask to return one for credit toward maybe a spare motherboard?

    Hope this isn't too confusing. Any answers to this post will not be apparent to anyone reading my original question.

    My daughter is the brains when it comes to this Photoshop and Illustrator stuff. PSP is about my limit. If she can get this thing to cut out a preprint, and explain it well enough to me to repeat it, I'll try to post it. If I am not clear, I'll try to get her to join and clarify things. Meanwhile, if anyone else knows how to do this, please let me/ all of us know.

    Thanks.

    George

    Once you remove the sidecap, the installation of the 4MB chip should be pretty self explanatory.  I suggest that you do some tests with the 1MB chip before you install the 4MB chip.  I don't think the 4MB chip will offer you any benefit.

    As far as registration marks go, you should be able to basic contour cuts with manual registration mark setting.  I have seen some instructions floating around, but I will have to dig them up....

    As far as spare parts go, I wouldn't worry about the machine having issues.  We have plenty of spare parts on hand, so don't worry about it until the time comes and then we would be happy to give you directions over the phone.  We simply don't have the resources to make repair manuals at the time - there are currently other priorities.  As far as the fabric cutting strip goes, make sure your blade is exposed just enough to barely cut through the material.  It should always cut over one path, so you shouldn't need to replace the material.  I have some of the material available, but we have actually never had a request for it, and I assume it is because it does not wear out.

    With regard to the extra copy of Signcut, I don't think you can add another 3 years.  You can contact Signcut to ask.  If the software is still sealed, you can send it back to us for a refund.

  15. Posted

    Using 2 vs 3 pinch rollers is something that I considered carefully.  The fan design is much better than most other models that I have seen, and it is much larger and stronger.  I am almost positive that it is sufficient to hold almost all material flat (without having had feedback from our users).  Because it uses suction rather than additional rollers to maintain flatness, you don't have to have a third pinch roller making roller marks in the middle of your material.

    The machines have always been sold with 2 rollers (and to my knowledge never with 3), and they are highly regarded (having sold probably 50,000 units) in other markets, so I would not worry.  That said, if anyone is concerned, I will commit to selling additional pinch rollers for $15 for the time being, at least until we get further feedback from our customers on these machines.

  16. Posted

    Congrats on the auction win. Feel free to contact me if you need assistance in setting it up.

    ;D

    PS- Thanks for the praise BannerJohn, but Marcus is my mentor and has taught me well. Without him, I would be blind.    :)

    BS Filter on:

    PS- Thanks for the praise BannerJohn, but Marcus is my mentor boss and has taught me well thrown me to the lions. Without him, I would be blind.  He also signs my paychecks.  :D

  17. Posted

    I tried calling the 800 number again for live support.  The voice mail is full so you can't even leave a message now.  WHERE IS TECH SUPPORT???  I haven't gotten a callback from the 3 messages I was able to leave.

    Ken (the technical contact) went in for surgery this week this week.  I believe he will be back today.  I am unfortunately in China dealing with manufacturers, so I am unable to offer phone support.  That said, we do not have the resources to hand-hold every new customer through the process of cutting vinyl.  If you don't feel that you can find online resources to find your way (and there are plenty), I suggest that you go to a local sign shop and see if you can pay someone for an hour or two of training.

    Of courese, we are happy to assist you getting your machine interfacing with the software, but for forum posts, you will get more help if you start a new topic rather than responding to an announcement.

  20. Posted

    Marcuso,

    The series of posts were out of frustration the following are directly from SignCut's forum based on topics I brought as a topic for discussion : With the addition of the Key Span converter added to the Refine plotter what type of results can one expect? Moreover, with this addition of the converter what dose or what additional functions are available that were not available without this devise? I guess I am trying to understnd that with the key span converter in place that the plotter will function as it was intended. Yes? Gary Karm out...

    The SignCut-X2 Team

    6-Jul-2007 (07:00:44)

    Yes,

    I think they have a Prolific based or Chinese developed chip set for the USB to serial converter function and they do not provide good drivers for the Mac OS.

    The SignCut-X2 Team

    The above comments are directly from the tec people who are suppose to be solving issues of non- functioning aspects of the Refine plotter so the manufacturer could take these findings and incorporate them into refining this Refine plotter line and make it more compatible for multi-platform operating systems. From these comments I can understand that from my own reacerch of the USB to serial conversion chips there seems to be several variations and yes the driver from  FTDI chips is I am sure outstanding but what is the actual chip that is used internally on the Refine plotter??? Please let me know the exact numbers and manufacturer of this chip.

    The Refine cutters come with an FTDI and not Prolific chipset.  The above quote was probably referring to using a Copam with Mac OS X.  The Keyspan adapter offers no functional advantage, and in fact, we have tested both the FTDI and the Prolific chipset, and both work with Mac OS X.  The problem is that the drivers for both the FTDI and the Prolific chipset are very basic on Mac OS X and they have no settings dialog.  This makes it difficult to diagnose issues.  Even more difficult is the fact that if you install the wrong (outdated) driver, you need to delete it before installing the right driver, and the only way to un-install it is to manually delete files.  My tech has little Mac experience, and I am unable to walk everybody through OS X installations, so using the Keyspan adapter (which is much easier to install) has been a simple and fast fix.  Most of the above details only apply to the Copam machine which comes with a Prolific cable (the FTDI chipset that is installed in the Refine machine is a bit easier to deal with).

  21. Posted

    When I do lengthy cuts, it stops in the middle of sending and shuts off my laptop. This has caused me to waste a ton of vinyl already. So do you think if I get this keyspan thing it wil solve my problem? I don't have a serial port otherwise I would use it.

    Have you set the baud rate in the software and on the cutter to 4800?  I don't think getting a keyspan adapter would help.  The keyspan adapters have been offered as a fix for people having problems with the Copam machine with the Mac address.  Otherwise, we have not recommended a keyspan adapter as it should offer no advantage over the built-in FTDI chip.

  22. Posted

    Gary, While I understand that Kjell isn't thrilled with the Serial->USB convertor, I think that part of the reason for it is because it is more difficult to support due to using the extra driver.  I do not think that using an external serial->USB convetor will magically solve any problems.  The built in unit is effectively the same as an external cable using the FTDI chipset which is the second best chipset available (second to the Keyspan cable, which would add about $30 to the cost of the machine).

    For those having problems, please describe them.  If you are having problems connecting, it is usually caused by software that monitors serial ports or incorrect settings in your cutting software.  If you are having problems cutting (such as lines going through the image), it is probably related to static which can be solved by first grounding, and second, increasing conductivity using methods such as humidifying or misting.  If the machines stops cutting mid-graphic, make consider static issues, or also try setting your baud rate to 4800.

    We have sold more than 3000 of these units, and most of our customers are using the machine without incident.  It seems that there are a high number of incidents simply because this is the first place than many customers come for support.  If you have an issue, please be respectful of the forums and post to the correct boards and do not double post.

  24. Posted

    I guess that I have sort of let the cat out of the bag on this one.  For those of you who have been trying it out, you are free to discuss....

    You mean there have been test users on the software and I wasn't invited?  :)

    I invited the top five posters on our board, and you were one of them....  Did you miss the email?