slice&dice

Every one of the fonts in my SBfonts folder is True Type. This is OpenType. Maybe that's the problem.

Hmmmmmmm. let's see --- Las Vegas (adult entertainment capital of the World) vs. Orlando (children's entertainment capital of the World) or

Hey hey back atcha', turbo. Isn't it amazing what a $250 machine can accomplish? By the way, I noticed that there's a "New Model" offered of the MH 34" (without stand) ---- does anyone know what's up with that? What sets it apart from the old design? Also, the pricing for the 34" unit is just $20 higher than the 24"(28") and I know for a fact that it's more versatile to have the ability to feed 30" vinyl. Heck, I wouldn't be able to function in my sign store without 30" vinyl. Of course, that means I have to keep 30" rolls in stock, but the Oracal 9-color pack that I ordered from USCUTTER for $260. provided me with an excellent assortment to work with.

You're in luck, because in a few weeks' time, a huge Sign Expo will be held in Vegas, and you can go to investigate the latest and greatest all in one place. For anyone who is contemplating opening a new Sign Store, this is the perfect opportunity to evaluate the industry trends, to see what's going on with the technology, and to obtain valuable contacts. Plus, you might get a chance to run into Elvis. (Las Vegas, Oct. 18-20 SGIA) http://www.sgia.org/events/sgia_calendar.cfm

How about something FASTER than a speeding bullet?

I have no printer, so no need for contour cutting. The SC should be used with a serial connection. The difference between the SC 24 and LPII 24 is $140. Add another $30 for the nice catch-basket. Whip out your credit card, and go for it.

Love it? What I really love is how it makes me $$$ easily. After my MH unit went down (my fault, I tripped on the USB cable and it broke the port) and I decided to bring in a replacement machine, the SC was the upper limit of my budget. Now that I am using the SC as my primary cutter, it works fine for what I need, and that includes creating banners, coroplast 'bandit signs' , job-site signs, vehicle lettering, a-frame signs, window decals, and whatever else I can whip together with computer-cut texts.

Bonjour, TJ.

It so happens that my SC came with a disc that provides a full tutorial on the contour cutting aspect. I didn't watch it, but from my understanding of the process, all you are doing is creating crosshair points on the printed vinyl and letting the laser hit those targets to get it lined up to cut. As for the catch-basket, I just assembled my own & it was not that difficult, following the example of someone who posted in these forums about how it was constructed. I just think the LPII is a more robust unit, from what I'm viewing on the USCUTTER website and their comparison video.

You're welcome, have fun!

It's actually http://www.brandsoftheworld.com and the correct spelling is "minnie" ----

Well then, you're gonna have to cough up $650, and bring in the LPII as your workhorse. I doubt you'll regret that.

Maybe the files are larger than 100MB? The setting in your dialogue box is adjusted to that threshold.

That Mimaki uses a printer port connection, and the lack of operability with Win7 is probably is related to that. http://www.mimaki.co.jp/eng/download/files/driver/SetupCG This is mimaki's driver version 2.2 for Win7.

The 31" unit with the media basket is $650, and in my humble opinion, that's probably the best deal in the United States for anyone who wants to get the highest value among all the low-end cutters. Do one or two jobs, and the thing is paid for. Your decision seems easy enough, if you can spring for $650.

Yes, the SC will cut details, such as 1/2" lettering. The serial connection on the cutter allows for a more reliable transfer of data. Think of it as the difference between a garden hose and a fire hose, in volume of water getting through.

If none of the above suggestions are providing relief, it might be worthwhile to open your cutter setup and verify everything is correctly set.

The SC is my primary unit within a small retail sign store, but I would not give it a superlative rating for a number of reasons. I detest the stepper motor which "jogs" along. The noise level is quieter than my MH machine (which the SC replaced) but I've heard some high-end cutters in operation and they're virtually silent. The tracking is OK, but tricky to get set right. And there was no option for a media basket, I had to construct my own. Then there was the issue with the pinch roller that was not stopping in the right place (I had to drill a new hole and re-seat the screw myself, since the factory failed to locate it correctly) I really can't put my finger on it, there's nothing specifically WRONG with the SC, and I'm making signs without issues, but I would trade-in my SC for the LPII in a New York minute.

You'll get it off the ground, for sure, Jeff. As a matter of fact, you'll be handling cutter jobs like a pro in no time. One of the nice things about vinyl cutting is how easy the process unfolds before your very eyes. Just today, I had a guy come into my store, and he watched me from start to finish make his yard sign, instantly. He was amazed, and congratulated me for providing such a terrific service. And handed me $30 for the sign (two square feet of vinyl and a coroplast 18x24 with stake) Trust me, you'll be right there quick as a bunny.

Oooooh - Ooooh!!! Let me jump in here !!!!! First of all, what are you contemplating accomplishing with the Contour Cutting? That's a highly specialized feature, and is used in conjunction with a PRINTER. Secondly, do you have a computer with a standard 9-pin serial port? Much preferable to USB. Thirdly, for $270 you can grab the MH 34" unit, which I think is pretty damn good ( I was using that as my primary cutter in a retail sign store environment for nearly a year, and the only thing that caused me to get an SC as a replacement was I figured it was quieter -- it is but not by much) Lastly, 30" vinyl is about the biggest you really want to deal with, unless you're quite experienced with weeding and transfer-taping. (As for small cuts, I never had a problem with the MH doing lettering around 1/2" size) Ah yes, you also asked about eBay vs. USCUTTER direct. I think it's worthwhile to just place the order on the website and add all the vinyl and accessories you need to start, and pay $9. shipping for the whole kit & kaboodle.

Hi Ya'all -- While you cry out for Help, the details of the problems you're encountering are too sketchy for us to assist. What you might want to do, is start a new thread in the Forum section that best matches what's going wrong. Is it Software related? There are topics for major programs (SignBlazer?) If it could be hardware related, try Equipment Discussion & Support. And lastly, perhaps this is even an issue with the "mylar" you're using. http://forum.uscutte...ther-materials/

Keep your eye on the middle roller, making sure it does not sit right above the gap between the bottom grit rollers. There's actually a sticker located right at that position that looks like this |____|

A cast vinyl, I would advise.

Quote her $50. That seems fair.

So I am sure a lot of you are probably tired of me asking questions. Nope. This Forum exists for that very purpose, and you will find that we all generally have a lot of patience, and try to figure stuff out within our abililties. As a rule, internet links change and often fail to work, especially years after they are first offered. That is the nature of things on the interwebs, trust me. According to my calculations, there are 12 pinned threads in Forum Rules & Announcements, Zero within the Introductions, Six in General Discussion, One for Show Your Work, Eight Instructional Contributions, Two t-Shirts, A single Business Practice pin, Three Macs, Two Pre-sales, Five Off-Topics. That is 40 just within the General Categories, and they all seemed to be reasonably useful when I just checked. For instance, Vinyl Materials Suppliers (Off-Topic Section).