darcshadow

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Posts posted by darcshadow

  1. Posted

    16 hours ago, Jeanette Stephens said:

    Hi I am new & I just got a MH721-MK USCUTTER & all my files r SVG files and I want to keep them because I have some cutters that uses SVG files and I would like to know how I can keep the SVG files but I need to make the same files in vector files for my US CUTTER. Thanks

     

    What software are you using? The cutter doesn't care what the file is formatted in.

    • Haha 1

  6. Posted

    9 hours ago, Giovanne said:

    I kind of feel like I should have bought the SC now. Ugh. I may be doing some mods anyway but still going to use the Flexi software.

    What a shame the machine is so bad. I had seen a lot of good reviews so I thought I was doing the right thing. In my excitement to get my first vinyl rig I started researching how to properly and am starting to realize I may have mad a bad purchase decision. 

    If I have issues maybe they will exchange it and if not I can always dump the motherboard and use an Arduino solution - I made a pen plotter / drag knife machine with an Arduino and servos with gecko drives so I am sure this can be "fixed" if I have issues and they wont exchange it.

    This would irritate me more if I didn't already have all the electronics laying around to rebuild the control system if need be...

    Thank you again for your input. One more question... If they will exchange it which models do you recommend? Is the SC good? Titan? I got the 34" model and need at least that.

     

    replacing the mother board with an arduino won't make the MH any better. You might be able to program smoother acceleration that might help slightly, but not enough to make it worth it. To make the MH truely better you'd need to replace the motors to start, get better rollers, bearings, belts, etc.

    Depending on what you're doing the MH can do quite well, and you will get a better understanding of all the little settings and tweaks can have an impact on the results that would be masked by a higher end machine.

    If you can exchange it with out much cost go for it, but don't be disheartened if you have to keep it. It has served me well for several years although I only use it as a hobby and don't usually make anything too big.

    • Like 1

  7. Posted

    If it was a higher end cutter the USB cable would be better, but this is a MH, that the USB connection is nothing more than a cheap USB to serial adapter chip. So using the comm port on the computer is better and more reliable because you do not need to convert between USB and serial communications.

    And just because something is old does not mean it's out dated. The 9pin comm port is frequently used for all kinds of test equipment because it is so simple, and supported by nearly all operating systems. The only thing that makes it outdated is the fact that so many computer manufactures today do not put a comm port on the mother board but instead expect people to use a USB to serial adapter which also then requires a 3rd party driver which is just one more thing to not work.

  8. Posted

    Interesting, that appears to be telling you how to change the baud rate setting on the cutter. So I'd say, since your software can't be set to anything lower than 9600, to check the setting on the cutter and set it to 9600 if it is not already.

    I am running Win7, using Inkscape to cut, connected with a comm cable and have mine set to 9600 and it works just fine. Something about the USB driver might require the slower speed, and is why it's specified in that document.

  9. Posted

    He's using the comm cable connection so the suggestions regarding USB will not be relevant. 9600 baud should work and is what is called out in the users manual. Might double check the setting on the cutter, although I can't find anything in the manual telling you how to change it so it might not be something that can be changed/checked.

    Using the comm cable, the driver shouldn't matter either. The driver is for the USB connection.

  11. Posted

    I'd have to double check the spec sheet, but I believe vinyl is recommended to be stored at about 65 and below 75. Don't remember exactly, I just remember it was a pretty small range and colder than I typically keep my house in the summer time.

    • Like 1

  13. Posted

    33 minutes ago, Hen said:

    I have used the 45 and 65 blade set up to half a credit card depth.   The test cuts look fine and I am using Vinylmaster LTR V4.0

     

     

    NOOOOOOO! Never EVER have that much blade sticking out. If you can easily see the blade you have too much. Look for Mz Skeeter's instructions on these forums on how to set the blade depth, been posted hundreds of times.

    The majority of your problems sounds like your cutting into the backing paper which will be solved by setting the blade depth correctly.

    If you're just doing a shirt for yourself or a friend you can "get by" with an iron. But if you're going to be selling shirts you need a proper press.

    Also keep in mind the MH is pretty much the bottom of the barrel. It is what I have, and it can be made to work quite well but you do have to do quite a bit of tweaking and learning to get it to perform well.

    • Like 3

  14. Posted

    I was able to open the file with Inkscape, which is free. For a long time I would use Inkscape to create the design then copy and paste into SB to do the cutting. Not ideal but it worked. I eventually figured out how to cut straight from Inkscape, although it does not have any of the features that a true cutting program has it will get the job done.

    If I ever get serious about this hobby I might buy a true cutting program, till thing Inkscape and SB have served me well.

  15. Posted

    I too do not use Vinyl Master, but your setting of units per inch, assuming you have a stepper motor machine, is usually referring to number of steps of the stepper motor and 1016 is in the neighborhood of what it should be so I don't believe that number is something you should change.

    Until someone chimes in with anything better, I'd simply make your design then scale it down before cutting. The beauty of vector graphics they can be scaled up and down with no loss of detail.

  16. Posted

    Yes, the welding is a different matter but will need to be done. It can be done before or after the punch through, doesn't make much difference.

    I may have made my original statement too wordy.Here's how I would do it in Inkscape

    Step one, weld the script font - Select all the script text and do a Union (Ctrl++).

    Step two, hit ctrl+D to duplicate the script font.

    Step Three, hold down ctrl and select the C

    Step Four do a difference command, (Ctrl+-)

    Done.

  20. Posted

    Yeah, true, Inkscape can be a bit daunting, a handy tool to have though. :)

    To achieve the desired effect in Inkscape you need to duplicate the wording that crosses the C, then select the wording and the C and do a Difference command. The duplicated wording will be deleted and you will be left with the original words and the C cut out where the words cross over it. The difference command uses the layers of objects to determine how it behaves. The object on top will be deleted and will cut through the lower object.

  25. Posted

    In Inkscape, if your text is still text, select it and choose Path->Object to Path. The text will now be a group of objects. Ungroup the newly converted text

    Select your text then choose Path->Break Apart

    Now choose Path->Union

    This will remove all the white spaces inside the letters. Unfortunately, this will also remove the inside of letters like A, O, R, P so if you have those letters you'll need to edit those manually and delete individual nodes.

     

    • Like 1