First few plots with my refine! Now I have a few questions...

[whiteknuckleairlines 0]

I got my 33" refine today, everything was in good shape despite UPS' best efforts.  I hooked it up via serial and put in the pen to do some test plots.  The PC sent the job to the cutter and it executed them. 

The problem is some of the diagonal lines arent coming out straight.  I have attached a picture - it is a bit blurry, but you can see what I'm talking about.  I am using flexi sign, and I prepared the image for plotting by just typing into flexi and sending it.  Are there settings in the software that could remedy this?

 

Also - when the machine finishes plotting it returns to the origin, is there a way to make it advance past what was just cut?  I saw that there was an "advance after cutting" box... it is checked but the machine still wants to return to origin.

I am using the pnc1000 drivers in flexi sign.

[kenimes 42]

There is no way to have it stop at the end that I know of.

Make sure the carriage is on the tracks properly.

[whiteknuckleairlines 0]

The carrige is properly on the tracks... Any other thoughts?

[Guest fivestar]

More pressure maybe.

[kenimes 42]

All the lines look fine except for the right side of the A. Maybe a bit more pressure. Make sure the pen attachment is in the back position.

[whiteknuckleairlines 0]

The pen is in the back position.. I will try to up the pressure a bit.  I have done some other tests too.. some other simple shapes are having the issue on the diagonal lines...  Standby for updates 

[whiteknuckleairlines 0]

Changing the pressure didnt seem to help, slowing it down did though... the slower it goes the better it plots.  Is the pen usually like that?  Or is it going to be the same once I switch over to vinyl also?  It seems like anything over 16 ips and I really start to lose quality.

Also - on a completely side note.. since the pen goes in the back, does the blade go in the front when it is installed?

[BannerJohn 1,324]

blade goes in the back too. The front position is for cutting completely through stuff,like card stock.

[Guest fivestar]

Ummmmm.......unless they changed them the pen goes into the front and the blade goes into the back.  That may be why the pen looks like that.

[whiteknuckleairlines 0]

So about the speed - is slower better?  Or will it make a difference once I switch to vinyl?

[whiteknuckleairlines 0]

Also - does anyone know of settings in flexi that would smooth out some of these cuts at higher speeds?

[Guest fivestar]

Yes slower is better, you can cut alot more detailed things with slower speed.  As for Flexi, not that I am aware of.  Did you try your pen in the front position?

[whiteknuckleairlines 0]

Yeah. I tried both.. seems to be the same in both positions..  anything over 12 ips and the lines start to waggle a little bit...

[Guest fivestar]

Honestly I've never used my pen to plot so I dunno if mine does it or not.  It doesn't do it with the knife in.  You gonna have vinyl before long to try it?  That's what I'd do is try it with the knife and see what happens.

[whiteknuckleairlines 0]

Yeah. wednesday.  it shipped from a different location..

[whiteknuckleairlines 0]

It seems a little better with vinyl - I still have to keep it at 16 or less to get really good cuts. 

[Guest fivestar]

Them look real good to me.