Other Software for contour cut?

[wegottees 0]

hey there, so i recently got a laserpoint24, i have used pcut 630 before, so this printer is like the big brother.. i followed the DIRECTIONS TO CONTOUR CUT, and easily got it to cut my printed transfers from my epson 1400....!!

what my deal is, is when i bring in a jpeg...this is a good example...of pic attached [/img]

so with this one i go thru process with mode, then when i do the threshold at 99. its still not good enough to fill it, so i can do contour cut around image, i know there is someway we can get around this, like in photoshop, or coreldraw or something, this is a superbig issue to anyone who does heat transfers for tshirts

[caleb 0]

Typically I work around this issue by using the threshold image adjustment in PhotoShop. Then you can just save two files, one image and one mask, and layer them on top of each other in SignBlazer after you import. The black and white image that you get with the PS threshold will easily convert in SignBlazer.

HOWEVER

That particular image has some stray pixels around the main image and they will be picked up by doing a threshold in PS, so what I would do for that particular image is use the magic wand tool to select the white (a tolerance of around 20 should grab those stray pixels). Hold down the shift key while clicking with the magic wand to select all the separate white areas. Then Select>Inverse and you will have all of the color parts selected instead. Then fill with black. That should give you a good cut mask. The tip of the cigarette is still going to give you some problems depending on what you want to do with it. If you want it included in your cut mask, just come back with the brush or pencil tool and fill it in black.

[wegottees 0]

hey what part of washington are u in.. i live in the seattle-tacoma area...

[caleb 0]

Other side of the state... Spokane.

[wegottees 0]

thanks for the help so far, can see how it will work, but im a little puzzled when u say fill in the rest of white areas, with magic wand, and hold down shift, while clickin all of white areas, i did that, then went to select, and pushed inverse, and nothing happened, do i just color in the white spot with a pencil or is there something im missing,  just curious almost there

[caleb 0]

Maybe it just looks like nothing happened. It's hard to see what is happening. Your just inverting the selection at that point. So the selection goes from all the white to everything but white. Then you can use whatever method you prefer to fill. Either edit>fill (shift+F5) or just grab a super huge brush and paint over the top. Whatever you prefer. Just get that area all black. You basic goal is going to be this

[wegottees 0]

gotcha[/img]

[caleb 0]

You got it. Now just import both of those into SignBlazer and use the black image to create the cut mask and get it lined up around the detail image like you normally would. Those little tiny stray pixels might show up on the mask. It shouldn't affect the final product but it might make for a long cut time if your plotter tries to cut each little dot. In the future you want to try to keep those out of there (not sure if they picked up from a scan or what) cause they can be a nuisance, but you've pretty much got it.

[wegottees 0]

u seem pretty knowledgable,    so what is a carrier, i hear u need that on the back of transfer paper, to make it more stable? and not cut and tear paper.?? and how to you slow the speed down of cutter?

here is a little from the forum i was reading about carrier??

"Can someone please tell me how to cut Transfer paper (JPSS) with a cutter, of course the paper is going back and forth and the cutter is tearing it up. Can someone please help me? I've had my cutter for 2 months and Ken just help me set it up. Thanks Ken, but now I want to cut some things and I have no clue how to do...

The rollers on the lp24 are not the best grippers. You might be able to slow the speed down on the cutter to track better. Also how's the cutting force? Do you have enough or too much pressure on the blade?

Qui, I don't know your cutter, but there are some transfer papers I cannot cut on my GX-24 without using a carrier. I purchased a set of them at Walmart based on recommendations from some folks here on the forum and it has helped. Just having a semi-rigid carrier with adhesive seems to keep the paper in place far better than the rollers with certain papers. I've even managed to cut some transfer papers the manufacturer said you couldn't cut with a cutter. Good luck!"""

so where can i buy one what does it look like

[caleb 0]

I think what they are referring to there is just a backing sheet for your transfers. If the transfer you are cutting (or anything you are cutting for that matter) doesn't have two layers, you are going to run into problems. You just need something that you can use to make your own second layer. What people use varies quite a bit and will really depend on what works best for your application. The only thing that I cut that isn't vinyl is just plain old white computer paper. I create a backing for it with some basic 110lb 8.5x11 card stock (it cost about $7 for 150 sheets at walmart) and some spray adhesive which I get from my screen printing supplier but you could probably get locally at a hardware store (its just basically glue that comes out in a mist). Then I spray a VERY LIGHT amount of spray adhesive on my card stock and lay my normal 8.5x11 right on top (making sure to smooth it out to get rid of any wrinkles). Now i have two layers so I can cut the same way I would vinyl. If you make sure that your pressure is low enough that it isn't cutting into the backing card stock (which you really should do anyways to prolong the life of the blade) then you should be able to reuse the same piece over and over.

If you're going to be cutting something that small (8.5x11) then I would try card stock sold in sheets like that. If you're cutting something larger you might be able to get something similar like poster board or something. It might take a little trial and error to find what works best, but just find the one that works for you that isn't too expensive and go with that.

To lower the speed, just take your cutter offline (press the online button once) then press the mode button until you see "CutSpeed" in the display. Use the plus and minus button to adjust the speed and then when you are done hold the online button until it says "On Line" again. If most of your cuts are going to be more simple shapes like your example though, you probably wont have to lower it too much.

[wegottees 0]

lol went to walmart last night, it was a super walmart so i knew it would be open til at 11pm, then i went to scrapbooking area and found some cricut paper 12x12, then i really didnt understand cuz the 2 pieces of transfer paper i tried contour cut with work alone, even though i was a little worried about potential tears and rips, but once i got home i used it and its does wonders, so excited,

only problem im kinda facing now is: Since i use 11x17 transfer paper i go to file and work area, set it up in the preset at the 11x17, then import jpegs and mask, then i adjust the size of the jpeg and mask in the workarea to make it bigger just say making it 14x9 then...i go to file, then print, i got to printer properties, and adjust my print to 11x17, then click ok, then go back and click ok in sbe,THEN IT TAKES ME TO THE PREVIEW, AND MY PRINT IS STILL ONLY IN CORNER, ONLY USING LIKE A 1/3 OR 1/2 THE 11X17 SHEET....

HAS THIS HAPPENED TO YOU, WHAT PRINTER DO  U USE...?  I have a Epson stylus photo 1400... with CIS pigment ink!

[caleb 0]

Haven't read through the whole thing, but the answer to that question might be in this thread http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php/topic,17779.0.html. It sounds like a similar issue. I haven't come across that one since in only contour cut smaller size documents, but if I get a chance I will look into what is going on there a little later today.