Need a little help with the Q-100 or FC7000 42" plotter

[Guest Schramm]

Well as you all know I bought a Vinyl Express Q-100 and so far I have got the driver set up and I am going to get the new Flexi software tomorrow.  Now I have a small issue that I think will be repaired once the new Clean Cut blades get here.  But I just want to ask you that own one if it may be something else - i think it is a wore out blade.

I cut 3 test cuts which consists of 3 boxes and 3 triangles in the box.  Here is the problem.  I have adjusted the settings to almost perfect but when I test cut now it is leaving a little tail which is not cut all the way through causing it to pull.  All other parts of the square and the traingle are perfect but its like it doesnt completely cut where it stops making the objects.  I think that it is probably the blade but if there is something else to check let me know.  I have watched each video that Signwarehouse (whos tech support wants to charge $99 to give me help).  I have always been a bid supporter even when others had issues but they really slammed me last night.

Any help with blade adjustment would be great.  Other then that, the machine is great and I cannot wait for the software to be here at 10:30 am so I can load it and cut something!!!  I will say one thing this makes my other cutter act like a toy!

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

ok, what do you have the blade offset at?  The Graphtec is 0 on blade offset.

[Guest Schramm]

The blade offset is set at "0", I tried adjusting it per the manual both up and down 2 but it didnt help so I went back to 0.  99% of the objects are perfect however it has at the end of the object run it just barley dosnt finish the entire cut (or so it seams.)

Personally I think that once I get the software tomorrow I will try to cut a couple of different size letters to see how that cuts and then Friday my new blades will be here from Clean Cut.  I think that the blade will make the differnce but if you have other ideas they are welcome.

Here are the settings:

Force

20

Speed

20

Condition

3

Origin

0

[Guest Schramm]

oops I meant offset not origin

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

I have the 30" FC7000.  I run my force at 13 for black and white  14-15 for colors,  Speed normally at 5  for most any large graphic.  Speed 2-3 for lettering .  I'm in no hurry and want it right the first time.    I use the Graphtec Cutting Controller  on option 9  and adjust everything force/speed  from my computer.  I just use the Graphtec blades.  I am not out of them yet.  I have several.

[Mollygrubber 6]

Schramm,

Go to SignWarehouse's Forum and ask, the techs answer for free!

Also in Cut & Plot go to advanced tab and see if overcut is set to .1

[Guest Schramm]

Schramm,

Go to SignWarehouse's Forum and ask, the techs answer for free!

Also in Cut & Plot go to advanced tab and see if overcut is set to .1

Ok you got me interested, can you tell me first the address for Signwarehouse's forum?

Next explain to me what you were talking about as I am very new to the machine.

[hockeygirl 30]

http://www.signwarehouse.com/forums/

You can also email signwarehouse support, email support is free, they only charge you when you call them if you don't have the premium support. They will either email back, but ironically  they usually call you back within the day after you send them email. I've had no problems go unresolved with them.

[Mollygrubber 6]

Schramm,

The overcut is used to add extra length to the end of each line cut.  It seems to help for small lettering, and fine cuts with weeding.

I'm new as well and have a tendency to adjust things just to see what happens so I'll know what causes or fixes problems.

Hockeygirl gave the link, Thanks

They also have lots of Q&A on their website.  http://www.signwarehouse.com/support/

[Guest Schramm]

Well today is a different day!  Flexi software got here at about 9:30 (Flexi support is the BOMB!) and now the software is installed and I must say without any hesitation that I am the proud new owner of a Graphtec!!!  OMG, the difference is day and night and the features that I took the day yesterday to learn are freaking amazing!  What used to take 5-8 minutes to cut on my other plotter takes less then 30 seconds to cut on this one!  For me it was a long process to decide on the purchase as $5000 is a ton of money to spend, but I got lucky and got this delivered to my door for $1225!!!  I can say out loud if you have the funds and you have a entry level machine....  Get a Graphtec, I promise you will NOT be disappointed!

Rob

Thanks for all the help, you guys are the best!

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

Great,  and congrats.  It is a total night and day with a Graphtec.  You made a great purchase.  I have never seen anybody disappointed yet. 

[Guest Schramm]

Trust me I will not be the first one!  The control panel is so easy to get use to as well and it cuts so quickly and perfectly.  I love love love the pre-feed funtion!  The vinyl tracks so nice on large runs and it is so fast to set up!  Makes me wonder why I fought myself on this decision to buy one for so damn long!!!

[hockeygirl 30]

Welcome to the club! I was completely in awe the first time I cut a 24"x15' job with no issues. I kept checking on it expecting it to screw up, but it never did... tracked perfectly, no random cuts, didn't stop in the middle... it was perfect!

[Guest Schramm]

To be really honest, I am cheap!  I always look for the least expensive way to do stuff and for me it has always worked.  Before the CutterPro CS1200 I had a Seiki 24" and 48" units and they were IMO better then the Cutter Pro but mostly because at the time I had software for the XP I was using and when I had my computer get hit by lightning I bought a Vista and then bought a CutterPro unit which all said it was Vista compatable (NOT!!!!).  Now I do cut a lot for my mirror business but I cut also for many faux finishers all over the US that I have known for years!  Doing a design for someone else is not the best but then to add to it having issues with the cutter and there is no money in it.  The new machine does so damn much more then that old machine that I cannot even begin to tell you how many things are better.  I just cut a 48"L x 13.5"T Wall word and weeded it in 1 minute 5 seconds!!!  WTF, that would of taken me over 5-6 minutes just to cut on the other machine and I would of had issues...  LOVE this new toy!

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

Another convert!