Question about Zen Green & Graphtec

[cbsuperduty 0]

My small business is slowly growing and I do mostly shirt stuff. I hope to do more vinyl. I am considering getting a new cutter (current one is 12") and moving up to a 24" as material is easier to source. I have looked at a few different machines and one thing that intrigues me is the optical sensor for reading printed media. Is it really as simple as printing the design with a registration mark and then loading it in the cutter? Does it really work or do you have to screw with it a bunch to get it to work correctly? I know that these two machines have the capability but some claimed the LaserPoints did but then you had to mess with it to get to work right.

Any incites?

[MZ SKEETER 4,688]

these pictures by user  BOOSTED  was done with a PCut and Flexistarter 8.6 with contour cutting...  just thought I would throw that in.   big price savings.  

http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php/topic,28166.msg222266.html#msg222266

http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php/topic,27642.0.html

[cbsuperduty 0]

That would be awesome but unfortunately the savings would be ate up buy purchasing a PC. I use Macs and it doesn't look like they have a version of Flexi 8.6 w/contour cutting for MAC. I guess that I could try a VM with windows but I am not sure who that would work out and might be getting pretty janky.

[MZ SKEETER 4,688]

well,  you could ask them if this version has contour cutting....  maybe , maybe not.  just a thought,    But I do not use newer Pc for my business anyway.  I stay with an XP.  more stable,  and that is what my back up computer is, that I purchased last year. an XP  you can purchase them cheap on EBAY.  My business computer is totally separate from my personal computer. And it should be separate computers. You don't need a top of the line expensive computer to run a vinyl cutter. my 2c

http://cgi.ebay.com/MAC-Flexi-Starter-8-5-vinyl-cutter-Flexistarter-SIGN-/270580257731?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3effd713c3

[cbsuperduty 0]

Thanks Speedoggy. I did check with them and the Mac version doesn't do contour cutting. Got a month or so before I do anything but I think I may just break out the old XP machine (thought my wife pitched it during spring cleaning but I found it last night) to use just for cutting with that Flexi Starter that you linked and maybe go with the GCC Expert 24". I should have about $550.00 in everything shipped. Then I would get a larger cutter (double what I have now), ability to contour cut, and a lot more $$$ to get some more supplies.

Thanks for the advise!

[MZ SKEETER 4,688]

your welcome,  there ya go, and a big savings...  

[rm25x 0]

A laserpoint is nothing like a true optical sensor system.

Yes you can just load it in, it will auto scan for the registration marks and cut. The laser point just shines a little laser dot that you have to manually line up to the registration mark. It will get you close, but not perfect.