Confusion on Flexi Starter 10

[markvvq 14]

After loading and trying to get Flexi starter 10 to contour cut last night I decided to wait and look at some tutorials. I saw how to import a bit map and make the boarder invisible so Flexi could draw a cut line around it. I was excited to try it out tonight and I discovered that there was no tool for bitmap editing in starter. The help file that comes with starter is actually for the full version and not starter specific. I'm not sure that starter can even do contour cut bitmaps. It will draw a line around text with no problems. Now I see there is a Flexi Starter 10 Pro version. I'm a little confused in the maze of Flexi products. Does any one here use the starter version for printing and contour cutting. Any one have a link to a starter specific tutorial. I know Skeeter is one of the Flexi power users here but she doesn't cut and print. She is good at deciphering the sometines cryptic instructions.

Mark

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

user Boosted posted a tutorial video, way back,,, he printed and used his Pcut to contour cut with Flexistarter 8.6, when contour cutting first came out on Flexistarter.

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

I sent you a PM Markvvg..

[Dr12volt1338 116]

FlexiStarter is a very basic text and graphic layout program. When I ordered my last cutter I got a copy of LXi Apprentice (Rebranded Flexi and same as Starter.) You really can't do much of anything with it except import files and add straight text to them. There are a few good tutorials on FlexiStarter on Youtube. They cover just the aspects utilized in Starter. This is just part 1 that I found. I think on Uscutters website they show the comparision in the features of each available level. If not I know Signwarehouse breaks it down with their LXi which is pretty much identical just a different name and it saves files with a different extension.

[markvvq 14]

Thanks for the help. Just got home from my other, other job. Will see if I can get anywhere with it. I can always fall back on Robomaster if necessary. I see that the utube vid said it has to be vector to work in Flexi. I dont consider a .bmp to be a vector file. Am I missing something here. I need to contour cut pic files. I will export them as ai and see if that will get results. I'll let you know.

Mark

[Dr12volt1338 116]

I don't think that FlexiStarter is going to do what you are looking for..... If you are trying to print a bitmap and contour cut around that there are going to be extra steps involved.... I will mess with my version in the morning and see what it would take... I have Flexi Pro and LXi apprentice I will put together a video and try and get it posted sometime tomorrow since I can hardly stay awake now....

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

Dr12volt,, I don't think you understand that Flexistarter 8.6 vs2 and Flexistarter 10 both have the contour cutting feature. This can be used to make any vinyl cutter, a contour cutting cutter, without a laser. The software measures from the blade in the middle of the registration mark.

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

If you look down on this EBAY ad you can see how to contour cut with Flexistarter 10

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FlexiStarter10-Vinyl-Cutter-Cutting-Plotter-Sign-Flexi-Starter-Flexisign-SAi-8-/170851459262?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27c78a60be

[markvvq 14]

Skeeter, That is who I purchased the program from. I sort of got it to work. It is not easy or intuitive. I exported the badge I was using as an AI file and chose save as vector from Corel X5. When I brought it into Flexi it was in the lower left corner of a box with a line from corner to corner creating an X. I finally figured out to ungroup and I was able to delete the box and X. I was than able to create a contour cut line and duplicate the badge 4 times. Next I added the registration marks. The first time I choose the wrong ones and had the frustration of the software telling me my cutter does not support this function. I tried again and scrolled further and found Graophtec type 2 automatic. All I had to do was load the page ( attached to a carrier as in my previous post) and arrow over to the 1st mark, lower right. Line up the cutter inside the mark. I did not press orgin. Once I clicked on cut it automatically read the other 3 marks in order and paused until I clicked on go. I was happy to see the blade go to the printed designs and zip around each one. After I do it a couple of times I will have a better understanding and be able to pay it forward. I checked other forums and there is more questions than answers. I don't think people want to share their techniques for contour cutting. I'm sure that the Graphtec still has an advantage because it is not necessary to manually line up the laser with the bullseye.

Mark

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

I found the video that BOOSTED posted on contour cutting with Flexistarter 8.6 or 10,,,, at the bottom of the thread is video Boosted is just using a PCUT

[Dr12volt1338 116]

Dr12volt,, I don't think you understand that Flexistarter 8.6 vs2 and Flexistarter 10 both have the contour cutting feature. This can be used to make any vinyl cutter, a contour cutting cutter, without a laser. The software measures from the blade in the middle of the registration mark.

I know they both have it but from what I understood he was trying to do was contour cut a bitmap... When I do it in my Apprentice it wants to contour cut around the "box" around the bitmap or the background... In my flexi pro I can eliminate the "box" and have it contour cut to the actual bitmap. I was under the impression this is where is issue was.......

[markvvq 14]

I know they both have it but from what I understood he was trying to do was contour cut a bitmap... When I do it in my Apprentice it wants to contour cut around the "box" around the bitmap or the background... In my flexi pro I can eliminate the "box" and have it contour cut to the actual bitmap. I was under the impression this is where is issue was.......

That is the issue. It appears that starter doesn't have that ability. I suppose it can be done with the magic wand in photoshop. That apperas to be what Flexi pro does in the back ground. Robo Master can handle that too. There are several tools for converting .bmp to vector. I haven't researched it enough to figure it all out. I'm not willing to shell out the money for pro at this time so I will look for a work around. I mainly need it for T-shirt transfers.

Thanks for looking into this and helping me out.

[Dr12volt1338 116]

Sounds like you have figured out a way that works for you. The more you do it I am sure you will find easier ways of doing it. There are a million ways to eliminate the background on the bitmaps you just have to find one that works with your software and skill level... Congrats on getting it going!

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

Now I'm confused. I just took a bitmap panda picture into Flexistarter,8.6 yes,,, it had a box around it, I put a contour on the panda it's self... the contour is only around the panda,,, not the box around it. Isn't that what you want? Or maybe I am not understanding what you want. . That could very well be.. LOL

[Dr12volt1338 116]

Looks like you are cutting an oval around the panda..... I was under the impression he wanted to actually print the panda then cut the panda shape out........ As far as I know the only way to do that was to vectorize it.... I know with any version you can contour cut a shape around it but not "contour" the actual shape of the image..... Maybe I am confused as well LOL..... Either way it seems as though Mark knows what he is doing now and the people helping him have managed to confuse themselves..(ourselves) LMAO

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

Ok, I hear what you are saying now...

[markvvq 14]

There is no problem cutting a square, oval or rounded square. A true contour cut cuts the exact shape. I need that with a bleed so no white shows at all. The transfer material is white. I print the badge in black with the white showing as the image. Sort of like a negative. That way when it is pressed on a black shirt it looks good. Now for black ink on a white shirt that is not critical. I can even trim it with an exacto knife and it will look fine when pressed onto white fabric. You can't even see the border. Only being able to contour the part of the image you can't even see was driving me crazy. I did find a way to do it directly from corel too. Paying my dues and burning out my gray matter with all these details.

Mark