mxracer394 22 Posted June 21, 2012 Im looking to get a cutter to do friends and my personal stuff....will only be doing.numbers and logos for race cars and go karts....looking very hard at the mh 24"....would rhat be good.enough to do a few race cars and karts on occasions...not looking to start a business just mire of a hobby...any advice would be greatly appreciated Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mb20music 760 Posted June 21, 2012 I am not trying to take away business from US Cutter but I would suggest consider checking Craigslist or Ebay for a used Graphtec or Roland. You can sometimes find great deals on them but can take awhile unless you are lucky. Either that or maybe get a Copam (new) they are sold by US Cutter. I went from a PCUT to a Copam and I recently purchased a used Graphtec. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mxracer394 22 Posted June 21, 2012 I have been hitting craigslist pretty hard with no luck and Ebay seems like I can buy new for ehat stuff us going for on there except the refurbs from uscutter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mb20music 760 Posted June 21, 2012 If you are in a hurry then I would suggest going with the Copam Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mb20music 760 Posted June 21, 2012 I have been hitting craigslist pretty hard with no luck and Ebay seems like I can buy new for ehat stuff us going for on there except the refurbs from uscutter I have seen some people get some really good deals on used Graphtecs and Rolands on ebay but they are few and far between unfortunately. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rodger 527 Posted June 21, 2012 Deoends on how much a warranty is worth ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,451 Posted June 21, 2012 I swear by the 34" cutter -- I'm always finding myself using wider materials for various jobs, and 24" just is too limiting. The USCUTTER 24" SC machine is sold NEW for $279 and an extra $90 gets you the 34" (same thing with the $179 MH 24", you'll pay $90 for the upgrade in size to 34") Just be aware that the MH is considerably louder in operation than the SC, but if that doesn't matter to you, then go ahead and save $100. and be happy with the MH (I was using it as my primary workhorse in a retail environment for several months, and then I got the SC as a backup and prefer its quieter mechanism) Either way, you'll have a blast doing decals on those cars. Well worth looking into owning the MEGAVAULT Dvd set that goes for around $50 on eBay. (10 dvd's with an incredible assortment of cuttable graphics --- the set includes racing stripes, flames, Kanji, scorpions, fantasy, nude girls, and much much more, you'll go nuts) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mxracer394 22 Posted June 21, 2012 Im not worried to much about the noise... But I dont want to get the mh model and it be junk....I dont plan to use UT everyday maybe not even every week.....if course I'll use the heck out of it at first.... Im not looking for something to do a pro job but im willing to pay good money for good.equipment.... I feel for the use I will be using it for I can spend more on the.software and not break the bank on the cutter.... As for as like 8" to 24" numbers can you actually tell a difference in a 300 dollar cutter and a 800 dollar cutter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mb20music 760 Posted June 21, 2012 You can use the free Signblazer software so you don't have to pay for software. The main difference is the quality of the unit, the Copam is a much more solid unit and comes with a 2 year warranty. The MH and SC I believe only have a 90 day warranty, so that alone should tell you something. But of course it is totally up to you. It is your money. Also, the Copam can cut smaller letters cleaner and can handle finer detail than the lower end cutters should you decide you want to cut small decals and not just large numbers. Just something else you might want to think about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mabscotthandyman 1,410 Posted June 22, 2012 My advice read the post on the different cutters the more expensive cutters defiantly do a better job . Do the research buy the best you can afford like most things the quality goes up with the price good luck . Dan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mxracer394 22 Posted June 22, 2012 I think im gonna get the mh 34" just to see if I really wanna do this.....hate to spend a grand and get aggravated with it....can anyone point me in the right direction as far as what else I need to buy to be able to do sponsor logos and numbers?....I seen a race car number clipart on Ebay for under 20 bucks but I dont know if any clip art stuff will work with the mh.... Thanks for all the replies Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,451 Posted June 22, 2012 As I mentioned previously, eBay Search -- HUGE MEGA VECTOR CLIPART FOR SIGN VINYL PLOTTER CUTTER I cannot emphasize enough the importance of that collection in your pursuit of decorating vehicles with stripes, and other customization elements. Just import those .eps vector files into your cutting software (SignBlazer will be fine for this) and adjust size to fit. The MH runs seamlessly with SignBlazer (The correct driver is named REDSAIL RS1120C, or MH Refine, depending on which version of SignBlazer you install) For sponsor logos, you might want to bookmark BrandsOfTheWorld.com (free sign-up for downloading) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted June 22, 2012 As I mentioned previously, eBay Search -- HUGE MEGA VECTOR CLIPART FOR SIGN VINYL PLOTTER CUTTER I cannot emphasize enough the importance of that collection in your pursuit of decorating vehicles with stripes, and other customization elements. I'll second that - watch the auctions, especially for one that will end around 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning and bid on those. They sell it through their website for $999 - or Buy it Now on ebay for $299 - I ended up winning an early morning auction and got it for $150 and I'm sure others have got it even cheaper. It is a metric butt-load (1 metric butt-load = 1.3 American crap-loads) of clipart. There are a lot of duplicates (you'll find the same naked girls and evil clowns in the "Biker" collection that you'll find in the "Girls" and "Clowns" collections, for example) - but there are so many pieces of clipart that the <5% of duplicates isn't an issue. The biggest weakness to the collection is the crappy set of thumbnail catalogs they provide. For some reason a lot of the vector clipart is shrunk down so it only takes up a fraction of the page and when they created the thumbnails they came out very blocky and pixelated. They are inconsistent with the number of thumbnails per page - some collections have 24 thumbnails per page, others have 100 thumbnails per page. I can understand why they would do that if they were printing the catalog and including it in the package, but since all you're getting are PDF files on a DVD, why cheap out? I ended up deleting their catalogs and used Adobe Bridge, Photoshop and Illustrator to create new ones with 20 thumbnails per page - that way people can look through my catalog without having to squint. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted June 22, 2012 As I mentioned previously, eBay Search -- HUGE MEGA VECTOR CLIPART FOR SIGN VINYL PLOTTER CUTTER I cannot emphasize enough the importance of that collection in your pursuit of decorating vehicles with stripes, and other customization elements. Just import those .eps vector files into your cutting software (SignBlazer will be fine for this) and adjust size to fit. The MH runs seamlessly with SignBlazer (The correct driver is named REDSAIL RS1120C, or MH Refine, depending on which version of SignBlazer you install) For sponsor logos, you might want to bookmark BrandsOfTheWorld.com (free sign-up for downloading) on the HUGE MEGA VECTOR CLIPART ON EBAY...You also have to zoom those vectors up real good and look them over before cutting them, Or you will find that you wasted your vinyl. Some need a lot of clean up. Not cut ready as stated. Check out the vector on Butterfly 76 on wire frame. Terrible.I just spent some time fixing that design. I have already cleaned up a bunch of his designs before I was satisfied with the finished product after it was cut... I have to zoom up,and look over every new design real good, , that I haven't cut yet, or you find you just cut a mess. Just to let you know... The set has a lot of great designs, but you just have to look them over first.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,451 Posted June 22, 2012 Okey-Dokey, a two-fer. ( I didn't mean to hijack the thread, but those two responses above were invaluable. Thanks. ) -- That idea of re-creating the catalogues/thumbnails is excellent, and I'm going to run the jpegs through Irfanview to build good reference images. -- At some point, I'm going to just have to learn how to 'clean up' vector graphics within Inkscape. It's one of those "To-Do" things on my list, which means I'll have to actually sit down, watch some tutorials, play around a bit, and get the hang of node editing. I keep putting it off, thinking I'll get around to dealing with node editing eventually, but now that I know these clipart files are somewhat "wonky" it's the perfect excuse to make the effort to figure out how to accomplish that essential graphics task. Simply amazing that I managed to get this far without knowing it. I now return everyone back to the regularly-scheduled thread topic ---- lettering race cars & go carts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted June 22, 2012 Slice.... I am years ahead of you on the files.. That is how I know. I have had my files since 2006.. Mine are zipped files. But I have purchased a few other discs from him since then. .But same stuff. That is when I started in this business. LOL But,,, I still run into a bad file now and again, that I haven't made yet.. Just to make people aware who are buying the discs on EBAY. Be prepared to do some cleaning up on them... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mxracer394 22 Posted June 23, 2012 1 one question what is different fron the mh and a digital cutter? Seen one advertised and the picture looked more like a wrap coming out rather than a vinyl single.layer decal.... It was 500....I thought cutters.that made wraps were thousands of dollars Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted June 23, 2012 show us what you are referring to. So we can answer you better.. Gosh,,, I saw a digital wireless cutter for $40, but I sure wouldn't buy it...LOL it was called Slice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mxracer394 22 Posted June 23, 2012 http://www.signwarehouse.com/shop/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=d502eba132acc863c18e8e95c2b2271a&Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SC&Product_Code=SPEC-CE5000-60ST-1&Category_Code=EQ-VC-G-CE30 Not exactly the one.pictured, but the vinyl hanging in the machine....I didnt think you could print a imagine out on a vinyl cutter like that......I thoughy you only had a 1 color sheet of vinyl come out rather than red and white like what is shown in picture......is that picture red vinyl with the decal removed..... Im kinda confused now.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,451 Posted June 23, 2012 You are absolutely correct, mxracer ---- what you see there is a regular vinyl cutter, exactly the same functionality as the MH. However, in the picture, someone decided to get clever and did the weeding of this vinyl, and then replaced it into the cutter, to make it seem to be coming out that way. That photo is actually misleading advertising. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted June 23, 2012 That photo is actually misleading advertising. <cought, cough> That photo is one that Graphtec themselves use on their webpage, and I know I've seen it on other websites selling Graphtec products...including the company this forum is named for... Although it might mislead people into thinking that your decals come out of the machine already cut and weeded (and how SWEET would that be?) I don't find it terribly misleading - a "realistic" photo would just show a plotter with a big red square of vinyl hanging out of the front and that doesn't really show off what you're actually doing. Now, if they showed a 4-color decal cut, weeded, picked and layered coming out of the machine - that I would consider misleading... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted June 23, 2012 If you can afford it, the Graphtec would be the one to purchase.... Great quality, solid machine, very quite running. Less problem running, can run on a USB with no problems.. I have had mine over 4 years, never a problem.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,451 Posted June 23, 2012 <cought, cough> ...Although it might mislead people into thinking that your decals come out of the machine already cut and weeded (and how SWEET would that be?) I don't find it terribly misleading... The mere fact that this thread drifted into MXRacer asking what's going on there, proves that it certainly is misleading. That word "terribly" is a qualifier which you inserted to reduce the impact, but unless the casual viewer understands the entire weeding process and how these machines operate, then the photo misleads one to believe you can press a button and get that design to roll out all finished. Is it showing something that doesn't exist in reality? Absolutely. That's why I answered MXRacer to clarify, because he was mislead. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mabscotthandyman 1,410 Posted June 23, 2012 The mere fact that this thread drifted into MXRacer asking what's going on there, proves that it certainly is misleading. That word "terribly" is a qualifier which you inserted to reduce the impact, but unless the casual viewer understands the entire weeding process and how these machines operate, then the photo misleads one to believe you can press a button and get that design to roll out all finished. Is it showing something that doesn't exist in reality? Absolutely. That's why I answered MXRacer to clarify, because he was mislead. In reality if you are going to purchase a cutter at almost $2000.00 or even at $200.00 you should have became knowledgeable about the product and the way it works I am into my 60s but embrace technology and research about any thing before I buy now. I also compare quality,warrantys,and the companys that sell the product and how they stand behind their products . Before I bought a cutter I knew the difference between the cutters the software and how they worked it took me just a few minutes from unboxing to my first cut . It has been posted many times on here about research and it is true also before purchasing. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,451 Posted June 23, 2012 In reality if you are going to purchase a cutter at almost $2000.00 or even at $200.00 you should have became knowledgeable about the product and the way it works... Yeah, one would certainly think potential buyers know what's what, but apparently, that isn't always the case. I can't even begin to count the number of threads on these Forums that start "Newbie, what cutter should I buy?"and proceed to completely flabbergast us with a series of already-asked and answered questions. Research? Pfffffffttttt. Whip out a credit card, get the unit delivered, hook it up, and THEN ask how to go about doing stuff. This is not something only unique to cutters and equipment in our field, but is prevalent in consumerism in general, I've noticed over the years. Has the internet helped? I often am frustrated to see that it has made some people less inclined to find out answers on their own. I mean, now there's a popular site called LMGTFY, which exists just to offer a snappy reply to those who ask such basic question, because they're unable (or maybe too lazy?) to even type in a search on Google. Which blows my mind. At least this thread did bring up something that was kinda not obvious to the unitiated (the photo showing a fully weeded output) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
