Cutting Small.. SC series?? HELP!

[3barefoot 52]

I'm trying to cut this saying out on my SC series cutter and it keeps picking the letters or not cutting all the way. My settings on my machine is SPD:500mm and PRS:120g

 

One pic is what I'm trying to do.. the other pic is of my SCA and the gold pic is what I get from my cutter

[bikemike 711]

My first guess would be to much blade sticking out and slow it down on the small stuff.

[Dawn's Design 403]

Could be a dull blade. I have the same cutter and when my blade starts getting dull it picks a little like that.

[slice&dice 2,450]

The bottom photo illustrates a failure of the machine to properly track (the vinyl is not moving correctly on the x and y axis)

 

Here's a few points to investigate:

 

1. The far right-hand rubber pressure roller might be over too far and not coming into actual contact with the lower grit roller

2. The grit roller itself is loose and requires tightening (allen wrench)

3.  Try SignBlazerELEMENTS instead of SCA and do the design and cut in that alternate program.

http://support.uscutter.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/GetAttachment/190/24198

4. Look at the cutting strip and verify that it isn't covered by the protective tape that it was shipped with from the factory.

 

Those are good places to begin to troubleshoot.

[skarekrow 1,842]

There seem to be several problems and adjustments needing attention...

Is this butcher paper in the photo you included ? (close up shown)

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

Also, now that you are picking up the vinyl, there is a good chance that you have gotten adhesive on your blade.  Clean your blade, and a drop or 2 of light oil in your blade holder to make sure it is spinning correctly. 

 

Best way to  set your blade depth.

 

To start with, you should set your blade depth correctly, by taking the blade holder out of the machine, and firmly cut across a piece of scrap vinyl, you will be cutting. You should only be cutting the vinyl and barely a mark on wax paper backing, Adjust blade to get there, Then put the blade holder back in machine, and use the force of the machine to get there, same results, only cutting the vinyl and barely a mark in wax paper backing.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

looks like 3 things to me - way too much blade like said above, possible wrong offset from looks of corners and vinyl slipping - are you unrolling first so it isn't trying to pull from the whole roll?   

[Monkey 252]

Way too much pressure also. I run at 30g tops on my SC and for something that small you need to drop your speed to 100

[3barefoot 52]

Ok.. the gold pic was with a new blade. Blade is not cutting threw to the back of the vinyl. The trash paper is a roller mark. It was doing the same to my black vinyl which is the color I need so I got tried of wasting my black which is why I switched to gold.  I will slow my speed and change to 30G... FINGERS CROSSED

[3barefoot 52]

Ok now next question.... The letters are not cutting out well... Could it be my blade is not down low enough?? When I go to pull the extra vinyl off... I have to use my knife to keep the letters on the backing?

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

what kind of vinyl are you using? 

 

I gave you instructions above, on how to set your blade depth. 

Do some smaller test cuts first. So you can adjust the force correctly.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

there is something else wonkie on that cutter on the side to side movement - either something loose in the head, carriage not on tracks, something else is up the more I look at the pics - and too much blade out

[battlecattle 2]

I had a motor burn out and when I replaced it, I forgot to check the tension on the belt between the motor and rollers.  That caused massive headaches to figure it out but it was a simple fix.

[3barefoot 52]

This machine isn't even a month old.. I just got it like the 1st week in November. The vinyl I'm using is the one I ordered in my package deal through US Cutter...   http://www.uscutter.com/12-Color-Vinyl-Starter-Pack

[joker 618]

Okay i had some of the same problems like you are having. I set my blade up like MZ Skeeter has stated. Then i used the pressure setting to get where i needed to be. My pressure is set at 22g and i run my speed at 200. I was having some trouble and decided to switch back to the 45 degree blade for cutting just fonts and wala it came out beautiful. If you are using signblazer i have my offset set at 30mm. The end of the story i feel like my 60 degree blade was my issue with cutting fonts outs. Maybe try a 45 degree blade and see what happens. Run your pressure down a little bit

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

  That is Greenstar vinyl , Get rid of that vinyl, and get some good vinyl like Oracal.  As many have stated on here, that is just a basic practice vinyl and not suited for this job or nothing to give a customer. ..  Some use that vinyl for taping boxes, if you get my point.  From what I felt of it, it's kinda stiff.  

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

Okay i had some of the same problems like you are having. I set my blade up like MZ Skeeter has stated. Then i used the pressure setting to get where i needed to be. My pressure is set at 22g and i run my speed at 200. I was having some trouble and decided to switch back to the 45 degree blade for cutting just fonts and wala it came out beautiful. If you are using signblazer i have my offset set at 30mm. The end of the story i feel like my 60 degree blade was my issue with cutting fonts outs. Maybe try a 45 degree blade and see what happens. Run your pressure down a little bit

if you do change to a 60 degree blade you have to change the offset also from stated above. . . .Normally I am right there with skeeter on the vinyl but till you figure out what is causing the ugly cuts keep practicing with the greenstar then switch to oracal after you get it dialed in.  so what changed over the month when this started?

I will bet on bigger stuff this isn't as noticable - the size of your roller mark shows this is really small cutting to the cutter must be dialed in very well to even attempt that with the sc . . .. .

Lets take is slow

1   Have  you adjusted the blade per skeeters instructions?

2 what do you have your offset set at?

3. do a test cut from the plotter and show us the weeded test box . . . .

we will go from there

[WHIT72 36]

I have the SC and like others have said its way to much pressure and slow it down. Slow and steady wins the race. I have cut multiple projects have that size with this cutter it is possible.

It takes patients to get this thing dialed in but once you do you will be sailing along.

Good luck

[joker 618]

Dakota was not aware of the offset being changed for the 60 degree blade. Will be checking that out. Just got 3 new ones in the other day.

[Wildgoose 4,200]

I agree with the crew, double check the depth. You should barely even be able to tell there is a blade sticking out. I sometimes take a flash light and watch from the side at vinyl level as its cutting to be sure that the holder is just barely clearing the top of the vinyl. 

 

Looking at the text you cut I would bet your off set if wrong, not sure what that is for the SC model. I would also double check that you are keeping the hold down rollers over the grit rollers on the drive shaft. The text looks really horrible and that is very suspect. 

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

Dakota was not aware of the offset being changed for the 60 degree blade. Will be checking that out. Just got 3 new ones in the other day.

Joker - check out the 4th post down in this thread - once you understand offset it helps to visualize it  http://www.vinylforum.org/smf/resources/offset-diagram/

[joker 618]

Thanks Dakota.

[3barefoot 52]

Ok all this is new to me.. for right now I have passed on the small fonts... How do I even check the offset?? 

[security802 686]

Ok all this is new to me.. for right now I have passed on the small fonts... How do I even check the offset?? 

Offset is in your cutting software is scalp its on the cut screen about half way down. Mine is set at .25 for the 45degree blade

[jaybyrd 3,770]

You can check if offset needs adjustment by simply cutting a square. If they are rounded or hooked on the corners you need to adjust your offset. If the corners are square offset is fine.