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Anyone have the CG-60AR?
- Thread starter mghtrk
- Start date
Smoke_Jaguar
New Member
Most plotters can do creasing, just need the tool. It's just a glorified nail sunk into plastic, so can go cheap if you want at the usual culprits like eBay/Amazon. We were looking at one, but for the price and speed, we figure we might as well save up and go for a full on Graphtec or Summa. If you're creasing especially thick or dense materials, even at maximum force, you might not get great results. Good for stuff like semi rigid paperboard and the like, but materials can vary wildly.
Smoke_Jaguar
New Member
I was looking at the CG130-AR initially due to size requirements. But, since we print a lot of holographic media, it can be a pain in the butt on registration marks. Helped another print shop set up one of the FC9000's and both the speed and the white light registration mark system really impressed me.
At the moment, we're actually using a dirt cheap US Cutter LaserPoint 3 53", and it's surprisingly good for the price. Not recommended if you're doing multiple cut types however, as you have to catch the transition and manually set the pressure. If you're just doing contour, crease or perf cuts on a job, not too terrible. The thing essentially has no safeties or sensors, so it can throw a sheet and tear it 9 ways to Tuesday and just not care. That said, for the size and price, Mimaki is very competitive on the AR series, about the cheapest I know of for the price with pretty much all the features of their FX series. Speeds cap out about half as much as a newer Graphtec (at least in specs), but they seem quite capable.
Figure out what features you want and go from there. I imagine you want ARMS or ID cut to save on alignment. Speed, volume, and other features will determine where to go from there. If you want to go really fancy, Summa seems to have some amazing features, but not played with those in person. If you need a creasing tool, some package deals offer it, but they can be sourced on their own (Mimaki's OPT-C0243 mostly plastic creasing tool is $90, a genuine all-metal Roland dual tip CRT-2 is $99, knockoffs way cheaper). I've even stuck a piece of metal rod inside an old knockoff blade holder and filed it to a point to use as a crease tool in the past. The little clip-on table platform pieces are nice, but not all that necessary. If you want a sticky backer sheet for cut/crease jobs as well, can use knockoff Cricut style sheets too. As long as your software of choice works with your cutter, there's not many 'wrong' choices here.
At the moment, we're actually using a dirt cheap US Cutter LaserPoint 3 53", and it's surprisingly good for the price. Not recommended if you're doing multiple cut types however, as you have to catch the transition and manually set the pressure. If you're just doing contour, crease or perf cuts on a job, not too terrible. The thing essentially has no safeties or sensors, so it can throw a sheet and tear it 9 ways to Tuesday and just not care. That said, for the size and price, Mimaki is very competitive on the AR series, about the cheapest I know of for the price with pretty much all the features of their FX series. Speeds cap out about half as much as a newer Graphtec (at least in specs), but they seem quite capable.
Figure out what features you want and go from there. I imagine you want ARMS or ID cut to save on alignment. Speed, volume, and other features will determine where to go from there. If you want to go really fancy, Summa seems to have some amazing features, but not played with those in person. If you need a creasing tool, some package deals offer it, but they can be sourced on their own (Mimaki's OPT-C0243 mostly plastic creasing tool is $90, a genuine all-metal Roland dual tip CRT-2 is $99, knockoffs way cheaper). I've even stuck a piece of metal rod inside an old knockoff blade holder and filed it to a point to use as a crease tool in the past. The little clip-on table platform pieces are nice, but not all that necessary. If you want a sticky backer sheet for cut/crease jobs as well, can use knockoff Cricut style sheets too. As long as your software of choice works with your cutter, there's not many 'wrong' choices here.
nitro912gr
New Member
I'm looking into creasing too. Summa released the S3 with the TC dual head, but the price is above and beyond our little shop. It is like 9K plus VAT and the mimaki is like 2K plus VAT. Sure it need constant replacing between the tools but for that price difference I'm willing to do it, after all you just need to plan ahead and do the creasing first and then the cuts.
I also wait for a price on GCC AFR-24S with automatic feeder, but I don't expect it to be cheap, probably it will land in the 5K area.
I already have a summa d60 but the head is damaged and putting something that require so much force like a creaser will probably break my little instant logo fixing.
I also wait for a price on GCC AFR-24S with automatic feeder, but I don't expect it to be cheap, probably it will land in the 5K area.
I already have a summa d60 but the head is damaged and putting something that require so much force like a creaser will probably break my little instant logo fixing.
Hello guys,
Sorry about the question, but what do you guys use the creasing tool for the most ? I'm working with small custom boxes. but I just started and I'm looking for something that can crease, I use my Mimaki CVJ30-100 to print, I'm using the blade tool to kind lets say "Crease" It works, BUTTT, you can feel that the corners are cut, on the fold, the creasing toll look like it does a way better job and not cutting the paper on the fold, but kind smashing the paper on the fold.
I'm trying to get more details on what kind of material to use the creasing plotter, did any of you try using the PEN tool to see if it can do the same as the creasing tool ?
I see people using this Mimaki CG-60AR, but its 1 by 1, 1 item at the time, I guess it can work with roll paper instead paper sheet right ?
Thank you guys.
Sorry about the question, but what do you guys use the creasing tool for the most ? I'm working with small custom boxes. but I just started and I'm looking for something that can crease, I use my Mimaki CVJ30-100 to print, I'm using the blade tool to kind lets say "Crease" It works, BUTTT, you can feel that the corners are cut, on the fold, the creasing toll look like it does a way better job and not cutting the paper on the fold, but kind smashing the paper on the fold.
I'm trying to get more details on what kind of material to use the creasing plotter, did any of you try using the PEN tool to see if it can do the same as the creasing tool ?
I see people using this Mimaki CG-60AR, but its 1 by 1, 1 item at the time, I guess it can work with roll paper instead paper sheet right ?
Thank you guys.
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Smoke_Jaguar
New Member
You can buy just the creasing tool from Mimaki, or get a Roland style one and use that.
Smoke_Jaguar
New Member
Mimaki OPT-C0243 Creasing tool
It's a glorified nail embedded inside clear plastic, about $90 list.
It's a glorified nail embedded inside clear plastic, about $90 list.
Happy New Year to everyone,
Thank you all for the tips and information provided here, It worked as "Smoke_Jaguar" mentioned above, I got the creasing tool from Roland brand and some from china to try, all worked great.
Thank you all for the tips and information provided here, It worked as "Smoke_Jaguar" mentioned above, I got the creasing tool from Roland brand and some from china to try, all worked great.
Smoke_Jaguar
New Member
Looks great, what kind of cardstock are you using and is it roll or sheet form? Been looking for a good cardstock roll paper for my UCJV300 and looks like you got that down.
Hey, I used poster boards from Walmart, but they are not suitable for printing on a Mimaki printer. It's not the printer's fault; rather, the paper is not treated to receive liquid ink. Consequently, I had to print on a laser printer.
I use the SIHL TriSolvent Premium paper 200gr 8Mil semiGloss from Grimco "https://grimco.com/Catalog/Product/IM0130" store, BUT it's not the ideal one, it's lil thin, I'm looking for a ticker around 230gr with 10Mil, I think it will be thick enough for custom boxes jobs.
Smoke_Jaguar
New Member
Yeah, at that weight, might be better suited to small boxes under 2-3" cubed before it gets kind of floppy. That said, I like Sihl media, use it when people want crazy high detail/color stickers and I use an Epson 9900. Water based inks and sticker media, a rare combination. Expensive, but looks amazing and their stuff tends to be very consistent.