Anyone cutting magnetics on Graphtec FC series?

[907customs]

I've got an FC7000, I tried a long time ago, with terrible results. Is anyone doing this successfully? If so, any tips, tricks, etc. I'd like to be able to print a sheet of vinyl, apply it to the magnetic, and contour cut it...

 

[CL Graphics]

good luck, i tried this on my mimaki and panther cutter last week. Ended up putting a cut line on the print and cutting by hand.

 

[The Big Squeegee]

Magnetic material is made of clay and will dull the blade real fast. If you could do it, use an old blade. I think the thingthat worked best was to cut through the vinyl and finish it with a blade by hand. It may even break off once the surface is scored.

 

[The Sign Dude]

We had an old FC2100 we used to cut it with. you have to play wih it a little bit (speed and down force). the trick it is to only score the mag material and then break it at the score line. I wouldnt try to cut a long run either. we only cut about 4ft at a time and it wrked great.

Oh yeh if you lay scrap vinyl across the front and back of your plotter it will help keep it from trying to stick to the metal surfaces.

 

[woolly]

did you notice that the mag clinged to the bed of the 7000.

there is more alloy on the roland which did cut it but the feed calibration was way off.

to be honest more trouble than it was worth

woolly

 

[rcook99]

You may have a better chance to contour cut with the SUMMA T series. I have seen a few posts about people using the older T-750 for contour cutting magnetics as it is a TRUE tangential cutter which basically means it cuts one direction lifts the knife rotate it to cut the other direction, It is not a drag knife style cutter. The blades are much heavier made than the drag knife style cutters.

 

[907customs]

Biggest problem before, was the tracking, seemed to really stick to the metal...I was also trying to cut really deep. SW tech support mentioned masking the back side to prevent it from sticking to the metal on the plotter. I might give it another try, turn on the tangential emulation?, and just lightly score the magnetic material, then break it apart, or finish it with an exacto. I'll keep you guys posted...

 

[rcook99]

Keep in mind that the Graphtec Tangential emulation is not the same as the SUMMA as it is unable to rotate the blade like the SUMMA. Maybe if you cut it 2 or 3 times only starting at a lower pressure and raise it after each pass.