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Attention all Suppliers or anyone who wants to sell a plotter!!!

Flame

Flame

New Member
I'm getting ticked. I want a plotter that will suit my needs, and it seems no one can provide it for me. So if there are any suppliers on here, or anyone knowledgeable about this.... please, I'm highly interested.

I want to .... cut through printed & laminated, 18mil decals. So far my Graphtec isn't cutting it (literally). I'm getting blade drag on any graphics over 14mil thick, leaving scratch lines all over my print. I have e-mailed Summa, talked to my local dealers, called the west coast Graphtec rep, even mailed a sample to their headquarters. No one has been able to help me.

I know guys are cutting through this stuff (it's for bike decals by the way). I had to spend hours fiddling with my Graphtec just to cut through 14mil properly.... but it simply won't cut 18mil.

If anyone thinks they can sell me a plotter, I'm highly interested. Heck, even if it's just a thermal die machine that can handle 30" media and is easy to setup.... I'd be up for that!!!!!!!!! I just need something that will handle my needs, and I know I will have to pay for it.







Can anyone help me?
 
Fred Weiss

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
Can you spell G-E-R-B-E-R.

Blade drag will cause vinyl to skew in any friction feed plotter. You need to have tractor feed to run high drag thicknesses ... or a flatbed plotter.

Talk to Graphic Marking Systems. They sell Convex, specialty films and laminates Graphtec plotters and Gerber systems.
 
Flame

Flame

New Member
Talked to Graphic Marking Systems.... didn't get anywhere.

Talked to local Graphtec dealer AND the local rep. Both of them talked me out of the flatbed...?????? Said it would still cause blade drag?

Tried a Summa.... had blade drag. But it was NOT their tangential machine, and I heard they have a sandblast style blade holder for it, to allow more lift? True?

Any dealers on here... come on guys... my moneys green!!!!!!
 
Derf

Derf

New Member
Gerber 4B... LOL

Try to find an old tractor feed as Fred mentioned. also my 4b used steel weights so you can add as much weight as you needed. Hell you could put a 20lbs weight on it if you wanted to.
 
D

dclet

New Member
I heard they have a sandblast style blade holder for it, to allow more lift? True?
Click to expand...

Summa S class T series - more money but a much better machine.

yup, different insert with a 60 degree blade. I cut plenty of anchor 135, and over 72" long. I also cut 15mil and 30 mil magnetic, with my Summa T-750 pro.

I think having a seperate machine set up just for the thicker stuff makes sense....
 
D

dclet

New Member
s class is heavy duty, top of the line...I have yet to see a better machine.

the opos works..perfect and is now included on all their machines. Infact I just purchased another Summa just to cut laminated prints....

If you want to send me a sample I'd be more then happy to tell you what to expect...honestly..
I do not do any mx graphics, I have zero knowledge of the convex material, but have been cutting vinyl for a loooong time.

I am sure Summa would do that for you also. Just ask 'em

What's nice with the opos is that you can always send it through again...spot on...
 
Kottwitz-Graphics

Kottwitz-Graphics

New Member
Flame Master said:
So... you think the 750 Pro SL will do the trick? With OPOS?

http://www.pacificcoastsignsupply.com/catalog/Summa_Cutters.htm

$5K for a 30" plotter.... whoooeee!!! Not cheap! But I guess a lot cheaper than a flatbed. Still.....

Would love to test one to make sure it will cut it. Don't want to be buying something that will end up just holding the door open.
Click to expand...

I second Summa. Long story short, I researched them about 8 years ago, and looked at all kinds of plotters, and ended up buying a Summa (for a company that I was working for). Recently, I went in business for myself, and bought another Summa... Awsome Machines.

Give Drew G. a call (the sales manager at Summa, and a heck of a nice guy). If you send him a sample of material, I bet he would plot it and send it back to you.
 
J

jkkt

New Member
Flame,

Can't help you with an independent plotter suggestion as we were unable to find a suitable alternate ourselves. We are cutting the 18 mil utilizing the roland sp-300.
 
onesource

onesource

New Member
Try Ioline Smart Tracks They should have enough pressure on the pinch rollers to keep the vinyl from skewing.
Would not hurt to call them
Good luck
 
Derf

Derf

New Member
have you just tried to cut twice! some times when I forget to adjust the blade I just send it again (with out removing the vinyl) and it goes through on the second pass.. I know it does not solve you problem but my buy you some time.
 
J

jayhawksigns

New Member
Another nod towards Summa. Our unit has cut everything we have thrown at it. The big difference IMHO is the tangential head is the only way to go.
 
J

Just Another Sign Guy

New Member
for the record i have a summa and am a HUGE summa fan and recommend them for almost all plotter needs. but for what Flame is doing (motorcycle graphics) i would still suggest a flatbed, i have seen some heavy duty ones that cut through cardboard, canvas, etc. cutting through 18mil shouldn't be a issue and since motorcycle graphics are relatively small cutting them on a flatbed wouldnt pose a problem that would be a huge issue for those of us making 4X8 signs and such
 
G

gnemmas

New Member
leaving scratch lines all over my print
Click to expand...
This problem is caused by: 1. the knife tip clearance 2. the vinyl lifted up from the platen while advancing.

Tangential knife will not necessary work if the vinyl still puckle-up and knife clearance is not sufficient. Like my Gerber HS15 plotter, will have the same problem when cutting lexan film.

Try on your Graphtec plotter with a smaller width of that vinyl, shorten the pinch roller distance and observe the lay-flatness of the vinyl and the knife clearance.
 
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