Best free or cheap entry level software to cut vinyl?

[Paul-ish]

Hi there!

I have a Jaguar plotter that I use for Paint protection film.
I'm using the DAP program that comes with my Xpel PPF but it seems pretty limited as to what it can do.

I'm looking for entry level software that is reasonbly easy to use and dosen't cost a bundle of cash.

I'm just looking to cut simple pictures and lettering out of vinyl.

What's a good program to start with?

Thank!

 

[Gino]

I'd say at that level, two eyes coordinated with hands and a sharp Xacto.

 

[mark-s]

Free or cheap does`nt men good.
Look at Signblazer or Inkscape

mark-s

 

[Paul-ish]

Free or cheap does`nt men good.
Look at Signblazer or Inkscape

mark-s

Thanks! Yes I know you get what you pay for.
I'm just looking for something to get started on.

When I get ok at it I'll upgrade to something more profesional.

 

[Solventinkjet]

GCC Jaguars come with free software called "Great Cut". If you don't have the CD that came with it, register your machine on GCC's website and I believe you can download the software. Don't quote me on that though.

 

[MrTopgun21]

Sure Cuts A Lot

We have the pro version of this software, it came with a small cutter we bought. It's a little glitchy, the latest version is much better.

http://www.craftedge.com/

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

Depending on your plotter. CuttingMaster will work from illustrator to get you cutting whatever you design. YOu can find it free.

 

[Paul-ish]

GCC Jaguars come with free software called "Great Cut". If you don't have the CD that came with it, register your machine on GCC's website and I believe you can download the software. Don't quote me on that though.

Awesome!!! Thanks. I don't remember seeing a cd but i'll look into that.

 

[JJC CUSTOM T's]

Free Software

Buy something from Stahl's and you'll get free access to cadworx. It's basic, but it helped me a great deal when I got started in vinyl cutting/design.

 

[ayukish]

Buy something from Stahl's and you'll get free access to cadworx. It's basic, but it helped me a great deal when I got started in vinyl cutting/design.

You can register a Trial account on Cadworx even if you haven't ordered anything. After 30 days, you'll be asked to enter a customer number. Cadworx does support the Jaguar!

 

[royster13]

I have some GCC cutters and used Great Cut for a while......I then switched to VinylMaster Pro 4.0 as a "crossgrade"...U$172.81 at the time......Works for me.....

 

[Jackpine]

CoCut

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

Thanks! Yes I know you get what you pay for.
I'm just looking for something to get started on.

When I get ok at it I'll upgrade to something more profesional.

No need. You can get cheap AND professional. Sign cut used to cost us around $89 per year and it's an excellent full featured program. Once you decide you want to keep it, I think the lifetime license is around $250ish. After two years of annual licensing we decided to buy the lifetime license and it was well worth it. I'll probably never use anything else. This may not be as cheap as you're looking for but to me, $89 a year is dirt cheap if it makes you tens of thousands of dollars per year.

 

[Paul-ish]

No need. You can get cheap AND professional. Sign cut used to cost us around $89 per year and it's an excellent full featured program. Once you decide you want to keep it, I think the lifetime license is around $250ish. After two years of annual licensing we decided to buy the lifetime license and it was well worth it. I'll probably never use anything else. This may not be as cheap as you're looking for but to me, $89 a year is dirt cheap if it makes you tens of thousands of dollars per year.

That price is super reasonable, I checked there web site and they have a free trial version so i'll give it a shot.
Thanks!

 

[Paul-ish]

Thanks for all the great leads guys!!!

I'm sure I can find something that suits my needs in this thread.

 

[Katch26]

I have the jaguar using signcut with either inkscape or illi. Both work fine, through illustrator is a little less buggy though.

 

[Jwalk]

I have a gcc expert 24, I use great cut. Great cut can't really do anything. If your not against piracy, which it sounds like you are. Any way illustrator files can be imported 99 percent of the time. I mess with my files on illustrator. There are a slew of illustrator program on torrents. As some one else said inkscape is a free program but it hasn't worked so well when I try to import it. Probably my fault but illustrator is my choice.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

As some one else said inkscape is a free program but it hasn't worked so well when I try to import it.

Like with trying to import any file that isn't a program's native file, it can get buggy depending on what version you are trying to import and what tools/effects were used.

One thing that I had noticed, particularly with Inkscape .48 and earlier is that with EPS files (my preferred file choice), Inkscape tends to add a clipping mask, which has to be taken out. Otherwise it works fine as a cutting program (atleast with a GX24, I have no experience with a GCC).

Inkscape does have it's foibles though, and unlike how GIMP is to Ps (in my opinion), it isn't quite the replacement for Ai (or DRAW) just yet. But for a free vector program it is very good.

 

[Jwalk]

Like with trying to import any file that isn't a program's native file, it can get buggy depending on what version you are trying to import and what tools/effects were used.

One thing that I had noticed, particularly with Inkscape .48 and earlier is that with EPS files (my preferred file choice), Inkscape tends to add a clipping mask, which has to be taken out. Otherwise it works fine as a cutting program (atleast with a GX24, I have no experience with a GCC).

Inkscape does have it's foibles though, and unlike how GIMP is to Ps (in my opinion), it isn't quite the replacement for Ai (or DRAW) just yet. But for a free vector program it is very good.

Oh thanks for the reply. How do you get rid of the clipping mask.

One thing I do a lot on illustrator is cut things.. Because my cutter is only 2 feet. So I have to match them after there cut. Ink scape doesn't cut.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Oh thanks for the reply. How do you get rid of the clipping mask.

One thing I do a lot on illustrator is cut things.. Because my cutter is only 2 feet. So I have to match them after there cut. Ink scape doesn't cut.

In Ai parlance, you have to go into isolation mode and remove it.

I did a quick check with .91 and it doesn't appear to add the clipping mask in it like it did in the earlier ones.

.91 also had other improvements (particularly with layers), but it's still behind (in my opinion), but for what it is, it's a decent program.