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Buying a Cutter !

Ham_Ray

Ham_Ray

New Member
Hello there, I'm excited as a new member to up my first post.
I'm a graphic designer and recently opened my own sign/print business. I feel the severe need for a cutter/plotter. I'm confused with all the different models available in the market.
Apparently my choices for a 40" cutter are :
  • Roland GX-400: $4,995 US
  • Jaguar IV : $3,900 US
  • Graphtec ???

I'm going to finance it and hopefully will get the money back in a short period.

Now my question is which one is more reliable and what should I take into consideration on buying a cutter? Any other expenses (except the supplies and vinyls) to be considered or the plotter itself comes with everything (I hear about Rip softwares - do I need one? and does it come with one or I have to buy it separately? How much is it?)

I'm browsing for days now and get more confused each day.
I appreciate if you share any help or experiences you had in this regard.

Thanks
Ray
 
CreatedDesigns

CreatedDesigns

New Member
I would never spend 4k on a 40" cutter. Look around you can get a decent used 54" for under 2.5k. My next cutter will be a Summa, I currently have a 54" Graphtec no issues yet.
 
Dennis422

Dennis422

New Member
Summa or Graphtec.
Add a bit more money and get at least 54".

You'll thank me later :)

Welcome to the forum
 
G

GaSouthpaw

Profane and profane accessories.
I'll toss in my vote for Graphtec- and, as a number of others said, get the 54" at least.
I've also had good luck with the Mimaki CG-160FX.
 
2B

2B

Active Member
Pat White said:
My first thought is.... why buy a 40" plotter? If you're financing then dish out a couple more bucks and get at least a 48".

I also notice you don't have Summa on your list - I would add them. We have an old 48" model and it works like a champ. Their support is also notoriously good.
Click to expand...

+1

spend the extra for a 54" we also have an old summa built like a tank and performs very well
 
Mosh

Mosh

New Member
For just starting out I'd get a 24" Roland. You can find good used ones for $1,000. You will need software to run it, I use SignLab, Fexi is the most popular I think. There are also add on's so you can cut right out of Corel and other vector based programs.

If I were you I'd get a small 24" pay CASH for it, you can always go bigger if it works out, and if you don't make any money you won't be out as much. BTW I have a 24" Roland I bought in 1990 or so and it is still cutting away today, those other brands can't say that.
 
TammieH

TammieH

New Member
Still using a 30" Graphtec here. We don't print in house, so luckily there hasn't been a need for a larger cutter as of yet, I design around it when needed.

But yeah, I would buy the best you can afford.

Do you plan on getting a printer in the future, or do you have one already?

BTW our Graphtec is older than death and it keeps on chugging!....Maybe that will be the nail in the coffin LOL
 
TyrantDesigner

TyrantDesigner

Art! Hot and fresh.
Mosh said:
For just starting out I'd get a 24" Roland. You can find good used ones for $1,000. You will need software to run it, I use SignLab, Fexi is the most popular I think. There are also add on's so you can cut right out of Corel and other vector based programs.

If I were you I'd get a small 24" pay CASH for it, you can always go bigger if it works out, and if you don't make any money you won't be out as much. BTW I have a 24" Roland I bought in 1990 or so and it is still cutting away today, those other brands can't say that.
Click to expand...

This. +1 Don't burden your business with a debt starting out if you can avoid it ... especially when 99% of your jobs will be doable with a 24" roll when you start.
 
A

Auburnpeanut

New Member
Like everyone says if you can afford it a 54" is better. That being said....It is all about the size and types of job you will be doing that really should determine your size. We have two different 54" graphtecs now and they are decent machines. One is a little higher end than the other. We sold our old 30" Summa. I have worked with several over the years and the Summa ones have hands down been built better and are work horses. I argued with my boss about selling that 30" as it would cut circles around the graphtecs we have in both speed and quality of cut. And when I say speed I mean 2-5 times as fast as the graphtecs without loss of quality. Boss just wanted a matched (size wise) pair of plotters instead of two different sizes. Almost made me cry to sell the thing. That is my two cents. Hope this helps. What types of jobs are you thinking you are going to be using the plotter for?

Peanut
 
binki

binki

New Member
Get the biggest you can get but beware that the media is expensive and you have to buy it before you sell it. We have a 24" cutter and a 30" print/cut and while they are great the media cost eclipses the machine cost. Add printing and the ink cost will add to that. For many years we outsourced to big time shops that do wholesale like Merritt. We still do that for sizes we can't do ourselves but I can tell you every time I have to 'Ink Up' it is a grand and then every time I have to buy media we are in the several thousand dollar cost.

So, will the machine pay for itself? Yes (you still have to do sales calls)
Will the media pay for itself? Yes (if you don't lowball every job to get it)
Will you enjoy and get satisfaction from your work? Yes (until you get popular and have 3 months of work due this weekend)

Good luck and best wishes. This is quite an adventure!
 
OldPaint

OldPaint

New Member
i started cuttin vinyl in 1993........with a ROLAND PNC-1000. i out grew it and moved up to a PNC-1100(24", 2x as fast as the PNC-1000)had a mobile sign shop got another PNC-1100...In about 2001. sold the PNC-1000, as far as i know it is still working. had a chance to buy a CX-300 2005.......sold both PNC-1100 same person and they are still working today............i luv my CX-300...... but rarely cut any vinyl larger then 24"))))))))))))))))))))))))
 
Ham_Ray

Ham_Ray

New Member
Thanks for all the replies. You guys really warm my heart for my business start up! :loveya:

-- I actually already have some customers and I'm outsourcing the orders to other shops. Having a cutter in-house I can make more money :smile: So from that aspect I should be good.

-- I do love to have a printer / cutter. But 2 issues :
  • I really don't trust the used printers (or don't know any good used ones around) and don't want to get stuck with a crap at the beginning of my journey!
  • I cannot finance the used machines very easily through my bank.
BTW is the printer really needed for the beginning ? and any suggestion for a good used printer ?

-- I prefer to go with bigger size, as I want to do film cuts for window tinting and the wider the better for this kind of cut. Hopefully I won't be broke ! Buy Once, Cry Once

-- For the programs, do I have to buy a separate rip software to do the vinyl or contour cut for me?!! I already have Illustrator and Corel Draw. I have a friend who spent $3000 on a rip software. that's ridiculous if I have to pay that much over the price of the cutter !!

-- A local dealer is offering me the Jaguar IV (40") with a year of film tinting software. and some tint film supply for $4000. at the other hand Graphtec sales person offered me two options :

  • FC8600-130 (54″) $6995
  • CE6000-120 (48″) $3,895.00
and suggested the first one for my application! any thoughts ?


Sorry for the long post. I appreciate all your responses and I for sure will update you of my purchase once I get to a conclusion.

Ray
 
Supergirl

Supergirl

New Member
I started with a cheap cutter to try things out (ebay, $300 for 30"), then I upgraded to Graphtec.
I design in Illustrator and it has a plugin for Graphtec, so that's all you need to cut.

If you are buying a new cutter, i am sure it will come with software to communicate between your computer and the cutter.
All the software should be able to import any vector files created in illustrator.

to me, just cutting directly from illustrator is convenient and the plugin, cutting master, enables just that.
 
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