From my experience, I started cutting vinyl with a Copam CP-2500 24" cutter. With the right software it works sorta okay, however long straight cuts across the x axis result is choppy dash line type cuts. You have to literally add extra nodes along those long straight paths to slow the machine down enough to make a clean cut and that still doesn't always solve the problem entirely. I always had to run mine on 25 grams of pressure or less because if you don't it will cut right through the backing paper. Also the cut depth relies on the depth of the blade being properly set in relation to the blade holder. In other words the blade holder is made to ride on top of the vinyl, so no matter what pressure setting you use, if the blade is set too far out past the end of the blade holder, it will cut right through the vinyl and backing paper. That whole cutting head setup is no where near as delicate and precise as a professional production machine, despite what the machines retailers claim. I used to get backing paper that would lift with the graphic and transfer tape. You don't know how many times I had to pick torn backing paper off the back of the vinyl with a tweezers when using that machine to cut graphics.
The tracking on this machine, like most cheap machines, is not good. If you are cutting anything longer than 3 or 4 feet, I would highly recommend using a software that will allow you to step cut. If you step cut, you might be able to cut a 8 to 12 foot graphic that's near the width of the vinyl.
For the price is it a good cutter? It's not a bad cutter for the price. Can you be much better served with a professional grade cutter that costs more? Oh yeah. But for someone starting out, it's not a terrible machine to own if you can figure out it's shortcomings and work around them. Since we have a Roland cutter now, we still keep the old Copam but it's strictly used for cutting heat press materials for our screen printed apparel. For that stuff you don't have to worry too much about tracking issues and the plastic backing sheet is difficult to cut through.
