crappy cuts on little letters

[lpassaro]

Hi,
I'm a newbie that has been cutting for 6 months, thousands of small decals with small itty bitty little letters.. going blind weeding but getting better and improving my skills every day! was told by signwarehouse that I needed a 60degree blade for my signwarehouse cutter. I am exclusively cutting oracal 951 metallic. the blade is brand new, not even a week old. Cut a decent amount of stuff, maybe 10 yards. the blade SUCKS.. i have changed how far it sticks out, i have changed the force. i am not sure what i am doing wrong with setting this new blade up. it is tearing up my very pretty and very expensive vinyl and making my itty bitty letters all choppy and shreading them to bits.. i never had such problems when i used my 45degree blade. any advice? thanks so much and I appreciate your help.. and don't hold back, nothing offends me.. Lucie

 

[SignManiac]

Have you tried slowing down the speed?

 

[lpassaro]

Thanks. I have speed on 7. force is on 18 as advised from sign warehouse.. quality is 1. quality of my stuff is a -9.

 

[Signmantimc]

Are you using a "factory" blade for your cutter? I have tried aftermarket and resharpened blades and they usually don't work anywhere near as good as an original equipment blade.

 

[lpassaro]

embarassed to say i don't even know the answer.. i think it is no. i don't remember seeing anything like that on my receipt but it did only cost like $15.00.

 

[lpassaro]

do you agree that a 60degree blade is best when using a premium metallic? i seemd to do just fine w/the 45 but am determined to get this 60 to work if I am told by the pros that it is a better blade for the material.

 

[MikePro]

yes, a 60degree is best for that... Haven't you a testcut optuon? Dial it in, and go

 

[cdiesel]

Can you post a picture of what you're getting? We may be able to better diagnose the problem if we can see exactly what's going on.

 

[Dave Drane]

60 degree is normally reccomended for cutting Scthlite and sandblast tape SLOWLY. 45 is best for any notmal vinyl.

 

[BobM]

I only use "Clean Cut" premium carbide blades(866-579-0963) and I change the wear strip at the same time. Since doing that I have not had a single problem.

 

[signmeup]

Yes... check the wear strip. If the 45 does the job, switch back. Different vinyls, even from the same manufacturer, cut differently. Also, sometimes you get a new blade that's bad right out of the package.

 

[B Snyder]

How "itty bitty" are your "itty bitty little letters?"

 

[lpassaro]

Wow, thanks everyone for offering your help. i am determined to get this 60degree blade set and working as I was told it is supposed to be the best way to go..
here are the answers to some of your questions.

1- blade is about a week old, cost $10 from SW. SW/GRAPHTEC CB09U 60 BLADE
2- I test cut, and test cut, and test cut.. and either it was digging in too deep or not deep enough.. i could not seem to find the exact spot where that blade should be, turing the blade only a smidge every time i went to test.
3- my itty bitty letters are slightly taller than 1/4"
4- i just changed the blade back to my normal settings, 45degree blade just to get this particular job done that needs to be shipped out asap.. cutter/old blade/settings worked PERFECT.. so please note, i am not totally incompentent..
5- a picture of my ripped up bitty letters will follow.
6- i have never changed the teflon strip.. it's about 9 months old.

this is what i had my cutter set at.. offset 0 force 18 speed 5-7 quality 1.
please let me know your thoughts. I was concerned witht this force.. with my 45degree i have force set to 12 and was told by SW that it's impossible to have it so low.. but it has been working perfect that way for quite 9 months and about 60 yards of vinyl.. but i thought i will change it to the force of 18 as requested and have had nothing but torn up ripped up little letters. I have tested it down to about a force of 15 and then it was cutting but not weeding well.

again, thanks so much for all your help.. i am very much appreciative.
ps.. this is the goal of my cutting.. i put the decal on wine bottle lanterns. most people just get a nice simple letter but some people want their wedding date as well.. the dates are what are totally messing with me now!! http://www.wordcouture.com/item_9/Three-Letter-Monogram-with-Date.htm

 

[MikePro]

owow, those aren't as small as i was expecting.

 

[lpassaro]

I know.. 1/4" should be easy and it's not.. what will happen when i need to cut even smaller? in the past 20 minutes, i changed the blade back to the 45, cut the decal, weeded and installed it and am onto the next thing.. last night i spend hours trying to get the 60degree blade to do a decent job and couldn't.

 

[B Snyder]

i am determined to get this 60degree blade set and working as I was told it is supposed to be the best way to go..

4- i just changed the blade back to my normal settings, 45degree blade just to get this particular job done that needs to be shipped out asap.. cutter/old blade/settings worked PERFECT.. so please note, i am not totally incompentent..

Amazing.

 

[CentralSigns]

Try to double cut the letters, first lower the force, have the blade return to start position, cut once then cut a second time. Sometimes it works.

 

[Idea Design]

951 metallic is very finicky. It's also a super-thin cast material. Personally, I think downforce set on 18 with a 60 deg blade in a Graphtec plotter is WAY too high.

Set the force on 10 or 12, take the blade holder out, put the blade in all the way, then bring it out slowly until you can barely begin to see the tip. Then turn the holder over and turn the blade out about 1 and ½ notches.

Adjust the blade in or out from there. A new 60 deg blade is very aggressive. Sometimes I get the blade stuck out too far and I can hear it gouging into the backing paper. Makes me cringe every time.

Take special care with 60 deg blade, if not treated properly, they wear out and go dull much faster than a 45. You were given good information with the blade choice, but again, it's my opinion 18 is way too high of downforce.

Good luck.

 

[Fatboy]

WOW Love your product. How do you cut the bottles like that?

 

[signmeup]

i am determined to get this 60degree blade set and working as I was told it is supposed to be the best way to go..

Peanut butter on the blade shaft will fix your problem comletely! (It's the best way to go...)

(Don't believe everything you're told.)



Don't really put peanut butter on your blade... I'm just being a jerk.:Big Laugh