Heat press nation vinyl cutters; Does anyone use this one?

[itzdeb]

I'm contemplating on buying a final cutter and I'm interested if anyone has any comments about this type?

20" to 32" Vinyl Cutters Heatpressnation.com​

Seems to be 1/3 of the price of a plotter from Hyatts, and the software is included ( considering comparing almost $1000 for Omega as well).
I got this referral from a friend in the sign business ( has heard about it) and I'm curious if you've had any issues with the plotter or software?
I've been looking at this for quite a while and spoke with their tech-support today which told me that the files that the cutter accepts are usually going to be pdf files that can be converted by Corel or adobe illustrator.
I used to just take the JPEG's and feed them into my Gerber omega program and cut.
Since my Gerber plotter and omega software products are so outdated this is why I'm buying something new.

By the way I usually have somebody vectorize my files and email them to me even though the software has an option for that. I lean toward hiring somebody to do that for me.

So if anyone has any feedback of the product support or Tech Support or in general the use of this can you please post something here?
Also if you know anyone I could talk to you about this before I purchase said it would be great!
Much appreciated!

 

[rjssigns]

Who knows? Sometimes ya gotta take a flyer. If it's junk, write it off and get a Summa or Graphtec.

 

[Fbermudez]

I have a panther cutter from signwarehouse and I know that heatpress nation sales and I have had it for ovet 10yrs.

 

[ToneCustomSigns]

We took a chance with a Chinese laminator brand called Audley. It's been working really well (knock on wood). Can't say I would do the same with a plotter though. I'm sorry. That probably doesn't help you. But, I have purchased heat presses (plural) from them. I've never received a bad piece of equipment. I hope that helps.

 

[MikePatterson]

Looks like a GCC cutter rebranded

 

[itzdeb]

Looks like a GCC cutter rebranded

What is a GCC?

 

[itzdeb]

We took a chance with a Chinese laminator brand called Audley. It's been working really well (knock on wood). Can't say I would do the same with a plotter though. I'm sorry. That probably doesn't help you. But, I have purchased heat presses (plural) from them. I've never received a bad piece of equipment. I hope that helps.

Thank you so very much!

 

[itzdeb]

I have a panther cutter from signwarehouse and I know that heatpress nation sales and I have had it for ovet 10yrs.

Thank you so very much and could you explain that "heat press nation sells the same printer/cutter type and It is very good because you've had yours for 10 years from sign warehouse?

 

[itzdeb]

Who knows? Sometimes ya gotta take a flyer. If it's junk, write it off and get a Summa or Graphtec.

I was going to buy a graphtec I don't mind spending the money at all. It's just the software that I'm used to it is a Omega and I have a very early version of it.
I don't really wanna learn a new software but what would be closest to omega that would drive a graphtec?
I really would love a graphtec and they do have their own free software, but I don't know if I could learn Corel draw.

Who knows? Sometimes ya gotta take a flyer. If it's junk, write it off and get a Summa or Graphtec.

And thank you very very much for your reply!!

 

[rjssigns]

I was going to buy a graphtec I don't mind spending the money at all. It's just the software that I'm used to it is a Omega and I have a very early version of it.
I don't really wanna learn a new software but what would be closest to omega that would drive a graphtec?
I really would love a graphtec and they do have their own free software, but I don't know if I could learn Corel draw.

And thank you very very much for your reply!!

Can't really answer the software question since I running Flexi again. Here's the way it is.
Technology marches on and you have to adapt.
I started out running CasMate then Corel with CasMate for output, got into Flexi, bought a Roland printer so VersaWorks got used.
VersaWorks wasn't doing what I wanted so I bought ErgoSoft for the RIP.
Went back to school and got into Illustrator and Photoshop.
Got back into VersaWorks.
Bought a Summa plotter and started using WinPlot to do CutContour on Roland prints.
Finally got back into Flexi which I currently run.

I'm closing in on retirement and continue to learn new things. Heck, in the lab at school I run RasterLink for the Mimakis and SmartStream for the Indigo press.

What I'm driving at is you need to learn new stuff all the time or get steamrolled by those willing to learn and leverage available technology.

 

[itzdeb]

Can't really answer the software question since I running Flexi again. Here's the way it is.
Technology marches on and you have to adapt.
I started out running CasMate then Corel with CasMate for output, got into Flexi, bought a Roland printer so VersaWorks got used.
VersaWorks wasn't doing what I wanted so I bought ErgoSoft for the RIP.
Went back to school and got into Illustrator and Photoshop.
Got back into VersaWorks.
Bought a Summa plotter and started using WinPlot to do CutContour on Roland prints.
Finally got back into Flexi which I currently run.

I'm closing in on retirement and continue to learn new things. Heck, in the lab at school I run RasterLink for the Mimakis and SmartStream for the Indigo press.

What I'm driving at is you need to learn new stuff all the time or get steamrolled by those willing to learn and leverage available technology.

Thank you so much for your information!
I was in the sign business for 30 years but only did the vinyl for about 23 or so. After hurting my back I had to back down and finally had to take a desk job with a company doing a technical support for computer work. I am more than ready to retire but just need something part time that I love to do and can do with my eyes closed. I am willing to give this a chance I believe because it was recommended by a friend that's very knowledgeable and made some good recommendations as to speak to others that if he use the software before. I take time to learn new things but once I learn them they are ingrained in my mind like nothing else. But thank you that is fantastic information, candid, worthwhile, and I can relate! I'm not really a newbie on this forum it's just been years since I've been in. Are used to be a regular on letterville.

I even remember buying Letraset letters from Fred Weiss way back in the day!!