Just bought new GX Pro Camm-1 cutter

[malaec]

Hello guys,
I am new to this board and relatively new to vinyl cutting. Just returned from the show where we purchased a new GX Pro 30" cutter, to replace our Mimaki cg-60st. Paid $2695, with the stand.
I was considering Graphtec FC7000, but salespeople on this show persuaded me to get Roller.
My main concern was tracking - I need to cut 8'-12' stripes, pinstripes and long ornaments. Mimaki would never do a good job - after 2-3' the vinyl would start to skew, buckle up, and it was very frustrating.
The guys at the show absolutely promised me that I'll be able to cut 8-12' with no problem at all. Now, what's your experience? Was it better to get Graphtec? Are there any tips to do a successful cutting of a long stripe?
Also I was planning to cut some stencils out of thin mylar, so I was not sure about 350 down force. The reps told me that it would be no problem to cut thicker materials with 60 degree blades. True or false?
I forgot to tell, customer support IS important to me, and I heard bad things about Graphtec and good things about Roller customer support.
Thanks for your replies!
Janna

 

[Rick]

It's kinda too late too ask.....but I would have purchased the Graphtec or Summas T series plotter.

 

[Techman]

I own anagraph ae 60 e. ITs an older machine that tracks 15 ft regularly.. No need for a tangial knife for me..
However, the secret to good tracking is a proper placement of the vinyl.
The better made machines will track. But if your vinyl is of just a very little in the begining it will skew no matter what you do. Soget your vinyl exact. Make a mark on your platten wher you get it perfect. That way you will have a guideline to get you started after that forever.
good luck..

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

Welcome to Signs101.

The question you should be asking is whether or not the GX300 is a quality machine - and the answer is "yes". Any further comparison between Graphtec ans Roland would be purely opinion.

While we know nothing about your Mimaki, your vendor is correct about the machines tracking abilities. You should not have any tracking issues at all. Even so with the Mimaki, it sounds more like a repair issue than poor quality.

As for 350 for the down force, you should do just fine. When attempting to cut your mylar, we would suggest scrapping the oem blades and replacing with CleanCut blades. It may very well be a good idea to do that from the outset. On the whole, the cost is trivial, and they (blades) will just imnprove on the quality of the machine itself.

http://www.cleancutblade.com/

Everybody literally swears by them!! PLUS s101 members get a discount when you call in the order AND mention that you are a forum member. Tell them what you want to do and they will tell what will work best.

Customer support from many manufacturers is less than desirable. We believe it is a by-product of the booming days, when products just sold because people had money burning holes in their pockets. CS is something that always goes up and down. As of now, Roland does have a better reputation for customer service. Will it change tomorrow? - Who knows?

Again, welcome. Have fun with your new toy!

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

Tech - You are not kidding about the quality of the AE60! That is one hell of a machine!