Master 300p Problem....help!

[bsbp1230]

I have done a search here and on the web and it seems their are others with the prolem of a light cut line cutting across all of the vinyl on long cut runs, short runs are ok though. Many people have stated that they have this problem, but i can't find any fix to it. We called company and they stated that it could be static and to get a power bar with a good ground, so now we have spent money on a new power bar and another three yards of vinyl, with the same line cutting across everything. The part that sucks is we have to waste yards of vinyl everytime we try something to fix it. Talked to best buy and they said fabic sheets, so we tried that (look like a real goof wiping fabric sheets everywhere!!) it did not fix it eather. If anyone can help, please. Also i know i should have bought a higher end cutter but money was tight, so please don't yell at me!! LOL

 

[signage]

how long are the runs? also rather than waste vinyl why don't you use paper and a pen?

 

[Techman]

it aint static,,

 

[bsbp1230]

long runs

The runs are any time after 2 yards or more, and your right i don't think its static eather but i was willing to try anything because i have 4 dump trucks and 2 enclosed trailers to install monday.

 

[mladams7259]

I had the same problem with a graphtec I once had. If you are using Flexi try changing the drivers in Production Manager to a similar model. That fixed my problem. Also is it doing it only on TEXT or does it do it with graphics too. Mine only did it with Text, not graphics. certain fonts (IVe heard) will also cause that problem. Just my ramblings........

 

[Fred Weiss]

While I know nothing of the Master plotter, I do know about plotters in general. A problem such as you describe is going to be related to the amount of blade clearance in an up or lifted position.

Most or all plotters have an adjustment for this which is not intended for users to change ... but it is there as a last resort.

Anything which reduces the clearance when the blade is lifted could be the cause of your problem.

• Blade extended further than necessary
• Defect, dirt, misadjustment or lack of lubrication preventing full lift of blade holder
• Blade not remaining seated in blade holder
• Cutting strip not fully seated
• Material lifting during feeding

If it is material lifting then it could be related to:

• Speed of feeding of the material
• Defective, binding, dirty or misadjusted feed rollers or material holddown bails

You should be able to set it to running an observe most of what I have mentioned. You should also be able to both slow down the feed rate and reduce the downforce to see if that improves on the issue. Also observe everything that moves during the lifting up of the blade holder and very carefully clean and lubricate those parts with isopropanol and an appropriate lubricant using a cotton swab.

 

[Scubadog]

No Fred that’s not the problem. I had a Master cutter and it did the same thing. After cutting quite a bit of the design it would just go diagonal to the starting point cutting all along the way! It was almost always on long cuts. I sold the cutter and got a Summa before it ever became much of a problem. I think it’s something in the cutter’s internal drivers.

 

[schurms]

What software are you using ? Are you using a mac or pc ? If its a mac I may have a fix.

 

[Replicator]

I had a master 300P plotter for 2 days and sent it back !
Took a huge loss on the 15% restocking fee, and the shipping, but it was worth it just to be rid of it !

Spent money on a roland gx-24 !

 

[toddmn]

No problems with my 380p. Ive run 24"x 12ft designs thru it with no such lines across the design. Other then having to put my bluetooth headphones on and listen to music while its running :Big Laugh I would suspect some sort of software related glitch is doing it. Are you using a serial to usb converter plug? Ive heard bad stories with those, I run just the serial port cable on mine. Also check your port settings, are they all as the plotters instructions specify? hardware controlling the port.. etc .I know that once the 2 meg plotter memory is filled it stops the head till its flushed and the computer resends the rest. Is this when its doing the lines across the vinyl? Mine lifts the head I think during this process it seems, waits maybe 10-20 seconds then continues to cut.

 

[schurms]

I had the same thing happen , your plotter is cutting before the full file is loaded to your plotter. Set you plotter to current then send your file and when it is 100% transfered then you push enter again and bam, plot it.

 

[tzn_motorsports]

I solved the problem by setting it to cut only 9-10 inches at a time. You do it in production manager. Click panels and then set the vertical panes to what ever number gives you 9-10". IF I get stupid and forget my 300P will do it again.

Hope this helps. The Master 300P is not the best cutter out there but it was the best that I could afford at the time. I am looking to upgrade next year (maybe)

Brad

 

[Techman]

I solved the problem by setting it to cut only 9-10 inches at a time.

Sorry,,
This is not solved by any means. The machine is not doing what a cutter is supposed to be doing at all. Its just hacking away until its done.

This just another problem and another reason why I rail against anyone buying a low priced cutter for any reason. Its so much better to get a good used name brand machine that works than to get a new cheap low end boat anchor that gives its user nothing but grief.

Those who have a name brand machine know the difference. We see it all the time.

 

[tzn_motorsports]

I am soooo sorry oh great one that my cutter "hacks away". I know, you big time sign shop owners must have had a $$$$$$$$$$ to start with. I think that some out there FORGET what it was like to start out. I takes a log of money. Some of us just didn't have the startup money that is required to buy all the fanciest toys. Some of us out here are trying to GROW our business not just get everything at once. I didn't want to have $15,000 of equipment that I had to make payments on. I bought everything for under $1000. Profits came a lot quicker. Now, I am saving for some new equipment. When I can afford it I will buy it.

I HAVE managed to cut a 12' x 24" with no problem and then I cut the same thing in panels and you know what? NO DIFFERENCE. My low end boat anchor did it just fine. No tracking issues, no lining up issues, nothing.

Another thing, what CONSTRUCTIVE INFORMATION did you add to this thread? Other then to thumb your nose at those of us who don't live up to your standards. bsbp asked how to solve the problem. I told him what worked on mine. Do you own one of these cutters. NO! Do you know how to fix what he was having trouble with? NO! (buying a new cutter is not fixing the problem) If you don't have anything constructive to say then please just leave it to someone who does.

Brad

 

[Bigdawg]

We have a Masters and it does the line thing sometimes... not always though. I'll flag this post for TiaMarie - not sure if she has a work-around or if we cut in pieces.

Yes, Masters are the low end of the spectrum cutters, but ours has earned it's money back and more - including wasted vinyl. I would love to upgrade to something less quirky and noisy but that's not in the cards right away. I agree with and have advocated for buying a higher end cutter if you have the money too, but being told all the time what pieces of crap our cutters are if we couldn't afford to is getting old. We KNOW what we bought - we have to work around it. Is it generally an ideal situation? No, but it allows us to offer services I couldn't before. When someone posts with a problem on one of these lower end cutters, it is not an open invitation to tell us what fools we are for having bought it in the first place. It is a request for any information or help that can be found. If you don't have some helpful insight into the problem, try just ignoring the thread.

 

[Fred Weiss]

I am soooo sorry oh great one that my cutter "hacks away". I know, you big time sign shop owners must have had a $$$$$$$$$$ to start with. I think that some out there FORGET what it was like to start out. I takes a log of money. Some of us just didn't have the startup money that is required to buy all the fanciest toys. Some of us out here are trying to GROW our business not just get everything at once. I didn't want to have $15,000 of equipment that I had to make payments on. I bought everything for under $1000. Profits came a lot quicker. Now, I am saving for some new equipment. When I can afford it I will buy it.

Brad

Not at all Brad. I started my business at home in 1983 with $700 and enough of a committed belief in what I was doing to sign a lease-purchase agreement on a $7,500 vinyl cutting machine. I turned around a few months later and allowed another $2000 to be added to the lease just so my letters would kern automatically.

I worked it full time and by the end of 1984 I had established a sales volume of over $10,000 a month, had three people working, had two more vinyl cutting machines and was leasing 2000 square feet of building. By 1990 I was grossing $30,000 a month and was, according to my distributor, the largest Gerber customer in the state of Florida.

What some here have a problem with is cheap, poorly designed, poorly documented, and poorly supported equipment. Compare if you will the number of help style posts we get on the various Chinese plotters here at Signs 101 as compared to the number of similar posts we see on Gerber, Graphtec, Roland, Summa, and other name brands.

Techman, myself and lots of other veterans have offered help here over the last few years to anyone seeking it. Hell, Techman has even done two tutorials. All he got out of it was some thanks. Most of us could care less if you want to save on your equipment while paying a price the whole time you own it ... your choice. More power to you if you can get it to run smoothly. But the sheer number of problems that appear here because of owner inexperience, poor design and non-existent support wears thin at times and people have a right to voice their frustration.

 

[bob]

...bilge of the 'he was mean to me or some other being' flavor mercifully deleted...

NO! Do you know how to fix what he was having trouble with? NO! (buying a new cutter is not fixing the problem)

It certainly does fix the problem. Permanently and properly.

Did it ever occur to you that such malfeasant behavior is inherent in low-rent equipment? Did you ever ponder that there is no real economy in pretend tools? That you're going to have to buy another one anyway, so why not do it right and only once? That anything worth doing is worth doing well or not at all?

 

[tzn_motorsports]

I have not had any trouble getting support for my Master. I send an e-mail and within 30 minutes I have the answer. 99% of the time it solves it. If not I send another e-mail and they get the right information and solve the problem.

Maybe I should explain again how I got into this business. We bought a "low end" cutter just to do our own race cars. I thought it would be fun to change them several times throughout the season. Word got out and our cutter has been running steady ever since. I did NOT purchase the Master to go into business. It was for my own use. I am entirely self taught and I really appreciate this group. Maybe there should be a section for those of us in a simular situation. Call it Wannabe, low end boat anchor owners. Make a "friendly" area for those of us who don't have the desire to get into the really big jobs. I enjoy doing race cars. If I can do 4 a month then I can pay for my son's racing. That is really why I am doing this. I don't ever intend to open a "real sign shop". Sure, I will do banners, coroplast, and RTA. I have shipped all over the country and internationally. All done with my POS Master XY-300P.

My big complaint is when someone takes the time to as a question about the equipment that they have and the only thing some have to say is "don't buy a piece of crap and you will not have the problem." Same can be said with ANYTHING mechanical. "My car will not start." "Should have bought a Chevy." (or Dodge, Ford....) It is all a matter of opinion.

Brad

 

[bsbp1230]

Thanks for some help!

Thanks to the people that have ideas, on how to fix my problem, like i said in my first post i know about how "cheap" my cutter is, but i had wanted the "american dream" of owning a small sign shop, and this is just my start. I know many of you have had nothing but the best and have never had a problem with your equipment (right)! LOL... and i see people asking questions about their Roland or any other good cutter, and i don't see people telling them to through theirs away. All i'm asking is please don't tell me how much of a POS i have, but help me and others if you have info. on that. Some day soon, i would really like to upgrade, but untill i find one i can afford (let me know if you have one) i have to get this one working, so thanks to all, for even looking at my post and to the others that had some helpful advise. If anyone else has other ideas please let us all know.. Thanks

 

[mladams7259]

I have a roland and also a master. Ive never had any trouble with either. I bought the master for one specific reason, to score magnets. It is set on the hardest downforce setting and I cut magnets to shapes with it. Works great for its purpose. I couldnt see myself buying a $5000.00 plotter to cut magnets and have to send it to an early grave. My .02 cents, for what its worth.