Media Roll Flanges

[WVB]

I am wondering if any other plotter utilizes the media roll flanges that Panthers use. What they do is go on the sides of the vinyl rolls, which you turn to make the rubber expand to hold the tubes. Then these flanges fit into sliders which have groovers on the rollers. These sliders can be moved to accomodate shorter vinyl. This is how the tracking is utilized on the Panther's.

I am in need of these Media roll flanges. signwarehouse.com is out of stock on these and will not be getting any for another 4-6 weeks. I am curious to know if any other plotter uses these so that I can purchase them ASAP Thank you.

 

[ChiknNutz]

I have some that came with my Summa D60. I hardly ever use them, but they do help improve tracking on really long plots.

 

[Barry]

I have some that came with my Summa D60. I hardly ever use them, but they do help improve tracking on really long plots.

The summa ones should work on your panther. Ive had a lynx cutter and assume the panther uses the same media roll flanges. I know have a summa cutter and dont see why these wouldnt work on the panther.

BTW, I never use them myself, not on my Summa D60 and not on my Roland Versacamm.

 

[WVB]

Well I have always used them on my Panther, until the nut stripped out. I take it the rolls sit on the rollers and the pinch rollers track the Vinyl straight on the Graphtecs/Rolands/Summa's? It would seem to me that the media roll flanges would track better as opposed to just sitting on the rollers? If this is not the case then I will not worry about it... But why don't you use them just curious?

 

[Barry]

Well I have always used them on my Panther, until the nut stripped out. I take it the rolls sit on the rollers and the pinch rollers track the Vinyl straight on the Graphtecs/Rolands/Summa's? It would seem to me that the media roll flanges would track better as opposed to just sitting on the rollers? If this is not the case then I will not worry about it... But why don't you use them just curious?

I dont use them because it takes time to put them on... My summa and roland both track well without them.

 

[jimdes]

My little Lynx does fine without the media rollers too, about thirteen feet accurate tracking without them, twenty-four feet with them.

 

[Barry]

My little Lynx does fine without the media rollers too, about thirteen feet accurate tracking without them, twenty-four feet with them.

Your Lynx must be better than mine was, I could not get that thing to track straight over 5 feet.

 

[datcat]

So you guys just lay the roll of vinyl directly on the machine rollers and let it rip? I've always used mine except for on media shorter than a yard or so thinking that was the correct way to go to avoid damaging the vinyl.

 

[Barry]

So you guys just lay the roll of vinyl directly on the machine rollers and let it rip? I've always used mine except for on media shorter than a yard or so thinking that was the correct way to go to avoid damaging the vinyl.

Yep I just lay it on the rollers... Seems to work well for me and saves a bit of time when switching colors.

 

[jimdes]

The best trick for lining up those little Lynx is to roll out the media to the length you'll need and line up in front and behind the machine before clamping the pinch rollers down . . . I'm upgradig real soon though. Most likely Summa or Graphtec

 

[WVB]

I have not been using the the media roll flanges so far without any issues. I use the slides on the rollers to "pinch" the roll where it needs to be. The medai flanges take no more then 15 seconds to put on or take off. I have always used them and thought the logic behind it was brillant for tracking I mean you just do not have to worry about it. I have heard a lot of complaints about the Lynx especially for tracking. I have never run into this issue with my Panther Pro. Two downsides 1) signwarehouse.com 2) signwarehouse.com You are stuck with just them for parts/support. I use to love signwarehouse however in the past three weeks they have sent the wrong colors, they have sent the wrong sizes, and they have completely forgot to send the order. Then once that was taken care of and I did receive the order it had missing items from the order! I love my Panther and for the price and all the goodies I received with mine you just could not go wrong. Wonderful machine horrible distributor.

In any event I will try the method I have been using and see how it goes, possibly looking into the Summa flanges and see what they run if around the same price of Panther's $29 I will most likely order them.

If I was to upgrade it would be to a larger scale plotter, and a graphtec due to the registration laser it has built in for cutting printed vinyls. I also like the more expensive Summa due to the True Tang. cutting.

 

[Barry]

TVG, a few things..

1. The signwarehouse media flanges are easier to put on than the Summa ones. Ive used both.

2. Summa also has the digital eye feature on their plotters (Atleast its an option on the Summa D60).

3. Signwarehouse is hit and miss, sometimes they have great service, other times it kind of sucks.

 

[Scott Reynolds]

TVG, I got a Signwarehouse Vinyl Express Pro T cutter about 5-6 years ago, only used the flanges for the first day or two. My cuter tacks a good 40 feet, IF you set up the vinyl right. For short cuts, 1'-10', i just stick the vinyl in the cutter, eye ball it and go. For long jobs, I pull the vinyl through the cutter about 2 feet, and then unroll about 2 feet off the roll behind the cutter, match the two side together (the one from the front, and the one from UNDER the cutter), pull the vinyl tight, and then up and down to make sure its stright, and then, push the set lever with your chin. I knows it sounds funny, but if you do it that way, IT WILL track 40', every time! Vinyl Express and the Panther are made by the same people, so they should me about the same. On my Graphtec FC5100, I do the same thing, only I pop the set lever up with my forearm. If you want, I could post a pick on two.....

:signs101:

 

[Scott Reynolds]

Come to think about it, I have my flange hardware in a box somewhere, if you want, you can have that junk, but really, you dont need to use them. There are wast of time, sort of like condoms and seatbelts! lol

 

[WVB]

It just seems like a really drawn out process. I mean the Panthers Media Roll Flanges just slip it into one end of vinyl twist the end until the rubber expands and repeat process for other side. It takes less then 10 secs. And you just do not have to worry about it not tracking right it just does. However if you do not want your "junk" I will sure take them - Thanks.