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Need recommendation for cutter/plotter

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Pideas

New Member
I'm looking for a recommendation for a low volume cutter or plotter. I'm not quite ready for a Summa or Graphtec yet. I'm looking to spend about $500-700. I was hoping to get something at least 30" wide. I would like to use this to die cut labels/stickers and contour cut decals. I run a HP latex 310.

Thanks.
 
FrankW

FrankW

New Member
Because of the heat the latex cures with a bowing effect could appear, a little bow distortion on the front of the print. The only plotter wo could compensate that is a summa with OPOS X (XY-compensation, S-Class since 2005 or summacut since 2007). Other plotters could have accuracy issues when cutting a job as wide as the vinyl is.

A Roland cutter is no good suggestion for contour cutting. The Roland contour cutting system is slow and outdated.
 
P

Pideas

New Member
I realized my original $500-700 was too low. I'd be willing to go up to $1500. I just didn't want to spend the $4-5k without the work to keep it busy. I've seen some cutters online at uscutter.com and eBay for under $1k. I guess those are just low end machines.

Im really just looking for a machine that can do a few thousand 3x4" labels and that has the ability to contour cut wall or window decals. This space is new to me so it's hard to me to know what makes a good or very average cutter. Thanks for the suggestions.
 
decalman

decalman

New Member
Pideas said:
I realized my original $500-700 was too low. I'd be willing to go up to $1500. I just didn't want to spend the $4-5k without the work to keep it busy. I've seen some cutters online at uscutter.com and eBay for under $1k. I guess those are just low end machines.

Im really just looking for a machine that can do a few thousand 3x4" labels and that has the ability to contour cut wall or window decals. This space is new to me so it's hard to me to know what makes a good or very average cutter. Thanks for the suggestions.
Click to expand...

Yes, stay away from those cheap Chinese US cutters. They are junk
 
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Split76

New Member
FrankW said:
Because of the heat the latex cures with a bowing effect could appear, a little bow distortion on the front of the print. The only plotter wo could compensate that is a summa with OPOS X (XY-compensation, S-Class since 2005 or summacut since 2007). Other plotters could have accuracy issues when cutting a job as wide as the vinyl is.

A Roland cutter is no good suggestion for contour cutting. The Roland contour cutting system is slow and outdated.
Click to expand...

As much as I love my 2 tangential s2 summa cutters, even summa can't cope with bowing effect and cut spot on. I've had l265 with s2 140t / wasatch rip, and now 360 / onyx thrive with same s2 140t cutter. In my opinion, the key to accuracy of cutting is the backing paper of the vinyl. Thicker is better.

But still, in my opinion, summa is the only one.
 
TomK

TomK

New Member
Split76 said:
As much as I love my 2 tangential s2 summa cutters, even summa can't cope with bowing effect and cut spot on. I've had l265 with s2 140t / wasatch rip, and now 360 / onyx thrive with same s2 140t cutter. In my opinion, the key to accuracy of cutting is the backing paper of the vinyl. Thicker is better.

But still, in my opinion, summa is the only one.
Click to expand...

Funny, I spent weeks fighting this same issue with support from Summa and Flexi, and they claim to have never seen this.

I can reproduce this all day long if I print on Oracal 3628 on my HP Latex and try and cut on my S2T, anything more than 10 to 12" in length, and the cuts start to go way off, and get worse as the length gets greater.

I print the same stuff on thicker vinyl/backing, like Briteline 5651 or Ora 3268, and it tracks perfectly.

Glad to see it isn't just me! BTW, I still love my S2T, my Grahptec FC8600 sits idle now because of it.
 
TammieH

TammieH

New Member
Pideas said:
I've seen some cutters online at uscutter.com and eBay for under $1k. I guess those are just low end machines.
Click to expand...

Do NOT buy a US Cutter, you may as well toss the 700 in the toilet. Trust me I have seen them almost operate.

Look for a Used plotter and hopefully you can test it first.
 
OldPaint

OldPaint

New Member
YOU RUN AN HP LATEX 310?????????????????????? and want an CHEAP CUTTER????
how and where did you get the money for the HP..........dont make sense to me......
DO NOT BUY A GX-24 ROLAND.....they are almost as bad as the chinese cutters.......
find a used PNC- OR CAMM-1 ROLAND....... i have a CX-300..........top of the line i can actuall cut and talk to someone at the same time)))
 
S

Split76

New Member
TomK said:
Funny, I spent weeks fighting this same issue with support from Summa and Flexi, and they claim to have never seen this.

I can reproduce this all day long if I print on Oracal 3628 on my HP Latex and try and cut on my S2T, anything more than 10 to 12" in length, and the cuts start to go way off, and get worse as the length gets greater.

I print the same stuff on thicker vinyl/backing, like Briteline 5651 or Ora 3268, and it tracks perfectly.

Glad to see it isn't just me! BTW, I still love my S2T, my Grahptec FC8600 sits idle now because of it.
Click to expand...

Hehehehe, of course they haven't seen it :) I ordered smaller summa F this week and my s2 140t leaves when it arrives.
Nice to see is there any difference between s2 / F accuracy.
With wasatch rip, my cutmark distance was something like 500mm, now it's 350mm with onyx. Cutting was more off with 265 anyway.
 
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