New HP Latex 115 owner in North Alabama

[rabtech]

For the last 20 years I have been an IT consultant. I also own an online forum https://www.slingshotinfo.com based on the Polaris Slingshot. It is almost 3 years old and has over 2000 members. I have been selling shirts, decals, and other items related to the forum on the site's online store and it has been paying its own way fairly well over the last few years.

Lately I have had created more colorful shirt graphics that are being printed by CustomCat online fulfillment. Many of the members have been wanting decals to match. For full color die cut graphics I had been ordering from places online like StickerMule and other places like that. This was ok as long as I needed 50 or more of one decal and wanted them all the same size. There have been many times that people wanted larger decals for a trailer or a banner and It was just to expensive to have them made and then resell them. So I just decided it was time to invest in a printer that would be easy to maintain and fairly good at producing die cut decals of any size up to 54". I can already tell I am going to love the 115 for what I am doing. And the matching HP branded cutter seems to work pretty well also.

Being a forum owner I realize the importance of an online forum for valuable information. So this was the most logical place for me to come for help and information.

This weekend I have enclosed my 20'x20' screened in back patio so I can have a large space to operate my printer. Tomorrow I will be unloading the printer and setting it up. Hopefully everything will go smooth. Ill add a few pictures to this post as things progress.

rabtech,,

 

[BigfishDM]

Good job!! Great purchase! Can't wait to see what kind of stuff you put out, welcome to the Forum!

 

[ddarlak]

When you start making signs, and you will, price them accordingly. Don't be one of those guys...

large decals for trailers will need to be laminated, better build a shop in the backyard.

 

[rabtech]

I have a laminator on the way. I had a feeling that the 3 year in direct sunlight might be stretching it for latex.

For decals that we hand out and include in goody bags for events I'm guessing that the latex on a good matte vinyl would be acceptable???

 

[The Big Squeegee]

2 from OK

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

I have a laminator on the way. I had a feeling that the 3 year in direct sunlight might be stretching it for latex.

For decals that we hand out and include in goody bags for events I'm guessing that the latex on a good matte vinyl would be acceptable???

Yes it will for giveaway decals

 

[SignsSupport]

Definitely looks like a nice buy!
Welcome to the Signs101 community rabtech - Hope you enjoy your stay.
Also wanted to say wow. Nice looking Burning Board forum you have. Looks like there's some nice activity there too. So congrats.
Cheers and again- Welcome.

SignsSupport

 

[rabtech]

Have made some matte finish decals to sell on the forum so far. They turned out nice. And I have made some gloss decals also. I really like the 4.3ml matte material. It is so much easier to work with when loading and cutting. The other thinner material with the gloss looks wrinkly until its actually applied to something.

So far the only problems I have had is getting the barcode to read on the cut jobs. It just does not like to read the barcodes at all.

 

[rabtech]

I guess I should explain what the little panda is driving. Its a Polaris Slingshot. I own the Polaris Slingshot forum and I have several designs that use a Panda that shows a little attitude....


This is my slingshot. I squeeze a little over 500hp out of the chevy 2.4 ecotec engine. I still hold the 1/2 mile speed record.

 

[rabtech]

With some help from a member on the forum I was able to flash the firmware on the cutter and it now will read the barcode every time.


Now I have another issue. It will read the barcode and fetch it from the HP cutter control software. It will start to read all the registration marks up the right side and then when it is almost to the last block on the right (it only has the last block to read on the right) it decides to go to across and read the left block and then it shoots the material on through and it sits there running acting like it is moving material.

I have wasted so much ink and material just on the cutting part. And I think i am doing it correctly. I have successfully cut 3 or 4 projects. It is fairly straightforward forward. Or at least I though it would be.

I am not sure what i am doing wrong. I have tried sending the job to the printer and then lining up the sensor ABOVE the bottom block and it does the same thing. I have tried just letting the printer scan the barcode and it does the same thing.

And what is really strange is I am almost positive if I print another job and carry it to the cutter and send the job to it that it will cut it perfectly. I just cant keep throwing material and ink in the trash.

And that brings up another issue. I have all the old barcodes as PLT files and it can see them on the server. I SHOULD be able to cut them and not have to throw them out.

Its just not working for me. If someone can help before I have to call the 800 numbers please do. I will even pay for help.