Noob gets a Graphtec CE5000-60 and has no clue what to do.

[Miguel Royce]

Hello ladies and gents. New guy here. The entity I'm employed by recently purchased a plotter with the intentions of making signs (mostly traffic signs; stop, no parking, etc.) Somehow, despite my limited knowledge of plotters (I have zero experience), it was assumed that I should be dubbed Plotter Master Extraordinaire. I need to know some user-friendly software and drivers for making signs, in short. If anyone knows of a program with pre-loaded signs that I can just click on with the mouse and press send, that would be great. That seems a little too good to be true, so I'm open to options that are within the realm of reality. Thanks. MR

 

[Dennis422]

With that one, traffic signs will not be possible to cut. It is not strong enough to cut through reflective film.

You will need to set your presets for every film you use. After that, it is pretty much push a button and go.
If you have Illustrator, Cutting Master 2 will be the one to download from Graphtec web site.

Also, check www.graphtecamerica.com for more help. They have few semi-good videos to help you get it up and running.

 

[Miguel Royce]

Thank you for the insight, good sir.

 

[sinetist]

It is not strong enough to cut through reflective film.

Nonsense .... I've cut plenty of reflective film on mine. I just up the down pressure and slow down the cutting speed. It does shorten the life of the blade though.

 

[Miguel Royce]

I should add that I have enough experience on a Vision Engraver using VisionPro design software to feel comfortable on it. I was hoping that someone might know some voodoo that would allow me to send jobs I've already designed on VP to the plotter. While I know that hiring a company specializing in sign-making would certainly be easier, that defeats the purpose of getting a plotter in an attempt to trim the budget.

 

[Gino]

Welcome from PA....................................

 

[Miguel Royce]

Nonsense .... I've cut plenty of reflective film on mine. I just up the down pressure and slow down the cutting speed. It does shorten the life of the blade though.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Sooooo, are you saying it IS possible to make street signs with the plotter?

 

[Miguel Royce]

Welcome from PA....................................

...and, thank you, sir. Great to be here.

 

[Techman]

You cannot make street signs cheaper than any company that does this as a supplier.
It is not just a matter of purchasing some aluminum sheets and laying down some vinyl.
Street sign metal which is a special alloy designed for signs. It is very resistant to oxidation and vandals.

While I know that hiring a company specializing in sign-making would certainly be easier, that defeats the purpose of getting a plotter in an attempt to trim the budget.

Trimming the budget buy purchasing a cutter is false economy. It does not work that way. All that does it cut out a real sign shop and produce a product that will never meet the specs as required by entities that purchase real street signs..

 

[J Hill Designs]

 

[Miguel Royce]

You cannot make street signs cheaper than any company that does this as a supplier.
It is not just a matter of purchasing some aluminum sheets and laying down some vinyl.
Street sign metal which is a special alloy designed for signs. It is very resistant to oxidation and vandals.


Trimming the budget buy purchasing a cutter is false economy. It does not work that way. All that does it cut out a real sign shop and produce a product that will never meet the specs as required by entities that purchase real street signs..

I work for a municipality. We have access to, and possess blanks for street signs. While I know that making them in house does subtract from the profit of our local sign shop, when budgetary cuts are made something has to give, and I'd prefer that it not be our employees. If I have all of the materials needed to produce a sign, some tutelage would get me to the point of producing them, one would think. I was under the impression that was what I could find here. Perhaps I assumed too much. You have to crawl before you can walk. I don't assume that you were born with the innate ability to make signs.

 

[Gino]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Sooooo, are you saying it IS possible to make street signs with the plotter?

Don't get too carried away with that response. It can be done and you can probably do a lot of them, but it's still like buying a hatchet to cut down an oak tree or in your case... a forest, instead of a chain saw.

Regardless of what you or your boss wants to do, you should really consider buying the correct equipment for the kinda job you want to provide. Otherwise, you'll be tearing through equipment and not giving top notch products to your customers. To be doing street signs, you're gonna be in competition with people who really do this for a living..... and KNOW what they're doing and already have the proper equipment. How will you be able to compete with someone so far ahead of you ?? And, this has nothing to do with being a newbie. It's just common sense.

 

[Miguel Royce]

Don't get too carried away with that response. It can be done and you can probably do a lot of them, but it's still like buying a hatchet to cut down an oak tree or in your case... a forest, instead of a chain saw.

Regardless of what you or your boss wants to do, you should really consider buying the correct equipment for the kinda job you want to provide. Otherwise, you'll be tearing through equipment and not giving top notch products to your customers. To be doing street signs, you're gonna be in competition with people who really do this for a living..... and KNOW what they're doing and already have the proper equipment. How will you be able to compete with someone so far ahead of you ?? And, this has nothing to do with being a newbie. It's just common sense.

I'm all ears. What equipment/software would you suggest that I purchase with the goal being sign making? Thanks.

 

[Techman]

I work for a municipality. We have access to, and possess blanks for street signs. While I know that making them in house does subtract from the profit of our local sign shop, when budgetary cuts are made something has to give

Just more fantasy. You may have the blanks. You may have the cutter. But the learning curve waste will cost more than a couple of years savings. The material costs alone will rule out any savings. Sorry my friend but the real world has already tried what you are trying and found out it is all a pipe dream.

 

[Gino]

I'm all ears. What equipment/software would you suggest that I purchase with the goal being sign making? Thanks.

Signmaking, you're alright. Making street signs for a living.... you should proably have a sprocket-fed plotter/cutter. Software is of really no concern at this point, unless you wanna get fancy.

See, you really haven't given us a chance to help. You've told us certain things, then explain more, change some things around and what doesn't seem important to you is what we all eat, sleep and breath. If you want to last here, I wouldn't be making fun of some of the more highly developed sign makers in this industry. Remember, you came here in search of answers and whether you like the delivery or not.... really is of no concern to most here. If you want to learn, listen and don't worry about tones or inflections, cause we'll help you as long as you want to help yourself and not try dictating to us how you want your answers. In other words, be patient and realize most are willing to help, but not if you act like some punk with a chip on his shoulder.

​

 

[J Hill Designs]

laminate the blanks with diamond grade white, and overlay cut transparent vinyl

 

[sinetist]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Sooooo, are you saying it IS possible to make street signs with the plotter?

I'm saying the plotter will cut reflective film. I wouldn't use it to try to compete with the companies that already specialize in traffic signs though (if that's what your objective is).

 

[J Hill Designs]

I'm saying the plotter will cut reflective film. I wouldn't use it to try to compete with the companies that already specialize in traffic signs though (if that's what your objective is).

nope! city wants to cut out sign shops. thats all!

 

[Techman]

nope! city wants to cut out sign shops. thats all!

city competing with their tax payers.. This is so over the conflict of interest line.

 

[Miguel Royce]

Thanks for the input, all. For the record, I'm not trying to compete with anyone. I work on a very small island, so this isn't a case of us (the island) trying to stick it to anyone. I also had the plotter tossed into my hands with the expectations of me self-teaching myself how to use it. Personally, I agree that it would certainly be easier, and (as it's been pointed out, fiscally responsible) to have the few (by city standards) signs we need made to be made from the guys who've always made them. I don't think the absence of our business will cause them to go under either. On the other hand, I have no qualms with learning a new skill set or how to operate a new piece of equipment. Thanks again.

 

[Techman]

Why not call one of the members here who live in Pensacola to ask them for some lessons. With some small cash in their pocket they could easily get yu up to speed in a few lessons. What Island are you on? I used to run around P-cola all the time.
Old Paint lives right there in town and is very capable of giving a few lessons.