Now much extra material is needed???

[Dennis422]

Hi there.

Yesterday, I have learned the hard way that I need to have some extra room to grab the film when cutting decals.
I have ordered few sheets of printed/laminated 3651 that I wanted to contour cut on my Graphtec CE5000-60 24" cutter.
I did my design and copied it 21 times on the sheet and I placed the registration marks in the corners which have fit on 23x23" sheet. I was hoping that they would print on 24" wide film

What I got was a 23x23" sheet with all my designes printed on it

I was wandering if there is a minimum distance where I need to be from the edges for a Graphtec 24" cutter, and how much would I need to have extra on front and the back of the sheet for the pinch rollers to hold on?

In another words, what is a available art area on 24x24" sheet

Thank you in advance

 

[Dennis422]

"Printed sheets" are 23x23" sheets of Orajet 3651 printed by a wholesale sign shop. I have only a cutter, I can not print and cut.

 

[Jillbeans]

Yeah that seems insane if you're outsourcing your prints to not just get them contour cut from the same place.
I stick with about 22½" on my 24" Graphtec.
Love....Jill

 

[Dennis422]

Doesn't the wholesale sign shop have a plotter? What's the reasoning behind wanting to cut them yourself?

Just curious.

24x24" gives me 4 square feet of printed material with 21 printed decals.

If they would cut them for me, they charge one cut as a 1 square foot.

4 VS. 21 square feet, I think I'll cut them myself

 

[John in Cali]

Pro Tip...

You can make yesterday's fiasco work by carefully taping extra material around the edge of the printed sheet...that is if you can fit it into your plotter.

 

[Dennis422]

Pro Tip...

You can make yesterday's fiasco work by carefully taping extra material around the edge of the printed sheet...that is if you can fit it into your plotter.

I will definitely try to do that. I still have one sheet left.

Thanks John, Pat and Jill

 

[Jillbeans]

I would definitely find a new printer (I use D&T)
But for now I would have paid the extra rather than d!cking around and wasting stuff.

 

[Dennis422]

Not when you can't read the registration marks it doesn't....

I would consider looking into another supplier who won't rip you off - their pricing method for cutting just doesn't make sense.

I guess you are right, but I think I could get away with 18

This was an trial order to see if that will sell. I have an access to the Roland LEC-300 UV printer at work (I work as a graphic designer in a packaging co.) that I could use, but I wanted to order few sheets as a test before I go and buy roll of Orajet 3651.

At least I learned a lesson for the future in case I have to do something like this again.

 

[Dennis422]

I would definitely find a new printer (I use D&T)
But for now I would have paid the extra rather than d!cking around and wasting stuff.

I used D&T before too, great guys.
I had to order something else that they do not do, so i just got this one in with the other guys to save on shipping

I guess you learn from your mistakes (That is why it says "College Freshman" under my avatar)

 

[gabagoo]

Can you describe the process of how you would set up the file so that you can cut it in your plotter? Do you put a small dot somewhere at the lower right corner to start the plotter off on so it knows where to cut.
I think it is feasable if you allow a large enough bleed if necessary and working on small sheets ensures very little plotter drift

 

[Dennis422]

Can you describe the process of how you would set up the file so that you can cut it in your plotter? Do you put a small dot somewhere at the lower right corner to start the plotter off on so it knows where to cut.
I think it is feasable if you allow a large enough bleed if necessary and working on small sheets ensures very little plotter drift

Graphtec allows me to place registration marks in all 4 corners (L shaped mark) which is read by the plotter when the sheet is in it.
That way the plotter knows where to cut. No need for the dot.

Should that be the standar procedure for all plotters?

 

[gabagoo]

OH so you are using a plotter designed to cut the graphics from the machine that prints it? if thats the case, then I see no issue with it, especially if you can save a few dollars

 

[royster13]

It takes a little practice but you can use your own eyes to line things up.....I know that my cutter starts it's cuts about 7/8" left and 7/8" in from right front corner of material....So long as I keep that in mind for contour cuts, I can cut without the eye.....

 

[thmooch]

I set up at 22.5" for the crop marks. This gives the machine a little room if the print goes askew some to still be able to find the crop marks.

 

[fresh]

When I have stuff printed locally, I ask them not to trim the prints down. On more than one occasion, they have over trimmed my prints!

If it is really important, I add extra space to the margin (23" wide print, I put a 24" box around the entire thing). This may solve your problem.

Make a box 24" wide, and put everything within this box. Even if they over trim it, you should still be able to work with it.