Plotter suggestions?

[FatCat]

I know the main consensus seems to refer to Graphtec or Summa, but I've had a Roland for just under 3 years. Has been a very reliable machine, tracks straight and is very quiet. I'm sure you could find a used GX-24 within your budget, and IMHO you might even find a used GX-300 or CX-300 (30") which is a more robust machine and gives you the added versatility of using up to 30" rolls.

 

[cgsigns_jamie]

I will save my nearly dead 4E for pounce patterns but I have had it up to here with this plotter.

Jill,

Some of the newer plotters can pounce as well. I have a 30" Allen Datagraph plotter that I only use for pounce patterns. I'm currently thinking of ordering a new Graphtec FC8000 and it also pounces.

 

[David Wright]

If you are going to keep the gerber for pounce patterns then like the others graphtec or summa. If not, my Summa is of no use to me making patterns. I like the way Gerber uses a pounce wheel as opposed to the pin point going up and down on the Summa.

I too am in the market since my seven year old T750's head is going ( a thousand dollar replacement). This is my second Summa and possibly will buy a D75 which is selling for $2500. I don't need the tangential feature so a good name brand manufacturer will do.

Desktop models don't appeal to me as they seem less well built. I don't think enough people here considered your pouncing requirements. I would like to know how good graphtec is in that regard. Dr. Cas loves Allen Datagraph for that feature.

 

[GB2]

I agree with all that if you go larger then 30" is the next size you should consider...Gerber, Graphtec, Summa. You can definitely find a good used Gerber Envision 375 or 750 if you are patient, that is what I'd probably try to do.

 

[Steve G.]

We have a graphtec and a Roland GX24. Have not had an issue with either in years.
I agree with most everyone, but I also beleive a used Gx24 will work great for you if you see a good deal on one.
The graphtec Definatley tracks better, but i can get 10 ft out of the roland no problem.
Like Leigh, I pen plot and pounce with a wheel and that works fine for me

 

[Jackpine]

Check out Ordway. They always have a sale going. I saw a new CE 5000Mk2 for $1200 with free shipping.QUOTE=Jillbeans;624093]Bumping this again.
I have about $1200 to spend (I think)
I need something that will work on a Windows XP machine.
I'd like a 24".
I will save my nearly dead 4E for pounce patterns but I have had it up to here with this plotter.[/QUOTE]

 

[David Wright]

Another thing about buying is try to deal with a local supplier. You know how alone I feel with problems with mine when I have to ship it back to Seattle? Mostly you are stuck into trying to do your own repairs after ordering expensive parts.

 

[Border]

I have a gerber Envision 750 and an old Summa D620. The Summa has a pounce kit that I used a few times way back when and it seemed to work fine for that. But I'm not a painter nor have I tried pouncing with my Gerber to compare.
I absolutely LOVE my Gerber 750, 30 inch sprocket-fed but I have been considering selling it to help fund a larger cutter with opos for cutting large format digital prints.
I've never an issue with either of my plotters other than long tracking with the Summa VS unattended full roll cutting on the sprocket-fed Gerber. Downside of the sprocket-fed is it has no pinch rollers so you can't run scraps through it, but I have my 24 inch Summa for that!

 

[CES020]

Whichever you buy, go for at least a 30". While a 24" is adequate, with a 30" things seem to lay out better on the media. When I had a 24" I was always trying, with varying degrees of success, to shoehorn images onto the media. With the 30" I can't recall the last time it was an issue.

We started with a 24", not knowing 24" meant "it won't cut 24" ". We did the 30" Graphtec and size wise, it's been excellent. Being able to actually mark patterns that are 24" has been a real blessing. I haven't cut much stuff in the 24" range, but I have used it for patterns for dimensional letters many times. LOVE LOVE LOVE the 30" machine.

As far as support? It would be non-existent for us. We bought it from a big name company (that may or may not be a merchant member here), and we've had cutting issues with it after about 2-3 months. It cuts inconsistent. If you cut the same line of text, all the way across a sheet, maybe 5 of them, 3 will weed like magic, 2 will be a pain in the a**. Called graphtec and they said it was the material. We've tried Oracal, Avery, Trim, Arlon, and maybe another couple. Does the same on all of them.

Called the dealer. Dealer tech support said "Call Graphtec". So we started buying all of our material and cutters from the same place we bought the machine. So now we call in, when they say "It's the material, we say 'We bought the material from you' ". They have come into our shop, run dozens of samples, and left saying "there's something wrong with that machine".

And still, it sits here, unfixed, no phone calls, no nothing. No sense in calling Graphtec, they'll just tell me "it's not a machine problem" again, like they have every single time I have called.

So now, we just fight with the machine, hoping it'll wear out sooner rather than later and we can buy something else from a different dealer that actually gives a crap.

It cuts, it works, it's just a bear to weed jobs. If you look at the release liner, you can see where it cuts through in some places and not in others. New cutters, brand new cut strip, etc. It appears to be a mystery to everyone involved.

It won't be a mystery when we buy their competitors machine.