Ian Stewart-Koster
Older Greyer Brushie
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PNC-1000 SERVICE manual here
- Thread starter Ian Stewart-Koster
- Start date
Ian Stewart-Koster
Older Greyer Brushie
Doot, email me your email address, & I'll send them.
jumbopizza
New Member
Hey Ian
Just wanted to say thanks again for the pnc 1000 manuals.
Another pnc1000 saved from the scrap heap.
It is cutting great!
I'm sure I will have more questions as I get further into this adventure.
But for now........... a big thanks!
Cheers
Just wanted to say thanks again for the pnc 1000 manuals.
Another pnc1000 saved from the scrap heap.
It is cutting great!
I'm sure I will have more questions as I get further into this adventure.
But for now........... a big thanks!
Cheers
Ian Stewart-Koster
Older Greyer Brushie
Jumbo- what was the main problem, & what was the solution you used to fix it?
jumbopizza
New Member
Ian
I didn't have a clue how the cutter worked as far as setting it up.
But with the manuals and reading the posts here, I got the information needed.
So for now, everything is working great!
There is still some life in this oldie but goodie roland cutter.
Your post about printing from print preview in coreldraw also helped alot.
I'm sure there will be more questions in the future but for now .... life is good!
Thanks for checking.
Cheers
I didn't have a clue how the cutter worked as far as setting it up.
But with the manuals and reading the posts here, I got the information needed.
So for now, everything is working great!
There is still some life in this oldie but goodie roland cutter.
Your post about printing from print preview in coreldraw also helped alot.
I'm sure there will be more questions in the future but for now .... life is good!
Thanks for checking.
Cheers
Ian Stewart-Koster
Older Greyer Brushie
QSD Graphics
New Member
Ian,
New to this site, but I bought one of these to have around as a back-up. I've had
nothing but trouble trying to set it up. Someone said that the cord from the computer to the plotter may not be correct, and this would cause problems. Will this manual you have help with these kinds of problems.
Thanks!
New to this site, but I bought one of these to have around as a back-up. I've had
nothing but trouble trying to set it up. Someone said that the cord from the computer to the plotter may not be correct, and this would cause problems. Will this manual you have help with these kinds of problems.
Thanks!
Ian Stewart-Koster
Older Greyer Brushie
I don't know, QSD.
If you use a normal old printer/LPT cord, there shouldn't be an issue, as long as all the settings on the console are the default or auto, and it knows the input is via the parallel lead.
Reread the various threads here on the PNC1000-(do a search if needed)- I'm sure all answers have been explained for just about every problem- the manuals are- well, 20 years old, and modern printer drivers have superceded a lot of what used to have to be manually set up.
Do you know if the plotter actually works? There's a plotter self-test- I think you press 'function' while switching the power on, then release 'function', and make sure there's some vinyl under the blade, and the pinchwheels are lowered, and it should plot "Camm1"- without being connected to the computer at all.
If you use a normal old printer/LPT cord, there shouldn't be an issue, as long as all the settings on the console are the default or auto, and it knows the input is via the parallel lead.
Reread the various threads here on the PNC1000-(do a search if needed)- I'm sure all answers have been explained for just about every problem- the manuals are- well, 20 years old, and modern printer drivers have superceded a lot of what used to have to be manually set up.
Do you know if the plotter actually works? There's a plotter self-test- I think you press 'function' while switching the power on, then release 'function', and make sure there's some vinyl under the blade, and the pinchwheels are lowered, and it should plot "Camm1"- without being connected to the computer at all.
To Ian.....
I hate to jump in here... but i'm back to trying to get this roland pnc 1000 someone give up and running.... I quess I could use a manual and would be most appreiative if you could send me a copy of the same manual you sent Sanjay....
I still havent gotten past the printing coords problem but someone mentioned a switch to go from serial to parallel. Well ive looked everywhere.... maybe the book would help!
thanks
And to JUMBOPIZZA....
What type of cable are you using?
:U Rock:
thanxxxxxxxxxxxx
I hate to jump in here... but i'm back to trying to get this roland pnc 1000 someone give up and running.... I quess I could use a manual and would be most appreiative if you could send me a copy of the same manual you sent Sanjay....
I still havent gotten past the printing coords problem but someone mentioned a switch to go from serial to parallel. Well ive looked everywhere.... maybe the book would help!
thanks
And to JUMBOPIZZA....
What type of cable are you using?
:U Rock:
thanxxxxxxxxxxxx
thrashercharged
New Member
rickCAD,
I'm brand new to this forum, still basically learning to cut vinyl (I've cut a small decals so far, just for myself - I'm not a sign pro.) I've a PNC-1000 and have it working, I do have a user manual in pdf form I'll be glad to email to you. I'm using a parallel printer cable.
Turn the cutter on, lock the sheet feeder down, and if you're using 15" vinyl, the sheet width should read 381mm. Press the function button on the PNC-1000 and the cutter should move to coordinate 0,0 and it's ready to cut.
It took me a while to figure out how to make the cutter work. I recall I had to setup my software to think it was cutting to a PNC-1000a, and not a PNC-1000 for some reason, even though my cutter clearly says PNC-1000 on it. If I chose PNC-1000, it cut EXTREMELY slow, as in microscopically slow, taking about 1 full minute to move the cutter 1 inch!
I do have some questions about this cutter, which I may be better off putting into a new topic if no one answers here.
1. Apparently there are still a lot of sign pros using this cutter, but isn't it too slow nowdays? Also, it's an 18" cutter and you can't buy 18" vinyl anymore, only 15". Don't most shops stock 24" vinyl instead of 15"? I thought 15" was going obsolete and in danger of being discontinued someday? I'm just surprised that pro shops would use 15" vinyl except for small signs and decals. This also means the max width you can cut is 14" right, since there are tractor holes on each side?
2. Also, this is a friction feed cutter and doesn't use the tractor feed. Are most newer cutters friction or tractor feed? I'm wanting to cut decals for our Boy Scout troop trailer (lettering the side), but I'm hesitant to use this cutter because I'm not sure I can line up my vinyl straight enough with a friction feed to run 8 to 10 feet of length without getting misaligned and having the blade run off the vinyl. It seems a tractor feed would be more precise for long banners? How do you guys handle running banners on this machine? I've taped down some alignment marks onto the cutter (in front and back and both sides) to help me get the 15" vinyl aligned perfectly "square" but a little bit of error in getting it not perfectly straight is going to be significant after 8 feet.
3. I'm having trouble setting my cutting force perfectly. Too much and it cuts through the backing paper. Too little and it doesn't cut all the way through the vinyl. Does this simply mean my blade is getting dull?
4. Is there a good way to cut off my finished vinyl other than using a razor and running it along the front edge of the machine as a guide? When the cutter is finished, it simply stops whereever it was last cutting and doesn't roll out the vinyl to the "end" of the finished product. So what I do is release the sheet feeder (which loosens the vinyl from the pinch rollers) and feed the vinyl forward by hand. Then I lock the sheet feeder down again (which runs the blade back to the 0,0 coordinate) just to hold the vinyl down, and cut it with a blade across the front of the machine. I feel there must be a more proper way? I know modern machines will cut the vinyl off by itself using the blade and more downforce, the PNC-1000 isn't capable of doing this is it?
5. Is there anyway to use vinyl that is less than 15" wide? I have long 6" rolls of scrap a sign pro friend gave me. I see there are some large rollers on the side closest to the display, I assume for rolls larger than 15". Looking at the placement of the rollers, I can only assume that back in the day, they must have sold vinyl in varying widths from 15" to 18" and everything in between, otherwise Roland wouldn't have put rollers in the places they did. Is there anyway to put my 6" rolls on that far side and give the machine new 0,0 coordinates (i.e. 15" away from the normal 0,0 point)?
Thanks for any answers, and let me know if you need a manual or any other help.
Tom
I'm brand new to this forum, still basically learning to cut vinyl (I've cut a small decals so far, just for myself - I'm not a sign pro.) I've a PNC-1000 and have it working, I do have a user manual in pdf form I'll be glad to email to you. I'm using a parallel printer cable.
Turn the cutter on, lock the sheet feeder down, and if you're using 15" vinyl, the sheet width should read 381mm. Press the function button on the PNC-1000 and the cutter should move to coordinate 0,0 and it's ready to cut.
It took me a while to figure out how to make the cutter work. I recall I had to setup my software to think it was cutting to a PNC-1000a, and not a PNC-1000 for some reason, even though my cutter clearly says PNC-1000 on it. If I chose PNC-1000, it cut EXTREMELY slow, as in microscopically slow, taking about 1 full minute to move the cutter 1 inch!
I do have some questions about this cutter, which I may be better off putting into a new topic if no one answers here.
1. Apparently there are still a lot of sign pros using this cutter, but isn't it too slow nowdays? Also, it's an 18" cutter and you can't buy 18" vinyl anymore, only 15". Don't most shops stock 24" vinyl instead of 15"? I thought 15" was going obsolete and in danger of being discontinued someday? I'm just surprised that pro shops would use 15" vinyl except for small signs and decals. This also means the max width you can cut is 14" right, since there are tractor holes on each side?
2. Also, this is a friction feed cutter and doesn't use the tractor feed. Are most newer cutters friction or tractor feed? I'm wanting to cut decals for our Boy Scout troop trailer (lettering the side), but I'm hesitant to use this cutter because I'm not sure I can line up my vinyl straight enough with a friction feed to run 8 to 10 feet of length without getting misaligned and having the blade run off the vinyl. It seems a tractor feed would be more precise for long banners? How do you guys handle running banners on this machine? I've taped down some alignment marks onto the cutter (in front and back and both sides) to help me get the 15" vinyl aligned perfectly "square" but a little bit of error in getting it not perfectly straight is going to be significant after 8 feet.
3. I'm having trouble setting my cutting force perfectly. Too much and it cuts through the backing paper. Too little and it doesn't cut all the way through the vinyl. Does this simply mean my blade is getting dull?
4. Is there a good way to cut off my finished vinyl other than using a razor and running it along the front edge of the machine as a guide? When the cutter is finished, it simply stops whereever it was last cutting and doesn't roll out the vinyl to the "end" of the finished product. So what I do is release the sheet feeder (which loosens the vinyl from the pinch rollers) and feed the vinyl forward by hand. Then I lock the sheet feeder down again (which runs the blade back to the 0,0 coordinate) just to hold the vinyl down, and cut it with a blade across the front of the machine. I feel there must be a more proper way? I know modern machines will cut the vinyl off by itself using the blade and more downforce, the PNC-1000 isn't capable of doing this is it?
5. Is there anyway to use vinyl that is less than 15" wide? I have long 6" rolls of scrap a sign pro friend gave me. I see there are some large rollers on the side closest to the display, I assume for rolls larger than 15". Looking at the placement of the rollers, I can only assume that back in the day, they must have sold vinyl in varying widths from 15" to 18" and everything in between, otherwise Roland wouldn't have put rollers in the places they did. Is there anyway to put my 6" rolls on that far side and give the machine new 0,0 coordinates (i.e. 15" away from the normal 0,0 point)?
Thanks for any answers, and let me know if you need a manual or any other help.
Tom
Ian Stewart-Koster
Older Greyer Brushie
Wow, Tom- long post.
Please excuse my brevity in replies.
1.the pnc1000A driver works, the 1000 driver doesn't - you're right.
2. Too slow for what or who? Yes, I'd like a faster one, but it still works. I can still only weed so fast. Just schedule your time to work with it. Given a choice, I'd prefer a wider one than a faster one- if I was given the option. IN the meantime we use what we have.
"Most shops"...no idea, I have not surveyed "most shops". We order the vinyl in 20" widths - 510mm - sometimes we get that, and sometimes they send us 24" vinyl cut back to 20" plus the 4" offcut.
I have never used 15" vinyl. The plotter will fit 24" under the top, but it's only capable of cutting on the leftmost 465mm width in the 20" span.
3. Tractor feed...no idea- never used it. "Most newer cutters" seem to have sensing so they can correct their deviation if going offcourse- if they're a top brand. If they're a cheap brand, you can expect anything. These PNC1000s were not high technology like newer ones- but they were built to last.
I'm not aware of many with tractor feed except the famous one that prints on vinyl, but I've had a brain freeze (sleepy) & can't remember the name.
Lining it up straight- don't worry- it has a default length of a whisker over 1.5 metres, and I have never been able to work out how to force it to go beyond that. You learn to tile the work in 1.5 metre portions to accommodate that. You still need to and can line it up to run straight. I've done 5 sets of 1.5 metre plots, and had it still on course- it's a matter of experience. It also depends on your software- Flexi has a "show me" option where it runs out the size of the sheet needed, and runs it back, so you can see if it'll fit & stay where you hope it will. Corel doesn't.
"Running banners"- we often paint them, or if we have to use vinyl, we still tile it in 1.5 m peices or less. If you are careful, you can set it to tile, but also run continuously where the tiles touch, but it's easy to get it wrong, so I just do it between letters instead.
8 feet- you won't get this- only 5 of them, so split the job into 2 lots of 4 ft instead.
4. Cutting force - there's a slider on the far right near where the printer cable plugs in- set it in the middle (zero). It should be fine. If it's cutting right through, I'd suggest your blade pokes out below the holder too far. Perhaps if you can't adjust it, I'd suggest buying an adjustable holder, and set the blade tip to poke out about 0.5mm, or about 1/16".
5. To cut the page off asfter being plotted, just run a knife/razor along the front of the sloping part of the body. This PNC1000A has an option on the console called "page". After a plot is finished, I press "page" and it feeds the vinyl forward to the end of the plot, and forward the 1 3/4" extra to the front of the machine for a straight cut with an exacto knife or whatever you have. After you've cut it off, just leave the machine alone, & sent the next file to plot, and it'll automatically feed back the 1 3/4" , and start again.
I think with the other plotter, (pnc1000-without the A) you can use the forward arrows to feed it forward, to cut it off, but I don't remember. When it's lined up well, I try not to lift the pinchwheels if I don't have to, till I change vinyl. I don't really remember.
It has never had an auto cut-off that I am aware of.
6. Scrap vinyl: I used to keep backing paper & tape scrap vinyl to that, so the vinyl may be 8" wide, but the paper is the full 20" wide. It's tedious, the stuff can buckle, you can get it wroong, and these days I find other uses for the offcuts, like masking screens for screenprinting.
With better newer Rolands, you can fit any width of offcut under it. I think with the PNC1000, you can shift both the pinchwheels to the far right, and use about 3 3/4" wide strips.
It'll sense that that is what you have, usually. (You won't get 6" between the pinchrollers.)
I don't know what your 'normal' origin is- sounds like the left side. In any case it depends on the setting of Rotate in the console. Rotate = Y shifts the origin from the left to the right of the machine, or vice versa. It also flips the page orientation from landscape to portrait. (Or it may be y=90, I forget which machine has which options or how they word them.) IN Flexi, I have to have it one way, in Corel, rotate has to be the other way. With Win XP it had to be one way, and with Win98se, it had to be the other way, even in the same program. NO idea why, but it just wouldn't work with the alternative options.
If I move the pinchrollers, it senses where I have shifted them to. There must be a kind of limit switch or limit encoder or something hidden somewhere.
Hope that helps. It is not modern technology compared with today's stuff, so you really can't complain. If you want better, you buy a newer machine- they're really nice-instead of an old noisy dinasaur. Otherwise you learn to work with it, or farm-out the work you can't manage.
Please excuse my brevity in replies.
1.the pnc1000A driver works, the 1000 driver doesn't - you're right.
2. Too slow for what or who? Yes, I'd like a faster one, but it still works. I can still only weed so fast. Just schedule your time to work with it. Given a choice, I'd prefer a wider one than a faster one- if I was given the option. IN the meantime we use what we have.
"Most shops"...no idea, I have not surveyed "most shops". We order the vinyl in 20" widths - 510mm - sometimes we get that, and sometimes they send us 24" vinyl cut back to 20" plus the 4" offcut.
I have never used 15" vinyl. The plotter will fit 24" under the top, but it's only capable of cutting on the leftmost 465mm width in the 20" span.
3. Tractor feed...no idea- never used it. "Most newer cutters" seem to have sensing so they can correct their deviation if going offcourse- if they're a top brand. If they're a cheap brand, you can expect anything. These PNC1000s were not high technology like newer ones- but they were built to last.
I'm not aware of many with tractor feed except the famous one that prints on vinyl, but I've had a brain freeze (sleepy) & can't remember the name.
Lining it up straight- don't worry- it has a default length of a whisker over 1.5 metres, and I have never been able to work out how to force it to go beyond that. You learn to tile the work in 1.5 metre portions to accommodate that. You still need to and can line it up to run straight. I've done 5 sets of 1.5 metre plots, and had it still on course- it's a matter of experience. It also depends on your software- Flexi has a "show me" option where it runs out the size of the sheet needed, and runs it back, so you can see if it'll fit & stay where you hope it will. Corel doesn't.
"Running banners"- we often paint them, or if we have to use vinyl, we still tile it in 1.5 m peices or less. If you are careful, you can set it to tile, but also run continuously where the tiles touch, but it's easy to get it wrong, so I just do it between letters instead.
8 feet- you won't get this- only 5 of them, so split the job into 2 lots of 4 ft instead.
4. Cutting force - there's a slider on the far right near where the printer cable plugs in- set it in the middle (zero). It should be fine. If it's cutting right through, I'd suggest your blade pokes out below the holder too far. Perhaps if you can't adjust it, I'd suggest buying an adjustable holder, and set the blade tip to poke out about 0.5mm, or about 1/16".
5. To cut the page off asfter being plotted, just run a knife/razor along the front of the sloping part of the body. This PNC1000A has an option on the console called "page". After a plot is finished, I press "page" and it feeds the vinyl forward to the end of the plot, and forward the 1 3/4" extra to the front of the machine for a straight cut with an exacto knife or whatever you have. After you've cut it off, just leave the machine alone, & sent the next file to plot, and it'll automatically feed back the 1 3/4" , and start again.
I think with the other plotter, (pnc1000-without the A) you can use the forward arrows to feed it forward, to cut it off, but I don't remember. When it's lined up well, I try not to lift the pinchwheels if I don't have to, till I change vinyl. I don't really remember.
It has never had an auto cut-off that I am aware of.
6. Scrap vinyl: I used to keep backing paper & tape scrap vinyl to that, so the vinyl may be 8" wide, but the paper is the full 20" wide. It's tedious, the stuff can buckle, you can get it wroong, and these days I find other uses for the offcuts, like masking screens for screenprinting.
With better newer Rolands, you can fit any width of offcut under it. I think with the PNC1000, you can shift both the pinchwheels to the far right, and use about 3 3/4" wide strips.
It'll sense that that is what you have, usually. (You won't get 6" between the pinchrollers.)
I don't know what your 'normal' origin is- sounds like the left side. In any case it depends on the setting of Rotate in the console. Rotate = Y shifts the origin from the left to the right of the machine, or vice versa. It also flips the page orientation from landscape to portrait. (Or it may be y=90, I forget which machine has which options or how they word them.) IN Flexi, I have to have it one way, in Corel, rotate has to be the other way. With Win XP it had to be one way, and with Win98se, it had to be the other way, even in the same program. NO idea why, but it just wouldn't work with the alternative options.
If I move the pinchrollers, it senses where I have shifted them to. There must be a kind of limit switch or limit encoder or something hidden somewhere.
Hope that helps. It is not modern technology compared with today's stuff, so you really can't complain. If you want better, you buy a newer machine- they're really nice-instead of an old noisy dinasaur. Otherwise you learn to work with it, or farm-out the work you can't manage.
Ian Stewart-Koster
Older Greyer Brushie
Another fix is that on various occasions, like about once every 3 or 4 years, I have to get a new printer lead.
The old ones work on other printers, but they cease to work properly with the Camm1. No idea why, but I know getting a new parallel/centronics cable solves it.
The old ones work on other printers, but they cease to work properly with the Camm1. No idea why, but I know getting a new parallel/centronics cable solves it.
Ian Stewart-Koster
Older Greyer Brushie
MODES:
With the pnc1000A, if you lift the pinchwheels UP, off the vinyl, then turn the machine on, it'll come up with <command> on the console.
Press <enter>.
It will display <mode><mode>.
Use the sideways arrows to select # 2.
Press <enter>, or else <menu>.
That's all.
Lower the pinchwheels onto the vinyl & start your job.
For the PNC1000, the procedure is vaguely similar. You just have to scroll through the menu options till you find MODE mentioned & then press <enter> & go from there.
In the assorted menu options, you can choose to tell it whether the incoming signal is via serial or parallel cable, etc.
With the pnc1000A, if you lift the pinchwheels UP, off the vinyl, then turn the machine on, it'll come up with <command> on the console.
Press <enter>.
It will display <mode><mode>.
Use the sideways arrows to select # 2.
Press <enter>, or else <menu>.
That's all.
Lower the pinchwheels onto the vinyl & start your job.
For the PNC1000, the procedure is vaguely similar. You just have to scroll through the menu options till you find MODE mentioned & then press <enter> & go from there.
In the assorted menu options, you can choose to tell it whether the incoming signal is via serial or parallel cable, etc.
hey Ian, I'm new here to 101 and i"m having trouble with the cutting pressure on my machine. got it from ebay. If you still have service manual could you please send me a copy. to gemco1769@live.com
Ian Stewart-Koster
Older Greyer Brushie
HI Gemco,
that's not something covered in the service manual actually.
Pressure can be increased by the slider on the right, near where the printer lead plugs in.
I usually keep it in the middle of the grid.
Alternately, get a new blade, and a new cutting strip.
What are you trying to cut that it giving you problems?
Have you tried new vinyl?
I did find once years ago that a bad batch of vinyl would not cut well no matter how good the machine was.
Try some good quality (expensice) cast vinyl & see if that's OK- even a small trial file.
What did you pay on ebay for the plotter?
that's not something covered in the service manual actually.
Pressure can be increased by the slider on the right, near where the printer lead plugs in.
I usually keep it in the middle of the grid.
Alternately, get a new blade, and a new cutting strip.
What are you trying to cut that it giving you problems?
Have you tried new vinyl?
I did find once years ago that a bad batch of vinyl would not cut well no matter how good the machine was.
Try some good quality (expensice) cast vinyl & see if that's OK- even a small trial file.
What did you pay on ebay for the plotter?
Ian Stewart-Koster
Older Greyer Brushie
Oh, please...anyone asking for a manual...
maybe I'm old fashioned, but I like to have a REAL name to reply to, not a shop name, so please sign off with your real name.
Maybe there are crazies out there, and maybe some people need to hide behind ambiguous forum names for various reasons, but if you'd like some help from me, free, then I'd like a real name, thanks!
(no offense intended or fingers being pointed- this is just a general comment from someone with some old fashioned values, that's all !)
maybe I'm old fashioned, but I like to have a REAL name to reply to, not a shop name, so please sign off with your real name.
Maybe there are crazies out there, and maybe some people need to hide behind ambiguous forum names for various reasons, but if you'd like some help from me, free, then I'd like a real name, thanks!
(no offense intended or fingers being pointed- this is just a general comment from someone with some old fashioned values, that's all !)
Does anyone have know where i can download a manual for the 1100 and possibly the drivers? I am new to the forum and we just had this cutter given to us. We have a computer all setup for it with flexisign but no idea how to use it or where to get the drivers. Can anyone help? We are running it off newer computer but with windows 2000 installed on it.
Wes
Wes
Ian Stewart-Koster
Older Greyer Brushie
You should be able to get the drivers from Roland's website...somewhere in the legacy area. I haven't looked there for a few years, so I can't provide a link, but they're usually findable. Otherwise try Mr Google.