Roland SX-15 problems

[TC49010]

I started using my cutter and dr. stika, I cut the words tractor driver from thermogrip, noticed the letters were not all cut sharp and clean, adjusted my blade, had few minor jam ups from being too deep and the vinyl feeding through the back jammed on my printer cable, but got it wired out. I cut a simple square.. Cut great!
Added a square around the text above, cut it out on avery vinly.. cut great!
Tried it again only with letters not mirrored, and towards the end the letters headed south on me!
Tried cutting simple squares, it wont cut a perfect square or cirlce. Will not complete the left side
I tried cutting the letter L ..will not cut the left side.. I mirrored the L and it wont cut the right side.

I am a newbie to this and this has me stumped! I have shut down pc and cutter and rebooted.. no change. Uninstalled Dr.Stika, re-installed. No change.
Suggestions? Anyone with yahoo, msn, aol IM care to chat and see if I have something set up wrong in a setting?
Thanks in advance!
Trixie

 

[Scott Reynolds]

maybe a drive problem?

Ive never had that problem, but it sounds like a driver glich or bad cable. Just a guess. Scott

 

[TC49010]

Thanks for the suggestion! Around 2 am I hooked the cutter back up to this computer where it had worked fine, incase it was drivers, cables etc. It did the same thing. I did the letter H and it would not cut the left side of the H. I did the test cut and it will cut the + and the box on all 4 sides but it is not cut perfect every time, theres times the + is out of the box and not cut clean.
so I know it will cut all 4 sides, but not sure how to adust everything, blade etc. I'll keep working with it, I am sure its something simple and being new to the cutter I am overlooking or not adjusting correctly!
I am open for more suggestions and options!! I do not have another blade to put in , but I did remove the bottom of the blade holder and cleaned out minor buildup.
Thanks
TC

 

[SouthPaw]

Are you using a USB or SERIAL connection?

If it's a serial connection, make sure the cable says IEEE-1294 on it somewhere, if it doesn't then that might be the problem.

If it's a USB connection, ensure that your USB port AND cable are USB2 and not USB1 (if either the port or the cable are USB1 then THAT might be the problem).

Also, is Dr. Stika the DRIVER or a BRIDGE PROGRAM that allows your graphics software to output to the plotter?

If Dr. Stika is a BRIDGE PROGRAM, then try re-installing the plotter's DRIVER (no need to uninstall, just install it again.)

What design software are you using?

Are you making sure that your objects you're trying to cut have NO FILL and a BLACK HAIRLINE OUTLINE?

And these sides that won't cut, how close are they to the pinch rollers?

One or more of these might be your problem. None of these might be your problem.

Please keep us updated.

Good luck,
--William

 

[TC49010]

After many many blade depth adjustments I have finally got to where I can cut a square on all 4 sides!!! Not going to mention how much vinyl I had piled high in the garbage can!!! I have been able to cut the word HELLO once with not downward tracking but since then the H is high and ELLO drops and completes on the same line together.
I downloaded DR. Stika from the Roland website and installed my cutter drivers and use Dr.Stika only sending to my cutter.
Before I got my vinyl I was using shelf lining to practice with and cut Numbers and letters, names and would import BMP's all with no problem. Then I tried the thermoflex and not all letters were cut clean but it is a slight thicker material, and the vinyl is even thicker so I knew I need to adjust my blade. Thats when all the trouble started, after I played with things!
My white cutter strip had real deep cut lines in it when I got it, from the blade going through material often, so I am going to replace that and get new blades.
I have tried to cover the strip with the grey masking tape, doubled, in the mean time until I can get a new strip, but its a pain!
I adjusted my blade back to practice on the shelf lining paper and I can cut perfect shapes!! Havent tried words yet!! I put it away for a bit as I was getting cutter burn out!! If I could have offered everything in shelf lining paper I had that licked from the begining!!
So hopefully its just a matter of a new blade, new white strip. Any other ideas? Do all the various brands of vinyl have different thickness to them where adjusting the blade is something I will always have to do?
Thanks again for all the help!
Trixie
TC

 

[SouthPaw]

I would think that you would rarely need to adjust your blade depth...unless you are switching to material of very different thickness like sandblast mask (sandblast mask is very thick).

There are several different types of vinyl; I'll name the three most common:

1. Intermediate (also called "Calendared")
2. High performance (also called "Cast")
3. Reflective

I haven't used reflective before, so I don't know if you need to change the blade depth for that. I wouldn't think so. Mostly you would change something called downforce. Intermediate vinyl is slightly thicker than High Performance so Intermediate needs more downforce (You'll need to look in a manual for adjusting downforce). Don't want too much downforce, though or it'll go through and mar your plastic strip again.

I don't know if I would keep practicing on shelf-liner. I also don't know what you mean when you say the H and the ELLO were cut on different lines...that doesn't sound good at all, but I may have misunderstood you.

May I ask what you plan to use this Dr. Stika cutter for? (Just curious).

 

[TC49010]

Hello,
I plan to use the cutter for doing Player Names for shirts etc , decals, banners, minor vech lettering (eventually, after I get past the learning curve)!!
I will have read up on the "Down Force". Some else mentioned making sure the vinyl is fed in straight and not dragging. I still havent had a chance to work with it today, but hopefully tonight I will get a chance to work with it again!
Thanks for the input on the various vinyls. I have added that information to my note book!
Trixie
TC

 

[TC49010]

Well I am thirlled to say I am back to cutting anything I want now out of vinyl and all my words, no matter what size or font are all lined up and stay that way!! After reading that I should rarely have to change the depth of the blade, it make me think of when I first got it and how much blade was out.. next to none!!! So thats where I moved it 98% back to and I am off and cutting just as smooth on vinyl as I was on the shelf lining paper!! Thanks to everyone for the help and the pointers! This group is awsome!

Thanks!
Trixie
TC

 

[njsigns]

Hi Trixie,

Just wondering if you ever had any success cutting the thermoflex with your Stika? I was having the same problems when trying to cut thermoflex with my Stika and went through the exact same steps (adjusting the blade depth, changing the blade, reinstalling drivers, etc.) After wasting half a roll of thermoflex I gave up, and came to the conclusion that the Stika didn't have enough downforce.

I believe I read (after much searching) that the Stika only has 85g(?) of downforce... Being new to the Stika at the time, I thought it was me, but I recently tried again with the same results, and the same conclusion.

The funny thing about this is I purchased the Stika and thermoflex from the same company, at the same time (via telephone, and told them what I anticipated doing), I would think they would have given me a "heads up" when I purchased if it wouldn't really work?

Well I'd just really like to know if you ever worked it out and if so what's the secret?
:
Thanks,
Gene

 

[TC49010]

Hello Gene,

All I did to cut thermoflex was have my blade out just a dab (part turn) more..
I now have the cx-24 but while I was learning how to use it, I was always going back to the sx-15 and doing the thermoflex. Make sure your blade holder is fully seated also. Make sure the shinny side of the thermoflex is on the bottom as you feed it in. I have AOL instant messanger CPranchandemb if you'd like to talk with me directly anytime, I would be glad to try to help you figure it out. Th sx-15 is a great cutter!! I got a super deal on the cx-24 and thats the only reason I got it otherwise I was very happy with the sx-15!!
Trixie