Summa F1612 tools/questions

We use the double edge cutout knife for most cutout jobs (95%). You can cut thinner plastic sheet substrates with that also but it dulls the blade so we usually change to the Heavy Duty cutout knife for rigids. The kiss cut knife is perfect for very thick laminates such as Substance motocross laminates or similar. For regular cutting vinyl, laminated or unlaminated the drag knife works well so if you don't cut the very thick ones you'll manage fine with the drag knife.

The remote control pack is nice but mostly a show off item if you have your computer nearby. We have ours set up so you sit next to the cutter and sees the cutter behind the screen. That makes us use the remote control very little so if it costs extra I'd leave it out.

The 0 degree V cut has been used now and then but I prefer the heavy duty cutout for the soft sheets (such as coroplast) up to what the heavy duty knife is rated for. For thicker soft sheets the V cut works good but is a bit tricky to set up right, be careful to not cut your mat with it, had to glue mine after the first cut with it =) For foamcore up to 5 mm I'd go with the heavy duty cutout knife instead.

Overall a great machine for cutting so you won't be dissappointed. What software do you get with it? We have the Summaflex and it works fairly well, some bugs and own ideas but the newer software that comes with the F series is better I've heard...?

 

Some quick answers for you -

-Yes, you should absolutely get the kiss cutting tool for roll materials like vinyl, posters, heat transfers, banner materials, etc. It will allow you to cut much more precisely on smaller details on these materials compared to the cutout tools which use much larger blades.
-I would suggest using the EOT(electronic oscillating tool) for cutting cardboard. I know you mentioned that you aren't going with that tool, but I would strongly suggest getting it because you will also need it for cutting coroplast.
-The EOT is the best tool for cutting coroplast and will be required if you plan on cutting complex shapes or curves. You can use the heavy duty tool for straight line cuts, but the blade is much too large to turn while cutting that material and get a clean cut on detailed graphics or curves.
-I would suggest using bits made specifically for each of the materials you listed. Summa has a variety of bits available(32 different options) and down here in the US I would also contact Hartlauer(not sure if they have a Canadian location or not) Bits as they have hundreds of different bit options available.
-The remote pack does save some time setting your origin, material size, up/down position on the tools, etc so it may be a worthwhile investment. I would maybe try operating the equipment without the remote pack to start and add it later if you find you are spending a lot of time setting up those parameters.
-The 0 degree V-Cut tool isn't going to be the best option for shape cutting foam. The better tool for that application would be the POT-L(pneumatic oscillating tool long, which uses longer blades).

Best regards,

Phil Johnson
Airmark Corporation
(800)527-7778, ext 112
philj@airmark.com

 

You can download the software GoProduce from Summa website and activate a free 30-day trial to evaluate it

 

You will want the EOT and the kiss cutting tool. The EOT will cut material more intricate and the kiss cut is super fast at finishing vinyl(better than your 140)

 

Sounds like you are getting the right tools at least to start with, I think you will be able to get a lot done with that setup. No, I didn't get casters for the Summa but maybe it is a good idea if the frame is sturdy enough to just be supported by wheels?
Thanks jerry369 for the tip about GoProduce, I'll maybe have a look at the free trial and see if it is worth getting.

 

A lot of good responses here already. I agree, you will want the kiss-cut tool.

- For operating with your rip, I do the following with caldera: send one file to caldera with marks/print job, then send another to GoProduce with the marks/cut file. I have a lot of jobs where I need specific/random placement of my cut lines, so I like to add them manually. Makes it nice for repeat jobs too.
- For cut outs, I use the HD cut out tool 95% of the time.
- With the single edge tool, you will probably need to raise the blade height manually to get a good cut. If not, you will get jagged cuts and it cuts too deep into the material. I HATED this tool until I got this figured out.
- I have (3) creasing wheels now. They all work pretty good, but I would look into the new one coming out (I have it on order). It's designed to better crease cardboard without breaking the top paper layer. It's supposed to be here the first part of August.
- For router bits, look into X-edge or Bits and Bits. I have a lot of their bits and they works great!
- I have the EOT, it works great for more intricate stuff. I also found I have to use that on some super thick card stock to prevent tear out on the backside
- I recommend getting a second shop vac to have next to it for clean up after routing and to keep the belt vacuumed off.

Mine came with the wireless remote. I thought that was standard?

 

I use the HD cut out tool for most things: a lot of thru cuts in vinyl, coroplast, foam core, pvc, etc. It's its a heaving media, over 5mm, I will just set it up to do multiple cuts to get through it and/or slow it down.
I would honesty wait for the new creasing wheel. The old ones work, but have a tendency to tear the top layer of paper on the board. Which is why they have this new one coming out.
- Here is a link to their video:
I will send you some links/info for the router stuff.

 

I'm getting very close to pulling the trigger on one of these. Does anyone have advise on stepping up to the HP router? Pros and cons if there are any? I want to be sure the ROI is there.

 

Hi Dave,

The spindle on the HF(high frequency) router is utmost balanced, which means it rotates with less play compared to the standard router and is more stable as a result. The results in smoother edge finishing compared to the standard router. The HF router also has more than double the RPM(up to 60,000 RPM versus 25,000 max RPM on the standard router). Bit changing is done pneumatically on the HF router also which makes bit changing quicker and requires no tools to swap out bits.

If you plan on routing a lot of rigid substrate then the HF would be a much better option. If you plan on cutting in lower volumes, and with mostly softer materials like PVC and foam boards, the standard router will be a good option and will be much less expensive than the HF.

We aren't too far from your location(our office is in North Seattle) and we keep these units in stock. We also used to own and operate Summa so we actually developed this technology and have over 10 years experience installing these machines all over the world. I would keep us in mind as an option if you are considering an F-Series and I would be happy to answer any questions that you might have about the equipment.

Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to help or if you have any other questions about the different router systems or any other tools you might be considering.

Best regards,

Phil Johnson
Airmark Corporation
(800)527-7778, ext 112
philj@airmark.com

 

I just have the KRESS, now AMB, router with mine. It has worked flawlessly for anything the machine can cut. I have also seriously toyed with the idea up upgrading to the HF. Its just hard to justify the $15k price tag they want for it. Even jobs with multiple bits is easy to do. I actually picked up a second spindle to have as a back and for quick bit changes. I am just hoping they can make some improvements to the router functions in GoProduce which would open up a lot of capabilities for the machine. I sent in ~10 suggestions and even got a response from Summa in Belgium. I was told they were all in the works. If these come about, I would look at the HF option again.

 

Forgive my ignorance. You are saying that you have bought third party routers (Kress AMB) and have it running on the Summa F Series. These routers interface with the control board I'm assuming to adjust speed and the like?

 

You can find the same spindle out there to purchase. That brand, Kress/AMB, is not Summa exclusive. They actually just came out with a new one of this same model the Summa uses that has a software controlled speed control. It would be interesting to see if Summa would incorporate this.

 

My guess is that the polishing bit needs a lot higher RPM to be effective. Hitting the edge with a torch using MAP gas seems to do a good job polishing it up.