What am I doing wrong??

[Tim Aucoin]

New Gerber Edge FX user... first problem already!

I'm running Gerber Static Cling, loading everything properly, hitting print, and it'll go for a second then "creeeaaaakkkk... ripppp.... stop". Open the cover, and the static has bunched up, lift the bar and the one media squeegee is damaged... static has stuck to it!!! Anyone had this issue with static... Am I just really missing something or loading it wrong? I'm having no problem running vinyl. I've gone through 2 squeegees already... it's getting to be an expensive job!!!

Please be gentle!
Thanks for any help.

 

[Marlene]

I don't have the FX, I have an Edge, but it sounds like you need to set what material you are running on the plot page. under the print options, click on "subsitute" then on "vinyl" and change it from the default to the Gerber Static Cling to see if that helps. not sure how the FX works, but it seems like the setup would be the same as my plain old Edge.

 

[petepaz]

put a strip of masking tape on the media squeegee then the material should slide through without getting stuck
we had to do that on our edge should be similar on the fx

 

[Billct2]

What Marlene said and sometimes I'll put a piece of trans tape over the squeege edge to
'soften" it.
Static is a finicky material.

 

[Tim Aucoin]

Thanks for the quick responses folks! I had the material correct and ended up putting some green painters tape (thin masking tape) along the squeegees. That did the trick! Thank you to all 3 of you for your fast reply's and the help. I was also having a problem figuring out the flood coat white, but worked my way through the manual and figured that out also. There's so much to learn about this machine (and Omega software), but I'm a quick learn!

Thank you again... got the small job run and everyone's happy!

 

[UltraHIVE]

that helped me too, i used blue

 

[Tim Aucoin]

It's funny how the simplest things can solve the biggest problems!!!
Now if there were only an easier way to weed the 300 @#$@#$% little decals I've got to weed this week!!! Thank goodness I'm a patient man! As someone on another thread said (I think it was Gino)... PATIENCE AND PRACTICE!!! But these little buggers are really trying my patience!!

On the bright side, I'll have lots of practice for the Meet & Greet weeding competition (if I haven't swallowed too much vinyl by that time :ROFLMAO...

 

[Fred Weiss]

It's funny how the simplest things can solve the biggest problems!!!
Now if there were only an easier way to weed the 300 @#$@#$% little decals I've got to weed this week!!! Thank goodness I'm a patient man! As someone on another thread said (I think it was Gino)... PATIENCE AND PRACTICE!!! But these little buggers are really trying my patience!!

On the bright side, I'll have lots of practice for the Meet & Greet weeding competition (if I haven't swallowed too much vinyl by that time :ROFLMAO...

Easy weeding is easy to achieve by extending the exposed length of the blade in your plotter by 3 or 4 increments. The material being thicker needs a bit more blade to cut cleanly.

I've used transfer paper on my squeegees for years now to get static cling to move cleanly in my Edge.

 

[UltraHIVE]

u can plot a line down each row to help to separate the process. dont try to weed the entire 300, u might lose alot. i use a GSX15 plus, and plot at a 2 - 2 1/2 pressure setting for 2ml vinyl. try to make your plot begining cut on a sharp angle in the plot line. also, for me the direction that i weed from and towards makes a big difference in ease. i pull from the bottom right up diagonally towards the reg target side upper left, and keep the material low creating a tighter bend. i made a small tipped, smooth curved poker from a plastic knife to help release trouble areas.

 

[Tim Aucoin]

Easy weeding is easy to achieve by extending the exposed length of the blade in your plotter by 3 or 4 increments. The material being thicker needs a bit more blade to cut cleanly.

Thanks Fred!... Maybe I'm the problem here ... and I'm sure it'll just take a bit of cut vinyl experience (it's a whole different world than printed vinyl!!).
I've been trying to make sure I see minimum (or no) cut lines on the liner in order to get what I thought was a proper cut. With what you're saying, I assume I'll see a distinctive cut line? From what I've been reading, I felt concerned that if I cut too deep, it would also hinder weeding. I'm cutting 3M 220 vinyl (2mil) black & metallic.

 

[Fred Weiss]

Thanks Fred!... Maybe I'm the problem here ... and I'm sure it'll just take a bit of cut vinyl experience (it's a whole different world than printed vinyl!!).
I've been trying to make sure I see minimum (or no) cut lines on the liner in order to get what I thought was a proper cut. With what you're saying, I assume I'll see a distinctive cut line? From what I've been reading, I felt concerned that if I cut too deep, it would also hinder weeding. I'm cutting 3M 220 vinyl (2mil) black & metallic.

I was referring to static cling when I said to run the blade out a bit. The ideal finished result with any material is to see a light impression in the liner but not sufficient to actually cut through the polyethylene release film and into the paper.

 

[Tim Aucoin]

u can plot a line down each row to help to separate the process. dont try to weed the entire 300, u might lose alot. i use a GSX15 plus, and plot at a 2 - 2 1/2 pressure setting for 2ml vinyl. try to make your plot begining cut on a sharp angle in the plot line. also, for me the direction that i weed from and towards makes a big difference in ease. i pull from the bottom right up diagonally towards the reg target side upper left, and keep the material low creating a tighter bend. i made a small tipped, smooth curved poker from a plastic knife to help release trouble areas.

I'm adding a weeding border, then weeding each one individually. Where the real headache happens is with the apostrophes (there are two of them), and with the swoosh underline (especially under the "E"... they are a #$@#@# to keep from lifting off!!! I'll attach an image of what I'm cutting... They are 2.5" wide.

 

[signage]

Tim you have an Edge why didn't you print them on clear and just weed the squares to separate them?

 

[Tim Aucoin]

Tim you have an Edge why didn't you print them on clear and just weed the squares to separate them?

Customer insisted on ready to apply cut vinyl... It's a Mercedes dealership in Halifax... they are to apply on their vehicles when they sell. The black ones are for their used vehicles and the gold & silver metallic are for their rich people's cars!

 

[iSign]

dude.. you're joking right?

that is the job you are cutting on cling?

Use clear cling, and make a cut line like this...

how much crap did you print like that?
what is it's hard costs?
how long will you spend weeding it?
what is your time worth?

RIGHT!! now throw that crap away & redo it like this!
you can thank me later

 

[Tim Aucoin]

No Doug, I'm not printing on cling... the weeding job I'm talking about is on 2mil 3M 220. The cling job is done and gone... I just made a side comment about how much fun I was having weeding this particular job... I should have started a new thread... sorry bout' that! But... thanks for the advice none the less Doug!!!

 

[iSign]

Customer insisted on ready to apply cut vinyl... It's a Mercedes dealership in Halifax... they are to apply on their vehicles when they sell. The black ones are for their used vehicles and the gold & silver metallic are for their rich people's cars!

make what I showed you, and show it to them... it IS cut vinyl, AND it is more durable than individual letters, looks just as good (my cut line doesn't get printed, just cut) ..explain how every corner is a weak link, and their company name will be starting to fail at the corners & peeling up or falling off letter by letter over the years... but because you are looking out for them, you just bought $20K worth of decal equipment so you could offer this NEW AND IMPROVED solution... sounds like a used car salesman's scam... BUT IN REALITY IT'S THE TRUTH!! just happens to be way more profitable too

 

[UltraHIVE]

i think people are getting confused here. hes talking about 2 separate jobs. the cling is not 2ml thick, and its clear. the Oregans is the 2ml black / metalic job.

 

[Tim Aucoin]

make what I showed you, and show it to them... it IS cut vinyl, AND it is more durable than individual letters, looks just as good (my cut line doesn't get printed, just cut) ..explain how every corner is a weak link, and their company name will be starting to fail at the corners & peeling up or falling off letter by letter over the years... but because you are looking out for them, you just bought $20K worth of decal equipment so you could offer this NEW AND IMPROVED solution... sounds like a used car salesman's scam... BUT IN REALITY IT'S THE TRUTH!! just happens to be way more profitable too

I'm gonna try that approach Doug... I'll courier them out a sample and see what they say. Unfortunately, I can't just go see them... they're on the other end of the country! They come from everywhere to do business with me!!

 

[signage]

What we are trying to tell him is to do it one clear and print and cut as shown, he just purchased an Edge and should use it for this type of job!