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Wow.. Is it as annoying to you guys as it is me?

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ALTEREDIMAGEDESIGNS

New Member
So I was just looking up to see if there was a rotary blade for my Summa S2 cutter and i stumbled across a rotary blade for the new circuit maker cutter. So I was intrigued to see this thing. I am blown away. For 450 bucks this little thing is like a mini Summa F series cutter. It has true tangential control. You can buy a freakin' rotate blade holder and blade for under 75 bucks. They offer a drag knife for it, as well as an exacto type knife setup for cutting materials up to 3/32"... Why is it that for 450 dollars one can purchase this thing but a dang T series cutter in our world is 10 grand. I understand the cricut isn't a commercial machine. But let me tell you, there are plenty of people using them to that level.

I am blown away by this little thing.

The most annoying part to me though, is the blade prices, the rotary knife prices etc are PEANUTS compared to what we pay. And guess what. The blades for the cricuts fit roland plotters...

Heres a link to the thing. Cricut Maker | Meet the ultimate smart cutting machine
 
WildWestDesigns

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
Actually, that's not the most annoying thing to me. The most annoying thing to me is that even at trade shows, vendors will be selling these machines. Further muddying the waters for those that just don't know that this isn't a commercial machine.

Although, I will say that some of these craft cutters do have a commercial variant that costs about what is typical for any other brand name entry level cutter. But it's not these variants that I see at the trade shows that I go to. I'm not sure if Cricut does, but some do.
 
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ALTEREDIMAGEDESIGNS

New Member
I'm not worried about people with Cricut cutters cutting into my business. I am just annoyed that they offer features for so little money that cost us so damn much. My summa came with a cheap plastic blade holder. Cricuts is aluminum.. Just feel that we get taken more often than not, simply because we use them to make money, so they over indulge on the prices because of it. Looks to me like there is a crap load more tech in that cricut then in my 10,000 dollar Summa.
 
WildWestDesigns

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
Gino said:
I wonder if a fine restaurant which relies on top quality food and cooking techniques worries about McDonald's or Applebee's ??
Click to expand...

Being annoyed in this instance isn't the same as being worried about them horning in on business revenue.

Plus in a literal comparison, I would be willing to bet that McD's and Applebees has commercial equipment like the fine dining place. It's one thing to use cheaper inputs like food, but I would imagine equipment would be on par with each other.

ALTEREDIMAGEDESIGNS said:
I'm not worried about people with Cricut cutters cutting into my business. I am just annoyed that they offer features for so little money that cost us so damn much. My summa came with a cheap plastic blade holder. Cricuts is aluminum.. Just feel that we get taken more often than not, simply because we use them to make money, so they over indulge on the prices because of it. Looks to me like there is a crap load more tech in that cricut then in my 10,000 dollar Summa.
Click to expand...

That happens in a lot of places unfortunately. I have a Merrow machine (essentially an overlock/serger) that does only one stitch and that's it. The merrowed edge that one sees on patches for this particular Merrow machine. "You" buy a home overlock machine that not only can do the merrow stitch, but maybe 40 other types of finishing stitches. If you were to get Merrow machines for all those stitches, that would be 40 different machines.

I have also found that the computerized home variants tend to have much friendly intuitive UIs then the commercial counterparts etc.

Go figure.
 
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ALTEREDIMAGEDESIGNS

New Member
WildWestDesigns said:
Being annoyed in this instance isn't the same as being worried about them horning in on business revenue.

Plus in a literal comparison, I would be willing to bet that McD's and Applebees has commercial equipment like the fine dining place. It's one thing to use cheaper inputs like food, but I would imagine equipment would be on par with each other.



That happens in a lot of places unfortunately. I have a Merrow machine (essentially an overlock/serger) that does only one stitch and that's it. The merrowed edge that one sees on patches for this particular Merrow machine. "You" buy a home overlock machine that not only can do the merrow stitch, but maybe 40 other types of finishing stitches. If you were to get Merrow machines for all those stitches, that would be 40 different machines.

I have also found that the computerized home variants tend to have much friendly intuitive UIs then the commercial counterparts etc.

Go figure.
Click to expand...

I can tell you this, you and I both know it will happen is when Cricut decides to step into print and cut. That will be a bad thing for a lot of smaller shops relying on the small decals and sign orders. They will probably have better tech in those as well. I don't understand why they can create something like they have with such a super user friendly interface for so little, and we spend soon much more for much more complicated user experience. I mean they can control the dang things with their iPads and smart phones... Pretty cool if you ask me.
 
WildWestDesigns

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
ALTEREDIMAGEDESIGNS said:
I can tell you this, you and I both know it will happen is when Cricut decides to step into print and cut.
Click to expand...

Silhouette is already there with that functionality, but it utilizes the home printer, not necessarily a built in with the cutter. Which in a way could be smart, depends on the situation.
 
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ikarasu

Active Member
WildWestDesigns said:
Silhouette is already there with that functionality, but it utilizes the home printer, not necessarily a built in with the cutter. Which in a way could be smart, depends on the situation.
Click to expand...
My buddy has a Cricut. He got the after I bought my graphtec. I haven't personally played with it... But he said calibrating it is a huge pain in the ass. He has yet to get a good print / cut out of it, as it's nowhere near as accurate as the graphtec arms is.

Now, he may just not know how to use it... He's usually pretty computer savvy though. There is a difference in quality. Cricuts likely won't last 15+ years using them every single day.

But it's simple supply and demand. A home user isn't going to pay $2000 for a vinyl cutter. While a business will pay $10,000 for one. So long as everyone keeps paying, the price won't drop.
 
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ALTEREDIMAGEDESIGNS

New Member
ikarasu said:
My buddy has a Cricut. He got the after I bought my graphtec. I haven't personally played with it... But he said calibrating it is a huge pain in the ***. He has yet to get a good print / cut out of it, as it's nowhere near as accurate as the graphtec arms is.

Now, he may just not know how to use it... He's usually pretty computer savvy though. There is a difference in quality. Cricuts likely won't last 15+ years using them every single day.

But it's simple supply and demand. A home user isn't going to pay $2000 for a vinyl cutter. While a business will pay $10,000 for one. So long as everyone keeps paying, the price won't drop.
Click to expand...


Yeah I am sure aligning print and cuts isn't the best on it. Specs on the new Maker unit say it has 4kg of downforce... Wouldn't that make it 4000 grams? theres no way. I am slightly impressed by the features on this little thing. Maybe they should make a 64" Since the 12" wide model is 400 that should me the 64" about $2200 bucks right? lol. There are some uses on this thing that i wish they did make a 64" to be honest though. I can't afford a true flatbed cutter yet.. But I need one more and more often..
 
Solventinkjet

Solventinkjet

DIY Printer Fixing Guide
It's so cheap because it's a toy. The thing is not going to last nearly as long as a commercial plotter and it is going to be much slower. If you could see a 10,000 sticker job done on one of these and a commercial plotter side by side you wouldn't be as annoyed.
 
rjssigns

rjssigns

Active Member
I'll stick with my Summa. Haven't had it that long and it's already done thousands of pieces. Then add in the fact that I can call tech support and Phil answers all my really stupid questions right away.
BTW I still have my original D610 that cut miles of vinyl 50 yards at a time. Ran it continuously for so many years the rubber on the pinch wheels got thin and fell off.
 
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ALTEREDIMAGEDESIGNS

New Member
Oh I am in NO way saying that I would replace my Summa with a Cricut lmao! I am simply saying that it makes you a little annoyed when something that cheap has technology such as bluetooth, tangential and the ability to run it with your iPad and stuff for such low price.. And consumables at a ridiculously low price that do fit some of our machines... I am happy with my Summa.. To a point. My old roland print/cut kicks my Summas a** when it comes to cutting anything with thickness.
This Summa just plain sucks when you try to cut motocross graphics with it. Using just 30" wide material it will balloon in between the pinch rollers enough to where the blade will actually cut the laminate.... I had a pretty large following for motocross and sled graphics and was using my roland print and cut. Then I "upgraded" to make doing sled wraps easier. WRONG. I have all but lost most of my customers and don't even dare to offer them now. It won't cut through it on one pass and it just wrecks it anyways by scratching the crap out of it...
 
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equippaint

Active Member
They charge it because they can, cricut cant. Cricut probably has a better more stable business platform also and would seriously doubt that they would ever want to be in the commercial market. It is only a matter of time before someone makes a decent 24-30" printer at a normal price. Bet its something like a cricut branded machine made by Epson or HP for cheap. If it wouldnt cut their own throat in terms of profits on larger machines, HP would probably sell that 110 for a couple thousand bucks. Id be really surprised if they have $500 in it
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
WildWestDesigns said:
Being annoyed in this instance isn't the same as being worried about them horning in on business revenue.

Plus in a literal comparison, I would be willing to bet that McD's and Applebees has commercial equipment like the fine dining place. It's one thing to use cheaper inputs like food, but I would imagine equipment would be on par with each other.



That happens in a lot of places unfortunately. I have a Merrow machine (essentially an overlock/serger) that does only one stitch and that's it. The merrowed edge that one sees on patches for this particular Merrow machine. "You" buy a home overlock machine that not only can do the merrow stitch, but maybe 40 other types of finishing stitches. If you were to get Merrow machines for all those stitches, that would be 40 different machines.

I have also found that the computerized home variants tend to have much friendly intuitive UIs then the commercial counterparts etc.

Go figure.
Click to expand...

I dunno, he sounds upset, annoyed and a little p!ssed about the whole thing in general. Can't blame him.

However, saying Mickey Dees and a fine end restaurant are comparable is not quite so, unless you've never eaten in a place where you get what you pay for. The cooking tops while they both will get hot, one is made for more than just flipping hamburgers and fast food. You have fa-a-a-r more control over their cooking areas, boilers, rotisseries and baking capabilities. Not to mention, when served, you're not eating off of trays and out of cardboard boxes and using plastics forks or ketchup packets with paper napkins. You don't sip a $300 dollar bottle of wine in a plastic 32oz cup with a straw. It's more than just an electric service coming in, cooking and serving. Lots more, unless you've never done it.
Granted, I don't know how a family of 5 can eat at a fast food joint, much let alone a high end restaurant, but suffice it to say, they are hardly the same, other than they both make food.
 
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