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help with a basic problem for a beginner
Just found this board after google searching, trying to find some help or answers.
After reading many of the posts, I have noticed that there are several people here that seem to have a less than favorable opinion of those of us that have purchased the "cheaper" hobbyist’s type of plotter, which is fine, though I do ask that unless you are going to offer some helpful advice, I would prefer you not to reply.
I have no intention of going into commercial sign making and taking business away from others. I purchased a plotter/program more as a personal interest or hobby. Yes I build & prepare race cars, which is what I will be using this system for, although most major graphics and lettering I will still source from one of my local sign suppliers.I purchased a new Creation PCut 630 which came with ArtCut 2002 software. The operating manual for both a very ordinary. I’m kind of learning as I go, but flying blind. Pretty much just "clicking" on different things trying to make what I want, happen.
I have been trying to cut a basic sign, length ways down the vinyl, approx. 1800mm long. I have managed to cut the text successfully, BUT, it seems to spool through about 2M of vinyl first, then appears to register where the end of the cut will be, before spooling through to the other end of the text and beginning cutting. This means I end up with 2M of unused vinyl at the start of the cut text, which I assume is not correct as I would always need to be using a piece of vinyl which is 2M longer than actually required or else it will spool off the drive rollers.
Before cutting, I have been taking the plotter "off-line" and locating the blade manually (using the buttons) near the end of the vinyl, pushing the "0" co-ordinates button followed by the reset button which then puts the plotter back "on-line", which is what the operating manual seems to say.
I have gone to the "vinyl page setup" screen but can’t really see anything there that sounds like what I need to change.
I assume that I have something set incorrectly, but am in need of some help.Thankyou
Warrenmod-edit
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14 Replies
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I would recommend you ask your hardware/software supplier to advise you.
You pay for what you get
Peter
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quote Peter Normington:I would recommend you ask your hardware/software supplier to advise you.You pay for what you get
Peter
Now that makes a great deal of sense.
Peter
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what I think there may well be limitation on the length that you can cut.
sorry to say that but maybe try and find some more info. on what you can do, by contacting the following people who sold one to me, who may be able to help you out. try them sales@flynnsigns.co.uk -
I could help – I know exactly what the problem is 😮
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Go on Phill…. I’m intrigued…. What’s the answer.. (?)
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quote pocketrocket36:After reading many of the posts, I have noticed that there are several people here that seem to have a less than favorable opinion of those of us that have purchased the “cheaper” hobbyist’s type of plotter, which is fine, though I do ask that unless you are going to offer some helpful advice, I would prefer you not to reply.
Well if that’s his attitude I’m certainly not for saying 😕
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how the hell could you call that car a monaro your pcut is getting its own back buy waisting vinyl.
phil knows the answer so you will be all right.
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quote :Well if that’s his attitude I’m certainly not for sayingoooh go on phil tell us 😀
John
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set your cut head to where you want it to start from, press the ‘o’ button to confirm the origin (ie. the start point) then press ONLINE, not RESET.
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When you’ve set your start point press online (the one above reset) not reset. Reset, as it suggests, resets the cutter.
For what it’s worth we’ve also just got hold of a PCut for chopping lots of graphics out for our race cars. Works spot on and I’ve run two 20M rolls through it since lunchtime yesterday.
Cheers
Matt -
Thanks to those that have offered some constructive help. I appreciate it.
I’ll have another try when I get a couple of spare minutes and let you know.Had a good laugh at the comment about the "monaro". !!
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tried today, but with no success. did not press "reset", just located the cutter at my start point (using the arrows), pressed the "0" datum co-ordinates button and tried to cut.
It seems to spool the vinyl through quite quickly, about 2 metres worth, before slowing. At this point it seems as though it is locating where the end of the cut text will be and continues to spool through the length of the text, before stopping, lowering the blade, and beginning the cut, feeding the vinyl back through to where it had originally started to slow spool. So I end up with the text cut as I want but approximately 2m of vinyl before the cut. Meaning if I want to cut a text that is 2m long, I need to use about 4m of vinyl. So I’m thinking this is not right, and am pretty sure I am missing something very simple, not having the setup correct but I have no idea where I should be looking.
The ArtCut and Creation manuals are about as good as useless. I know, I know, you’re all thinking "you get what you pay for", & you’re probably right. -
ok. try downloading a demo of WinPCsign. the demo will allow you to cut, but you’ll have to keep clicking a button for it to complete a cut. By trying this, at least we can then work out if its something on the cutter itself, or something in the software.
i’m sure i saw a setting somewhere on the cutter that says to spool first, but cant remember…
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i had a similar problem with my ct630 using the supplied software artcut, when i switched to another program that had been calibrated for my ct630 everything ran ok. at the moment i use signcut x2 which has never given me a problem. whisque graphics supply through subscription.
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