Novice mistake. please help!

[Brian Hays]

David, did you buy the cutter new? Graphtec used to offer an oem version of Signlab very cheaply with a new machine. Not sure if they still do, may be worth giving them a call..

[David Mitchell]

yes mate was purchased new from MDP.

came with graphtec studio and cutting master 3 ?

[Harry Cleary]

Using Corel here(I think any version from 8 up will work with cutting Master, but check first), with the same package you have. Hasn’t failed me yet, although Signlab is a good piece of kit too.

[Martin Pearson]

Is there any vector based software that you are already familiar with ? If there is it saves a lot of time learning how to use the software from scratch, lots of different options if you are completely new some of which have a trial download so you can see how easy you find them to pick up, Prices vary enormously from something like Flexisign pro to inkscape (which is free). Some packages you can cut directly from others you would need to save the artwork as something like an eps & then open in cutting master to use the plotter.
As well as flexi & corel you have signlab, vinylmaster, illustrator that I can think of. Signlab & vinylmaster have free trial versions but don’t know about the others.

[David Mitchell]

ive used photoshop in the past but im quite computer savvy and would probably manage to pick up something quick, just looking for something thats free or cheap to get started,

i dont mind paying out for the best of software once im up and running properly though.

[Martin Pearson]

Photoshop is a bitmap editor so no good for vinyl work unless you are printing, no idea what it’s like but download inkscape & give that a try, it’s free I believe.

[David Mitchell]

hi martin, cheers for taking the time to reply, i downloaded corel 6 trial.

ive sussed out open the outlines from impact, create what i want, scale it 2000% and then export to cut master.

so il probably just but an older coral version to save some money that way 🙂

[Hugh Potter]

with corel you just import the impact eps as an eps / prn / somethingorother and it will be to scale. though remember to measure the vehicle too, the outlines are good but I often find they can be oversize a little.

[David Mitchell]

thanks everyone, really appreciate it

[Jill Marie Welsh]

Corel is what you need. You can import effortlessly and cut seamlessly (unless it’s bigger than 24") 😀 from Corel.
Love….Jill

[David Mitchell]

i have it all working but ive a new problem, just put topic in "general cutters"

when cutting with cut master its double cutting everything , first cut is perfect depth , then it zips back over it and goes straight through backing paper. ive double checked settings and it set to 1 pass?

[Harry Cleary]

Have you checked that there isn’t 2 copies overlaid in the original artwork?

[David Mitchell]

hi harry it was just text in corel draw? i know i only typed it once ,never coppied and pasted etc ? if thats what you mean ?

[Harry Cleary]

Can’t think what else it might be David. Has happened me before and after pulling much valuable hair finally figured out that was the problem.

[David Mitchell]

thanks harry. there must be a setting somewhere as when i cut from graphtec studio it only does one cut 🙁

[Harry Cleary]

Not sure David…unless there is two places in Cutting Master to select number of passes…I am lost. Sorry.