what are your views on a media catch basket?

[Peter Normington]

Easy enough to make your own, but why do you need one?

Peter

[John Childs]

We can run off some awfully long lengths of vinyl and I’ve never felt the need for a catch basket.

Unless your floor is filthy. 😛

[John Wilson]

Good clean floor is all that is needed 😀

Might be handy only when I’m cutting off stickers every foot to save meters of vinyl hanging from the machine as even when the floor is clean it is possible for dirt to be attracted to the print

[Kevin Flowers]

Hi
i have 2 Summa’s, a D120 which has one & doesn’t get used because i find subject to the vinyl being used it causes major problems. If the vinyl doesn’t fold has it goes in then it can interfere with the tracking or cause the knife to strike the vinyl etc. I also was actually going to build one for the D60 we have because until i purchased the bigger cutter i tried one i thought it would be the answer to stop the vinyl running on the floor, its just easier to keep the floor swept.

Kev

[John Childs]

quote John Wilson:

ight be handy only when I’m cutting off stickers every foot to save meters of vinyl hanging from the machine as even when the floor is clean it is possible for dirt to be attracted to the print

That’s different John.

Certainly print needs keeping off the floor, but Martin is talking about cut vinyl.

[Robert Lambie]

I have run cutters for the past 17 years without a media catcher/basket. never saw the need for one really…
last year we were renewing two of our cutters and opted for two new 54" wide Graphtec cutters complete with media catchers/bags. I have to say that i DO prefer having them.

The ones on the graphtecs easily slide in and out for you to use as and when proffered. we have clean enough floors/surroundings but STILL you do catch dust due to static build up from the coiled vinyl. its also surprising how clean the vinyl is when weeding. by that i mean, its surprising what we regarded as clean before!
the only time i honestly see any snagging of media is if the machine is running long straight lines at full speed back and forward. at this point you have the choice to slow the speed or simple push the sliding bars inwards and stops the basket doing its job.

i have heard of folk making their own in the past, i can see this is not being too difficult but really… its going to look crap for customers that will see it and its also going to be in a fixed position with no easy option to remove and replace like the graphtec ones.

in a nutshell, if i was buying another cutter tomorrow i would buy one with, rather than without.

.

[Unknown Member]

Same position as Robert…..We have a 54" graphtec with media catch basket…..Really does keep the vinyl nice and clean and very easy to use…

[Jason Xuereb]

We’ve got baskets on both our 64" graphtecs but our work is mainly print and cut so I find them invaluable.

[Martin Gray]

Hi Guys

It was more a space issue. If am cutting 15 meters of vinyl theres alot of vinyl on the ground thought it mite be safer in a catch basket.

Thank you

Martin

[David Rogers]

quote Martin Gray:

Hi Guys

It was more a space issue. If am cutting 15 meters of vinyl theres alot of vinyl on the ground thought it mite be safer in a catch basket.

Thank you

Martin

15m is a hell of a run – not that the plotter won’t do it…but where do you plan to weed & tape 15m in one go!

If you can section you vinyl (if you are around) – 5 or 6m is normally enough for your average single section.

i do have a media basket on the D120 – but I only use the BACK one…the front spills neatly onto the floor, just folding itself in quite a neat fashion.

if I’m doing very long high speed runs – there is a danger of the rear basket (or the front one) not allowing the material to ‘spill’ freely from the machine and so crease…absolute disaster if it’s etch…or in the worst case – jam.

Mind you – the room is carpeted (cheapo office cord) and hoovered fairly regularly.

[Peter Normington]

I agree with dave
I only cut the vinyl as long as my workbench, or not a lot longer.
Only time I would cut 15m lengths is if it was for a stripe or something that the customer insisted it be done without a join.

for text I would always do it in panels anyway for 15m. you cant apply it in one section so why try and cut in one?

Peter

[Martin Gray]

What Ive been doing is cutting it all in one go then cutting it in to sections to weed on my bench.

quote David Rogers:

if I’m doing very long high speed runs – there is a danger of the rear basket (or the front one) not allowing the material to ‘spill’ freely from the machine and so crease…absolute disaster if it’s etch…or in the worst case jam

What speed do you run your plotter @ David

Martin

[David Rogers]

Normally run mine at 600mm/sec, during cutting – it’s a good compromise between super accuracy (it’s a Summa…so tracks amazingly anyway) and throughput. But during the non-cutting phases such as pre-fed & tracking between cutting areas it goes at a fair click and can spool in & out faster than the material can naturally fall & fold.

Most noticeable if just cutting rectangular panels in vinyl / etch where it’s just tracking back & forth at high speed.

Dave

[John Childs]

quote David Rogers:

.but where do you plan to weed & tape 15m in one go!

We regularly do a lot longer than that Dave.

Without boring you with the details, we can cut, weed and tape fifty metre rolls in one hit, and only cut them into individual decals as the very last operation. We find it faster that way.

[Peter Normington]

weeder sheeter springs to mind 😀

Peter