whats the cost of graphtec replacement plungers and blades?

[Martin Pearson]

Try Edward Mathias, sorry don’t know the number. Doro Tape do them as well I think

[Rod Gray]

Google "Plotter Blades" and the very first result is Edward Matthias

Tel: 0151 728 7221

[Chris Wool]

what blade are you using now

chris

[Nigel Wagstaff]

Martin, Rod, I have sent a mail across so I will see what comes back.

Chris, I have the standard 0.9mm CB09UA with the blue holder.

While cutting small characters in vinyl between 50µ and 80µ the doughnut in "P"’s etc seem to have a jaggid edge. I have the pressure down to a minimum to cut correctly and I have been told that this alternative blade will do the job for thin vinyl like this.

Nigel

[Martin Pearson]

If it is for cutting small text have you tried using tangiential mode? This mode is better suited to doing small text and intricate graphics.

[Nigel Wagstaff]

Martin I thought tangiential mode was for thicker media and introducing over-cut on the start finish points?

Nigel

[Martin Pearson]

Nigel when you plot in tangential mode the blade physically lifts then turns and is then put back down rather than swiveling in the holder as the plotter cuts without lifting the blade, give it a try you may well find it makes a difference, I have an FC400 and I had set the plotter up with 1.as the pen, 2. for cast, 3. for callendered and 4. for tangiential cutting as I used to get quite a few menu boards to do and quite a lot of small intricte logos it was worth using one of the save-able setting rather than have to set it up each time.

[Chris Wool]

you could try the step pass command some times a bit to much information reaches the blade the step pass takes a few bits out it should be 0 mine is set a 3.
this is to help overcome problems using coral with the graphtec driver and some font combinations.

out of interest try some text with different fonts at the size you wish to cut and see the differences.

never had the need to change from a 09 blade also done a lot or small type work.

Chris

[Martin Pearson]

Like Chris I have never felt the need to try a different blade either for this sort of work, just another quick thought, what have you got the quality set at? If the quality is set low then this may not be helping either on small letters.

[Nigel Wagstaff]

Well after some experimentation I have got to a satisfactory conclusion!

Taking on what has been suggested from here and elswhere I tried Tangential mode (1 & 2) with no adjustment on the blade. This had a marginal but positive effect on vinyl, but tended to snag paint mask with all the up and down movement (medium tack!). Martin, Quality is set at 1, and has not been altered.

Next I played with the Step Pass. Similar observations but certainly font and style do make a difference, a useful thing to be aware off.

It was then I thought of another method. Currently I am using Graphtec Cutter Controller on the PC to manage the cutter, no issues there really. BUT! I am cutting direct from Corel Draw 12 using the Graphtec as the printer. From todays experimentation I have now discovered that this is not the correct way to go about cutting from Corel. I decided to try the Master Pro software that came with the plotter, exporting from Corel as a DXF file and importing it into the Master Pro interface. The difference for the text was incredible to say the least.

Following on I have a small graphic that I use as my test (control) cut which has some very small detail. For the first time I have cut the test piece perfectly. Weeding was also first class. :lol1:

I then realised to some embarrassment the plug-in for Corel was on the Graphtec install disk, even though it is described as the “Illustrator Plug-in” it also carries the Corel plug-in. After installing I now have far better control of the cutting. I can get the detail right down to characters that are 4mm high. I skipped Chapter 6 when I read the Graphtec manual thinking it was for Illustrator only 🙄 I now know otherwise.

Pic of my test cut

Thanks for your inputs here, I got there in the end.

I also had a word with Harry at Edward Mathias. What a great guy, helpful to a fault and has given me some very useful pointers.

Nigel

[Martin Pearson]

Nigel, have a quick check in your graphtec manual about the quality setting as I thought 1 was the worst quality and 6 was the best, I could very easily be wrong though and have it round the wrong way, I don’t have the plotter to hand to check at the moment.

[Nigel Wagstaff]

Martin for the CE5000 – 40 there are only 3 settings available for quality. 1 – 3

1 = high
2 = medium
3 = low

Nigel

[Chris Wool]

quote :

I decided to try the Master Pro software that came with the plotter, exporting from Corel as a DXF file and importing it into the Master Pro interface. The difference for the text was incredible to say the least.

thanks for that tip nice for small stuff but you try living with it if you have a van to cut out

chris

[Martin Pearson]

Ok Nigel as long as you know, my FC400 defiantly has 6 setting but I’m not 100% sure which way round it is for highest and lowest quality. I will have to dig the manual out and check because now you have got me wondering !!!!!!

[Nigel Wagstaff]

Martin I can assure you I have been doing a lot of wondering today too 😕

Nigel

[Peter Normington]

Nigel,

Out off curiosity, the little graphic is fine, but to weed must take a bit of time, So is doing small stuff like that worth while cost wise?
Have you thought about having them printed to clear vinyl?

Peter

[Nigel Wagstaff]

Peter, I understand the small graphic is a little tedious to weed, and would be better done after application before painting.

The small badge would be part of a package of very accurate paint masks to decorate a model with markings and insignia all over the aircraft. The small sample (which is the symbol of Adolf Galland) is one of the more intricate designs and there would be one on each side of the aircraft. So as part of a package they would not be too bad.

The whole idea for masks is to paint apply the icon so the decoration is resistant to fuel attach and lifting. Plus scale model makers these days don’t want what would be described as "stickers" on their £2,000 1/5 scale Spitfire. A definite "no no" in competitions.

Nigel

Nigel

[Peter Normington]

Nigel I appreciate now what you are trying to achieve, But to be frank, a paint mask on a 2.5k model is perhaps cheating as much as a sticker?
most model builders have the patience and skill to hand paint, especially when there work will be criticized by their peers.

You no doubt have a market for this type off work, There are always niche markets that can be lucrative.

My graphtec will cut 5mm text without any change in the default settings.
So perhaps you could reset to default, (but make a note off your adjustments first)

Peter