To the Plotter Users

[Kupe]

Got a question for all of you dyers out there using plotters for your stencils.

What plotter/cutter are you using? And is a silhouette cameo considered a plotter and how does it stack up to some of the other cutting plotters?

 

[mpacker5]

I use a hacked cricut i got for 40 bucks, it really isn't that great a machine but for $40 I can't complain. I hear the silhouette is a lot more accurate than the cricut but I don't know how the software works.

 

[VelocityDiscs]

I considered this model when i purchased my plotter. I wouldn't recommend this product for disc dyeing.

It might actually be more accurate than my plotter for very fine detail, but they are way overpriced. you can get a very cheap plotter at uscutter.com for under 200$. The silhoutte and other "scrapbooking" cutters are very expensive to use. They require expensive blades and media that are unique to the brand and from what i've heard not all that sturdy. I didn't intend to do my plotting at the kitchen table with no chance of static to the device.

also the vinyl they recommend is insanely expensive.

 

[Kupe]

which plotter did you go with? And how easy is the software to use to make custom stencils?

 

[bigmanbailye]

I have a Seiki plotter with flexi starter software. Seiki plotters I would not recommend. They are very cheaply made and customer service is a joke. Product and support both from China. As for flexi, it rocks. customer support is good and there are a ton of user forums

 

[Dj1001]

I have a Seiki plotter with flexi starter software. Seiki plotters I would not recommend. They are very cheaply made and customer service is a joke. Product and support both from China. As for flexi, it rocks. customer support is good and there are a ton of user forums

I too use a seiki plotter and it has been great. In the close to two years I've had it the only issue I had was with the blade retention unit. Since the seiki is a Roland clone a stock Roland part fit and has been working great. The affordable uscutter plotters are just OEM seiki plotters and they have plenty of good reviews.

 

[Kupe]

thanks for the input so far guys, the cheaper the plotter cost the better in my case, but also portability/size matters too as i would want a desktop on. and i use contact paper for my stencils so if they take contact paper is a plus.

 

[bigmanbailye]

I have the big ol Seiki plotter purchased about two years ago. I can't remember the model, ST850 I think, but here have been my issues:

Distance between pinch roller bottom roller are different as you go down the length of the 40in. Pinch rollers can be adjusted slightly, but I also measured the distance from the blade housing to the bottom roller were different from one side to the other. This means I can't feed my orical at one end because the rollers don't close together. Instead I have to load it on the far end.

Drivers for the usb interface are a bit touchy. Often times the pc sees the plotter but when you send a file to cut an error message occurs saying, cannot communicate with port. Essentially the drivers set up a communication line with a specified port, basically making a usb port behave like an old style printer port. so if you plugged your plotter into a different usb port, it wouldn't work unless you reinstalled it specifying the new COM# port. So thats what I do when I get a communication error; uninstall plotter and reinstall using a different COM#

If I get to my pc, ill attach the support forum conversation I had with a Seiki tech, it is worth a good laugh.

 

[Eky8]

I have a creation pcut from uscutter. It's been fabulous. Absolutely no problems at all. I bought mine used from the marketplace.

 

[Kupe]

ok now a question on how they work, what does the final product look like when it comes out? i saw a pic from uscutter.com for the silhouette cameo that it seemed to cut out the the paper leaving the stencil.

Are the plotters capable of cutting thin lines and leaving the entire image intact? so i could peel out certain pieces to dye for different colors.

 

[bigmanbailye]

Plotters are primarily used with sign making companies who cut shapes and letters on different colored vinyl. Like us (or more accurately we like them) transfer the cut vinyl from the backing to another surface and then weed out the negative. So yes, plotters are mostly used to cut thin vinyl without going all the way through the backing. However, you can adjust the blade depth and pressure to cut all the way through the material as well.

 

[bigmanbailye]

Good Laugh Tiime: check out these "helpful" responses from seiki Tech

http://seikitech.com/forum/index.php?topic=2634.0

http://seikitech.com/forum/index.php?topic=10914.0
^^I have this same issue

http://seikitech.com/forum/index.php?topic=11227.0
^^I have this problem on intricate designs

can't find the thread I had with them. If I do find it I will for sure post it.

 

[bigmanbailye]

http://seikitech.com/forum/index.php?topic=12534.0
^^ found it!

After re-reading this there is another solution if anybody is interested. There is an "offset X Y to 0" option hidden that needs to be unchecked.

 

[LoPan12]

I have the big ol Seiki plotter purchased about two years ago. I can't remember the model, ST850 I think, but here have been my issues:

Distance between pinch roller bottom roller are different as you go down the length of the 40in. Pinch rollers can be adjusted slightly, but I also measured the distance from the blade housing to the bottom roller were different from one side to the other. This means I can't feed my orical at one end because the rollers don't close together. Instead I have to load it on the far end.

Drivers for the usb interface are a bit touchy. Often times the pc sees the plotter but when you send a file to cut an error message occurs saying, cannot communicate with port. Essentially the drivers set up a communication line with a specified port, basically making a usb port behave like an old style printer port. so if you plugged your plotter into a different usb port, it wouldn't work unless you reinstalled it specifying the new COM# port. So thats what I do when I get a communication error; uninstall plotter and reinstall using a different COM#

If I get to my pc, ill attach the support forum conversation I had with a Seiki tech, it is worth a good laugh.

With the USB COM Port, if you unplug it, and plug it back into the same port, it won't work. serial ports (what this is emulating) aren't plug-n-play. If I unplug, I have to log-out and back in, or reboot. Haven't had to uninstall and re-install though..
I've got an MH720 from uscutter...I use Signcut Production Pro to send to plotter...Flexi tends to confuse the hell out of me...

 

[bigmanbailye]

you're absolutely right loPan, it really isn't a usb port anymore. There is a quick reassigned port function I use now, but it is still very unreliable.

 

[BIgNik]

i use a silhouette cameo and it is wonderful ..
It has capability's far beyond most plotters ..
VEry Very Simple to use Software ~
Only problem is if you want to get tech with it. it is expensive and cost an extra 50$ to buy the designer software that allows you to use SVG. Files

 

[Kupe]

when i have the extra money ill probably go with the cameo, was my first choice but price tag was kinda high. Wanted to see what everyone was using.

 

[tallpat]

I've got an MH721 from UScutter and use the InkCut extension for Inkscape to send SVG images directly to the cutter. It's a great setup, as the extension allows me to preview the cut within Inkscape, and there's a software controlled override for setting the pressure and speed of the cut. Learning to work with Inkscape and with SVG images takes a bit of patience to overcome the learning curve though.

 

[tarel]

us cutters rep and return policy makes me not trust them. im going with a silo i think for my next plotter,

 

[ThePhotoToaster]

We have the Cameo and we're quite happy with it. The software can occasionally be a little wonky, but that's rather rare. We've used US Cutters in the past and "meh." **** inkscape, it sucks. Apparently you can use Corel with the US Cutter now. You can make your files for the Cameo in Illustrator or Corel. Like people said you have to pay $50 to unlock self made designs on the Cameo. I actually tend to use the pen tool in Photoshop and have my girlfriend convert the paths in Illustrator to cuttable files. We even use lazer cutters on a regular basis (Not for vinyl, just with our business), and the Cameo has been quite surprisingly awesome for it's price and the fact that it's basically designed for scrapbooking house wives.

Make sure you have extra blades laying around. Nothing is more frustrating than having a great design ready to go and having your blade start dragging through the vinyl.

We've used Cameo's specific vinyl and it's not fantastic, we use the local sign builder supply store's vinyl that we can buy in rolls. It's got a bit more stretch to it.