posted
I've been looking into some cutters, and wanted to know if any of you have heard good or bad about the Panther system. I like the idea of having a complete system that works together, rather than piecing a system together myself; but I also want to have something that works, and works well.
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Any time you start gettin off branded stuff. you will be in for some trouble.
Drivers. Software compatibility. Getting tech tips and help fixing it. Parts and other goodies are not around...
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
Panther system????? NOW THERE IS A NOVEL IDEA! from what ive seen of these plotter and their half arsed program..you would be futher ahead with a copy of corel and a good used ROLAND.
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I have a 24 inch Panther from Vinyl Express. What inspired me to make this purchase ?
Well, I was a Vinyl Holdout. I concincious objector of sorts. I was not the busiest sign man "on the block", but I was getting some request for vinyl lettering. And at the time, I was not a member of Letterville or I probably would not have even concidered the Panther.
I was thinking when I made the purchase.. " If I really make money with this vinyl thing, it will not take me long to cover the cost of this machine, and if I can't cover the cost of it it a short time, well then I will not have a lot invested, and I won't take that much of a hit. I can alway's upgrade, and I can always peddle this Panther on ebay if I don't wear it out first."
So I bought the Panther and starting cutting vinyl with it..
Now, I am still not the busiest sign man on the block, but this panther is still going flawlessly. I have no complaints, but I also have no comparisons.
Bottom line... If you can't recover the cost of a new Panther in a short amount of time, then you would NEVER recover the cost of something more expensive.
If your wanting to test the water to see if money can be made in the vinyl business, it is a good choice.
Shortly after I purchased my Panther, I landed a 4,000 dollar vinyl job, and believe me, I have money with this machine..
It is LONG since paid for, and has not givin me any fits.
The program that comes with it LXI MASTER, I am told is not the best program in the world.
Well, it works fine for me, and works well with Adobe Illustrator, so IMO What the hell !
My machine is a good one, they are not a pile of junk... they work..
As soon as I wear it out, I will report that too... but so far, it keeps going and going, and going....
-------------------- Leonard Sappington lenopam@verizon.net Posts: 123 | From: Clinton, Indiana | Registered: Mar 2004
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I don't have a "Panther" but i do have a bigger older cousin. I Have been using the GRC-76, a 30" "vynull express" plotter, which I purchased used, for about four or five years now. It cuts 42 ips, diagonally, is fast and accurate and works flawlessly with signlab. I paid fifteen hundred bucks for it and I use it every day.
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I have a 30" Panther for the past year or so. It is great. It replaced the "recommended" Anagraph machine which was a nightmare from day one. Tech support from GBC usually gets back to me within 3 hours and are always helpful.I will recommend these machines. Comes with their version of Flexi, which I also love.Best deal I have ever gotten in my 50 years in the sign business.
-------------------- Jerry Starpoli Starpoli Signs... since 1952
845-795-2438 Posts: 446 | From: Milton, NY US | Registered: Jun 2000
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Many cutters claim to be a 24" cutter. This is misleading. First it may take 24" material but actuall only cut 20 inches. Thus you lose 4" of material cutting.
nest: some cutters have one or both pinch wheels in a fixed position.. Thus you cannot use scraps.
Next: Some cutters come with software using some strange reverge hpgl notation. This means that common every day software cannot run your cutter. So you are stuck with whatver they include.
Then, no one has spares laying around. If one breaks you cannot find inexpensive parts.
Then: no one knows the non standard operating code. Or you cannot find a manual so you can figure out how to set certain options.
Then: some cutters cannot track straight unless you add weights to the material or some other jack rig.
Speed is not an isue. Cutting 40" per second is useless. Simply, the vinyl cannot get out of its own way. Moving high speed causes jamming problems anyway.
Down force is set by adding weights on cheap machines.. With modern software the down force is variable via software settings. No need to worry about losin gyour weights.
Name brand cutters do not have these problems. Off brands do. In fact there is a site where all they do is ask for drivers, tips and workarounds to overcome limitations of those off brand cutters.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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But I always have when it comes to software/cutter combos. (wish there was a thumbs up icon)
Corel and Roland are a great comination...inexpensive but awsome software and inexpensive but awsome equipment!!
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
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