posted
Suppose you set text of 10" letters that measures 8' in length. To that you add two outlines each a quarter inch larget than the previous. Now the total length should be 96 1/2".
If I pen plot this on paper it works just fine, but when I try to cut it in thick sandblast rubber, the outlines are not properly registered. This has to do with some thickness settings for the plotter to recognize. Best I can try to explain would be if you put oversized tires on your truck, the odometer would tell you that a mile is longer than it actually is because the radius of your measuring surface has changed.
I've been cutting my stuff in 3" sections and then setting them together and masking over the connections manually.
Anyone figured out how to correct this adjustment on a Graphtec or Summa cutter yet? I have a Graphtec, but an ready to convert to most anything that will really do the job for me.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6714 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
How much out is it over the length? Can you just compensate for the difference in the design? Are your tolerances that close?
-------------------- Steve Eisenreich Dezine Signs PO BOX 6052 Stn Forces Cold Lake, Alberta T9M 2C5 Posts: 774 | From: Cold Lake | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
What you could do...maybe should do, is e-mail me a file that I could cut on my machine or on a flatbed to see if the problem is what you think it is...it sounds like it. Maybe the cutter is on the fritz.
-------------------- Howard Keiper Independent Contractor Benicia, Ca. thekeip@comcast.net
posted
Sounds like tension on belts versus thinner vinyl cuts. Just my guess.
CrazyJack
-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
Over that kind of a span, the drag of the blade could be affecting the mask itself. My guess is that the mask isn't staying true, meaning that after each cut, it can more easily be stretched/distorted buy the blade's pressure. making it less rigid.
I know it would mean more material, but maybe doing the ouline and text as seperate cuts and devising a way to line them up with registration marks might work...
my 2 bits...give or take a bit Rapid
[ December 18, 2005, 12:50 PM: Message edited by: Ray Rheaume ]
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
Ray may be on to something... Does the plotter cut 1 letter at a time and the outlines or does it cut all of the text, then the feed back and cut the outlines? My opinion is there is too much drag caused by thee media running back and forth causing the media to slip in the pinch rollers. You can either manually support and help feed the media during the cutting process or, if there's a way to set up the plotting order I would suggest that you plot 1 letter at a time, immediately followed by plotting the outlines. Then move onto the next letter. Hopefully this makes sense.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Ray Hit the Nail on the Head. When we use to use the thicker Rubbers I could see the rubber stretching while it was being cut so every thing was out of whack just a bit.
You might want to try some of the Vinyl mask from Richards Dist.
posted
I had to go to the thinner (glass)mask from Hartco. I don't have a problem with it coming off during blasting but then I am only using a compressor that puts out 18 cfm's.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
I tried paneling into 18" sections and that seemed to help tremendously.
I've been talking to several folks that are techies from differing spectrums, and a guy from Graphtec showed me how to adjust away the problem in Flexi and the Flexi folks seemed to think it was a Graphtec problem.
I find humor in this.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6714 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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