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I have always had a Graphtec Cutter... currently FC5100... I am purchasing a new printer and need a 64" (?) cutter... just for the sake of checking before I purchase what cutters do you use that you are satisied with? Brand names models?
Thanks up front for your advice Rick
-------------------- Rick Whitmire Trick Communications & Signs Box 1124, Hudson, WI Posts: 132 | From: Hudson, WI | Registered: Nov 2002
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Rick, I'm not sure why you would buy a printer and a cutter.
I wouldn't buy anything that didn't do both. The reason is getting prints contoured cut in th same machine is HUGE!
The digital print business behind us made that mistake. They have the big printers, but when a sticker job cae up(40,000 stickers) they bought a plotter thinking everythin would line up...it didn't.
They called me over for advice, I couln't help them. They wasted 3 days trying to do the job with several guys working on it...then gave the job up.
Check into A Versacamm or something like it that will do both print and cut and save yourself some grief...if its not too late.
[ October 26, 2006, 12:34 PM: Message edited by: Dave Draper ]
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Hi Dave, Thanks... I have thought of both and looked into the Rolland and others... Our needs dictate not that we purchase two seperate devices... Our runs are not long (10')... Budget aprox 30 Thou for the equipment... By the way hows Illinois? I grew up in Rockford and my wife in Elgin... Hope Business is good. Thanks for your input Rick
-------------------- Rick Whitmire Trick Communications & Signs Box 1124, Hudson, WI Posts: 132 | From: Hudson, WI | Registered: Nov 2002
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Hi Dave, Thanks... I have thought of both and looked into the Rolland and others... Our needs dictate not that we purchase two seperate devices... Our runs are not long (10')... Budget aprox 30 Thou for the equipment... By the way hows Illinois? I grew up in Rockford and my wife in Elgin... Hope Business is good. Thanks for your input Rick
-------------------- Rick Whitmire Trick Communications & Signs Box 1124, Hudson, WI Posts: 132 | From: Hudson, WI | Registered: Nov 2002
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Bob..I'm no expert on digital printing and contour cutting..but it seems to me that a pin feed cutter and printer would be the only way.
I don't think 48" or 60" vinyl comes punched.
-------------------- 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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OK...not having dog in the fight anymore...Please let me say that if I were to start up sign shop, where I knew I had to compete with the guy up the street for top notch work (however you define that) and lots of it, there is no way, any how, any way that I would start off crippled. Go 'separates'...a printer to do the printing, a cutter to do the cutting. They are NOT the same animal. If you have to start (or continue) in comprise mode, you might as well not start at all. THERE, I said it!!!
Howard (remember me?)
-------------------- Howard Keiper Independent Contractor Benicia, Ca. thekeip@comcast.net
I can think of at least one, Mimaki. The shop I'm currently working at has JV3 and a cutter to match. Puts out beautiful work and cuts it all perfectly.
FWIW, Mark
-------------------- Mark Sheflo Renton, Washington A-Squared Signs, LLC Posts: 145 | From: Renton, Washington | Registered: Feb 2003
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What Howard doesn't know about this subject isn't worth knowing.
P
-------------------- Pierre St.Marie Stmariegraphics Kalispell,Mt www.stmariegraphics.com ------------------ Plan on knowing everything before I die and time's running out! Posts: 4223 | From: Kalispell,Mt 59903 | Registered: Mar 2000
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I am sure there are benifits to both but I have to agree with Howard also... A cutter is a cutter, a printer a printer... I want 2 seperate devices... at the Las Vagas Sign Show the cutter and printer as seperate devices alianed and worked well together... I have nothing against the graphtec that I am currently using but wondering if a matched (same brand name) cutter / printer would be a better marrage than two seperate suppliers? Thanks for all your input so far Rick
-------------------- Rick Whitmire Trick Communications & Signs Box 1124, Hudson, WI Posts: 132 | From: Hudson, WI | Registered: Nov 2002
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Rick, You know, that's an interesting question. The reasoning behind your answer could be applied to how you vote in the election too. The canditate or the party? Who you like might not be of the political persuasion of your choice. Interesting.
Anyway, I wouldn't hesitate for a microsecond to base my choice for a printer on it's merits alone and be prepared to spend the most part of your budget on a really, really good, fast printer; and select a top of the line cutter to accompany it. They probably won't wear the same logo either, but it doesn't make a lot of difference anymore, as you have observed at the show.
howard
-------------------- Howard Keiper Independent Contractor Benicia, Ca. thekeip@comcast.net
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Pierre's shop has the Mutoh printer and a separate cutter (I forget the brand). The cutter reads registration marks left by the printer. You can load the print just about any old way and it will register and cut perfectly. If you are so inclined, you can take the print out and shove it back in again in a fairly random manner and it will register and cut exactly over the original cuts a second time. The repeatability is quite impressive. There are viable separate printer/cutter solutions.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5092 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I considered an all in one machine, but decided against it. We are a high production shop and multi task machines would cause all kinds of problems. If a print job takes 3 hours to run, you need a separate plotter to keep cutting vinyl. We have a new Graphtec PC-7000 plotter. It works great.
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