posted
At times I'm required to cut up some custom ordered vinyl for bold stripes. Today was 5.75" thick stripes for a firetruck.
It's easier doing it by hand than by plotter when you're going this bold, so I rolled out the 24" stock I had on a table, then measured out what was required. Several width-of-the-table lengths were needed. Normally, I'd simply masking tape each end of my straight edge onto the vinyl so the ruler wouldn't slip, and cut along, lifting the ruler ahead as needed to continue.
Whenever I'd lift the ruler, you'd see later where you stopped and started. Blame poor lighting, failing eyesight, hungry and tired, take your pick... but I came up with a way today to NOT see that joined notch thing you always ended up with.(my eye sees everything non perfect, I annoy me)
Make your first cut. Then when you lift the ruler to it's next position to your right, tape it in place. BEFORE CUTTING, place your knife inside your last cut at the end of it, lift that side of the taped down ruler, and slide the ruler against the underside of your knife, and retape. Then continue to cut.
Each and everytime it was a perfect join!
Took me only 14 years to figure this one out. Thought I'd share.
[ September 04, 2008, 12:59 AM: Message edited by: Donna in BC ]
Recently I was faced with the daunting task of cutting up 17 yards of metallic blue and metallic charcoal 3ft wide vinyl into 6" and 4" stripes to go 3 times around a Winebago Motor home.
Fortunately the longest stretch of stripe between doors, seams etc was 15 ft and I managed to set my tressle tables up together to get a 17ft bench.
I premasked the whole 3ftx15ft lengths before cutting. Marked out the widths of the stripes every 2ft along the length. A premarked length of plastic saved time and effort and made accurate marks across the whole width of the vinyl.
I then hand cut with an acto knife and a HEAVY steel 4ft rule. I covered the base of the rule with masking tape to stop stratching and sliding. Each cut was continous along the 15ft length without lifting the knife. I just slid the rule along the knife edge to the next dot mark like you said. Came out perfect.
I did find premasking before cutting made life a lot easier and quicker cutting and applying afterwards.
posted
I have a 2" and a 6", Mike. You still have to cut down your roll to fit into the slitter. Plus, the little bar across them does scratch up the vinyl surface if you don't catch every spec of dust. I use mine all the time for smaller stripes, but for a 6" to cut down to 5.75? Less cutting if you just do it by hand!
How large of a slitter do you own? Do they make them larger than 6"?
quote:Originally posted by Donna in BC: I have a 2" and a 6", Mike. You still have to cut down your roll to fit into the slitter. Plus, the little bar across them does scratch up the vinyl surface if you don't catch every spec of dust. I use mine all the time for smaller stripes, but for a 6" to cut down to 5.75? Less cutting if you just do it by hand!
How large of a slitter do you own? Do they make them larger than 6"?
Sounds like somebody needs to make a slitter to correct these problems. Sounds like there would be a market for one.
• sprocket feed plotter • 7125 3m scotchcal vinyl (has a silicone backer that eliminates blade snagging / digging in on those long cuts) • a ready hand to manually unroll the vinyl as needed
works every time-!!!
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
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Donna, yes there are longer slitters available, I remember seeing some in a supplier catalog although I forget which one it was. They had up to 24" wide with multiple blades for cutting different configurations.
I haven't needed to cut anything too long that I couldn't handle with the plotter, even if I operated it manually with the keypad instead of setting up a file.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Michael, you are right on with that sproket fed idea. I worked at the city's sign shop during a practicum many years ago and fell in love with their old gerber system for that reason alone! Friction fed with very long stripes is not the best route by a longshot. Hence, the hand cutting. Many vinyls (3M especially) come with sproket fed where there's backing paper exposed where the holes are. Nothing like friction wheels ice skating along all over the place.
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Donna, I used to have a regular client who supplied all the rolls of striping for me to apply. Generally the stripes were 3" wide and 7/8" wide. Invariably he would run out of the 7/8" stuff so I had to slit the 3" down to 7/8".
I only had a 2" slitter so I made one up that worked just fine. I just screwed down two strips of metal with the screws exactly 3" apart on each strip. Then I fed the vinyl under the two metal strips and poked an exacto knife into the vinyl and started pulling. Worked great. I would think it would be just as good using a 15" or 24" wide setup too, Although an extra set of hands would be an advantage in that case.
[ September 04, 2008, 01:31 PM: Message edited by: Dave Grundy ]
-------------------- 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
Of course if the stripes need to be cut all the way thru the paper, that's another story-!!! Then its just you, a sharp knife, good measurements, and a steady hand (since I don't own a slitter!). But I do have a 4x8 glass tabletop, and that's makes it pretty easy.
Does anyone even make sprocket feeds anymore?
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
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Thought I'd share.
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