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» The Letterville BullBoard » Letterhead/Pinstriper Talk » Suggestions for keeping friction feed on track?

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Author Topic: Suggestions for keeping friction feed on track?
Donna in BC
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Hi folks,

I've been blessed with a series of vehicles that require long kits of precut stripes to make applying more accurate.

The issue is my 1000 yr old 20" Roland friction feed. But I don't think the make or year of it is the issue, it's the friction part.

I've long experienced issues with very long stripe kits going off track. For the most part, I could get by with cutting by hand. But this time, it wouldn't be the way to go.

In the past, I've taped up where the waxy perforated areas are so the wheels have a better chance at staying put. It does help somewhat.

I've also tried running a larger vinyl underneath taping the vinyl meant to be cut on top. That did work but I've yet to try it on this large of a piece. I can see bunching up to be a potential issue. A test sheet would be a pretty big loss in reflective vinyl. Anyone try this? It may be my only solution.

The vinyl I wish to cut is 15" reflective, and it only comes perforated with waxed edges at that size. I cannot simply adjust the plotter wheels to fit within the vinyl only area.

In hindsight, I could have ordered 24" and just wacked off the extra 4" (20" plotter and can't get the vinyl in 20") so I could run it more soundly with wheels and vinyl touching. But as I already ordered this 15" stock and then got the order, this is what I have to work with for now. Lesson learned!

Plotter wheels will not adjust to anywhere in between 15" and 0". It's either 15" or about 3".

Any tricks that worked for you? Is there a guide on the market? Or homemade device you've tried that worked?

Thanks in advance!

--------------------
Donna Williams
Funky Junk Interiors
Yarrow, BC Canada
donna@funkyjunkinteriors.net

~ Check out the newest junk at ~ http://funkyjunkinteriors.net/

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Glenn Taylor
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I'm not going to be any help. I have given up in trying to get accurate long plots from any friction-fed plotter with the exception of one - Gerber Odyssey. It will self-correct itself as it plots. The sad thing is that they quit making them.

Anyhow, when I did have my two Rolands, I did notice that vinyl with a heavier liner tracked better than those using 78# liner.

[ January 12, 2009, 01:52 PM: Message edited by: Glenn Taylor ]

--------------------
BlueDog Graphics
Wilson, NC

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Warning: A well designed sign may cause fatigue due to increased business.

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Donna in BC
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I'm thinking friction feed isn't meant for long accurate plots. Someone didn't finish the invention. LOL

Thanks anyway Glenn.

--------------------
Donna Williams
Funky Junk Interiors
Yarrow, BC Canada
donna@funkyjunkinteriors.net

~ Check out the newest junk at ~ http://funkyjunkinteriors.net/

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Jon Jantz
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I have 3 Rolands and one of them is a 20" machine. While it will only cut 20", the slot you feed the vinyl through will actually allow you to cut on 24" vinyl. It will still only cut 20", so 4" go to waste, but at least it will get you by in a pinch...

As far as tracking straight, mine does not do that great either on long runs, but it does the same thing every time. So I know if I off-set my vinyl off the front mark by a teensy amount, it will go much straighter... On 20" vinyl I can easily cut a 10' run and stay under the rollers.

On 15" material, I push the rollers in as far as possible, and run the rollers right against the edge of the vinyl... however, the kind with the wax paper exposed edges does tend to slip worse. Reflective dragging harder even makes it more of a problem.

However, if the strips are long, and the machine is not doing a lot of side to side cuts, it will do much better. I've had a lot more trouble with the material pulling out when it's moving to the side....

/Geez.. reading through that... wasn't much help
//sorry

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Jon Jantz
Snappysign.com
jjantz21@gmail.com
http://www.allcw.com

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Todd Gill
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This is where pin fed plotters (gerber) had a definite advantage over friction. They couldn't get off-track.

However, my Summa does pretty well as a friction fed plotter.

I didn't see off-hand where you state what the length of these strips will be.

But, actually - - here's a suggestion:

Being that you know the reflective is perf'd... can you provide another shop which owns a gerber pin fed plotter with the file, and pay them a nominal charge to cut your stuff?

You can weed it and the rest?

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Todd Gill
Outside The Lines
Potterville, MI

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Michael Boone
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clean the tires and the feed roller well
I run a piece of bare vinyl with the backer removed sticky side down on the roller..then lower the pinch wheels down onto it and move it slightly by hand..
this allows the adhesive to pull all the dirt and
residue off the feed roller.
I use a summa,,,I dont know if you can do this on
your machine,,,Ive never used a roland.
I agree with Todd.My summa has cut full 50 yard rolls with no adjustments.It wasnt one continuous job but we cut some,,,cut some off and cut more and never had to re position the roll.
On jobs like that,,,I send them out to Gregory ..much easier.

[ January 12, 2009, 02:45 PM: Message edited by: Michael Boone ]

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Michael Boone
Sign Painter
5828 Buerman Rd.Sodus,NY 14551

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Ray Rheaume
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You're gonna think this is dumb, but...

Remember when the incredible 3M shrinking vinyl was around?
I had a couple of rolls here and burned them out on race cars. The roller wheels got a little of the glue from the edges of the rolls on them, but didn't seem to hurt anything. After a few more cuts, a little bit of dust stuck to them and, I'm guessing because the wheels are just a fuzz tighter than usual, it's been tracking dead nuts ever since.

Just this morning I ran off 20 6'X 1/2" stripes without a hitch. Haven't cleaned the wheels in 3 years. (If it ain't broke, don't fix it rule applies in this case... [Wink] )

I guess if you wanted to replicate this little fluke, a can of 3M artist's mount adhesive and a dusty roll of material would do the same thing. Rapid Remover cleans it right off if'n it's not to your liking.

Hope this made some semblance of sense...
Rapid

--------------------
Ray Rheaume
Rapidfire Design
543 Brushwood Road
North Haverhill, NH 03774
rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com
603-787-6803

I like my paint shaken, not stirred.

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Michael Boone
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well okay...Ray...
but I think Summa was not designed to run better when it got dirty.It runs better when I keep it clean just as the technical support guys told me to do.

--------------------
Michael Boone
Sign Painter
5828 Buerman Rd.Sodus,NY 14551

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Bob Rochon
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My Graphtec friction fed tracks about 7 feet without running off, When Howard was around he and I argued on this but I could never get more than 10 feet on a good day. The best way for this plotter to track is to feed the vinyl through once before cutting, That way the pinch rollers "score" the back of the vinyl.

I sure do miss my Gerber S750. Sprocket fed was awesome. I cut a full 50 yard x 30" roll one night while sleeping [Smile] Never had a glitch but a whole mound of vinyl to weed in the morning. [Frown]

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Bob Rochon
Creative Signworks
Millbury, MA
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Bruce Bowers
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I always turned the speed down when cutting long stripes and such on my cutter. The problem with reflective is the weight of the cut being heavier, the speed becomes more critical. Slower speeds worked for me. I would try it on yours.

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Bruce Bowers

DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design
Saint Cloud, Minnesota


"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter

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Tony Ray Mattingly
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Whenever I have long run, I hold the vinyl up and walk it back and fourth as the roller pulls it back and fourth. That seems to help.

--------------------
Tony Mattingly
www.signgrafix.com
www.nostalgic-signworks.com
Louisville Ky
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Tony McDonald
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Long runs always make me pucker, but usually end up ok, as long as I slow the cutter way down, and keep the grit rollers clean.

When I load a roll for a long cut, I feed out 4 or 5 feet of material just to see if my tracking is on. As long as the machine isn't running so fast it gets bound up, or jerks on the roll, it works pretty well.

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Ace Graphics & Printing
Camdenton, MO. USA

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old paint
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ive had a pnc-1000, 2 PNC-1100, and now a CX-300.
as for long runs, an i consider anything over 8 ft, a long run, with the rolands is OPERATOR ATTENTIVENESS when lining up the 2 marks on the body off the plotter. sorry.
the PNC-1000 i have done a couple runs on it that was close to 20 FEET. the PNC-1100, i did 20 footers, this CX-300 is the best and has a PAUSE, and you can reset the rollers, SO IT DONT RUN OFF at any time in the cut.
but i gota say this in my time with PLOTTERS, the need to CUT MORE THEN 8 FT at one time, are few and far between. my weeding table is only 8 ft long, so unless it is a continuous graphic, that is longer then 8 foot, i usually stop adding stuff to be cut after that and just do another 8 ft cut, makes it easier to handle for a ONE PERSON OPERATION.
also with the CX-300 if iam doin say 20 18 x24 yard signs, the CX-300 has a repeat button on it, so i do 10, cut it off, hit repeat and it starts the 2nd 10, and i can be weeding while the next 10 cut.
clean the rollers with ALCOHOL,take a tooth brush to the bottom roller and just brush it good.you can put a little alcohol on the toothbrush, but not so much as for it to drip down inside the plotter!!!!!!

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joe pribish-A SIGN MINT
2811 longleaf Dr.
pensacola, fl 32526
850-637-1519
BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND

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Donna in BC
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Slowing down the cutting process is about the only thing I haven't tried so far.

Thanks guys!

--------------------
Donna Williams
Funky Junk Interiors
Yarrow, BC Canada
donna@funkyjunkinteriors.net

~ Check out the newest junk at ~ http://funkyjunkinteriors.net/

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Dave Grundy
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Donna, If I remeber corectly, you have a Roland PNC1000 and it doesn't have a "pre-feed" option. With a newer model they do and it makes it easier to adjust the alignment of the vinyl.

Also set up your file so that you only run one cut at a time, so you can realign the vinyl between each cut.

I think Todd's suggestion is an inexpensive way to guarantee that you don't waste a lot of expensive reflective vinyl. I used to job out cuts that I felt uncomfortable with and it worked out well for me and the other shops.

--------------------
Dave Grundy
retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada
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Stephen Deveau
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Run it slowly and stand by it as it is doing it's passes.
You can stop the run anytime you like!
Rememember what an Exacto Blade looks like if you need to hinge.

--------------------
Stephen Deveau
RavenGraphics
Insinx Digital Displays

Letting Your Imagination Run Wild!

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Nevman
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Hey Donna...

Not gonna help with the tracking issue but for getting the 24" vinyl down to 20" call your supplier and see if they will slit off the 4 inches for you and send you the drop off. They may even be able to give you two 2" rolls or a 1" & 3" instead of one 4".

Good luck! Keep us posted...

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Pat Neve, Jr.
Sign Man, Inc.
4580 N. US 1
Melbourne, FL 32935
321-537-8675
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old paint
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and in my experiance with PNC-1000 it has one speed.
15 ips. so it IS SLOW....the PNC-1100 did 34 ips, and you could slow it down. the CX-300 IS up round 50ips.

--------------------
joe pribish-A SIGN MINT
2811 longleaf Dr.
pensacola, fl 32526
850-637-1519
BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND

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Todd Gill
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Slower speed setting is a great idea Bruce.

Reading through these posts - I really, really do suggest you don't try and cut it yourself though - since it is reflective, and reflective is VERY expensive.

The weight/thickness of the material is a consideration too - as others mentioned.

I had a machine similar to yours... a Roland PNC X... heck, it might have even been the same one you have.

Good cutter in the day, but tracking on materials heavier than regular vinyl was always a little scary...did a lot of smaller runs ok...but nothing very long on heavy stuff.

Please consider farming out the cutting... it shouldn't cost you much, and I really hate to see anyone get burned on miscut expensive vinyl.

Bob Rochon is right...sprocket fed is almost foolproof (and I don't even have one now - but worked on many over the years). I'd look for someone with a Gerber.

Good luck Donna - - let us know how it works out.

--------------------
Todd Gill
Outside The Lines
Potterville, MI

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Glenn Taylor
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Speaking of sprocket, probably the best low cost plotter ever made was the old Summa D-15. It never screwed up and was just cut everything beautifully.

.

--------------------
BlueDog Graphics
Wilson, NC

www.BlueDogUSA.com

Warning: A well designed sign may cause fatigue due to increased business.

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Donna in BC
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My plotter indeed has the practice feed and I use it before every single cut made, no matter how big or small. It's simply a habit at this point. Speed, I have to check. Wish me luck with no manual! You're right Joe, in today's world my plotter is slow but still not too slow for this kinda job obviously.

The job is only for 2 trailers, 2 trucks and a pickup. I'll try and get the lengths down abit shorter to make it work where I can. I go through this every year for this company and somehow manage, but it's always a pain and much fiddling.

I may have said this last year and probably do every single year, but I'm very tempted to have a dinosaur sprocket fed on hand for such jobs for the future. It would match all my other dinosaur components so what the hey. Bet I could run it off a windows 98 setup no prob, or would that be too new for it? LOL

Thanks heaps guys. I have to deal with it tomorrow as one of the installs is on Wed. No time to farm it out. Will consider that in the future. But honestly, alot of my kits consist of this type of cutting and reflective is the only vinyl that tends to give me greater grief.

Honestly, this type of grief is always prevailent in my shop, so nothing will shock me. I was simply hoping to buy a miracle cure for $129.99 that I didn't know exsisted, snap it on and not worry about it ever again, ya know? I heard once upon a time an alignment guide was avail to do just this. Was hoping it actually exsisted.

[ January 12, 2009, 09:46 PM: Message edited by: Donna in BC ]

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Donna Williams
Funky Junk Interiors
Yarrow, BC Canada
donna@funkyjunkinteriors.net

~ Check out the newest junk at ~ http://funkyjunkinteriors.net/

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Rick Sacks
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I know that with Flexi I can set it to cut in panels and define the length and the overlap. I find that often solves the issue for long runs. I usually do two foot sections, especially on heavy materials.

--------------------
The SignShop
Mendocino, California

http://www.mendosign.com

Making the simple complicated is commonplace;
making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus

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Michael Clanton
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I have a Roland PNC-960 (old as dirt) and from day one, I taped a "guide" on the front- several layers of tape stacked on top of each other on both sides- it has worked for me since 1995, haven't replaced the guide yet, but I do need a new teflon cutting strip.

--------------------
Michael Clanton
Clanton Graphics/ Blackberry 19 Studio
1933 Blackberry
Conway AR 72034
501-505-6794
clantongraphics@yahoo.com

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Michael Boone
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what about tiling the graphic ?
split it..
no?
will a seam be objectionable?

--------------------
Michael Boone
Sign Painter
5828 Buerman Rd.Sodus,NY 14551

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Donna in BC
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Many of my surfaces can be up to 20 feet with no natural stops. It really does look best to do it in one kit if you can. I personally can see joins and sections although most customers can't.

But I do divide the kit into sections if there are natural breaks. For a 4 door pickup and boxside, my preference is one piece for the cab, and one for the box. Still pretty long to deal with on a friction feed plotter.

Interesting Michael! hmm..

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Donna Williams
Funky Junk Interiors
Yarrow, BC Canada
donna@funkyjunkinteriors.net

~ Check out the newest junk at ~ http://funkyjunkinteriors.net/

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old paint
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donna when i said the PNC-1000 WAS SLOW, i ment it only has one speed. also it ONLY HAS A DOWNFORCE of 200grams. most newer ones are in the 350 gram range.
"The job is only for 2 trailers, 2 trucks and a pickup." if my calculations are right, with that JOB, you could afford a NEWER, BETTER USED PLOTTER. guy over on 101 got 2 PNC-1210 FOR SALE. the old pnc-1000 is a workhorse, but was never intended for REFLECTIVE MATERIAL!!!! BUT IN THIS BUSINESS THERE COMES A TIME WHEN YOU HAVE TO EITHER UPDATE OR find something else to do.
PNC-1050 ROLAND, ONE OF THE FINEST SPROCKET FEED PLOTTERS you will ever find.

--------------------
joe pribish-A SIGN MINT
2811 longleaf Dr.
pensacola, fl 32526
850-637-1519
BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND

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Jon Butterworth
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I often do tankers requiring long wide stripes.

We have a Graphtec FC3100-60 .... 60 stands for 60cm max track and our vinyl comes in 620cm size logs from USA.

In "your" terms that means I got about 3/4" extra playing width of material going thru a 24" plotter.

Trick #1 for starters .... old plotter/worn rubber rollers ... replace with teflon ones ...easy!

Trick #2. Alignment marks already on the plotter? Take a vinyle pinstripe and line it up 5 to 10 mm to right of the line online with edge of the roller right thru front to back of the machine. Takes some very accurate measuring and a lot of trial and error testing to get exactly parallel .... but worth the effort and material for years once you got it going right.
"new guideline" will now be nearly 300mm (1ft) long back to front and one hell of a lot easier to line up!


Trick #3 .... long runs ... load 1/2 required cutting length thru the plotter manually. Line up with "super" new alignment guide. Then track it back to your cutting origin note and if,or which way it's tracking offline. Halve yer risk!

Trick #4 ... cutting long stripes! Cut the plotter speed down as low possible as said above. You do not want that stuff wiping back and forth like a demented snake! Hand guiding and "operator" attention also help as said again in this thread!

Using above advice I can successfully cut 6m (18ft) without raising sweat about chewing up a lot of expensive vinyl in milliseconds.

I just "practice run" thru a few times first!


Bushie^ prefers to remain a donkey (brush) rider tan a vinyl jokey tho ... more profit!

[Razz]

--------------------
Bushie^
aka Jon Butterworth

Executive Director
HARDLY NORMAL
SIGN COMPANY

http://www.icr.com.au/~jonsigns

Posts: 4014 | From: Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Nov 1998  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Henry Barker
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Well you got alot of answers here.

If its stripes and several vehicles, most suppliers charge lots for a few odd stripe rolls, over here if you want a 10m 15m 25m or 50m roll we normally buy a full width roll 1.25m and our suppliers slit it to whatever you want free of charge, so if you don't need loads buy a 10m roll and get them to slit it 3 times and you have your 3 15" rolls, or whatever you need and abit over for a rainy day.....and you have lots of them! [Smile]

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Henry Barker #1924akaKaftan
SignCraft AB
Stockholm,
Sweden.
A little bit of England in a corner of Stockholm www.signcraft.se www.facebook.com/signcraftsweden

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Ian Stewart-Koster
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Donna, where do you find the 'practice run' setting?

OP, we have a PNC1000 & a PNC1000A, and both have variable pressure, with a slider, and variable speed- sure the max is 20 cm/sec, (8"/sec) but you can slow it down much more in the driver in the PC.

Donna, a friend keeps his plotter on top of a filing cabinet, so the vinyl out of the front falls down to the (clean) floor, with gravity's help, and it doesn't have to get 'pushed'. This helps tracking, too, I'm told.

If you are just after parallel stripes, you can get a 'slitter' but reflective vinyl is a law unto itself...and I wouldn't trust it on a slitter.

DO get yourself a brand new genuine Roland blade for reflective stuff, before you start, if you're going to do it.

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"Stewey" on chat

"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Donna in BC
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Ian, the practice run is in Signlab. Sorry if I misled. I walk the machine through the entire propose cut first to see if it'll stay on track. Realign as necessary, and try again. I don't run it through unless the walk cooperates. While cutting though, lots can still happen. [Smile]

Slitters work fine with reflectives with new blades, I own a 2" and 6" and use them all the time. The Ronan ones through Universal are what I have, but just recently found out they no longer make them, so stock up now! (not good! blades will be in short supply soon) Critical part is precutting your 2" or 6" perfectly to achieve good results. My issue isn't slitting down to size, it's installing a few small stripes layered one above the other for perfect alignment. Hence, the desired kit.

Interesting gravity comment! My plotter sits on a 12' table, but the roll is on the floor with lots of slack while running through.

Thanks for the ideas!

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Donna Williams
Funky Junk Interiors
Yarrow, BC Canada
donna@funkyjunkinteriors.net

~ Check out the newest junk at ~ http://funkyjunkinteriors.net/

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Brad Farha
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I wish I could help. But I think friction feed plotters aren't that great at tracking in general. The Graphtec FC5100-100 I have can go about 20 feet tops before it loses it.

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Brad Farha, owner
Farha Signs
Beckley, WV
304-252-3778


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Dave Sherby
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I controlled the speed on my old PNC 1000 with the software. Probably not a feature if you're trying to cut from Corel Draw.

Donna, I found my PNC 1000 tracked better if it wasn't pulling the vinyl from the roll on the floor. If you have a very long table, unroll the total length and lay it back and forth on the table. Have a helper do the same with the out feed side while it's cutting since it will send the entire length out and then pull it back in again for the other cut.

Another thing you might try is to tile it without the weeding cuts if your software will allow it. That way you can cut everything in 4 foot chunks instead of cutting one line the entire length.

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Dave Sherby
"Sandman"
SherWood Sign & Graphic Design
Crystal Falls, MI 49920
906-875-6201
sherwoodsign@sbcglobal.net

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old paint
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IAN, i said the pnc-1000 has a MAX DOWNFORCE of 200. i know it is adjustable. she is CUTTIN FRoM SINGLAB, no speed adjustment in signlab plotter setup. COREL driver, yes. and like i said that machine was never met to cut REFLECTIVE. and feeding 24" material thru it dont help its tracking. you would be better off running 15"!!!!

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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  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Ian Stewart-Koster
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quote:
also it ONLY HAS A DOWNFORCE of 200grams.
OP, you didn't say it had a MAX downforce, you said it ONLY has a downforce of 200g.

The way I read your first statement means the downforce is 200g with no variation available- not 100g, not 50g- ONLY 200g... now you're changing what you say as if it's nothing...there's a big difference in meaning between the word 'only' and the word 'max'.

I can & do cut reflective in our machines with the downforce setting just to the right of middle or zero, but with a good blade. You have to be careful though when weeding.

In Flexi, you can do a 'show me' dry-run of the vinyl area needed, but I didn't know Donna was using Signlab. I thought maybe she knew of some setting in the Camm1 itself to do a practise run, since Corel doesn't have that option.

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"Stewey" on chat

"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Donna in BC
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Update:

One kit is cut and it turned out perfect.

Speed wasn't an issue with the as-is settings. I couldn't find a way to wind that down but I didn't mess with the plotter menu either. Just didn't want it to quit on me so I didn't want to experiment with the deadline looming.

I didn't go over 6' chunks this round to be on the safe side.

I applied masking tape over the waxy perforated edges for better grip AND cleaned the wheels and metal rollers below. Metal rollers were abit goopy so that was a good idea!

I have always found 15" rolls iffy for long stretches, no matter what kind of vinyl. If it goes slightly off, the job is toast. The wheel range I have avail is only from 15" to 20", or 0" to 3". I've always had better luck with 20" rolls for abit of flexibility with wheel positioning. I just hate to purchase 24" to fit in th required max of 20" but only require 15" of material.

In 14 years, I have never had an issue cutting reflective on this machine. I have an appropriate blade and holder for reflectives and it's used for nothing else. Same goes for 2 mil vinyls, and foils. All have their own holders so it's a breeze to switch over. The only thing I fiddle with is the pressure of the blade. I never have to go all the way for reflectives unless the blade is nearly done. The positioning is generally 3/4 of the way for reflectives and just over 1/2 for 2 mils with current used blades. Less if blades are brand new.

At the point of sale when I purchased the plotter, they didn't advertise the fact that it wasn't meant for reflective, so I find that info interesting. In fact, they happily told me to purchase a reflective blade and another for 2 mil vinyls. Joe, what does a reflective plotter offer that this one won't?

Dave, I liked your idea of tiling the cut. Wish it would work automatically though with my drawing. I'd have to mess with it in order to make that work, such as, design a 24" kit, then tile it to cut another and another without the weeding cut options. It would probably work, but I didn't try it. But thanks for that idea!

I've gotten loads of great ideas from this post. And it was a heads up to clean and maintain the thing too which I haven't in some time. When I had an employee, she took care of those kinds of details for me. I've been currently working in hit and run mode, not taking the time to fine tune small areas. Guess I should bury myself down there and just do it!

I'm still going to look out for a sprocket fed plotter so I can do the lengths I desire, not muck about with this toy. [Smile] Just the wrong tool used for what I want to do. Thanks for the referral Joe!

Thanks all!

[ January 13, 2009, 08:46 PM: Message edited by: Donna in BC ]

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Donna Williams
Funky Junk Interiors
Yarrow, BC Canada
donna@funkyjunkinteriors.net

~ Check out the newest junk at ~ http://funkyjunkinteriors.net/

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Tony McDonald
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Hi Donna....check this one out > > > http://www.letterville.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/3/1571.html

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Ace Graphics & Printing
Camdenton, MO. USA

acegraphics1@sbcglobal.net

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old paint
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donna, there is no such thing as a REFLECTIVE ONLY PLOTTER.
the point iam making, buy saying the PNC-1000 was not ment for REFLECTIVE OR SANDBLAST MATERIAL, is just that. it was produced at the begining of the vinyl introduction to sign shops. it came out not long after the GERBER 4B. now that was MADE FOR HEAVY or thick material and pin tractor feed. you can do 50-100 ft runs with it. and adding downforce to it was done with weights you added, so it would cut anything.
the advantage to a 24" inch plotter, is SIZE OF MATERIAL, SPEED OF CUT AND NEWER ONES HAVE BETTER TRACKING. also, most 24"-30" plotter have a fully open drive roller, this is the one on the bottom, and since it has more open area you are not limited to the 15", 18" 20" as the 1000 is. and can cut material from 2"-24 or 30".
i say this because i had a PNC-1000 for many years, bought a PNC-1100, and was amazed at the differance between the 2. and the 1100 was a used machine when i bought it also. then i got a CX-300, and now know why people say good equipment makes the job SO MUCH EASIER. i was amazed at the diff between the 1000 and the 1100, well, the CX-300 just BLOWS THE OTHERS AWAY....and i cant stress its reliabilty enough. the 1000 ate blades, the 1100 was much better at blade consumption. this CX-300 still has the same blade as it did 2 YEARS AGO WHEN I GOT IT.found this one another bb.
I have an extra Roland Cam 1 Pro cx-30 vinyl cutter for sale. Will cut sandblast mask as well as vinyl. Contact Tony @770-518-0292 or Tony@sandblasted.com

[ January 14, 2009, 01:20 PM: Message edited by: old paint ]

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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  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Michael Gene Adkins
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HERE'S HOW YA DO IT.

Did you know that if you break apart a line of text and then manually select the pieces from right to left then combine them, your plotter will then cut the text from left to right without hopping all over the place? Two lines of text? Do it right to left, top to bottom. When your friction feed cuts the vinyl, it will cut it in the reverse order you select the pieces and combined them, without hopping from one end or line to the next to start over, which is what actually causes all the misalignment.

Now... do the same thing to -- say -- a 10' stripe by placing nodes on both sides of the stripe, breaking it apart, then starting from the right, select the pieces of the line all the way back to the left.

The working theory here being quite simple:

The LAST thing selected is the FIRST thing that cuts.

Reflective is tricky as everyone has warned because of thickness and weight, but if you slow the machine down and all else is right, it should work. It's better than pausing the machine and trying to realign by hand!!!

Been doing it this way for years........

and if someone thought of this before me, all I can say is --- DANGIT!!!

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Michael Gene Adkins
The Fontry
1576 S Hwy 59
Watts OK 74964

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Donna in BC
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LOL Michael!

Thanks for the info!!! This will definately help those without the below option avail to me.

Signlab allows you to cut how you wish. I can select nearest, vertical, horizontal, and database order. If I select nearest, it'll cut just that. And it does work great! But come to think of it, the plotter did want to start each time at the beginning of each stripe.. and I enclosed the stripes to create graphics. Perhaps if I left the stripes open..

I'm going down to fiddle with that now. Thanks!

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Donna Williams
Funky Junk Interiors
Yarrow, BC Canada
donna@funkyjunkinteriors.net

~ Check out the newest junk at ~ http://funkyjunkinteriors.net/

Posts: 5630 | From: Yarrow, BC Canada | Registered: Nov 1998  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
   

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