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My plotter, Gerber GS-15, suddenly started cutting poorly. Meaning: rather than a nice "smooth" cut line in even the most basic shape, the line is ever-so-slightly serrated like a dull steak knife. It still cuts through the vinyl, but the line is rough, similar to the edge of a piece of grass. It doesn't jam up, sounds normal and everything. Looking close it looks like tiny bumps. Could the alignment be every-so-slightly out of whack? How would I fix this?
-------------------- Phil Steffen, 29 Van Rensselaer St City of Saratoga Springs DPW Saratoga Springs NY 12866 Posts: 563 | From: beautiful Saratoga Springs NY | Registered: Aug 2001
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I don't know if it uses the same system as the old Signmakers so this may not apply. The Signmakers had a toothed belt that swiveled the head for tangential cutting. If the belt got old and lost some teeth, this could happen. Also, the set screw on the gears could work loose, causing them to slip on their shaft. There is also a "Home" position that sometimes gets lost through gear slippage or the LED and electric eye getting dirty or the LED losing strength through age.
I can't decide if the above was describing ageing Gerber problems or my own...
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5084 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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No LED eye on this model..that I know of at least. The toothed theta belt got replace 5 months ago. I'll have to look at these "set screws" etc.
Anyone else ever run into this?
-------------------- Phil Steffen, 29 Van Rensselaer St City of Saratoga Springs DPW Saratoga Springs NY 12866 Posts: 563 | From: beautiful Saratoga Springs NY | Registered: Aug 2001
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-------------------- John Arnott El Cajon CA 619 596-9989 signgraphics1@aol.com http://www.signgraphics1.com Posts: 1443 | From: El Cajon CA usa | Registered: Dec 1998
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Check the platten strip(the rubber strip under the blade). If this strip is worn the blade does not have even pressure. When my Mimaki started to do this I found a small groove in the platten strip. After replacing the strip the problem was solved.
-------------------- Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane. Posts: 2275 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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if it has a drag knife it might be binding, swish the balde holder in isopropyl alcohol or thinner and blow it out dry, the put a bit of light oil or wd 40 in and try again. Sometimes the blade can't spin freely in the holder and causes this
-------------------- Pete Payne Willowlake Design/Canadian Signcrafters Bayfield, ON
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I'm with Don, check the Teflon cutting strip.
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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Another reason I like my Nocturnas! Now all I need is spellcheck for the ferrules.
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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Philip, Take out your blade and turn on the cutter. Now look in where you drop the blade is the pin That the spindle drops into at 12 o'clock?
If not even a straight line the blade will be turned just enough to cause what you are showing.
Each time you turn on the cutter it should register back to 12 O'clock. If this is the problem let me know I can explain how you need to open up the back cover and recalibrate the internal wheel.
-------------------- Sam Staffan Mackinaw Art & Sign 721 S. Nokomis St. Mackinaw City, MI dstaffan@sbcglobal.net Posts: 1694 | From: Mackinaw City, MI | Registered: Mar 2004
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Just had an issue with our EnVision. It was cutting thru on the left side but just scoring the other side of the vinyl. All of this was due to adhesive build up on the sprockets!
-------------------- Keith Jenicek Artisan Signs St. Louis, MO
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I think Sam is the winner: The pin is at 12:30, just right of 12. Working on that to see if that is the fix.
ALSO: Don & Kelly: My GS-15 doesnt have a noticable "cutting strip" as I understand you. There is a rubberized cylinder about 1.5" diameter, the width of the 13.25 cutting area, that rotates/rolls under the blade which it would pinch/press against when it comes down to cut. Is this what you meen, or are our machines just quite different?
...otherwise - clean sprockets, new, 45 degree blade, no "pounce" option that I know of.
-------------------- Phil Steffen, 29 Van Rensselaer St City of Saratoga Springs DPW Saratoga Springs NY 12866 Posts: 563 | From: beautiful Saratoga Springs NY | Registered: Aug 2001
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They are quite a bit different. Most just have a flat rubber strip that is beneath the blade. Now that you mention it, I do remember a friend having a GS-15, and it had the drum like you said.
with that in mind, I would say the "clocking" issue is probably what is happening.
-------------------- Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane. Posts: 2275 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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