As you know...I am an old dinosaur hand lettering guy. However, I came across an older Ioline plotter that I can get real cheap. I occasionally use viynul and I think it would be great to have it in my shop. Anyone familiar with this brand
Is it worth it to pursue this any further or should I save myself some grief and pass on this? I don't need more junk around here if it will be a hassle. Will the learning curve be too much? I am running Corel X6 on a new computer. Here are the spec's for my computer.
Windows 8 Processor" Intel (R) Pentium (R) CPU G2030 @ 3.00 GHz Memory: 4.00 GB System: 64-bit operating system x64-based processor
I know there are some savvy folks here that will give me the real scoop.
Thanking you forward....
Jackson
-------------------- Jackson Smart Jackson's Signs Port Angeles, WA ...."The Straits of Juan De Fuca in my front yard and Olympic National Park in my backyard...
"Living on Earth is expensive...but it does include a free trip around the Sun" Posts: 1000 | From: Port Angeles, Washington | Registered: Jan 1999
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I used to have a Ioline plotter. It worked really great until the little thing that makes the knife go up and down stopped working. I took the machine to the manufacture in Woodinville, Wa. I was told that since my plooter (Yes my plooter) was no longer being made that they didn't have any relpacements parts for it. I was able to take it to the home of one of their techs, but he really couldn't fix it. I tried to find parts online, but,,,,,After about 4 or 5 years I gave it away to a guy on Craiglist. Now there is a guy in Southern California called the "Plotter Doctor". He keeps a lot of discontinuted plotter parts on hand. I just found out about him about 2 years ago.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3814 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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I think that z axis part is called a solenoid. Anyway, I've had an Ioline since 1996, have cut a lot of vinyl and sandblast stencil on it and mine still works like new. Don't know anything about the model you're looking at.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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If it is working well the smart trac is an excellent machine,....if not you might want to check on parts and service availability for that machine,..ioline is based in Washington so that might not be as big an issue for you,....given it is functioning properly you'll need a cutting program to drive the plotter that is win 8 compatible,....co cut comes to mind here as it is a plugin for corel,....it adds a button from within coreldraw that you click to cut what you have selected,/....good luck
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Thanks a bunch everyone. Great information. Still looking into the machine. So far....if I can get the proper program to cut from Corel...I might just jump in. This machine has only been used maybe 10 times. So it won't be worn out yet. The people that have it got it to use on cutting patterns for stained glass. They didn't pursue it any further. maybe my gain....no? Thanks again....I will keep you posted.
L8tr Jackson
-------------------- Jackson Smart Jackson's Signs Port Angeles, WA ...."The Straits of Juan De Fuca in my front yard and Olympic National Park in my backyard...
"Living on Earth is expensive...but it does include a free trip around the Sun" Posts: 1000 | From: Port Angeles, Washington | Registered: Jan 1999
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FWIW: Dave Grundy and O.P. put me onto cutting directly out of Corel. I do it from Inkscape too, I've never used a go between program.. The trick seems to be line thickness. In Corel it's hairline; in Inkscape, it's 0.400 pixel.
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Jackson, all I've ever replaced in mine was the power supply..... twice, one year apart. Very rural here & I think the problem was voltage spikes. I shut it off as soon as it's finished & it's been good for 10 years now. That is probably a very good machine ........ I might buy it if you don't want it LOL
-------------------- Rodger MacMunn T.R. MacMunn & Sons C.P.207, Sharbot Lake, ON 613-279-1230 trmac@frontenac.net Posts: 472 | From: Sharbot Lake, Ontario | Registered: Nov 2003
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I've had my SmarTrac since 2001 only repair was replace the logic board due to a lightning strike since that I have installed lightning arresters on both shop and home service panels.
-------------------- Len Mort Signmaker1.com 11 Juniper Drive Millbury, MA 508-865-2382 "A Good Business Sign, is A Sign of Good Business"(1957) Posts: 811 | From: Millbury, Ma | Registered: Dec 2006
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