It depends on a few factors such as how old the blade is and what thickness and type of vinyl. For a short answer though, on most 3 mil or thinner vinyls you should be around 60 grams with a new blade.
Re: Cutting force on Roland Cutter for outdoor and indoor vinyl
How will I know when it needs changing? What will be the signs?
Are some vinyls better than others? What would be best to use? I bought some on eBay and learned my lesson. The backing is real slippery and when weeding the designs and text lift up as well.
I've been shopping around online and it seems Oracle has the greatest color selection. Or is it called Oracal...
Re: Cutting force on Roland Cutter for outdoor and indoor vinyl
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rojoyinc
How will I know when it needs changing? What will be the signs?
Are some vinyls better than others? What would be best to use? I bought some on eBay and learned my lesson. The backing is real slippery and when weeding the designs and text lift up as well.
I've been shopping around online and it seems Oracle has the greatest color selection. Or is it called Oracal...
For sign vinyl I prefer Arlon - it is a great quality product and works well for cutting, weeding and applying.
I usually check the cut force on my blade with each job and when I notice the cutting force that has gone from 50 grams on a new blade is now cutting only at 150 or above, I will replace the blade. You will see poor cutting, skips and rough corners on cuts that also indicate that a blade is going bad.
Re: Cutting force on Roland Cutter for outdoor and indoor vinyl
I like Oracal myself, have heard good things about Arlon, no experience with Avery but there are a lot of sign companies that will never forgive them for selling very bad products in the past. Definitely stay away from generic junk off of eBay and if you want to try a company's in-house brand, look up reviews first!!
A blade will last quite awhile cutting only vinyl. If you cut paper/cardstock/mat board/anything paper based or otherwise abrasive, it will murder the blade in short time (this is why you shouldn't cut paper with your sewing scissors).
Re: Cutting force on Roland Cutter for outdoor and indoor vinyl
im currently using Oracal 551 and when doing my test pieces i set it to 70g and was working fine on the test pieces but when i started doing my decals its not cut enough as when i lift the wasted vinyl off it starts peeling up my decals on about 50% of them but weeding with the tweezers i dont have a problem
i have got it up to 120g and its still doing it it seems from the posts i shouldn't need this much pressure.
the blade is the new one that come with the machine (barely been used at all) still trying to work it out
the blade was out about 1mm but i have put it out even further to about 1.5-2mm
could i have a dicky blade?
how do you pull the wasted vinyl off ? do you pull up and at a slight angle or flat against itself? i have tried both but its still not working i dont know if its me or the machine
Re: Cutting force on Roland Cutter for outdoor and indoor vinyl
Cutting too deep can make it hard to weed just like cutting too light. Since you say you can weed with tweezers, but not peel it, that means it's cut through all the way. Try lightening your pressure again, low as it will go but still cut - you want it to barely scratch the backing. You don't want to go through it and gouge your cutting strip either.
Re: Cutting force on Roland Cutter for outdoor and indoor vinyl
hmm ok understand
but what i dont understand is i had to get it to 70g for the test function to work properly with the tweezers but i was still having trouble and it def wasnt cutting all the way through when peeling it i could see pieces that werent cut properly
will just keep trying i guess
try 130 to 140g and if still having problems start going backwards
thanks given me more things to try
when you peel it do you lift it straight up at a 90° angle or a 45° or basically flat against itself?
Re: Cutting force on Roland Cutter for outdoor and indoor vinyl
I prefer to weed flat against itself. I also like to create "weed boxes" around detail areas, as well as between rows of text even if the letters are large:
GIANT WORDS
ALL OVER
A BANNER
So there would be a slice between each line so I can focus on each row of letters. Takes longer? Yes. Not as long as it is when I try to weed too much at once, it falls and gets stuck to itself, I lose letters, try to fix it, eventually ruin the thing beyond repair, and start over in a bad mood.
Re: Cutting force on Roland Cutter for outdoor and indoor vinyl
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bert02
hmm ok understand
but what i dont understand is i had to get it to 70g for the test function to work properly with the tweezers but i was still having trouble and it def wasnt cutting all the way through when peeling it i could see pieces that werent cut properly
will just keep trying i guess
try 130 to 140g and if still having problems start going backwards
thanks given me more things to try
when you peel it do you lift it straight up at a 90° angle or a 45° or basically flat against itself?
If you are cutting sign material at 130 to 140 I would try a new blade at 50 to 70 and see if that helps. You could have broken the tip of the blade. Also check your cutting strip and see if there are any cuts or a groove in it, if so it needs to be replaced. When you first get a cutter it is not unusual to break the blade tip on one of the first cuts if the blade is out too far or the pressure is too high.
This is a discussion about Cutting force on Roland Cutter for outdoor and indoor vinyl that was posted in the Roland Vinyl Cutters section of the forums.
Cutting force on Roland Cutter for outdoor and indoor vinyl 
