Discuss the various aspects of heat pressed vinyl transfers. Popular and new types of vinyl media, suppliers, vinyl cutters /plotters, press times, quality, how to instructions and more can be found in this heat press sub forum.
OK. I have read as many posts as I could find re: vinyl cutters. I will be using this as my only method of printing besides occasionally heat tranfer using inkjet. Thing is I haven't seen one in person only in online videos. I don't know how difficult the software will be, but I figure they all take a bit of time to learn.
Is the end result quality really good?
What about the feel? I'm worried too stiff.
cost per shirt?
Anyone selling shirts printed this way willing to sell me one and overnight it so I can check it out?
I am wanting to make the purchase at the end of this week, unless anyone can talk me out of it!!
Looking at Roland Stika 15" from Specialty-graphics for $754.00 with free shipping or Bestblanks for 795.00. I live near Bestblanks and may take a drive over to check out the machine. I feel uncomfortable about purchasing this site unseen.
Seriously All, is this the right thing for me since I will only be producing 1 color with simple grahics and text.
If you hate this process tell me honestly. Thanks in advance to anyone willing to help me out!!
Re: Anyone want to talk me out of buying a cutter?
I can't answer your questions at all, but I can tell you that I've just taken delivery of a Roland GX24 yesterday. Unfortunately, I have a stinkin cold, and I can't even be bothered to open the box! But, I noticed that you said you live close to Bestblanks, aren't they in Florida? Well, I'm in SW Fl, and if you can hold off for a few days on buying it, you can come and have a look at mine and see what you think......
Re: Anyone want to talk me out of buying a cutter?
Jacky,
Sorry you are under the weather. I just might take you up on that offer. I'm doing quite a bit a research and asked for a sample of the tranfer from Bestblanks to check quality. I was only looking at the desktop model but would like to know what you think after you work with your new one. Let me know. OK to email me.
Thanks again for the offer to stop by. I'll let you know.
Re: Anyone want to talk me out of buying a cutter?
This is the only process I use and I love it. I bought a cheap ($250.00 +/-) US Cutter refine series 24" cutter and it cuts great. The "stiffness" you're wondering about is not there if you use multicut or thermoflex plus, they are very soft and can't hardly feel them, econocut by stahl's is very stiff IMO and would stay away from that.
Re: Anyone want to talk me out of buying a cutter?
David, I have all my graphics stored in Jpeg or Gif. Do you think I will be able to get the cutter's software to read these types of files? If I have to get Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw I guess I will but what about the 100 designs I already have stored as regular graphic files?
Re: Anyone want to talk me out of buying a cutter?
You will have to convert them over the vector format, which you have to do with any plotter as far as I know and yes mine uses standard roland blades. TBH if I was purchasing a new plotter right now, I would look at US Cutter's copam series, but I am very very very happy with mine. It made it's money back many times and still working like a new one.
Re: Anyone want to talk me out of buying a cutter?
I think all cutters will cut vinyl fot t-shirts.Some of the brands are marketed more and have better name familiarty. I That being said the roland gx 24 is much quieter than myenduracut. I intended to make enough money to buy the roland,Well I made the money and now ,I'm looking at a UScutter cutter. Good luck ....JB
Re: Anyone want to talk me out of buying a cutter?
Yep, I have a copam, auto measure, silent , fast, built like a rock, although if you want to trace-contour cut transfers the roland or graphtec is the way to go, I am cutting 1/32 inch fonts with it with a custom $12.00 blade but it cuts small with no problems. I dont do ink transfers, just plastisol, vinyl,and sublimation.
Re: Anyone want to talk me out of buying a cutter?
Plan b, Trace - controur??? Is that the same as the outline feature? A rep suggested I use the outline feature to out line my existinf grahics and the cutter would then understand where it needs to cut.
Re: Anyone want to talk me out of buying a cutter?
You can buy one on ebay or uscutters.com, do yourself a favor and buy at least a 24 inch cutter, you won't be sorry, just because most transfer vinyl comes in15 inch does'nt mean that thats all you will want to do, maybe decals for cars or decals for the home, it will cut the 15 inch product and the 24, I was thinking the same way and I am glad I went the 24, as a matter of fact sometimes I wish I had a larger one. T shirts with vinyl rules!!
Re: Anyone want to talk me out of buying a cutter?
You can go to uscutter.com or go to ebay and search US Cutter. Also you want a 24" cutter, just trust me, you'll use it more then you think right now. Also if you use multicut heat applied vinyl from jotopaper.com, which I definitely recommend it comes in 20" width so you won't have to cut it down for a 15" machine.
Post a file of one of your images you're wanting to cut and we can see how easy it would be to vectorize. I don't see how placing an outline around a raster image (jpg gif bmp) would allow you to cut it out correctly, sounds like a "sales pitch" to me.
This is a discussion about Anyone want to talk me out of buying a cutter? that was posted in the Vinyl Cutters (Plotters) and Transfers section of the forums.
Anyone want to talk me out of buying a cutter? 
