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.
Once we screen print 12x14 sheets of vinyl stickers and would like them diecut in circles, rectangles and various custom shapes, would a plotter do the job and then we weed them and have them cut into squares? Or would you diecut them first, then screen print (I imagine it'd be easier this way to register). Anyone have ideas? Deciding whether to buy a plotter or not.
I think it will be very difficult for you to get good cut location when you feed screen printed stickers into a vinyl cutter/plotter. Over here, there are custom made die cuts that are shaped as circles, rectangles, etc. Why did you not look for a shop with a printer/cutter machine like the Roland Versacamm in the first place?
I don't pretend to know the logistics of screen printing the stickers. But IF he chose to go this route, why would he need to spend $20k on a cutter?
If he's screen printing the stickers, then a 24" cutter with an optical eye should meet his needs for cutting. That runs what, about $1k - $2k?
And we know he can use the cutter for other money making ventures as well.
1 color stickers MAYBE - but it will take alot of time
If he is doing multi color designs, he will need to uv or air dry (which is $$$ and time)
why not just sub out the work... there are tons of places making stickers that you can get contract pricing from... Sticker Guy! or if I was him, just email gerber, ask them for the last 5-10 customers that bought a FX, and email them to quote on the job.
Thanks guys. We're currently sub sticker jobs, but we're moving into another warehouse soon and I want it in-house so we can control turn-arounds times more, and I hate sending a job for a quote and not receiving it for awhile which in turn makes our customers upset.
Just like printing posters, I don't see a problem with printing multiple colors and letting each layer dry. I don't have much knowledge with a plotter, so I was curious on how I would print and then cut or cut then print vinyl sheets. I know other shops do it this way without sub contracting. Plus buying a plotter will allow us to offer vinyl signs etc. So my guess is we need to look at a plotter with an optical eye.
Just like printing posters, I don't see a problem with printing multiple colors and letting each layer dry. I don't have much knowledge with a plotter, so I was curious on how I would print and then cut or cut then print vinyl sheets. I know other shops do it this way without sub contracting. Plus buying a plotter will allow us to offer vinyl signs etc. So my guess is we need to look at a plotter with an optical eye.
I think it would be very easy. Just build your screens and vinyl cutouts, in the same drawing and then do the screen work... dry and then feed it to the vinyl cutter and cut.
I do this same thing now for both Chromablast shirts and dye sub material. I have a laser cutter and I simply add registration marks as I sub the material. I then take the newly dyed substrate and put it in the laser. Align the substrate in the laser to track the registration marks... clear the interlocks and do the cuts. If your careful you can keep registration errors on the order of thousandths of an inch.
I could do the same thing with my vinyl cutter. The laser is just faster.
I think it would be very easy. Just build your screens and vinyl cutouts, in the same drawing and then do the screen work... dry and then feed it to the vinyl cutter and cut.
I do this same thing now for both Chromablast shirts and dye sub material. I have a laser cutter and I simply add registration marks as I sub the material. I then take the newly dyed substrate and put it in the laser. Align the substrate in the laser to track the registration marks... clear the interlocks and do the cuts. If your careful you can keep registration errors on the order of thousandths of an inch.
I could do the same thing with my vinyl cutter. The laser is just faster.
Thanks, figured it was possible, but need buy a plotter and test it out. Woohoo Sticker time!
Thanks, figured it was possible, but need buy a plotter and test it out. Woohoo Sticker time!
Yeppers... you can buy $5,000 worth of dye sub equipment... a $25,000 CNC laser... a $2,500 vinyl cutter... a few $100 rolls of dye sub Mate material...
Yeppers... you can buy $5,000 worth of dye sub equipment... a $25,000 CNC laser... a $2,500 vinyl cutter... a few $100 rolls of dye sub Mate material...
... and cut $2.99 stickers with the best of us...
lol true
that's why i said - contact gerber, see who bought a machine last will usually need the business the most!
Im going to add my 2cents in here for what it is worth.
I dont know anything about screen printing. But Ive been thinking about the ink on the vinyl, and trying to cut it. I suspect it would be hard on the blade, and maybe cause chipping of the ink? I dont really know....something that you might have to test out.
But I dont see why you couldnt pre-cut your stickers, have your silkscreen template all ready, and screen to fit "after" everything is cut. Does that make sense?
Vinyl Sticker Cutting with Plotter 
www.busyPrinting.com
Confused.
