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.
I am looking at a used Graphtec FC 2100-50. Does anyone have any information on this cutter? Motor? Pressure? Original pricing? I can't find anything useful on Google, and I've been looking for a long time. There isn't even a thread on the forum for it. Thanks to anyone that can give me some info on it...
Jan 2010:
Editing to add a link to the Graphtec list of OS and drivers for their cutters:
That's a pretty old plotter, to be honest. I'm sure it works fine, but I can't imagine that it has any registration mark system for cutting transfers.
Actually, after a Google search for "FC2100-50" (Graphtec's model number system), I see that there don't seem to be any drivers for XP, not to mention Vista. And if you're using a Mac, forget about it.
You may also have trouble finding blades for it, tho I did find one place that seems to offer one.
To be perfectly honest, I'd say that, even tho it will be more expensive, you should try a new(er) plotter. The technology has come a LONG way since this plotter was new.
Hey Chani! How are you doing, girl?? We've been missing you around here. I hope your tooth is feeling better.
Thanks for the info. I know it's pretty old technology, and that seems to be part of why I'm having trouble pulling up info on it. I really am looking to find out how it's built. For the price (cheap, cheap, cheap) I wouldn't mind if it's manual registration with no optical eye, I just am trying to do some research b4 buying. If it gets me through a year or two, I'd like to be able to buy the Graphtec CE5000-40 outright with profits by using this little clunker for a while. We'll see. I'll keep my eye out for something newer, and debate picking this up. I better double check on the drivers. When looking for basic info on the model, it seemed every site was about drivers and also sign software, but I'll check that specifically. It's pretty useless without the drivers right?
Jan 2010:
Edited to add:
No drivers for XP on this cutter, but on page 5 someone describes how they got their's to work on an XP computer. Also, I did get blades and blade holders for the FC2100-50 from Clean Cut Blades. Great, no problems.
Although still not cutting ''our'' stuff, we used demo and the blades and blade holder cut the vinyl perfectly. Just found a CPU with Windows 2000, so we will be able to cut if we want to put it all together. Best wishes.
Last edited by Girlzndollz; January 15th, 2010 at 08:07 PM.
kelly, i know the graphtecs are well made units. I would venture to say a older graphtec will be as good as a less expensive cutter. I suggest checking on parts availability too. I know you already have this in mind, I just wanted to re affirm it. My main comment is a older cutter is bette than no cutter at all. ... Good Luck. .... JB
Absolutely, JB. I'm sure this thing is VERY solidly built. It's mostly the drivers and software that I'm concerned about. Without drivers for your computer, it really is a heavy doorstop.
Kelly! My tooth is feeling better, but I go in for a root canal later today.
What software does this come with? What operating system are you using? With this you MAY need an older computer with an early version of windows, and older design software to work with it.
I'm just saying to be cautious. Make sure you can actually use it before you buy it.
Very poor software and even worse customer service. save you money and buy something decent.
sorry guy but i have to respectfully disagree with that statement. i've run two of them - both fc5100-75's and they're both built like tanks and are true workhorses. i know a lot of other signmakers also running the professional series and they are of the same opinion. i have no personal experience of the ce's but reading here from many who do they're also had good results from their graphtecs. in 10 years i've had occasion to call their tech dept twice (both times involved operator error btw ) and was helped quickly and efficiently. if you have specific complaints with yours, let us hear them and perhaps we can collectively help.
kelly it is a pretty old machine - but if it's been nominally cared for i'm betting it's still a viable option. i'd call graphtec in the morning (800) 854-8385 and find out
if drivers are available. also, if the seller will provide you with the serial number you should be able to track the service records on it. ross at cleancut blades most likely also has blades for it.
__________________
it's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!
Jan, Thank you Thank you Thank you!!! You're the tops! I'm checking on the serial port situation...
Quote:
Originally Posted by coeds
kelly, i know the graphtecs are well made units. I would venture to say a older graphtec will be as good as a less expensive cutter. I suggest checking on parts availability too. I know you already have this in mind, I just wanted to re affirm it. My main comment is a older cutter is bette than no cutter at all. ... Good Luck. .... JB
Thanks, JB. I know it's a gamble, but I'm thinking along the same lines as you. Good machine to begin with, parts are probably unlikely, but if I got lucky, I could use this as a stepping stone. If the price is right, it's worth checking into.... and I love the last line in the post... older is better than none.... lol.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chani
Kelly! My tooth is feeling better, but I go in for a root canal later today. What software does this come with? What operating system are you using? With this you MAY need an older computer with an early version of windows, and older design software to work with it. I'm just saying to be cautious. Make sure you can actually use it before you buy it.
Ohhh, gosh, Chani... I hope you feel well afterwards. Thank you for the excellent advice - that oughta be the first thing that is checked out.
I not sure it's actually coming with software. The fella is upgrading to a larger size Graphtec. I think that's why it's not coming with blades as well, but I asked about the software, if it's included or not. Hoping you feel better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by corpseguy
STAY WELL AWAY FROM GRAPHTEC. Very poor software and even worse customer service. save you money and buy something decent
Hey Joe, thank you for sharing. I appreciate it. Not everyone has a good experience, this I understand, so I appreciate your opinion. I did read your thread when you were trying to set up your Graphtec, so I understand where you are coming from. Did you get your Graphtec running the way you want it to?
I have to check on the serial ports, and a huge thank you again to Jan. You rock!!
I have older computers. (Like an emachine T4010 - , I even have an older one yet with a 3.5" disk drive. ) So, I could set up the cutter to one of those, bc the new Delly does not have these kinds of connections. Crud, this is getting complicated...
We're now wondering if there is a card that can be plugged into the new Dell. We'll have to look that up and see about that. Now that Jan and Sunny taught me about external hard drives, of course, I have images of working on the Dell, saving it to the ext HD, and then bringing that into the emachine to the sign software then to the cutter.... Hahahaahaha, I must have worms in my head to be even thinking about this!! Yet an ext HD with this cutter could be alot cheaper than a new cutter, and I already need the ext HD anyway. When I buy new, I am looking for at least the CE5000-40, so that's around a $900 budget.
Sorry to be so confused. I truly appreciate your help.
I have older computers. (Like an emachine T4010 - , I even have an older one yet with a 3.5" disk drive. ) So, I could set up the cutter to one of those, bc the new Delly does not have these kinds of connections. Crud, this is getting complicated...
We're now wondering if there is a card that can be plugged into the new Dell. We'll have to look that up and see about that. Now that Jan and Sunny taught me about external hard drives, of course, I have images of working on the Dell, saving it to the ext HD, and then bringing that into the emachine to the sign software then to the cutter.... Hahahaahaha, I must have worms in my head to be even thinking about this!! Yet an ext HD with this cutter could be alot cheaper than a new cutter, and I already need the ext HD anyway. When I buy new, I am looking for at least the CE5000-40, so that's around a $900 budget.
Sorry to be so confused. I truly appreciate your help.
We must be related,I never throw my stuff away either. My wife tells me I'm a pack rat. I told her I'm just a collector of useless material and then I smile and look at her and say "I love honey". She walks away and I win again. .... JB
you don't even need that toots - just one of those little jump drives - you're talking vector images and they're typically small - i do it all the time! i work on my main computer but my primary graphtec is plugged into my little laptop across the room - i just have a couple of those little pocket drives and move the cut files over! i've bought a couple of them for $5 at best buy in a bin by the checkout stand they're small, just 512mb but.....more than i generally need to move a few files!
__________________
it's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!
We must be related,I never throw my stuff away either. My wife tells me I'm a pack rat. I told her I'm just a collector of useless material and then I smile and look at her and say "I love honey". She walks away and I win again. .... JB
Hahaha, too funny!! She takes it well, JB. You've got a good woman there! Thanks for the chuckle.
you don't even need that toots - just one of those little jump drives - you're talking vector images and they're typically small - i do it all the time! i work on my main computer but my primary graphtec is plugged into my little laptop across the room - i just have a couple of those little pocket drives and move the cut files over!
Graphtec FC 2100 50 
) and was helped quickly and efficiently. if you have specific complaints with yours, let us hear them and perhaps we can collectively help.
