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dynamicdesynz · July 4th, 2008

Hi everyone. I just set up my CE5000 60 wooohooo. I have been reading everything that I can get my hand on ( well more like my mouse on) to grasp how to out line my document for cutting. I kinda understand how to set up the reg marks. It kind sux that I have to scale the image down for cutting and reg marks. I layered my image to separate all of the graphics that make up the final graphic. When I send it to MC2, it layers nicely but I don't know how to set up an outline to just cut around my graphic, nor can I choose to cut a particular area on a specific layer. Here are some of the things that I am trying to cut... Thanks for all the help in advance..

Chani · July 4th, 2008

Wow...starting out easy, aren't you?

What program are you using? Illustrator or CorelDRAW?

It really depends on HOW you want to cut that design. To be TOTALLY honest, it may not be worth your time to contour cut every little detail of your first and second design. Especially if it's going on a light shirt.

One way to do it, tho, is to trace the image in your design program and weld everything together. That would give you every single little detail, but as I said, that might not be what you want to do (whether you know that or not). The problem is that if you do that, every little hole in your design would then need to be weeded out, which could take hours.

What I would do is trace it, then get rid of most of the inner shapes in your design. Then you can weed out the larger areas and leave the small ones.

Another thing you could do is trace it, remove small bits, and then outline your design (contour) to give you a cut line that's just a little bit outside of your design. With papers like JPSS, that will hardly be noticeable on a white shirt.

Hope that makes sense!

dynamicdesynz · July 5th, 2008

I thought about this yesterday in fact. The splatter grafix that I use will make it hard to cut out So I will adjust the to fit inside of the design. I am still trying to find out exactly how to trace the overall graphic since it consist of several different layers. Also how would I create the outline. I will eventually get it. It's just trying to find the right wording when looking on the net for answers. I remember you saying that I could actually have the cutter cut through the backing paper as well if I didn't have the Magic paper, is this right? What cutter settings do you prefer when using JPSS?. I have never used Vinyls before, is it adhesive, for like signs and cars or stickers? I would like to do Decals, and window designs or stickers for companies, would the vinyl be what I need. THANKS YOU SOOO MUCH Chani....Terrence

Chani · July 7th, 2008

Hi Terrence,

First, no, you DON'T want to cut through the backer paper if you don't have a carrier sheet...it will get all messed up in your plotter, and ruin your cutting strip.

What you will most likely want to do to create a contour for cutting is merge all of your layers (you can paste everything on a new page or new document if you don't want to change your original), and then either trace your design (Sorry, I forgot...do you have Illy or Corel?), and weld everything together. Then you can break it all apart and get rid of any inner shapes that you don't want to be cut, then combine your cut contours again.

Oops...is your design vector or raster (bitmap)? If it's vector, copy it all into another document or page, then weld it all together to create your cut contour. again, break it apart to get rid of anything you don't want cut, then combine it all again. Then you can paste that back into your original to print and cut it.

I hope all of that made sense....

dynamicdesynz · July 7th, 2008

I have Illustrator. I have been looking on line and on the graphtec site through their videos. I found some information but it still hasn't helped out a lot cause it's for the 7000 series. no one has anything for the 5000-60 using illus cs3 in a video form. Oh, why is it that you have to make your images much smaller than your paper. The designs that I do fit the majority of the paper ares, and it says I need to make it 3" from the to and 1 from the additional sides. That take a 8.5 X 11 design and makes it a 6 X 8. This means I have to use a 11X17 just to get an 8.5 X11.
I am working with Vectors only

dynamicdesynz · July 7th, 2008

Oh I forgot to ask. What are some good settings for cutting JPSS and how do I know if the blade is down far enough?

Chani · July 7th, 2008

Oh, yeah...I forgot to answer that part...

We use a downforce of 30g (setting 3 on your machine), and we have the blade sticking out about the thickness of a credit card.

With JPSS, you don't need to cut all the way through the backer. You can just cut through the transfer itself and weed the rest of the design.

I don't leave quite an inch on the sides or bottom, but you do need to leave enough room for your pinch rollers, because it will only cut BETWEEN your pinch rollers. Then you need a little more than two inches at the top of your page because of the distance between your pinch rollers and your blade. If you leave too little room, you'll get a read error.

And that's exactly the reason we bought a pigment CIS for our 13x19 printer...so we could print on 11x17 paper to get larger images.

dynamicdesynz · July 7th, 2008

OHHHHH. I just got my CIS unit from Digital Image. I haven't set it up yet. I'm trying to use up the remaining ink that was in the printer when I got it 4 months ago. : ) I will be setting it up soon. I found a place that had 11X17 Jpss for 120.00 for 100 sheets. Are you able to Press onto the colar or the sleeve creases? I would really like to be able to do this for a few of my designs but I am afraid I will get lifting.

Chani · July 8th, 2008

You should be fine with those areas, tho you might get a little bit of a seam in your design where you can see white. Otherwise it should be just fine.

Let us know how your CIS works for you!

100 sheets of JPSS for $120?!? Wow!

dynamicdesynz · July 8th, 2008

OK, IS THIS A GOODPRICE FOR 11X17? I GO IT FROM PRODISTRIBUTERS.COM. I checked on Coastal and they were $80.00 for 50, so I figured this was ok.. I see they have the Rolls, so I will get me some 13X19 soon, woo hoo.....