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.
Oh, and would you say it's good for a business, or just a hobby type machine? I don't know much about plotters, sorry. But I really want one to experiment with.
Last edited by spankthafunk; August 13th, 2008 at 09:08 AM.
I use mine about 6-8 hrs per day 6 days a week constantly (It's cutting now). I use Flexi and use the Roland PNC-1000 driver, oh btw it can contour cut with flexi pro too. not bad for a sub $200 machine.
I know it will work with Flexi, signblazer, sign cut, and artcut. I'm sure it will work with more cutting software but those are the ones I have heard it works with.
Also, what are you currently making with them? signs, decals? I am a screen printer and have been wanting to get one because they intrigue me, but not sure if or how I will be able to market these services.
it can contour cut? I thought only the laserpoint (if that's the name) can do that. These don't have optical eyes do they?
Nope it don't have an optical eye, but you don't always need an eye to contour cut. Actually any cutter on the market can contour cut it just takes a little longer to do with cutters that don't have an eye. But if you only do a few contours a week or month then I don't see a reason to spend all your $$$$ on one that has an eye.
The Refine in Flexi Pro can contour cut in about 15 seconds, that's probably faster then one with an eye because they have to read the reg marks.
As for what I use my for, well let's see I make t-shirts of course, but I also make signs, banners, magnets, cornhole decals, barn star decals, glass block decals, mirror decals, stencils for painting, every type of craft stencil my wife can think up for me, we own a flowershop/craft store, hence my name. As you can see they are used for just about anything you can think up.
True. I just don't know if I would be able to sell them. I'm on a limited budget and I'm trying to save up money for a conveyor dryer for my screen printing. I'm interested in vinyl and think that it could either focus all my concentration into learning it, to where I'm not making money doing either, or it could make me some extra easier (?) money for my screen printing heater. Decisions DECISIONS! \
It would be nice to be able to do one-offs and small orders though, to make some quicker cash. Will this machine be able to produce quality comprable to screen printing? I know vinyl and ink are different animals, but it might be a nice little investment.
That all depends on the vinyl you use, not the cutter itself. Order you some Siser Easyweed, it to me looks and feels very very very close to screenprinting. It virtually has no hand to it, of course that's one layer, when you start layering it then it will get thick. Trust me, for $175.00 you'll make your $$$$$ back within a month and that's with nobody knowing you have it. Just wait until word gets out you have a cutter, lol lol lol you'll have all kinds of people wanting you to do things.
How do you charge for certain jobs? Do you charge by the size of the piece? Can you give an example price structure? With screen printing, you have t-shirts, screen setup charges, multiple color charges, labor, etc. Thanks for all the help!
This is the only "price guide" I have available (can't find half the stuff on this thing) but you'll have to kinda make price adjustments for the business climate in your area.
It depends on what you're doing. Like banners I charge $5.00 sq ft. Some people on here say they get $10.00 sq ft. Car magnets I get $75.00 for set of 2 12"x24" and they cost around $8.00. So you see the profit can be huge. Decals I charge $1.00 per inch for single color and 25 cents for each additional color with $5.00 minimum. Then there's artwork fee if it's something I have to design or recreate. If it's something I already have in stock or drew up then there is no artwork charge. I also give discounts for multiple orders and my regular customers. Coroplast signs I charge $16.00 for one sided and $20.00 for 2 sides, they cost around $1.50 with stakes. So it only takes a couple jobs and your cutter is paid for.
I am doing 12 t-shirts (cutting them now) that I charged $18.00 each for. I'll have around $4.00 in the materials, so right there would of paid for the cutter.
Well cutter quit cutting, time to weed 'em out. Believe me, for $175.00 you'll get more then that out of just the enterainment of it.
This is a discussion about US Cutter MH 721 24" Vinyl Cutter Plotter? that was posted in the Vinyl Cutters (Plotters) and Transfers section of the forums.
US Cutter MH 721 24" Vinyl Cutter Plotter? 
not bad for a sub $200 machine.
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