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.
Hey all,
I have a question and hope I'm asking in the right place, if not my apologies!!
I'm in the market for a larger, good quality plotter, like an idiot I started out with the Roland sticka 12 and while I love the machine its just too darn small and I'm wasting vinyl as I cant cut anything wider than 12 inches and most vinyl comes in 15 inch min. width. I have just finished a job for the middle school soccer team, 29 hoodies and 30 tshirts and have cut some very large intricate designs for the fire department and the police department. the machine has paid for itself for sure but I need bigger!
I'm leaning toward a US Cutter the "creation" model as I cant afford the roland 24 inch model. I have read good things about the US Cutter models.
My DH is currently in Texas working and someone who works for him said he had some equiment he would sell me. I've done a little research but I wanted to ask your opinion.
1- Mimaki plotter model CG-60st, never used
1- Mighty Press model# 1686R used ONCE
1- Hat Press- purchased with the mighty press and NEVER used.
various colors amounts vinyl.
All of this purchased within the last year and bought with the intention of doing the home town baseball leagues shirts and hats. Never used any of it as he took a job that keeps him on the road.
He said he would take $700.00 for all of it.
Is this a god deal or not? I really do not want the mighty press as i just purchased a Mighty Press 16x 20 a month ago and love it. I'm not even sure what size the one is that he has, I was researching the cutter. So any opinions out here??? should i run the other way? offer him less? Take the deal and run???
I started the same way you did with a Roland Stika and it paid for itself over and over. I upgraded to a VE Lynx and it has paid for itself too. (Signwarehouse.com)
It sounds like a really good deal but I dont know how old the machine is or if you can get software drivers for a new operating system like windows Vista.
I can only upgrade software now to get my plotter to work with Vista, I like XP better anyway.
You will like that you can cut longer lengths and the larger plotters are alot quicker cutting. Larger cutters have down pressure controls that the stika doesn't too.
I think alot has to do with the software, I use VE LXI master software and it is a Flexisign knockoff. I think Flexisign is the best software in the buisness but there is a learning curve and it has a really hefty price tag.(Not FlexiStarter). My software came with the plotter as a package deal.
I used to buy 24 inch rolls, roll out on floor and cut down the middle to save money on the stika.
Thanx Steven for the tip on buying 24 inch vinyl and cutting it to 12, thats a really big help! I'm torn as to what i should do in regard to this deal, I have never heard of Mimaki but in my research its supposedly a good brand. The model he has, is not that old but I'm not sure if it works with vista, which is what I have of course lol. right now 700.00 is alot but I dont want to pass up a good deal if its a good deal.
Guess i will stick around and wait and see if anyone else has any suggestions!
I assume he bought everything used. If so you have to spend some time and try all things out for yourself. Presses are easy, check time to heat, and platen temp. Infrared thermometer works the best.
With the cutter you will have to try it, if it is sitting around he should have no problem letting you try it out. He will need to know how it works for selling it anyway, other wise he would have to take less ( a lot less).
Mimaki most likely has a driver to work the plotter with Vista, its your graphics program which most have problems with. I would call Mimaki and talk with a tech, ask all questions, including know problems with the unit, compatability and parts availablity.
As far as price, find out what size the press is, make sure the cap press is a name brand. Used mighty cap press on ebay $150-$200. the other press is at least worth the same. I would negotiate after I knew everything worked fine.
Let us know.
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I have just seen Mimaki vinyl cutter on ebay starting at 800.00 dollers so yes I would say it is good buy! You can all way,s sell what you dont need good Mighty Press can sell beteewn $250.00 to $350.00 on Ebay
__________________ Never say "no I can't" when you can just takes time and patience!!!!
thanx everyone for the input... Everything he bought is brand new, he took the cutter out of the box and set it on the table, its never been plugged in or the software never run. The Mighty Press he set it up, turned it on and used it one time. The hat press has never been out of the box.
The cutter is a 24 inch cutter and what I'm looking to buy. The hat press was going to be in my future but I already own a Mighty Press 16 x 20 clam shell. I did some research on the cutter and from what I can tell it is somewhere between the Roland and the US Cutter brands. In other words not a shappy cutter at all. I am in Virginia, he is in Oklahoma. His residence is in Texas. He works for my DH and they are all going to Texas next week, he was going to give it all to my DH to bring home to Virginia over the Christmas Break. DH unfortunatly does not know anything about this stuff and I know a little more than he knows...lol. From what I can gather from you all, 700.00 is a good deal, everything is new, he is even going to throw in the vinyl he bought to do shirts. I may just go ahead and get this stuff and sell or get rid of what I dont want.
LOL!! How funny!! As suggested, I'm going to get it all! Thanx all for your input, much appreciated! I just can't imagine buying all this stuff and never using it! He had good intentions to do so but lucky for me he did not...lol
Good Buy or not a good buy???? 
Re: Good Buy or not a good buy???? 
Everything he bought is brand new, he took the cutter out of the box and set it on the table, its never been plugged in or the software never run. The Mighty Press he set it up, turned it on and used it one time. The hat press has never been out of the box. 
That's an extremely great deal.
