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 interested to find out how people go about doing the larger runs of shirts with a cutter?
We print our own designs to order so do not hold stock of pre-done shirts.
We made 25 shirts yesturday which was a bit of a drag.
We had me working the computer and cutter, my friend weeding and then after we had weeded half of them he started to heat press. Once we made them all we then packed and posted.
Is there a quicker way to do it? We only have a small cutter but are looking at getting a 22" one. Do you gang all the images on the same coloured vinyl into one cut job?
I am interested to find out how people go about doing the larger runs of shirts with a cutter?
We print our own designs to order so do not hold stock of pre-done shirts.
We made 25 shirts yesturday which was a bit of a drag.
We had me working the computer and cutter, my friend weeding and then after we had weeded half of them he started to heat press. Once we made them all we then packed and posted.
Is there a quicker way to do it? We only have a small cutter but are looking at getting a 22" one. Do you gang all the images on the same coloured vinyl into one cut job?
We gang the designs on the vinyl. If I were making 25 shirts, I would have cut them all at once by positioning them so that I would use less vinyl. Once cut, I would weed them. Once the weeding is completed, I will press them on the shirt.
In my shop 25 shirts is a one man job and it better not take more than a couple hours to complete. (Crack the Whip)
Not only that, but try to get them all the letters straight. That's the big challenge of making shirts with a cutter (vinyl). Sometimes I just think that it is best to outsource the job to plastisol transfers. However the versatility that it has, I will dare to say compensate for the horror of long runs, you can always make decals, wall decorating or signs. Katrina is right set up your designs so you do not waste any vinyl, that it is very important to keep high profit margins. I would recommend to have a one or two color screen printing set up, and leave the cutter for numbers and names.
I can see cutting the desige if it is a left chest
but if this is a full design one color you are better off ordering plastisol transfers.
We use Howard Sportswear as they are quite reasonable and has made doing these smaller orders an option. There are of course other suppliers, start by checking the vendor list on this forum.
After reading this thread, and being swamped by some orders we have invested in the Graphtec ce5000-60
I am excited
In regards to ganging the orders onto a page, is there a way of doing it easily? At the moment we use illustrator for our designs, is it just a case of making a large template and then pasting the designs in?
In regards to ganging the orders onto a page, is there a way of doing it easily? At the moment we use illustrator for our designs, is it just a case of making a large template and then pasting the designs in?
Gang the design in the cutter software not in Illustrator. Send your design to the cutter, choose how many of the design you want to cut. Not sure what cutter software you are using but there should be a button that says rotate for minimum vinyl consumption or something similar.Then click preview and you should see the designs arranged.
Gang the design in the cutter software not in Illustrator. Send your design to the cutter, choose how many of the design you want to cut. Not sure what cutter software you are using but there should be a button that says rotate for minimum vinyl consumption or something similar.Then click preview and you should see the designs arranged.
Katrina
Thanks, i am not sure what the software that comes with this cutter is, i will take a look when i get it. Will the way you have suggested work with multiple designs? e.g. 10 different slogans
Thanks, i am not sure what the software that comes with this cutter is, i will take a look when i get it. Will the way you have suggested work with multiple designs? e.g. 10 different slogans
You can only send one design to the cutter at a time but you can cut more than one of the same design once you send them to the cutter. I don't think you can send 10 different designs to the cutter at once.
Thanks, i am not sure what the software that comes with this cutter is, i will take a look when i get it. Will the way you have suggested work with multiple designs? e.g. 10 different slogans
If they are the same color you can send as many designs as you want to the cutter. Well actually they don't even have to be the same color but then you're stuck changing out colors of vinyl.
You will get Cutting Master 2 with your GraphTec which works great with Illy from what I have heard/read. I use Corel Draw and it works flawlessly with it.
Cutting Master 2 is made by the same company that makes Flexi Sign which is the industry leader by far.
I just tried sending more than one file to the cutter and it cut one design after the other not all at the same time. When it finished the first then it started on the next are you saying that it is capable of cutting them all at the same time?
I just tried sending more than one file to the cutter and it cut one design after the other not all at the same time. When it finished the first then it started on the next are you saying that it is capable of cutting them all at the same time?
Katrina
You create the different files as one file. Say 10 different names or 10 different logos all under the same file name. I've cut things for 3 different football teams today all at the same time because they was all the same colors.
Getting the most out of your time 
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