Any Advice on cutters? Need to upgrade

5714 Views 9 Replies 4 Participants Last post by write2meg, Apr 4, 2018

write2meg

Discussion Starter · Apr 4, 2018

Soooo I have been "googling" for over a week now and I'm so desperate that I finally resorted to this post!

So many options with so many mixed reviews?!!!!!!

My budget is $500- $100
I'm really not wanting to spend a $1000
Only because I'm also upgrading my heatpress which is putting me over my budget. I really honestly want something for $500 but it's looking like that might not be an option even $800 would be better because I would still need to get software.

I use cricut explore air 2 right now lol yes a little hobby machine but when I got it over a year ago I had no idea what my business would grow to and I'm having to load the mat with same design 20 to 60 times it's just undoable anymore.

I love that I'm able to save material by using a cutting mat! I'm now reading that I can use a cutting mat on some of the Roland and others?

Also I would obviously need software because it doesn't seem these cutters come with it. Was going to buy the knk force but so many mixed reviews. I dunno I guess I just want to know what other people use in the business?

I make Tshirts, hats, car decals so I only need it to cut vinyl, htv, flock and glitterflake.

Any help or advice appreciated.

Attached a few shirts!! My cricut has made me so much more money than I ever could have dreamed of I would recommend it to ANYONE just starting their own business.

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BrianHahn

· #2 · Apr 4, 2018

In that price range you are probably looking at a GCC, Saga, Creation, Skycut, Vicsign, Teneth, Liyu, Boyi or other similar unit.
Most of these do come with software. VinylMaster Letter is a very good option as it has a good vectorization program in it and it is very affordable. Sometimes there will be a slight cost increase for VinylMaster Letter over the VinylMaster Cut version but it is worth it.

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webtrekker

· #3 · Apr 4, 2018

Silver Bullet, a professional machine available in 13", 15", 18" and 24" widths, is superb, available from Thyme Graphics in the UK - https://www.thymegraphics.co.uk/ or Silver Bullet Cutters in the US - https://silverbulletcutters.com/

They can be used with or without the cutting mat, which is very useful.

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write2meg

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 4, 2018

BrianHahn said:
In that price range you are probably looking at a GCC, Saga, Creation, Skycut, Vicsign, Teneth, Liyu, Boyi or other similar unit.
Most of these do come with software. VinylMaster Letter is a very good option as it has a good vectorization program in it and it is very affordable. Sometimes there will be a slight cost increase for VinylMaster Letter over the VinylMaster Cut version but it is worth it.

I got this I purchased it last night it's gcc 24 in vinyl cutter with contour cutting! I hope I made the right decision with that machine I just decided to do that for now

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Amw

· #5 · Apr 4, 2018

We use Graphtec plotters. You get what you pay for. Some of our plotters are 15 years old and still run perfectly and they are used almost daily.

Buy the right equipment in the beginning and you will save money in the long run.

3 of the top brands in the industry are:
Summa
Graphtech
Roland

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BrianHahn

· #6 · Apr 4, 2018

I think those are a little out of the intended price range.
Summa
Graphtech
Roland
Mutoh
Mimaki

The Saga's have a 5 year warranty.

SignMaster is VinylMaster software. Good stuff.

Not sure who makes the Vinyl Systems cutters yet. I will find out. The deck plates are similar to the Boyi cutters. Many of the parts for cutters that come from China are off the shelf available to anyone so a lot of them look similar because they use these off the shelf parts instead of tooling up their own.

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write2meg

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 4, 2018

Amw said:
We use Graphtec plotters. You get what you pay for. Some of our plotters are 15 years old and still run perfectly and they are used almost daily.

Buy the right equipment in the beginning and you will save money in the long run.

3 of the top brands in the industry are:
Summa
Graphtech
Roland

You are totally COMPLETELY right!

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write2meg

Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 4, 2018

BrianHahn said:
I think those are a little out of the intended price range.
Summa
Graphtech
Roland
Mutoh
Mimaki

The Saga's have a 5 year warranty.

SignMaster is VinylMaster software. Good stuff.

Not sure who makes the Vinyl Systems cutters yet. I will find out. The deck plates are similar to the Boyi cutters. Many of the parts for cutters that come from China are off the shelf available to anyone so a lot of them look similar because they use these off the shelf parts instead of tooling up their own.

Okay mine comes with sign master so it is good? My phone didn't alert me that I got any responses to my question

I wish I would have seen this before I bought my package but from the research I did I feel like the GCC expert 11 contour cutter will get the job done??

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BrianHahn

· #9 · Apr 4, 2018

The GCC is a fine cutter.
SignMaster is VinylMaster. Same software. It is very good software. We like it a lot.

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write2meg

Discussion Starter · #10 · Apr 4, 2018

BrianHahn said:
The GCC is a fine cutter.
SignMaster is VinylMaster. Same software. It is very good software. We like it a lot.

This is great news!!! I really appreciate your help

️

️ thank you! I will keep reading and watching tutorials on how to use lol it got shipped out today so I'm pretty excited now that I'm hearing this also from another person just not a review I read!

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