[pennywiser]

I've ruined two shirts by now because of my plotter (Secabo C60III). I'm trying to make a DUFF beer shirt from The Simpsons. It have just black and white colours.

I first cut the black part and peel it. Then I do the same thing with the white, from the same vector image and when I put the two parts together they have a diferent size, so they won't fit correctly.

I'm using FlexiStarter 8.6 and edited the vectors with Adobe Illustrator. This is the first time I use two vinyl colours for a shirt, I usually make it with transfers.

Why could it be?

 

[SquareBiz]

How long are you pressing the first layer? You get some shrinkage each layer. try enlarging second slighty that it overlaps.

 

[pennywiser]

I first press each vinyl for 5 seconds and remove the transfer paper, then, with every piece placed press again for 15 seconds.

 

[BroJames]

Seems like more than just shrinkage. Could you have over stretched the shirt a little bit on the first layer?

 

[pennywiser]

Seems like more than just shrinkage. Could you have over stretched the shirt a little bit on the first layer?

I pressed just 5 seconds.

Look at the attached picture I've just taken, it is just cutted, not pressed nor heated, you can see the light trought the parts that don't fit. Anyway I'm going to press it now onto the garment to see if ,heating as it is now (a little better than before), give me a better result.

I'll post a picture again, but not with the best hope.

 

[pennywiser]

Just did it. As I thought, it didn't get a better result, but the same. Now I post two pictures, one of the last shirt, and other of the three shirts I tested with, pay attention to the one on the bottom, look at the "ff", even the cut is not vertically aligned.

Any idea?

 

[BroJames]

I pressed just 5 seconds.

Look at the attached picture I've just taken, it is just cutted, not pressed nor heated, you can see the light trought the parts that don't fit. Anyway I'm going to press it now onto the garment to see if ,heating as it is now (a little better than before), give me a better result.

I'll post a picture again, but not with the best hope.

Yes, the difference seems to be more than just film shrinkage. Could you try print the two sets onto a bond paper and overlap them to see if there is also a gap.

For the 2 out of 3 cuts misalignment on the inverted "f", can you also check the rubber(grit) rollers at the back to see if they are pressing down on the vinyl tight.

 

[Corel Whisperer]

Can I make a suggestion... why not cut a solid black shape with the letters hanging off and then cut the white shape and press that over the black? that way you shouldn't have any space between the black and white.

 

[pennywiser]

Can I make a suggestion... why not cut a solid black shape with the letters hanging off and then cut the white shape and press that over the black? that way you shouldn't have any space between the black and white.

That sure solve the problem and is a good solution, but I don't like to press vinyl over vinyl, some people say it won't last for much time as it can do without overlaping the vinyls. Also there's the thing that the plotter is not cutting properly and it should.

Anyway if I don't find a solution I'll do that. Thank you.

I'm cutting paper shapes by now to see if they are lined up. I'll show you later.

 

[Corel Whisperer]

That sure solve the problem and is a good solution, but I don't like to press vinyl over vinyl, some people say it won't last for much time as it can do without overlaping the vinyls. Also there's the thing that the plotter is not cutting properly and it should.

Anyway if I don't find a solution I'll do that. Thank you.

I'm cutting paper shapes by now to see if they are lined up. I'll show you later.

Just another thought...if you have a printer and print them out on different sheets do they line up?

 

[pennywiser]

Just another thought...if you have a printer and print them out on different sheets do they line up?

I've not tested that, but the second vector I'm cutting is the same as the first in the software, there's no difference between them, so it should be ok.

 

[pennywiser]

Ok I've cut two pieces on two different papers and tried to join them. They're not lined up properly, the width is 14cm, so think about scaling it to a bigger size, the gaps will be a lot bigger.

 

[Fenrir]

Ok I've cut two pieces on two different papers and tried to join them. They're not lined up properly, the width is 14cm, so think about scaling it to a bigger size, the gaps will be a lot bigger.

Have you tried going back to the original vector and separating it again? You never know, you may have given it an accidental nudge with the bezier tool instead of the move tool. Or the original vector could have been designed with overlaps and not a perfect match, in which case you'd have to take one part of it and use it as a cutout to make the inverse shape.

 

[royster13]

Depending on vinyl I only press 1st colour 1 second...I do this with Siser Easy Weed and spectra Eco Film and works fine....And pre-press your garment to remove moisture........

 

[pennywiser]

Have you tried going back to the original vector and separating it again? You never know, you may have given it an accidental nudge with the bezier tool instead of the move tool. Or the original vector could have been designed with overlaps and not a perfect match, in which case you'd have to take one part of it and use it as a cutout to make the inverse shape.

I've check the vectors and did it again from the start, same result.

 

[igraphics]

Attach your file and let some of us see what we get whenever we cut it or simply view it on our screen. It's worth a shot, you seem pretty frustrated right now.

 

[pennywiser]

Attach your file and let some of us see what we get whenever we cut it or simply view it on our screen. It's worth a shot, you seem pretty frustrated right now.

I'm really frustrated with my plotter and FlexiStarter... one of the settings in FlexiStarter is "Knife offset", the manual says " Activate Knife offset and enter a value between 0,020cm and 0,033 cm.
The exact value differs from knife to knife.", I'm using 0,026cm, just to use the average, but not sure if it makes a big difference.

Anyway, here's the EPS http://www.mediafire.com/?4we7t9stiswlgbh. For the part on the inside I just copied the inside of the vector image, that's why I think it shouldn't be a problem with the image.

Thanks a lot to everyone, I really appreciate it. SECABO won't reply any of my emails asking for help since I bought the plotter from them.

 

[BroJames]

Attach your file and let some of us see what we get whenever we cut it or simply view it on our screen. It's worth a shot, you seem pretty frustrated right now.

That should be a good alternative right now. Your problem is quite puzzling.

One thing you can also do(in the meantime) is to draw and cut the same image twice and see if they line up. A small circle, rectangle or star should do

 

[pennywiser]

That should be a good alternative right now. Your problem is quite puzzling.

One thing you can also do(in the meantime) is to draw and cut the same image twice and see if they line up. A small circle, rectangle or star should do

That's the next thing I'm planning to do, but anyway I think it won't be solved anyway. Check the attached, the three cuts are from the same vector, but the F from the black vinyl on the two shirts on the bottom of the image is vertically misaligned, just...why? it doesn't rellay make any sense that the plotter is not very good.

 

[royster13]

The file looks fine.....