Silhouette Cameo 3 vs Graphtec
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The Silhouette is a top end hobby/prosumer cutter and the Graphtec is a good quality profesional machine.
The Graphtec is faster, wider and offers greater control over cutting force than the silhouette, meaning that you will have a greater versatility of media you can use.
You can also cut direct from industry standard software - Corel and Illustrator - via the cutting master software.
Being wider you will get a more efficient yield from whatever media you are using, giving a better profit margin.
Having said all of that the Silhouette is more than good enough to begin with. It will cut most graphics way quicker than you will be able to weed them and the 12" width is enough for most t-shirt designs or small signs, graphics and decals.
It is designed for hobby use, so you may well find it has an easier learning curve than the Graphtec.
The Graphtec is faster, wider and offers greater control over cutting force than the silhouette, meaning that you will have a greater versatility of media you can use.
You can also cut direct from industry standard software - Corel and Illustrator - via the cutting master software.
Being wider you will get a more efficient yield from whatever media you are using, giving a better profit margin.
Having said all of that the Silhouette is more than good enough to begin with. It will cut most graphics way quicker than you will be able to weed them and the 12" width is enough for most t-shirt designs or small signs, graphics and decals.
It is designed for hobby use, so you may well find it has an easier learning curve than the Graphtec.
Can you cut from these programs with the Silhouette? I'm actually learning on the free program Inkscape, might invest in Illustrator later.
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You can cut from most graphics software but you have to export your design in a format the cutter recognises and reopen in silouette studio. Alternatively you can create designs in the Silhouette software and cut direct.
There was a pluggin that you could buy to allow direct cutting from Corel/Illustrator (Silhouette connect). I don't know how good it is or even if it is still available.
There was a pluggin that you could buy to allow direct cutting from Corel/Illustrator (Silhouette connect). I don't know how good it is or even if it is still available.
Silhouette Connect is still available. I can't speak to how well it works.
https://www.silhouetteamerica.com/shop/software-and-download-cards/silhouette-connect-items
https://www.silhouetteamerica.com/shop/software-and-download-cards/silhouette-connect-items
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Printing direct from AI was great. But my Graphtec became incompatible with Win 10.
A new one would probably be amazing. The old one was.
I have a Cameo too.
What are you making and how much of it?
A new one would probably be amazing. The old one was.
I have a Cameo too.
What are you making and how much of it?
I'm not doing anything with vinyl yet but I'm thinking about it. Probably not anything I would need larger than tablet size I most likely can get away with what's a cameo 3 will cut. I might just start with this and see how well I like working with the vinyl and then maybe next year moving up to something bigger.
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If you're not planning on cutting large vinyl designs then a machine like the Cameo should suit your needs as, due to it's ability to use a cutting mat, you can make use of every last scrap of vinyl.
Maximum cutting force isn't an issue when cutting vinyl as minimal force is required.
Silhouette Studio (get the Designer version) is fairly decent for both cutting and designing. My main reason for ditching my Cameo was the very poor optical system used for print & cut, but if you're not doing print & cut projects then the Cameo is fine, if a bit noisy.
Maximum cutting force isn't an issue when cutting vinyl as minimal force is required.
Silhouette Studio (get the Designer version) is fairly decent for both cutting and designing. My main reason for ditching my Cameo was the very poor optical system used for print & cut, but if you're not doing print & cut projects then the Cameo is fine, if a bit noisy.
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For Print & cut were you using a Pixscan mat? If so were you scanning it or taking a picture?
I had a large scanner on the Epson workforce printer. Scanned, it worked perfectly.
What Graphtec plotter do you have?
We use 15+ year old graphtec's daily on windows 10 with NO issues right next to newer models.
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No. I designed the artwork in Photoshop then filled with black and vectorised it using VectorMagic. Then simply imported the image and vector into Silhouette Studio, printed with reg marks, and cut.
I now have a Silver Bullet cutter and use the same method, except that I import into Sure Cuts A Lot 4. The 'laser dot' reg mark alignment system of the SB is far superior to the Cameo's automatic, hitty-missy, optical system for print & cut. I wasted loads of material with the Cameo and waste practically none with the SB, unless it's my own error.
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Well I would be able to give you more specific info if you had told me what plotter you have.
If cutting master 2 or 3 wont work for your plotter, then signcut will. They have working drivers for pretty much every plotter made. Even odd things like the Designtech60 which was re-branded by sign supply of Kentucky (out of business for a long time now) but made by graphtec.
Also professional sign software will run it...like SignLab or Flexi
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