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Dj Kustoms

Dj Kustoms

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so im looking to get a plotter and also have one in which I could cut tint if I wanted too.I have no clue about these things.

what should I use.

what is a price I should look for.

anything cheap I could start out with?

prolly been a burned out topic as well but searching sucks arse

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Guest scottydosnntkno

Guest scottydosnntkno

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get a nice one from the beginning :boogie

I initially bought a USCutter for doing some basic signs and shiat, and it works just fine for cutting vinyl, but thats about it. Hell, its the only plotter I use for vinyl. I paid like $450 shipped for it, and have made twenty times that back out of it with zero issues. But, it won't cut tint, no matter how hard I try. Well, first issue is its a 30" plotter, so I could only do doors, but its not precise enough at arcs/curves for tint.

I have an older graphtec that I set up for cutting tint, and it worked a lot better than the USC. However, again not being at least a 40" I have no use for it in tint really, I just got it since it was a good deal. Plus, I don't have a tint software, so thats another problem. I still prefer hand cut tint over it.

I'm currently in the market to get a used graphtec ce5/8000 for a good deal if I can find one.

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Guest scottydosnntkno

Guest scottydosnntkno

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graphtec ce-5000 here and fuggin' love the thing :cool

Same here. I only use the plotter for doors and quarters, most back glass I prefer to cut by hand and shrink.

thats why I want to get a new plotter, because I figure if I'm already cutting the doors, mineas well cut the back glass too if I can. just don't know if I get enough work to justify another $150/mo right now

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Dj Kustoms

Dj Kustoms

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ya I just really wanted it for the little quarter windows and vinyl.I did see a nice us cutter that I liked.but im really not using it for cutting doors or back glass's because id rather handcut that.its more of a quarter window and vinyl thing

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Guest scottydosnntkno

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ya I just really wanted it for the little quarter windows and vinyl.I did see a nice us cutter that I liked.but im really not using it for cutting doors or back glass's because id rather handcut that.its more of a quarter window and vinyl thing

my uscutter is awesome, I highly recommend it. Not the quietest thing in the world since it has a stepper motor, but it gets the job done. I'd buy another one if I needed it. Should anything ever break, parts are cheap, and they have a good warranty. Hell, I could replace my whole plotter for the price of a power supply/board for a big name one Flaugh.gif

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Dj Kustoms

Dj Kustoms

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I really like the us cutter 54 incher.I cant remember the model number off hand but im looking into getting it.like I said im completly new to plotters and stuff like that.what do I need besides the plotter...

I already got coreldraw for a sweeeeeeeeet price!!!

I have no clue what vinyl to use, how to set things up and of that sort.

scotty-I know u got some good info to put in so im waiting for it hahah

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Guest scottydosnntkno

Guest scottydosnntkno

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I really like the us cutter 54 incher.I cant remember the model number off hand but im looking into getting it.like I said im completly new to plotters and stuff like that.what do I need besides the plotter...

I already got coreldraw for a sweeeeeeeeet price!!!

I have no clue what vinyl to use, how to set things up and of that sort.

scotty-I know u got some good info to put in so im waiting for it hahah

coreldraw will be good for getting your designs down, and then USCutter gives you a program called SignBlazer to do the actual cutting itself. Its a very intuitive program, extremely similar to an autoCAD program if your familiar with those. Its like a mix between CAD and MSPaint :lol Plus its free. If you start doing a lot more graphics, look into picking up flexi Sign, its expensive, but awesome. However, I'm not sure theres a whole lot you could do with it that you couldn't with corel and SB.

as for vinyl, just starting out buy some cheap stuff. USCutter.com sells their house brand called Greenstar. I don't know exactly who makes it, but know that its used by several other distributors as their "house" brand. It costs 30-40% less than a comparable Oracal vinyl, and appears to be very similar. It even comes in the same colors and uses the same color codes as 651 :lol

expect to drop $4-500 on vinyl just to get you started so you can have a good variety, but don't was your money on "starter packs". if you break it down, you can spend like 15% more money, and get 70% more vinyl. I would start with just some basic 651 5 year calendered in the main colors. It runs like $22-35 a roll depending on if you get B/W, colored, or metallic. also pick up a few rolls of 751/951, they are 7/9 year cast films, respectively. I sell the hell out of 751/951, because a lot of the work I do is dump trucks, semis, work trucks, etc. Things that they don't mind paying a premium for since their going to be around a while.

I go through a LOT of greenstar though for doing yard signs and temporary banners, and its an awesome vinyl to work with. personally, even though its thicker than 651, I like it since it works extremely well with my plotter. Plus, a 24"x50yd roll of it is like 2x the price of a 24"x50yd roll of 651. Don't bother buying 15" rolls. Their cheaper, but you always end up wasting more. I swear 90% of the work I do doesn't fit sideways on a 15" roll, so I waste more vinyl than I use.

hopefully that jibberish makes sense :lol

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