Vinyl cutters

Don, the one I have seen that is a true vinyl machine is at my uncles sign company. They do a lot of different vehicle wraps and decal work; however, from what I've seen, the resolution isnt that great for small stuff. I've had him print some decals for me that were about 3" x 5" and it was pretty grainy. Obviously, when you get far away, as with vehicle wraps you dont notice them too much.

Another idea, a rather expensive idea I would imagine, is setting up with someone who uses a digital press. My wife works for HP on their digital press and I know they can do all kinds of things. But cost is prohibitive on these. I think that if someone had connections and wanted to try a run of decals through these digital presses, you could get photo realistic quality.

Don, I have a Pazzles Inspiration and have used it for masks for insignia and registration numbers. Haven't tried canopy masks. I've cut letters as small as 1/2 inch easily. I bought it several years ago hoping to cut balsa. It will cut balsa but it's faster to do it by hand. But for vinyl masks, it works great.  Here's a pic of <1/2" letters airbrushed with vinyl masks (yeah, I know smaller than they should be for the 1:48 scale) on a P40 I did a couple of years ago.

Thanks, Bick, those look pretty good.  I think I'll try one after Christmas when I hope there may be some sales.

I do not intend to make decals with one, I get along okay on an inkjet printer.  However, the same article had a section on making silkscreens with the things.  That might be interesting, as you could use the screens for white and light colored inks.

Bick, what would happen if you tried to make a strip of something.  Making two straight cuts parallel to each other, how close could you make the cuts without tearing the vinyl?

Don, it somewhat depends on the vinyl you use. You can do very fine strips with good quality vinyl (eg from sign makers), perhaps less than a mm. I've been using replaceable adhesive backed shelf vinyl (it's cheap) and, because it's a little thicker it's a little harder to use. If you check the paper crafters sites you'll find some very intricate designs that have been (can be) cut. Check the little delta in the A of Army on my pic. It's quite small and parallel strips would be easier. The adhesive coated vinyl is on a removeable backing which itself is adhered to a thin plastic platen which moves through the cutter and it takes a little practice to get the knife pressure and cutting speed adjusted but once done for a particular medium very fine cuts can be made.

Thanks, Bick.  Sounds like there is enough there to pick one up and experiment.

A sign making vinyl cutter can reliably make a cap letter about 0.25" tall, the stroke then is 0.025 or more. But it takes experience to handle vinyl that tiny, even as a negative stencil.

Four color print on vinyl is all the thing now, the printers come as wide as 16 feet by roll length. Resolution can be very good too, it's a function of print speed, i.e. how much you are willing to spend.

My local Menards has a sale on the Cricut Explorer. It is sure tempting.

In the info I have been collecting on them, I find that you now need to use their online software site. I guess this is for what the CNC folks call the slicing, taking the design drawing and figuring the tool movement commands.  I don't like the idea of cloud computing.  Any of you with machines have any problems with their cloud software?

Don,

I use the software that came with the Pazzles - there is a much newer Pazzles out that uses newer and better software. I don't like 'the cloud' either!! For my use Pazzles software has been fine. When I bought the Pazzles, CriCut was only 'use our (expensive)' plug in gadgets. Pazzles software was fairly easy to learn albeit limited in file types you can use to cut.

Bick

Don,

I use the software that came with the Pazzles - there is a much newer Pazzles out that uses newer and better software. I don't like 'the cloud' either!! For my use Pazzles software has been fine. When I bought the Pazzles, CriCut was only 'use our (expensive)' plug in gadgets. Pazzles software was fairly easy to learn albeit limited in file types you can use to cut.

 

The software is compatible with the Cricut? 

I have never heard of Pazzles, even though I did a Google search on vinyl cutters.  Tell us more.

Don,

I don't know if the Pazzles SW is useable with the CriCut but there is 3rd party SW that I believe is. "SureCutsAlot" is one. And, here's a link to Pazzles and the cutter I have (but mine is an older one):

http://pazzles.com/products/creative-cutters/inspiration/

There are a number of 'Craft Cutters' not advertised as vinyl cutters even though they cut many materials including vinyl. You might try this link for info on Craft Cutters:

https://www.google.com/search?q=electronic+craft+cutting+machines&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

The Pazzles SW is a basic drawing program and your design is simply 'sent' to the cutter - no g-godes - and, well, cut. More like a plotter with a knife.

BTW, reading on the Pazzles Yahoo group, the new software is much, much better than what came with mine.

Let me know if you need more info.

Bick