Hey Sign makers (question on vinyl cutters)

[Darren_T]

Hi guys,

As I'm building my larger CNC router a friend who owns a sign shop wondered if I could make him a vinyl cutter. I used to work in a sign shop myself and often wondered if a vinyl cutter/plotter could be built at home. Now I know it can.

I have a few questions for those who have attempted this. I've read about a few here and there.

1. How is the accuracy compared to a commercial setup?
2. How is the consistency?
3. Are you using a roller feed?
4. What was the cost to build a smaller plotter like this... say 36" capacity.

Thanks!

Darren

[whiteriver]

Just buy one from www.littleeholdings.com
The price is right and its a nice product. Just got mine this week. Hopfullly this weekend I can cut some vinyl.

Donny

[Darren_T]

Well, that would work if I wanted to cut vinyl myself but he needs his own machine so I need to build him one.'

Thanks though. Very cool item.

[DaSigntist]

Good questions......
I've never heard of anyone on here that has made one.

Rollerfeed is the only way to go.
Cutting vinyl on a flat surface is a joke compared to a rollerfeed type (hoolding the material down and length available.

Personally I have no thoughts of wanting to build one myself as the commercial ones are very cheap now days.
China is flooding the market with machines.

In the router realm it's diffrent though the prices are much higher for commercial ones that building one makes sense (to me).

Check out the link below and I'm sure you could get it cheaper if you look around.
Freaking 60 inches per min. -----> WOW that's FAST!
http://www.signwarehouse.com/cutters/ve/panther.htm

Just my 2.257 cents.

[Darren_T]

Originally posted by DaSigntist Good questions...... I've never heard of anyone on here that has made one. Rollerfeed is the only way to go. Cutting vinyl on a flat surface is a joke compared to a rollerfeed type (hoolding the material down and length available. Personally I have no thoughts of wanting to build one myself as the commercial ones are very cheap now days. China is flooding the market with machines. In the router realm it's diffrent though the prices are much higher for commercial ones that building one makes sense (to me). Check out the link below and I'm sure you could get it cheaper if you look around. Freaking 60 inches per min. -----> WOW that's FAST! http://www.signwarehouse.com/cutters/ve/panther.htm Just my 2.257 cents.

Wow! That is cheap. I remember we paid $15,000 for a 36" capacity (40" actual) cutter/plotter 10 years ago. Things have changed. I'll tell him to buy a used one, sheesh... that's a bargain.

[DaSigntist]

I remember in 1987 a HTD package with a 286 - 8 mhz. TURBO (haha) and a 15" plotter/cutter for $18,000 USD.

I have a Summagraphics D60 24" wide 32" per sec. and it was $2,000 USD 3 years ago.
It's a workhorse and fast.

I wanted a router and they are about $10,000 USD for the size speed that I wanted but I could build one for the 2,000 to 3,000 range.
funny how they are so related but the prices are so diffrent.

[Darren_T]

Originally posted by DaSigntist I remember in 1987 a HTD package with a 286 - 8 mhz. TURBO (haha) and a 15" plotter/cutter for $18,000 USD. I have a Summagraphics D60 24" wide 32" per sec. and it was $2,000 USD 3 years ago. It's a workhorse and fast. I wanted a router and they are about $10,000 USD for the size speed that I wanted but I could build one for the 2,000 to 3,000 range. funny how they are so related but the prices are so diffrent.

Yup, it's amazing...supply and demand I guess.

I started out on a very similar computer designing in GraphiCAD, can't remember but I think the cutter was a Summagraphics machine. It was a blue tank which took G code directly via keyboard and had font cartridges... am I thinking correctly, sheesh, that must have been 16 years ago.

[DaSigntist]

That machine sounds like a Gerber.
A sign shop down the road still is using one (a Gerber 4B)

[Darren_T]

Originally posted by DaSigntist That machine sounds like a Gerber. A sign shop down the road still is using one (a Gerber 4B)

Bingo! That's it.

[buscht]

http://www.cuttingedgecnc.com/vinyl.htm
Here's an excellent description of how this guy built his cutter.

[steveald]

Hi,

Vinyl cutters have become big, fast and cheap recently. I remember using an old Gerber 4B, small, slow and expensive, but reliable. The thing is probably still working somewhere. The first router table I worked on was built to plug into the expansion port of the 4B, so there was no visual feedback, just type in the letters, select the size, turn on the router and hope for the best.
The vinyl cutter attachment for routers works great (I haven't used that particular brand). I apply the vinyl to the sign face first though. Then cut it on the router table and weed it off the face.

Steve

[Robert Belbin]

Bobby - We Have Gerber 4B Problem. When Cutting Circles Like ( o q r p g b 0 9 8 6 0 ) Blade Will Not Match Bottom Of Circle. Anyone That Can Help, With suggestions, Please Contact. rbelbin@nl.rogers.com OR REPLY ON SITE. THANKS