Discussion
As Pistonheads is the font of all knowledge, I thought I would ask here first!
I have a need for a vinyl cutter to make up advertising stickers for my company on a semi regular basis. On the grounds it is always nice to have an additional toy or two, I thought I would look at buying one rather than keep using a sticker maker. Probably not economically viable I know, but a toy is a toy!
What I need is to make website address stickers for inside and outside windows, about 10" long by half wide (showing my age now by using imperial) and occasionally stickers for promotions, about 4 inches high. The sort of thing I want is the stand alone letters that come out on a backing strip.
So, if anybody can understand the above waffle, does anybody have a recommendation for a good cutter that is easy to use and does not cost the earth? TIA
I have a need for a vinyl cutter to make up advertising stickers for my company on a semi regular basis. On the grounds it is always nice to have an additional toy or two, I thought I would look at buying one rather than keep using a sticker maker. Probably not economically viable I know, but a toy is a toy!
What I need is to make website address stickers for inside and outside windows, about 10" long by half wide (showing my age now by using imperial) and occasionally stickers for promotions, about 4 inches high. The sort of thing I want is the stand alone letters that come out on a backing strip.
So, if anybody can understand the above waffle, does anybody have a recommendation for a good cutter that is easy to use and does not cost the earth? TIA
We have a Houston DMP-60.
Now about 10 years old and absolutely reliable. Uses 610mm vinyl which is a standard size. Big enough to do all the lettering on our 7.5 Tonne box van and small enough to do workable text down to about 20mm. Bigger machines generate too much waste unless they are doing large work all the time.
Ours was secondhand which is fine as a toy because we don't work it very hard.
The better the machine, the smaller the work it will do accurately.
Software is important, we like Wissen Cutboy best. simple and not too ambitious i.e you can get back up to speed quickly if you only use it infrequently. This one works with Coreldraw.
Then you need to get your vinyl. Cast vinyl has a 'life' and it seems that the thinner it is, the better quality. 10 & 12 year stuff is lovely to work with.
You will be amazed at how good and creative your work can be with only the simplest machine. Great fun!!
Now about 10 years old and absolutely reliable. Uses 610mm vinyl which is a standard size. Big enough to do all the lettering on our 7.5 Tonne box van and small enough to do workable text down to about 20mm. Bigger machines generate too much waste unless they are doing large work all the time.
Ours was secondhand which is fine as a toy because we don't work it very hard.
The better the machine, the smaller the work it will do accurately.
Software is important, we like Wissen Cutboy best. simple and not too ambitious i.e you can get back up to speed quickly if you only use it infrequently. This one works with Coreldraw.
Then you need to get your vinyl. Cast vinyl has a 'life' and it seems that the thinner it is, the better quality. 10 & 12 year stuff is lovely to work with.
You will be amazed at how good and creative your work can be with only the simplest machine. Great fun!!
I've got a little hobby business producing t shirts for non league football clubs, the vinyl cutter used for that can cut self adhesive text for windows or car decals.
I get all of my stuff from one of the biggest suppliers of cutters and vinyl in the UK (handily 2 miles from me!!
)
The CraftRobo would do you fine and is just over £200 from Mulberry
See here
http://www.mdpsupplies.co.uk/craftrobo.asp
If you want any advice or anything feel free to PM me, here's one of my shirts.
I get all of my stuff from one of the biggest suppliers of cutters and vinyl in the UK (handily 2 miles from me!!
)The CraftRobo would do you fine and is just over £200 from Mulberry
See here
http://www.mdpsupplies.co.uk/craftrobo.asp
If you want any advice or anything feel free to PM me, here's one of my shirts.
Edited by Glocko on Friday 15th August 21:47
Best of luck with it Nick!
I also consider myself a technophobe but by keeping to this simple software even I can manage it!
These things are brilliant for point of sale stuff in a small business. You'll soon get attached to a plastic board stuff called Foamex which is the substrate most signmakers use. You won't stop at window stickers. A boards, big window graphics, fascias and van liveries..... Luvverly!
I also consider myself a technophobe but by keeping to this simple software even I can manage it!
These things are brilliant for point of sale stuff in a small business. You'll soon get attached to a plastic board stuff called Foamex which is the substrate most signmakers use. You won't stop at window stickers. A boards, big window graphics, fascias and van liveries..... Luvverly!
I have an older Roland CAMM-1 which is nice. It's a friction-fed cutter (rather than tractor) so you can feed it almost any width and reuse scraps. The disadvantage is that for a very long run (eg. 3m+) the material can pull itself out of alignment, however depending on the type of artwork you cut this might not ever much of a problem, and even then the alignment doesn't go out too badly.
Having done a bit of cutting on a hobbyist scale now, I can say that designing and making artwork is the easy bit, getting it onto the vehicle/boat/window is where the skill lies, it is MUCH more difficult that you first imagine, and getting the right tools and reading up the techniques (there are forums on it these days!) is well worth the effort to save ruining the materials or having to settle with producing something second-rate.
Having done a bit of cutting on a hobbyist scale now, I can say that designing and making artwork is the easy bit, getting it onto the vehicle/boat/window is where the skill lies, it is MUCH more difficult that you first imagine, and getting the right tools and reading up the techniques (there are forums on it these days!) is well worth the effort to save ruining the materials or having to settle with producing something second-rate.
Edited by g_attrill on Friday 15th August 21:58
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