# SignCut vs SignBlazer Elements



## sewon (Sep 4, 2007)

What is the basic difference between the SignCuts and the SignBlazer Elements cutting software? I got SignBlazer because it was what was recommended. It seems like a good basic software for starting in cutting, but still curious what SignCut offers.


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## dodank (May 4, 2007)

sewon said:


> What is the basic difference between the SignCuts and the SignBlazer Elements cutting software? I got SignBlazer because it was what was recommended. It seems like a good basic software for starting in cutting, but still curious what SignCut offers.


from my understanding signblazer is a design and cut. but signcut is a cut only software. some people just need the cut feature to use with their own design programs like corel or illy. signblazer allows u to do both processes in one place hope this makes sense.


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## Chani (Jun 18, 2007)

That's basically right.

SignCut X2 is more like just a bridge between your design software and your plotter.

SignBlazer Elements is a more fully-featured software package, tho I'd still suggest using an actual design software to design in, like CorelDRAW or Illustrator.


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## sewon (Sep 4, 2007)

Great thanks, I got the right one then.


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## kenimes (Feb 12, 2008)

Also SignBlazer is only for Windows platforms, whereas SignCut X2 will run on a Mac or Windows platform.


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## Masterkoin (Jul 23, 2008)

Signcut X2 is $30 more, but does less? Is that just because you need it for Mac?


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## kenimes (Feb 12, 2008)

Masterkoin said:


> Signcut X2 is $30 more, but does less? Is that just because you need it for Mac?


 
I would assume it is because we pay more for SignCut than SignBlazer....not sure.


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## Grandadgem (Sep 24, 2007)

I need help here. Glad I stumbled into you guys. I recently downloaded sunblazer ele off uscutter's bid page on ebay as it came recommended. I have dabbled with it and find the toys nice but am at a loss how to use it. wasting lots of time stripping my gears. I have been using micros home pub 2000 & picture it 01 for years to do ts with various common iron ons but I don't believe these programs will work with the cutter. I want to use a cutter to get rid of the background without using an exacto knife. Have pity on me. Any suggestions besides finding a log truck to jump in front of. thanks


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## kenimes (Feb 12, 2008)

Grandadgem said:


> I need help here. Glad I stumbled into you guys. I recently downloaded sunblazer ele off uscutter's bid page on ebay as it came recommended. I have dabbled with it and find the toys nice but am at a loss how to use it. wasting lots of time stripping my gears. I have been using micros home pub 2000 & picture it 01 for years to do ts with various common iron ons but I don't believe these programs will work with the cutter. I want to use a cutter to get rid of the background without using an exacto knife. Have pity on me. Any suggestions besides finding a log truck to jump in front of. thanks


The programs you mention are raster image programs, and a vinyl cutter uses vector images. Could you explain a bit more as to what you want the cutter to do?


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## Grandadgem (Sep 24, 2007)

I have been doing some ts simply by using micro picture it and home pub 2000. When I saw the plotter cutters from us cutter on ebay I liked the possibility of printing images on vinyl and then be able to cut it out to be rid of backgrounds. I would need to learn a new program. if I have a tutor I can learn in 10 min what it would take ten weeks by books, trial & error. I got a message from us cutter saying, exercise patience & I'd be fine. Havn't got the cutter yet but dabble with signblazer a bit to feel it out. I guess by what I've read that the art needs to be created seperately in a program like coreldraw and sent to signblazer as a certain file to be cut. I suppose the tools have to be in place before I can really learn how. For now I would like to be able to creat in the trial of coraldraw I downloaded and be able to vectorize it or whatever & send it to signblazer. That would be a big step for me. I creat novelty scenes such as a beach & ocean background with cropped pics of clams that I have placed arms, legs & smiley faces on. I layer these using picture it and print them out on iron ons. Want to be able to coutour cut for a more professional look instead being limited to squares, ovals & circles with scenes on them. I found a printable vinyl from masterwarehouse and am using a epson 1400 stylus with a magicflo cis syst from Alpha sup. Havn't tried the ink on the vinyl yet. Thanks.


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## kenimes (Feb 12, 2008)

SignBlazer itself is a design program with many features for designing, cutting, vectorizing, etc...but it also accepts files for import from Corel Draw and Illy. When used with the LaserPoint vinyl cutter, you will also be able to setup your print with registration marks and a contour line for contour cutting around your pre-printed graphics.


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## Grandadgem (Sep 24, 2007)

Thank you very much. Will signblazer accept say, a jpeg from picture it? Or does it need to be another type of file? I saw coreldraw which claims to be a full version on from 1 to several cds on ebay for just over $100.00. Would that be a better option? Thanks, Jim


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## kenimes (Feb 12, 2008)

Grandadgem said:


> Thank you very much. Will signblazer accept say, a jpeg from picture it? Or does it need to be another type of file? I saw coreldraw which claims to be a full version on from 1 to several cds on ebay for just over $100.00. Would that be a better option? Thanks, Jim


Yes, you can import raster images in several different formats (.jpg, .gif, .tif, .bmp, etc.), but they would need to be vectorized before they are cuttable, or before setting up a contour line for contour cutting with our LaserPoint cutter. Corel Draw definately has a better vectorizing feature than SignBlazer, so that might be a good choice. You could also check out InkScape (www.inkscape.org), which is free, and is similar in functionality to Illy and Corel Draw.


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## stuffnthingz (Oct 1, 2007)

SBE will also vectorize your graphic for you, but first you have to change it to monochrome. I find that the vectorization in SBE is not as flexible as vectorizing in something else (in my case Inkscape) I to am figuring all this out. I think that for SBE contour cutting you need two layers of art, the original bitmap and the vectorized overlay with a cut mask set. I plan to spend more time this weekend working out the kinks...SBE is not the easiest tool to learn on your own....


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## Grandadgem (Sep 24, 2007)

kenimes said:


> Yes, you can import raster images in several different formats (.jpg, .gif, .tif, .bmp, etc.), but they would need to be vectorized before they are cuttable, or before setting up a contour line for contour cutting with our LaserPoint cutter. Corel Draw definately has a better vectorizing feature than SignBlazer, so that might be a good choice. You could also check out InkScape (www.inkscape.org), which is free, and is similar in functionality to Illy and Corel Draw.


Thanks. i downloaded inkscape a couple days ago and some very nasty stowaways came with it. I had to set my clock back a day to set things right. I did however, find a path in psp ele to put a vector layer on the bottom of my jpg file. What next. how or do I makd the contour path for the cutter to follow. That is, when I get a cutter. i'm learning a lot from you guys. Ths is the 3rd time I have attempted an answer tonight and each time I manage to hit a wrong button and lost all I typed. Here gows again, Jim.


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## Grandadgem (Sep 24, 2007)

When you say set up a contour line, does that work simular to cropping by drawing a line path of my own choosing by hand with my mouse curser? Thanks


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## kenimes (Feb 12, 2008)

Might be similar, but I have never done it the other way you mention, so I am not certain.


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## bevwalker (Nov 14, 2010)

I am using an Epson 1100 printer to print designs on the JetPro Soft stretch transfer paper, and would like to know the best way to cut out the designs for the heat press. I am looking to purchase the USCutter Laser Point with countour cutting feature with SignBlazer software. Is that the best way to go? How will I know how to position the transfer paper so that it cuts in the correct place?


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## cbs1963 (May 31, 2007)

Bev you would need to set up registration marks. The US Cutter forums have some step by step instructions for contour cutting with the LP 24. It is a little more involved than cutters using an optical eye. Search that forum or post there because many more users on that forum have the cutter. I have an LP 24 but never use the contour feature. Good luck.


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## bevwalker (Nov 14, 2010)

cbs1963 said:


> Bev you would need to set up registration marks. The US Cutter forums have some step by step instructions for contour cutting with the LP 24. It is a little more involved than cutters using an optical eye. Search that forum or post there because many more users on that forum have the cutter. I have an LP 24 but never use the contour feature. Good luck.


thanks so much i will go check it out.


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## Nick Horvath (Feb 26, 2010)

bevwalker said:


> I am using an Epson 1100 printer to print designs on the JetPro Soft stretch transfer paper, and would like to know the best way to cut out the designs for the heat press. I am looking to purchase the USCutter Laser Point with countour cutting feature with SignBlazer software. Is that the best way to go? How will I know how to position the transfer paper so that it cuts in the correct place?


The paper would have to be on a carrier sheet to contour cut. Just feeding in this paper by itself will not work. The only paper that comes on a carrier is any of the opaque paper for darks.

Paper for light colored garments does not come on a carrier sheet. I have heard of people backing it themselves, but that seems like allot of extra work to me.


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