# Chinese made cutters



## Goldi (Nov 28, 2006)

The price is on par with USCutter and I have yet to see any negative comments from people who actually USE them. Is the Roland hegemon nearing an end?


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## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

I am cutting with a US Cutter as I type and it works perfectly.


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## go10go4 (Oct 3, 2007)

I've actually had 2 Chinese cutters, the Master from DeSay and the US Cutter PCut. Our budget was very limited; otherwise, I would have purchased a Roland, Summa, Graphtec, or whatever. 

My main problem with the Master was software related. The cutter itself was awesome in terms of durability, but lack of bug-free software was something of an issue. So far, the US Cutter has been excellent. The SignBlazer software is very intuitive, although somewhat lacking in the bells and whistles of high-price cutter software. I simply use Corel 11 and import for anything that more advanced. 

The optical registration feature would really be nice, but I couldn't justify spending 5-7 times as much for a cutter. US Cutter support is also excellent. Check out their forum for more info.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

If you dont need/want optic registration...look at summa or copam


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## CuttingEdge (Oct 16, 2007)

Then again if you do want optic registration, you could look at the recently released LaserCut from US Cutter as a budget minded option.


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## CuttingEdge (Oct 16, 2007)

Then again maybe I read the description incorrectly and it won't optically register.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

You are correct...it appears that lasercut will not use optic registration. They say it will be done via the software which is not yet released. It would appear that you will have to do manual intervention at some point ...even with their software..if/when released

But everyone does not need/want optic registration if they are not cuttin contur raster images


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## go10go4 (Oct 3, 2007)

I don't think you can accurately register optically without 3-4 registration points. If the software is only set up to register 1, I would think this is a problem. The reason: 1 registration mark doesn't dictate that the rotation of the vinyl around the mark will be exactly as seen on the screen software. That's why the Roland uses 3 registration marks. Suppose I place the vinyl in at an incorrect angle. I could still get it to register w/ a 1-pt. mark, but it wouldn't cut according to software image, which assumes perfect vinyl alignment. Hope I'm wrong, but I don't see anything in the literature that says otherwise.


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## uscutter (Apr 7, 2007)

We are making no promises until the software update is available, but the LaserCut system is intended to be a two or three point registration system. We are not yet certain if scale is going to be necessary (in theory, it should not be, but in practice....)


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## Air Art Girl (Mar 29, 2007)

Sorry but, they just don't compare to a Roland and Flexi Sign.........we tried it.


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## SICK (Nov 16, 2006)

I got a 48" wide cutter from ebay canada a few weeks ago.. eBay Store - VIP Studio Super Store WinPCSIGN: Sign Making Kits, Vinyl Cutter Blade, WinPCSIGN PRO 14 

So far so good. It has everything you need to start up, vinyl, blades, engraving blade etc. The software is just baffling, WIN PC SIGN, so I end up doing every in Corel, export as HPGL, import into the included software, from there I can mess with things like auto weeding, mirroring, position and such.

It is from China made by http://www.hflaser.com/ and relabled. The US version of the seller is Signmax.us The kit I purchased is here: 

Signmax.us Our Products


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## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

Air Art Girl said:


> Sorry but, they just don't compare to a Roland and Flexi Sign.........we tried it.


And why couldn't you use a US Cutter with Flexi? It's pretty hard to compare a cutter and it's free software with a cutter and a $4300.00 program. My US Cutter works just as good with flexi as your roland does.


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## vgiex (Aug 21, 2006)

I invested $200 on 25" US Cutter and the return for me been really great. I use it every day. I am averaging between 30-40 cuts a day, 2"x 2" and 13" x 13" custom design on shirts. I was thinking about Roland but the price for me is pretty high. US Cutter also has an amazing support. I am taking about hands on. Great buy for me.


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## Air Art Girl (Mar 29, 2007)

I think many buy equipment based on price alone. It is a valid concern. But, my favorite saying is "You don't know what you don't know." If you have not had the please of working with high end equipment/software and then using lesser quality, you don't know the difference. We tried it, compared and made OUR choice. Same reason we use custom built computers over eMachines. JMHO.


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## mystysue (Aug 27, 2006)

I hear what your saying.. ellen.. to me.. Its that Im in this for the long haul.. (my sign shop is one of the oldest in the area having been in business for 16 years now).. When i buy any equipment I buy it to last forever ( or as close to it as posible.) Hell im using a vision engraver that runs on windows 95 and DOS rof.. ..
My concerns with the chinese plotters is the longevity and reliabity in the future (as in years down the road) .. I would rather spend the extra money for a machine with a proven track record.. One of my plotters is older than dirt (its a graphtec) and still cuts all day long.. .... I too understand the money worries and concerns with buying equipment especially when starting out.. So yes you buy what you can afford.. but also remember many times you get what you pay for.. On the sign forum i belong to there are many people with problems relating to chinese made plotters..
and ive never talked to or seen one person that has regreted buying quality.

I think each machine has its uses and are useful in differant settings.. I just feel that if you want a machine that will run without problems and work heavy duty that get the best one you can afford..


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## vgiex (Aug 21, 2006)

My $200 US Cutter investment was a good start. Because of that move, I save alot of $$$$$$. 

My sign department is growing and clients are demanding more complex signs because clients keep coming back and laying on a contracts. I invested on VersaCamm VP540 and I paid it with the profit from $200 US Cutter Machine.

Well, bottom line it doesn't matter what machine you use Roland or Chinese made they both do the job....You know what really matters; Creativity and Service....For us machine is just a part of the pie.

If you just starting out with small budget...US CUTTER will do. If you like to spend money for a start up machine...get Roland...


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## cbs1963 (May 31, 2007)

Hey guys, if you've never used a cutter before, is using a cheap one going to be any more difficult to learn than with a more costly one?


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## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

Nope, these machines are "dummie machines" meaning they only receive commands not give them. It is the software that makes the difference.


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## cbs1963 (May 31, 2007)

theflowerboxx said:


> Nope, these machines are "dummie machines" meaning they only receive commands not give them. It is the software that makes the difference.


So the software is basically the part that requires the most learning? Is Sign blazer any more difficult to learn that any other cutting software?


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## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

I couldn't tell you, I've never used it.


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## mrdavid (Sep 14, 2007)

Sign blazer is little hard at first but now I am learning it and getting faster at what I can do.


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## jamaspea (Oct 15, 2007)

once you drop the USB port and get the serial adaptor, It is so much better they should include a serial adaptor since the USB port SUCKS and they know it. 

I had to close all programs and restart cutter and computer, Could not get it to cut twice in a row. Now with the serial adaptor it works much better, but i dont think Sign blazer or Sign cut whatever are professional grade software.


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## cbs1963 (May 31, 2007)

Since I have no experience with cutting software, I doubt I will know the difference. Also, I'm really liking the free part of free software. Thanks for your help. You guys are great.


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## kenimes (Feb 12, 2008)

jamaspea said:


> once you drop the USB port and get the serial adaptor, It is so much better they should include a serial adaptor since the USB port SUCKS and they know it.
> 
> I had to close all programs and restart cutter and computer, Could not get it to cut twice in a row. Now with the serial adaptor it works much better, but i dont think Sign blazer or Sign cut whatever are professional grade software.


 
USB and Windows sucks, and everyone knows it. The majority of our machines run flawlessly with USB, it all depends on the computer.


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## danny2001 (Feb 6, 2008)

This is my first post... I also own the 25" cutter, I've definately made my money back since I purchased it. I originally bought my to do my own decals for my company instead of paying $35 a piece. I've only had two problems since I bought it. One was the USB port stopped working, but I switched to the serial so no big deal. The other is it will cut deeper into the vinyl on one side of the machine than the other. Ive pulled out the plastic piece under the blade and put it back in which helped a little but not very much. 

I do really like the software very easy to use.

Hope this helps.


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## kenimes (Feb 12, 2008)

danny2001 said:


> This is my first post... I also own the 25" cutter, I've definately made my money back since I purchased it. I originally bought my to do my own decals for my company instead of paying $35 a piece. I've only had two problems since I bought it. One was the USB port stopped working, but I switched to the serial so no big deal. The other is it will cut deeper into the vinyl on one side of the machine than the other. Ive pulled out the plastic piece under the blade and put it back in which helped a little but not very much.
> 
> I do really like the software very easy to use.
> 
> Hope this helps.


 
Which model cutter do you have?


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## flattop (Nov 7, 2007)

I have a ? about vectorizing a scanned image i tried doing what it says to do in the tutorial and it says somthing like error monochrome bitmap. I have the laserpoint with the signblazer software. THANKS.


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## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

flattop said:


> I have a ? about vectorizing a scanned image i tried doing what it says to do in the tutorial and it says somthing like error monochrome bitmap. I have the laserpoint with the signblazer software. THANKS.


Head over to Welcome to the Frontpage and post in their forums, there are alot of people there that know signblazer really well and will be more then happy to help you out.


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## logochick (Mar 17, 2009)

Hi! I have been in the apparel decorating business for 14 years. Just thinking about purchasing a Versacamm to do apparel and maybe expand into the sign and banner business also. I am trying to choose between the VP300 and the VP540. Any advice from those that are already using either? Am also looking for a laminator. Any advice about what to look for?


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## Tijeras (Jul 3, 2008)

by any chance did you pull the red protector from the needle? at what pressure are you cutting?


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