# I am in love... vinyl transfers



## badalou

Today I fell in love..







with my vinyl cutter..







I just made my first 2 tees with Spectra Megatallic







that I received as a sample from Josh at Impritable warehouse..







Wow.. This is great stuff. I will be posting the steps I took on my site sometime today. meantime here are a few pictures. I can't wait to make more.. just to use the stuff.. Josh... if i was, well you know, I am not but if I were... wait I will let my wife do it.. Smack On the lips... Josh hope you had your eyes closed because that was really me...







Lou


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## badalou

*Re: I am in love...*

By the way this shirt was for my grandson who said it was really cool and he is not even 5 yet.


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## MotoskinGraphix

*Re: I am in love...*



badalou said:


> By the way this shirt was for my grandson who said it was really cool and he is not even 5 yet.


Welcome to the world of vinyl my friend. Is that megatallic vinyl glossy?


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## RisingBlue7

*Re: I am in love...*

Lou, they look GREAT! Awww, for your grandson, how sweet of you. I gotta tell ya Lou, you are toooo cute for words


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## Rodney

*Re: I am in love...*

Looks great Lou, thanks for sharing the pictures!


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## mrtoad

*Re: I am in love...*

Lou,

Looks really good. I have a few questions.

How long did it take you from start to finish with the cutting to getting it pressed on the shirt?

Also, what program did you use to make the image and send to the cutter?

Lastly, what type of cutter?

Also thanks again for all your suggestions today,
Mike


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## scuba_steve2699

Lou,
Looks great and sounds like fun. I will look forward to seeing your posting on your webpage


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## Robin

Looks great Lou!! Dontcha just love the stuff! 
.....btw, I had my eyes closed, I didnt want to see that


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## badalou

> Welcome to the world of vinyl my friend. Is that megatallic vinyl glossy?


Very.. Because of the graphic I wanted it so..


> I gotta tell ya Lou, you are toooo cute for words


I guess that means I can stay at your hose when I am at the show.. Your husband can use my hotel.. 


> Looks really good. I have a few questions.
> 
> How long did it take you from start to finish with the cutting to getting it pressed on the shirt?
> 
> Also, what program did you use to make the image and send to the cutter?
> 
> Lastly, what type of cutter?


About 5 minutes, I had the desiign in bitmap form but inkscape quickly changed it into EPS format then sent to signblazer elements software.
I have a JSI 30 inch cutter.
I placed how I did it on my web site a few minutes ago and show the step by step process I used with more pictures.


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## badalou

> hose


see what you do to the old man. I get tongue tied talking to you. I meant house..


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## T-BOT

footnote:

to anyone out there who still does not yet own a cutter.....

What are you waiting for ? ...... X-MAS.


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## mrtoad

badalou said:


> Very.. Because of the graphic I wanted it so..
> I guess that means I can stay at your hose when I am at the show.. Your husband can use my hotel..
> About 5 minutes, I had the desiign in bitmap form but inkscape quickly changed it into EPS format then sent to signblazer elements software.
> I have a JSI 30 inch cutter.
> I placed how I did it on my web site a few minutes ago and show the step by step process I used with more pictures.


Thanks Lou! I will be checking out your site later tonight.

Mike


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## hammered

I gotta tell ya, that looks great Lou. I know garment vinyl isnt the answer to all Tshirt needs, but it sure opens a whole new avenue for what you can do.


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## Natitown

T-BOT said:


> footnote:
> 
> to anyone out there who still does not yet own a cutter.....
> 
> What are you waiting for ? ...... X-MAS.


I wrote a letter to Santa to bring me a vinyl cutter...you've gotta believe!


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## Natitown

Lou, the t-shirt looks great and so does the info on the website. What did I tell ya, all it would take is a little practice!! (I should listen to my own advice.)


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## RisingBlue7

LOL! I knew what you meant hun  



badalou said:


> see what you do to the old man. I get tongue tied talking to you. I meant house..


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## PGCC

Great work...I'm so jealous I need to buy a cutter...

Mike

PGCC


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## John S

Good stuff Lou.

I have another easy money maker if you are in a state that only issues one car tag. (Georgia is one)

Buy some blank auto tags and do a name drop with your vinyl cutter. I sold a "Pop Pop" for $10. It was easy to sell and very quick to make. The white epoxy coated aluminum tags cost about $.70 each.

If you do your road show again, you could almost take your cutter along and sell them like hot dogs.


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## binki

Is it the same material used for the auto signs or something different? Nice pictures by the way.


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## John S

binki said:


> Is it the same material used for the auto signs or something different?


If that question was to me, it's outdoor vinyl used on banners and autos. 
Just cut, weed, cover with transfer tape, pull off the backing, apply to surface, remove transfer tape.


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## badalou

There are two types of Vinyls. One for signs and one for cloth and variables of both.


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## 3leches

Looks great Lou!
Im thinking you could make some really awesome black on black shirts with that!


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## badalou

> Im thinking you could make some really awesome black on black shirts with that!


I am way ahead of you.


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## hammered

The Black reflective looks so nice on a fresh black shirt. As does black flock. Youre going to have a blast with that.


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## badalou

Mike I love the Logo. I am working with a store at cape cod that caters to "Bears" yes I did say that. They are men, they are large, they are hairy and they are gay. And no I am not one. I just do the shirts folks.. The guy is a great designer and we are trying to do his logo in gold vinyl. he buys.. and sells a lot of tees during the season.


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## mrtoad

badalou said:


> Very.. Because of the graphic I wanted it so..
> I guess that means I can stay at your hose when I am at the show.. Your husband can use my hotel..
> About 5 minutes, I had the desiign in bitmap form but inkscape quickly changed it into EPS format then sent to signblazer elements software.
> I have a JSI 30 inch cutter.
> I placed how I did it on my web site a few minutes ago and show the step by step process I used with more pictures.


Thanks Lou! I will be checking out your site later tonight.

Mike


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## gmille39

T-BOT said:


> footnote:
> 
> to anyone out there who still does not yet own a cutter.....
> 
> What are you waiting for ? ...... X-MAS.


Someone to buy one for me. Not in the budget right now.


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## scuba_steve2699

I do believe!!!! I wrote a letter to Santa (of sorts) and a vinyl cutter is coming !!! (Thanks again Josh and Rodney)


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## CastlemanInc

T-BOT said:


> footnote:
> 
> to anyone out there who still does not yet own a cutter.....
> 
> What are you waiting for ? ...... X-MAS.


 
Hey I would like one. I just want a simple one which can do stuff t-shirt size.

Can you give me some ideas of where to start looking for one ? 

I am new so I don't expect to make much money in the first year...... so something cheap but has good software.  

(Love the samples by the way !)


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## willie

lou

your shirt is cool, grandson will love it.
where did you find your cutter and software?


what are other good cutters in your opinion?


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## Rodney

> Can you give me some ideas of where to start looking for one ?


This should start you off with some places to shop:
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/view_sponsoroffers.htm


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## RisingBlue7

LMAOOO! Ahahahhahaha, I can't stop laughing, this is as funny as that corn beef story Lucy told me about last week...Lou, I know I said it before and I'm gonna say it again, YOU'RE SO DAMN CUTE, I just can't stand it




badalou said:


> that caters to "Bears" yes I did say that. They are men, they are large, they are hairy and they are gay. And no I am not one. I just do the shirts folks..


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## John S

CastlemanInc said:


> Can you give me some ideas of where to start looking for one ?
> 
> I am new so I don't expect to make much money in the first year...... so something cheap but has good software.


Cheap can be expensive in the long run.

Talk with Josh at imprintables.com. Great to do business with.

800-347-0068

Tell him you are a forum member. 

I have a Roland GX-24 and I love it.


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## badalou

> Cheap can be expensive in the long run.


You could be right John. I was lucky that I bought my unit from a friend that was going out of business (Photo)and he had the cutter that he bought new off ebay. it is a JSI 30 in. It is 6 months So far it is doing the few things I need it to do. I am not real sure on the quality against say a Roland. For $350 starting out it was not a bad deal. I would probably tell you that if you are going to make an investment in your business then a vinyl cutter is the way to go..


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## badalou

I was analyzing the price of vinyl from Imprintables vs. Plastisol transfer from First Edition.  The cost of a 19" x 15' foot roll of Spectra Cut II is $33.75 this yields 3420 Square inches or .0098 cent a square inch.
A sq. foot then is 1.42.
A single color plastisol transfer (No art work fee or screen charges) is $2.09 ea.for the 15 piece min. So not a big price difference and the more plastisol transfers you get the lower the price. However There is no waiting period. It can take 2 weeks for me to have the plastisol transfers done. Folks I have customers who need the stuff now. Specially simple stuff. So yes time is money. A lot of your clients do not understand the process. Sure screen printers could do this in less time but I am not a screen printer and I need plastisol done for me. But now the door has opened for me to be competitive with both price and time. This is something that you guys should be thinking about. If your going to the ISS show then you really need to see some demos.


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## MotoskinGraphix

badalou said:


> I was analyzing the price of vinyl from Imprintables vs. Plastisol transfer from First Edition. The cost of a 19" x 15' foot roll of Spectra Cut II is $33.75 this yields 3420 Square inches or .0098 cent a square inch.
> A sq. foot then is 1.42.
> A single color plastisol transfer (No art work fee or screen charges) is $2.09 ea.for the 15 piece min. So not a big price difference and the more plastisol transfers you get the lower the price. However There is no waiting period. It can take 2 weeks for me to have the plastisol transfers done. Folks I have customers who need the stuff now. Specially simple stuff. So yes time is money. A lot of your clients do not understand the process. Sure screen printers could do this in less time but I am not a screen printer and I need plastisol done for me. But now the door has opened for me to be competitive with both price and time. This is something that you guys should be thinking about. If your going to the ISS show then you really need to see some demos.


You can darn near hear the excitement in your post Lou. Again...welcome to the world of vinyl.


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## shirtguy

I'm looking at getting a vinyl cutter to do auto decals? What type would you suggest? Bruce


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## badalou

I think it depends on your budget. I see a lot of Roland GX24's being bought. Remember I got a deal on used one. But if I had the funds I would probably go with a Roland. However I expect to win one at the ISS show.. yeah right.. I don't think they are giving one away.. but it would be nice. I hate sounding like a broken record but those guys at Imprintable have been more the kind. I am having a great time playing with the samples. I sent one of my clients a picture of the shirt I am sending him for his company that I did today and I know when he sees it I will be getting a lot of orders. Lou


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## badalou

Hey guys do not visit the web site listed on the shirt. it is for adults and the gay community. Some of you may be offended and I should have covered it but they were pictures for them. Lou


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## T-BOT

nice t-shirts. 
how do you feel about the weeding and stuff, is it ok and easy to do ?


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## badalou

I found that with the spectra the weeding was easy. I had a heck of a time with sign vinyl. I was so happy that spectra was easy to use and did not take all that much time. My last design had a lot of small pieces and I was afraid they were going to be a problem.. NOT!


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## John S

badalou said:


> I found that with the spectra the weeding was easy. I had a heck of a time with sign vinyl. I was so happy that spectra was easy to use and did not take all that much time. My last design had a lot of small pieces and I was afraid they were going to be a problem.. NOT!


Thats interesting, I found the sign vinyl easy to weed once I started rolling the loose 'weed' in on itself as I pulled it off the backing. If you don't roll it sticky side in, bad things happen. It's like wrestling an octopus, 

On the spectra cut II line, I found the white had much more grip to the mylar backing than the colors. Made it harder to weed and harder to get it to release after pressing. I don't know why. 

I've done some testing with small, thin lines that end in a point to see how good the adhesion is after a few washes. More on that later.


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## CastlemanInc

John S said:


> Cheap can be expensive in the long run.
> 
> Talk with Josh at imprintables.com. Great to do business with.
> 
> 800-347-0068
> 
> Tell him you are a forum member.
> 
> I have a Roland GX-24 and I love it.


Good info. Thanks. I will give that one a look.


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## Robin

badalou said:


> I found that with the spectra the weeding was easy. I had a heck of a time with sign vinyl. I was so happy that spectra was easy to use and did not take all that much time. My last design had a lot of small pieces and I was afraid they were going to be a problem.. NOT!


I just finished weeding for 50 shirts with 4 lines of text for each one.......if you are using one of those pick thingy weeders. You may want to invest in a some sort of thimble for your weeding tool. I bought a leather thimble, and use it wrapped around the pick. Saved my fingers!!


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## Vtec44

I hate weeding! I usually just give that to someone else to do it! Yes, I'm lazy!  The downside of thermal vinyl is when you have to do multiple colors, or if it requires a very soft feel. Other than that, it's pretty fun.


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## T-BOT

Robin said:


> I just finished weeding for 50 shirts with 4 lines of text for each one..!


was the text all different ?
plastisol would be better otherwise, why did you do vinyl ?


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## badalou

I did a design for my client tonight and some of the words were 3/16th of an inch. Lost some of the centers like the r's and b but it is very readable which surprised me. I told him I would give it a try. He will be happy with the results.


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## T-BOT

badalou said:


> I did a design for my client tonight and some of the words were 3/16th of an inch. Lost some of the centers like the r's and b but it is very readable which surprised me. I told him I would give it a try. He will be happy with the results.


well, weeding that small its not easy. Im amaized you were able to do it. I bet you used a magnify glass.


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## monsta imports

It alomst looks to easy.

I wish we had such services here in Australia as it would make our lives so much easier.

Daniel


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## T-BOT

monsta imports said:


> It alomst looks to easy.
> 
> I wish we had such services here in Australia as it would make our lives so much easier.
> 
> Daniel


you got to be kidding, is Australia that off the map ?


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## monsta imports

I am such a WHINER he he he

Just googled it in Australia and yep there is heaps of places so a "SLAP" across the face and 1 x UPPERCUT to the chin for myself is in order.

Excuse me while I go attend to smacking myself around.

Dan


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## monsta imports

Thanks for the heads up. Dan


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## T-BOT

monsta imports said:


> Thanks for the heads up. Dan


No problem, glad i could help. You can always PM anytime too.


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## azorable

aww Im jealous, great work there. Cant wait to have a vinyl cutter


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## printchic

Hi Lou,

Congrats on your entry into the vinyl cutter world. It definitely opens a lot of doors (possibilities) having one.

Wait until you venture into multi-colored designs. I can tell already you are gonna be dangerous with your new machine... the designs look great.


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## printchic

This is a quick post for those that say it's not in their budget to get into vinyl cutting.

Check out a craft robo machine ($399) and magicut software ($199). You may be able to do "cutting" using just the basic craft robo software that comes with the machine. The magicut is just made to make cutting vinyl easier.

http://www.themagictouchusa.com/magicut/magicutsoftware.html

NOTE: I am not suggesting you buy the machine/software from the company at the link i gave you. You can get the cutter various places so do some price checking. However if you want the magicut software that you'll have to get from them.

If you can afford a little more than $399 then check out the craft robo pro II it's a 15 inch cutter.

The nice thing about both the craft robo and craft robo pro II $995 is that they are able to also cut (coutour) around "designs" so you could say...

Print a full color heat transfer on your ink jet then load it into the cutter and cut it our. No more cutting away the excess white paper. It's able to do it because it can read registration marks and the tell where to cut around the design. There's some prep work to the process (making an outline around the image) but once you have it down pat it should take you a lot of time.

NOTE: You'll need to get a vinyl cutting software to go with your craft robo pro II if you want to do indepth cutting. I recently purchase one and the software they gave me (free) with the machine (Cibercut 5.6 mini robo) is a nightmare I have yet to figure out how to get it to cut something without feeding the whole roll through the machine. So I'm readily searching for a cutting software now.

If you can really afford it "definitely" go with the bigger machines Roland GX-24, etc. that Imprintables Warehouse has. 

Once i'm fully up an running i can't wait to check out the glow in the dark stuff.

http://www.themagictouchusa.com/magicut/glowinthedark.html 

Also check out this site to learn about vinyl cutting, etc.

http://www.greatgarmentgraphics.com/


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## printchic

Just saw this for the craft robo that people may find interesting;

http://www.signwarehouse.com/cutters/gr/gr_robo.html

Forgot to mention in my original post...

I am not a seller of any vinyl cutters, software, etc. and don't have any association with anyone that do (meaning i don't get a commission, etc.) i'm just an end user of cad-cutting products.


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## JoshEllsworth

> On the spectra cut II line, I found the white had much more grip to the mylar backing than the colors. Made it harder to weed and harder to get it to release after pressing. I don't know why.


It sounds like you received a roll that has been slightly overlaminated in the manufacturing process. This roll can be replaced fro you, however if you don't mind the weeding, then you can drastically reduce the level of pressure on the heat press to get it to release a bit better. You should be able to lock the press down with two fingers to get optimal results.


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## JoshEllsworth

Vtec44 said:


> I hate weeding! I usually just give that to someone else to do it! Yes, I'm lazy!  The downside of thermal vinyl is when you have to do multiple colors, or if it requires a very soft feel. Other than that, it's pretty fun.


It depends on the vinyl you are using. You will get more of a feel with a pvc based material. A polyurethane based material will be a bit softer to the hand, and layering should be less noticable.


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## hammered

I gotta tell ya, weeding Spectra II is so much easier than say cast sign vinyl. The nice part about about shirt vinyl is it doesnt stick to itself. On losing some centers, Ive found that altering some of those help . Some o's and d's need to have the centers "opened" to make it easier.


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## MotoskinGraphix

JoshEllsworth said:


> It depends on the vinyl you are using. You will get more of a feel with a pvc based material. A polyurethane based material will be a bit softer to the hand, and layering should be less noticable.


Josh,

Which materials are PVC based and which are Polyurethane?


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## JoshEllsworth

MotoskinGraphix said:


> Josh,
> 
> Which materials are PVC based and which are Polyurethane?


I'm actually working on a whole "buyers" guide for heat transfer vinyls that will include composition, what to look for, cost per square inch, production aspects etc. etc. but without knowing the complete answer to everyones product heres the short list of my initial thoughts (not all confirmed):

Spectracut (PVC)
Spectracut II (Urethane)
Spectracut Plus (Urethane)
Thermofilm (PVC?)
EconoPrint (PVC)
Gorilla Grip II (Urethane)
Thermoflex Plus (Urethane?)
Hotmark 70 (PVC?)


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## Robin

T-BOT said:


> was the text all different ?
> plastisol would be better otherwise, why did you do vinyl ?


yup, all the same! Why? Because I haven't ventured into the plastisol transfers yet. She's been a great customer and had ordered alot of signs from us. So I didnt want to mess anything up. She's got some awesome shirts tho.

Im putting together some artwork, and whatnot to send off after christmas ......see if I like the plastisol, get a feel for the turn around time, and pricing. The vinyl is alot cheaper in product price, but very expensive in time.


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## MotoskinGraphix

JoshEllsworth said:


> I'm actually working on a whole "buyers" guide for heat transfer vinyls that will include composition, what to look for, cost per square inch, production aspects etc. etc. but without knowing the complete answer to everyones product heres the short list of my initial thoughts (not all confirmed):
> 
> Spectracut (PVC)
> Spectracut II (Urethane)
> Spectracut Plus (Urethane)
> Thermofilm (PVC?)
> EconoPrint (PVC)
> Gorilla Grip II (Urethane)
> Thermoflex Plus (Urethane?)
> Hotmark 70 (PVC?)


Thanks Josh...thats a great list to start with.


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## lgiglio1

I just got my Roland GX 24 a couple of days ago from Imprintables. It was so easy to hook up and I made two t-shirts the first night. Here is a picture of one. It is a baskeball shirt for a 16-18 year basketball league in our city. This machine is awesome and for what it does, I feel it is well worth the money.


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## kentphoto

I need one that works with a MAcintosh. 

anyone...anyone...



Bueller...Bueller...


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## JoshEllsworth

kentphoto said:


> I need one that works with a MAcintosh.
> 
> anyone...anyone...
> 
> 
> 
> Bueller...Bueller...


GX-24 is compatible.


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## badalou

Lisa, I feel like you graduated from my class. I think it may be time for me to let you fly.. You have done an incrdable job in the last few months. here are a few things I did last night and this morning. The 2 white sweats were done with super suede. The gold is Spectra cut. I will be putting it on a shirt later and then there is my Grandson wearing my first shirt. I am off to my last Christmas Event..


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## prometheus

I can't wait to get one!


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## periscope

Does anyone know who sells the Spectra Megatellic in Canada?


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## T-BOT

periscope said:


> Does anyone know who sells the Spectra Megatellic in Canada?


 
....may be Stahls.


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## JoshEllsworth

periscope said:


> Does anyone know who sells the Spectra Megatellic in Canada?


Stahls has it in Gold and Silver only.


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## Moo Spot Prints

CastlemanInc said:


> Hey I would like one. I just want a simple one which can do stuff t-shirt size.
> 
> Can you give me some ideas of where to start looking for one ?
> 
> I am new so I don't expect to make much money in the first year...... so something cheap but has good software.
> 
> (Love the samples by the way !)



Check out the CraftROBO Pro II. About $1k -- cheaper than the Roland. Quirky but works well with illustrator once you get the hang of it. Limited to 15" rolls.


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## T-BOT

Moo Spot Prints said:


> Check out the CraftROBO Pro II. About $1k -- cheaper than the Roland. Quirky but works well with illustrator once you get the hang of it. Limited to 15" rolls.


15" is used alot. You would be surprised how much you can yield on a 20" width rolls. Considering t-shirt size graphics.


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## JoshEllsworth

T-BOT said:


> 15" is used alot. You would be surprised how much you can yield on a 20" width rolls. Considering t-shirt size graphics.


I think a lot of distributors are carrying 17" - 19" roll widths now. 15" is still widely available, but if you do not get at least a 24" cutter you might be limiting your choices and productivity.


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## T-BOT

JoshEllsworth said:


> but if you do not get at least a 24" cutter you might be limiting your choices and productivity.


I agree with that 100% Josh.


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## bac

Here are a few shirts I've done with my Roland:


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## T-BOT

very nice,
how was the weed with the small bicycles on the green shirt ?


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## John S

kentphoto said:


> I need one that works with a MAcintosh.


I've been using Illustrator CS on a Mac with my Roland GX-24. It works great.

Roland doesn't have a plug in for CS2.

Any news on a plugin for CS2 or CS3 Josh?


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## murani

John S said:


> I've been using Illustrator CS on a Mac with my Roland GX-24. It works great.
> 
> Roland doesn't have a plug in for CS2.
> 
> Any news on a plugin for CS2 or CS3 Josh?


That must be limited to the Mac because i'm using the plugin for Illustrator CS2 on my PC. Hope you find one.


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## MotoskinGraphix

T-BOT said:


> very nice,
> how was the weed with the small bicycles on the green shirt ?


That looks like a simple weed because the wheels are so open!!!!!


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## prometheus

Moo Spot Prints said:


> Check out the CraftROBO Pro II. About $1k -- cheaper than the Roland. Quirky but works well with illustrator once you get the hang of it. Limited to 15" rolls.


I don't beleive that the CraftRobo works with a Mac, but Roland makes a few models called the "Stika" that can be gotten cheaply. Relatively cheaply.


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## jacsma

I must be missing something - or I'm just a complete idiot. Spectra seems to be a *****. How do you get it seperated?


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## hammered

jacsma said:


> I must be missing something - or I'm just a complete idiot. Spectra seems to be a *****. How do you get it seperated?


Seperated? If you mean how do you weed it, you do it the exact same as sign vinyl. You remove the excess with a burnisher or weeding tool. If you mean seperated from the release paper, its done when you heatpress the image/text to the garment.


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## jacsma

hammered said:


> Seperated? If you mean how do you weed it, you do it the exact same as sign vinyl. You remove the excess with a burnisher or weeding tool. If you mean seperated from the release paper, its done when you heatpress the image/text to the garment.


 
for One: I'm thinking something's wrong with our settings. 

What I mean by seperating - we can't even get the first part seperated from the back, BEFORE it's even time to do any weeding. 

What a pickle.


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## hammered

No you dont remove the Spectra from the release paper until after you cut. You cut in reverse. The backing material is also used to apply the design.


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## JoshEllsworth

Dave is doing a perfect job explaining, but just to reiterate. 

Load the material into your cutter dull side up. Conduct a test cut, by holding the test button for a second or two. Now scroll your material out using the down arrow key. Take your weeder (dental pick tool), and try to pull up the area that has been cut. In this instance, you should be able to pull the outside square away from the inside circle. This process of removing the excess is weeding. After conducting this test, make sure that the blade is only cutting through the top layer of film, not the mylar backing. On the other hand, if you can't separate it at all then your blade might not be cutting deep enough. If this is the case, adjust your force on the cutter. You should be able to cut the Spectracut II material at a downforce of about 100-130 grams. Once you get this fine tuned, you should be able to go ahead and send your job. 

Now if you need to get the feel of what it takes to separate the film layer from the mylar, try using the weeder on the corner of the material to test your weeding skills


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## badalou

She sent me a message and I told her the same thing Josh. I also gave her my number so she could call me if she needs to. I think she thinks it is like opaque paper. She'll get it done right. She has a nice job to do and need to get them done this weekend. Lot's of good advice here. Pam here is picture of what a spectra looks like after it is weeded. You can see the mylar.Lou


----------



## bac

T-BOT said:


> very nice,
> how was the weed with the small bicycles on the green shirt ?


That was prety easy, and quick. The strings on the baseball on the other (red) shirt were a bit more of a challenge. However, neither took much time at all. I used Duracut for the red, and the white t-shirt, and Spectra Cut II for the green shirt. The Spectra Cut II is easier to weed, but the Duracut gives a slightly better finish, as it's ink based.

... Brad


----------



## JoshEllsworth

John S said:


> I've been using Illustrator CS on a Mac with my Roland GX-24. It works great.
> 
> Roland doesn't have a plug in for CS2.
> 
> Any news on a plugin for CS2 or CS3 Josh?


 
John, They have one now for CS2. I believe that you can download it here. If this isn't it I'll mail out a copy to you. I can't really tell, because I don't have the software on my home PC.


----------



## jacsma

Hey guys, 
Thanks for responding. Sorry I'm freaking so badly, but I'm getting a sick feeling that I'm not gonna 'get this' in time to do the job that's due on Monday. Due to the fact that others just plug the cutter in, and go right to work, I assume it's mostly common sense. There's the problem. If I could see it, or get the image in my head of how the Spectra works - I'd have it.

I know I don't separate until after I cut. What I'm saying is, it seems nearly impossible to separate the layers at any stage of the game. If I had a piece of sign vinyl in my hand, I could separate it (just for shats and grins) without even cutting it, just by pulling it apart at the corner. I can't do that with Spectra or Spectra II. Should I be able to? 

I know I cut in reverse. I did not know I should be putting the shiny side down. So ... if I were to peel the dull layer away, the other side of that layer is my vinyl? The dull side will be next to the fabric?


----------



## Vtec44

It's going to be tough to separate thermal vinyl w/o cutting, but not impossible. If you cut it using the correct speed and down force, it should be pretty easy to weed. Also, make sure that your blade is still sharp.


----------



## JoshEllsworth

> Hey guys,
> Thanks for responding. Sorry I'm freaking so badly, but I'm getting a sick feeling that I'm not gonna 'get this' in time to do the job that's due on Monday. Due to the fact that others just plug the cutter in, and go right to work, I assume it's mostly common sense. There's the problem. If I could see it, or get the image in my head of how the Spectra works - I'd have it.


 Check out the second step, under easy to cut & weed
​


> I know I don't separate until after I cut. What I'm saying is, it seems nearly impossible to separate the layers at any stage of the game. If I had a piece of sign vinyl in my hand, I could separate it (just for shats and grins) without even cutting it, just by pulling it apart at the corner. I can't do that with Spectra or Spectra II. Should I be able to?


 With Spectracut - YES. With Spectra II you will need to use the weeding tool, then its still tricky until you do it once.



> I know I cut in reverse. I did not know I should be putting the shiny side down. So ... if I were to peel the dull layer away, the other side of that layer is my vinyl? The dull side will be next to the fabric?


 Yes. The dull side is actually the heat activated adhesive.


----------



## jacsma

Alrighty then.

If you don't hear back from me, you'll know I decided to go ahead and pull the trigger. Otherwise, I'll letcha know tomorrow how it goes. 

Thanks a bunch.


----------



## JoshEllsworth

jacsma said:


> Alrighty then.
> 
> If you don't hear back from me, you'll know I decided to go ahead and pull the trigger. Otherwise, I'll letcha know tomorrow how it goes.
> 
> Thanks a bunch.


Your welcome And no need to pull any triggers, there is a learning curve for most folks You do just fine!


----------



## John S

JoshEllsworth said:


> John, They have one now for CS2. I believe that you can download it here. If this isn't it I'll mail out a copy to you. I can't really tell, because I don't have the software on my home PC.


Thanks Josh, I looked for it but missed it.


----------



## T-BOT

JoshEllsworth said:


> I think a lot of distributors are carrying 17" - 19" roll widths now. 15" is still widely available, but if you do not get at least a 24" cutter you might be limiting your choices and productivity.


sorry to back track the thread a little guys, but yes. Thats what I was trying to say when i mentioned 20" width rolls, I meant 17", 19", 20" widths etc... using a 24" cutter minimum. 

The extra amount you pay for a 24" cutter is well worth the money, not only with t-shirt size graphic yields/gangs but as Josh pointed out it opens the door to a whole other range of products on the market. This is important when competition is at play to get the job.


----------



## hammered

I gotta agree with Lucy and Josh on that fact. Infact I feel a little resticted with a 24". Ive been doing a few more banners that the graphics require i split the job in two parts. i know Ill never run into this doing my garmeent stuff, but the moral of the story is the same, dont limit yourself by the equipment. You will hate yourself the first time you find yourslef needing it. And signs and banners are only a sidestep if your already cutting garment material.


----------



## badalou

How big is the banner? You know you can print long ways, right. So if you have a 24 in cutter your letters can be at least 22 inches high and as long as your sheet. And that is a big banner.


----------



## Vtec44

Some of the race banners we did were about 5' tall and 15' wide.


----------



## MotoskinGraphix

Vtec44 said:


> Some of the race banners we did were about 5' tall and 15' wide.


 
James...those are very large banners. I have eight 3'x10' banners for our event booth walls and 2 2'x10' banners for the front of the booth.

5'x15'...I wonder what those would cost to have printed?

Anyhoo...we are packing the trailer and off to another event in San Antonio....see you folks on Monday!!!


----------



## hammered

I just finished a couple Football fan banners. Seems the Eagle fans at this bar werent fans of the Redskins. The banner itself was 4' x 10'. The Eagle logo was 40". My software notes the size of the art and adjusts it to split it due to the Plotter size I have. Its handy, but a 50" cut/print from Santa would be, WOW. Ok OK, I know Santa has checked his list (old fat @!&$#)  
But once again it all comes down to making the best of all your resources.


----------



## StitchShoppe

I love my Roland, The Cut Studio software is fantastic! I have one gripe that has to be ignorance on my part. When you are done cutting a design, how do you get the sheet down to cut it off? I mean I know how to do it manually, squint and hold a light on the logo so you can see the highest cut on the vinyl, place a pen mark about 1/8" above that then feed that pen mark down to the cutoff channel.
I mean the cutter/software has to know the X and Y axis of the highest cut point. What button do you press to get that point down to the channel with a little extra margin to seperate the logo from the remaining roll?


----------



## hammered

I cant speak for Cut Studio, but on CiberCut, I have the option to have a _weeding_ cut. This can be around each seperate object or around the entire project. There is also an option of how much to feed after the last cut is made. Both get the same result, just depends on what Im doing. I would check in the advanced options and see what Cut Studio calls it.


----------



## jacsma

So ... 

Seems that it's cutting very unevenly for some reason. In a couple of small places, it cut through to the other side, yet in other places, it didn't even cut all the way through the one layer. 

Solution?


----------



## hammered

May be due to your blade depth. In the 2 machines me and my friend have, you can do a manual blade adjustment. Rule of thumb as I know it is, only expose only about the thickness of a thumbnail (get it?... rule of thumb?) Aw come on people _*tap*tap* _Is this thing on? Or if you have girlie thumbnails, twice the thickness of a business card. If youve been cutting awhile, you may want to check your cutting strip to see if its in good shape. If all thats correct, recheck your cutting speed and down force. Hope that helps some.


----------



## T-BOT

jacsma said:


> So ...
> 
> Seems that it's cutting very unevenly for some reason. In a couple of small places, it cut through to the other side, yet in other places, it didn't even cut all the way through the one layer.
> 
> Solution?


that is Odd. That it cuts ok in some areas and others it does not during the execution.

As mentioned, when all properties are in place, your force, sharp blade etc. and the material is first quality, there are only two things that would cause the non-consistent cut.

1. your data feed cord from the out-source to the cutter is too long, this causes data to get lost beween the 2 point.

2. There is too much STATIC on your roll and this effects the digital components of the cutter and makes it act/cut funny. So, try to roll out the material and get rid of any static. 

...... du-no what else to tell you.


----------



## Vtec44

MotoskinGraphix said:


> James...those are very large banners. I have eight 3'x10' banners for our event booth walls and 2 2'x10' banners for the front of the booth.


I believe they were used to hang on the sides of the team's RV (they ordered 2). Our cutter is only 40" wide so we had to split it in the software. I typically use 6'x2' banners for my display, easy to take down and roll up especially now everyone is busy and I have to man a few events myself 


jacsma, check your pinch rollers and make sure they're feeding the vinyl properly. If there's a wrinkle in the middle between the rollers, it will rise up a bit cause it to cut unevenly. You also want make sure you screw the blade holder in tightly.


----------



## Robin

jacsma said:


> So ...
> 
> Seems that it's cutting very unevenly for some reason. In a couple of small places, it cut through to the other side, yet in other places, it didn't even cut all the way through the one layer.
> 
> Solution?


When this happened to me it was because I hadnt tightened the blade holder enough. By the time it got to the other end of the cutter, I couldnt see at all what it had cut (because it didnt) It was vibrating itself off the vinyl.


----------



## arco

hi,

i didnt know much about vinyl transfer but i think i'm learning much from all of you. am i right in saying that in vinyl transfer i only need a cutter to cut the vinyl transfer of any color of my choice and there is no more need for a printer unlike when we are using a heat transfer paper? and if you need another color you would just add another vinyl transfer on top of it?

by the way, i found this tutorial:
http://reviews.ebay.com/How-to-Make...0000050195?ssPageName=BUYGD:CAT:-1:LISTINGS:1


----------



## badalou

I know this a tee shirt forum but don't cut short that your vinyl cutter is only for doing tees. It can also be used to advertise your tee business. where ever I go in my SUV so does my business and I have gotten calls because people have seen my car. I do no phone book advertising, no newspaper ads but yet my car is seen by hundreds everyday. If you have a vinyl cutter you can do small jobs. Take a look at the number of little shops opening around you. They may need opening hours posted or sale signs or their name on the window. You don't have to be the local sign maker to get these little jobs. You just need to ask. Putting a small sign on a surface is easy and takes just a few minutes. here is my application process on my new web to show you how easy it is. I would say the hardest part is the weeding. My wife is a former dental hygienist and she gave me bunch of her old tools. They are real close to the weeding tools you can buy. It really speeded up my weeding. Now if I can just find a way to do the backyard.

ineedautosigns.com/apply.htm


----------



## T-BOT

badalou said:


> Now if I can just find a way to do the backyard.


thats easy, just dig it all up until you hit sand.


----------



## arco

hi lou!

i watched your video just a minute ago and it was very informative. just drop by to say thank you. i learned a lot from you.


----------



## badalou

Thank you for your kind words. I wish I knew how to make them better. Going to try some movie software and do some editing. That will be a learning experence for me as well. Lou


----------



## murani

Here is the latest design I did with my cutter. It was for my sister's graduation from college and I actually just talked with my old high school about getting the 2007 graduation class to order shirts for the grad and the family in one package.

The funny thing is that quite a few of my designs have been once only runs that turned into huge sales because of the potential they had.


----------



## lgiglio1

JoshEllsworth said:


> John, They have one now for CS2. I believe that you can download it here. If this isn't it I'll mail out a copy to you. I can't really tell, because I don't have the software on my home PC.


I tried this, I can't get it to wookr. Any help is appreciated. I have jobs waiting!

Thanks.


----------



## John S

lgiglio1 said:


> I tried this, I can't get it to wookr. Any help is appreciated. I have jobs waiting!


If your looking for the Mac plug in for Illustrator CS2 (I am using CS now)

http://www.rolanddga.com/asd/support/wizard/default.asp?ft=119&mt=564&pt=&modelmenu=

When it is installed, open illustrator and open the menu "Windows" at the top of your screen, look for "CutStudio plug-in" to bring the tool pallet out.

Tell me were you are at in the process and I will try to help.


----------



## Seamonster

I've gotta agree - vinyl transfers are amazing! I was hooked after the first one I did. Over the past two days I've done 25 custom shirts for people. So far everyone has been blown away by the quality.


----------



## periscope

I have a customer who wants to apply reflective vinyl on a coated nylon - the heavy stuff that is used for professional first aid emergency kits. Does anyone know who supplies this type of reflective vinyl? Not all the products I've researched will work on coated nylon.


----------



## T-BOT

periscope said:


> I have a customer who wants to apply reflective vinyl on a coated nylon - the heavy stuff that is used for professional first aid emergency kits. Does anyone know who supplies this type of reflective vinyl? Not all the products I've researched will work on coated nylon.


tried lancer yet ?


----------



## scuba_steve2699

One of the reasons we got into vinyl cutting was for reflective additions to EMS and Firfighting gear. The spectra reflective vinyl from imprintables warehouse has done everything we have needed it to do. They also have color reflective heat adhesive vinyl that has been wonderful to work with. Make sure you increase your pressure and test cut and use a 60 degree blade as the material has glass particles that need a more aggressive blade for cutting properly. Contact me if you need any other info on it or some examples of application!


----------



## periscope

Yes, they stock 3M stuff but it is awefully expensive - almost $100 a metre. I was hoping there was something cheaper that would do the same job.


----------



## lauerja

The reflective material is much more expensive than the normal film or flock used. I was quoting out 10 shirts with the silver reflective and the guy was shocked. It seems to me the cheapest I found was about 40.00 per yard, but that was a few months back.

You can try Twill USA they sell it as well as most of the sign-supply stores. They will carry the Stahls brand, Thermoflex, and some even the spectra cut brand.

Twill USA is a manufacturer, but I don't remmebre their costs off the top of my head.


----------



## scuba_steve2699

the 3M reflective material cannot be cut with a stanard vinyl cutter, it must be die cut. The only differences between the 3M material and others is that 3M is direct reflect where others are not. What this means is that 3M materials will reflect light shone directly at it where the other materials reflect light coming from an angle. In feild testing it really does not make much of a difference and most emergency responders will be able to use either. There is a significant cost difference between the two also. With the reflect plus from imprintables warehouse it comes in at about $3.43 per square foot. When we priced out 3m material it was at least $5 a square foot!


----------



## John S

periscope said:


> I have a customer who wants to apply reflective vinyl on a coated nylon - the heavy stuff that is used for professional first aid emergency kits. Does anyone know who supplies this type of reflective vinyl? Not all the products I've researched will work on coated nylon.


If you mean outdoor vinyl, I'd try

www.fellers.com

800-654-8405

They carry 3M, Avery and Kiddalite refectives.


----------



## lgiglio1

John S said:


> I've been using Illustrator CS on a Mac with my Roland GX-24. It works great.
> 
> Roland doesn't have a plug in for CS2.
> 
> Any news on a plugin for CS2 or CS3 Josh?


I have Illustrator CS2 and have the plug-in. Did you find it? If not, e-mail me back and i will give it to you.


----------



## goodtease

I thought I would post my first booty short vinyl cut heat transfer on here. This is layered using MEGAtallic....turned out nice. Used the Roland GX-24....love the thing......Girlfriend will have to model it later


----------



## lgiglio1

goodtease said:


> I thought I would post my first booty short vinyl cut heat transfer on here. This is layered using MEGAtallic....turned out nice. Used the Roland GX-24....love the thing......Girlfriend will have to model it later


Great jog. Never thought of doing them on those!


----------



## badalou

> Girlfriend will have to model it later


we can't wait..


----------



## goodtease

badalou said:


> we can't wait..


 
Well....I will have to obtained a model release from her......lol....and I don't think she will give me that to post online....sorry  maybe I can make her where it at the show in toronto in january....to attract attention to my new site...hmmm..


----------



## alex63

Lou, which cutter did you end going with?


----------



## alex63

Never mind Lou, I see Roland GX-24.


----------



## badalou

No, I am using the JSI 30 inch. I bought it used from a friend for $350. It sells for about $650 new. My friend had it for 6 months and basiacall he made signs for his shop and a couple of banners with it. Down the road if business gets better then I will think about buying a roland. Or entering a contest to win one.. Oh, that was done.. Maybe at the show they will have one as a prize.. Lou


----------



## Annushka

I have an odd request to make guys. Does anyone have an old test pieace done with vinyl laying around they could mail to me? I just want a little swatch-like pieace, something that could fit into a regular size envelope. I want to touch it to understand what kind of material it is. I've been reading about it for the past 4 days and I think I get it, but then I don't completely . 
Please PM me and I'll send you a self-addressed envelope.
Thanks everyone


----------



## MotoskinGraphix

Annushka said:


> I have an odd request to make guys. Does anyone have an old test pieace done with vinyl laying around they could mail to me? I just want a little swatch-like pieace, something that could fit into a regular size envelope. I want to touch it to understand what kind of material it is. I've been reading about it for the past 4 days and I think I get it, but then I don't completely .
> Please PM me and I'll send you a self-addressed envelope.
> Thanks everyone


Thermoflex plus actually feels like super thin latex rubber. The material is very stretchy and sits quite flat on your shirt.. I dont like it for large solid areas of color but its wonderful for lettering and line designs.


----------



## Annushka

Thank you David. "Thermoflex plus" - is this another term used for vinyl or are you comparing vinyl TO it?


----------



## MotoskinGraphix

Annushka said:


> Thank you David. "Thermoflex plus" - is this another term used for vinyl or are you comparing vinyl TO it?


Thermoflex plus is one of the better heatpress vinyl products available for t-shirts.


----------



## goodtease

Hello,
I was just wondering if anyone who has done alot of vinyl heat transfers to tshirts has an opinion of how to apply the vinyl to the shirt?? I did a couple shirts...but noticed on some of the shirts that the lettering seemed to "buckle" when a woman with a larger chest put on the shirt....My question is do you Stretch the tshirt BEFORE apply the vinyl? Or do you press it first and then stretch it while it is hot??

Any ideas? If you look at the shirt closely....it seems to be straining when it is put on and is stretch a tad...


----------



## Annushka

MotoskinGraphix said:


> Thermoflex plus is one of the better heatpress vinyl products available for t-shirts.


Thanks David


----------



## MotoskinGraphix

goodtease said:


> Hello,
> I was just wondering if anyone who has done alot of vinyl heat transfers to tshirts has an opinion of how to apply the vinyl to the shirt?? I did a couple shirts...but noticed on some of the shirts that the lettering seemed to "buckle" when a woman with a larger chest put on the shirt....My question is do you Stretch the tshirt BEFORE apply the vinyl? Or do you press it first and then stretch it while it is hot??
> 
> Any ideas? If you look at the shirt closely....it seems to be straining when it is put on and is stretch a tad...


You have run into one of the problems with heatpress vinyl. The main reason I dont do large areas of solid color. Once you press the vinyl it tends to hold the fabric in place reducing stretch. You will also notice as the shirt shrinks the vinyl tends to pucker a bit because its keeping the fibers of the shirt under the design from shrinking. You can stop this by wash care and no shrink shirts but 100% cotton is going to shrink a little.


----------



## Rodney

> You have run into one of the problems with heatpress vinyl. The main reason I dont do large areas of solid color.


Does this mean that with smaller areas of color (text and such) that the pucker effect is less?


----------



## lauerja

Smaller areas of the vinyl do pucker less, and I have noticed that if you use a 50/50 shirt, the effect is less overall.

I try to stay away from 100% cotton, and always let me customers know that the shirts may shirnk if washed in hot or warm and they may notice a bot of pucker. If they see a lot, sometimes heat pressing it again will help.

We have not seen this as an issue with most designs and have had no complaints so far. We provide all customers with washing instructions up front.

It does limit what you can heat press on, syaty away from lycra or spandex, but everything else seems to work fine.


----------



## MotoskinGraphix

Rodney said:


> Does this mean that with smaller areas of color (text and such) that the pucker effect is less?


I dont notice it as much with something like text that is spaced, large fine line designs, tribal type designs. When you have a large area of solid coverage that vinyl is going to hold that fabric together with little stretch. When the fabric shrinks the vinyl doesnt and there in lies the problem. It may well be the other way around...the vinyl shrinks a bit more than the fabric. The vinyl doesnt actually pucker but there is a tension there that is visable...when you print one Rodney and wash it a couple times you will see what I am talking about. I have only used 100% cotton blanks...probably should try some 50/50 blends. 

I have done some shoulder sleeve designs for a car club with a fine line oval, flames top and bottom and initials inside about 4"x4". There is goint to be very little stretch in those sleeves. When you put your hand inside and expand your fingers you can feel that vinyl holding its shape like webbing. That fine line oval will snap before it stretches very far.


----------



## T-BOT

the flex vinyl we use has a little stretch (thermoflex or equivelent).

for printing on high stretch knits, we use a stretch form and print it stretched. The print looks a little bent on a hanger but when you wear it it look fine. When doing photo shoot shirts or for TV thats when the pucker stands out. Stretch forms work great with any non-stretch materials i find.


----------



## dievart

ok lou congrats

one question: I am a newbie looking to start my shirt business, specifically a brand of sportswear apparel. 

shoudl i use this technic, if yes. 

how much I ma lookking at for a first investment

cutter, material...

thanks for the help

ps: and where do i get that

tom


----------



## foxesfarm

gotta love cutters! Not only is it great for shirts, but it let me change my van into a mobile billboard and make any signs i needed. And they're affordable now!


----------



## solomonshop

Can a vinyl cutter produce designs with great detail?


----------



## T-BOT

solomonshop said:


> Can a vinyl cutter produce designs with great detail?


for the most part yes.
the problem is it takes a longer time to cut and weed.


----------



## Rodney

> Can a vinyl cutter produce designs with great detail?


It probably depends on how "great" is "great"  Here is a thread with pictures posted that might help to show some of the detail possible:

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t7147.html


----------



## hammered

Extreme detail. But remember, evry detail is something youll have to weed the excess material from. Ive done sign vinyl stickers no larger than 4 inches that took me an hour to weed. 








Some of the garment vinyl isnt as easy to weed so I havent done anything as detailed as that sticker. But this design had its moments, due to the subject matter, I thought it was worth every second.


----------



## JoshEllsworth

Detail also varies a lot with the material you are using. I have cut 1/16" text for demo purposes at a show. It held with our Spectracut II but did not with some of our other materials. Also, as mentioned, detailed work can be extremely time consuming to weed.


----------



## goodtease

Hello,

Ok I love my vinyl cutter...but I wanted to see if anyone knew how to NOT waste the vinyl. Every time I set it up and I draw the graphics on the far left hand corner of the screen...and hit print....then it feeds like 6 inches of vinyl and then starts cutting! Is there a way to have the cutter just cut from where you left off and also at the VERY EDGE of the vinyl....so I don't have to chop of like 5 x 24" of vinyl everytime I do a design...please help!
I will be in debt by the time I do 20 shirts....


----------



## John S

goodtease said:


> Hello,
> 
> Ok I love my vinyl cutter...but I wanted to see if anyone knew how to NOT waste the vinyl. Every time I set it up and I draw the graphics on the far left hand corner of the screen...and hit print....then it feeds like 6 inches of vinyl and then starts cutting! Is there a way to have the cutter just cut from where you left off and also at the VERY EDGE of the vinyl....so I don't have to chop of like 5 x 24" of vinyl everytime I do a design...please help!
> I will be in debt by the time I do 20 shirts....


On a Roland. you clamp your roll of vinyl, (keep the friction wheels at the edges) hit the enter button and the cutter moves to the left and measures the cutting width. (remember the width in mm's) Use the up arrow key until the material clears the sensor and stops with just a little vinyl peaking out of the front. Press and hold the Origin key, the display flashes. You just set the lower left margin of your cut area. 

Your software will determine the next few steps.
Make the page set up the same width as your cutter setting (in mm's)
Put your cut design in the lower left corner of your page pallet, right up to the edges.

You will loose a half inch off of each side (19" cuttable on a 20" roll)
You lose a little off the front edge, but not 5".

Hope this helps.


----------



## John S

If you are cutting multiples, move your cutter and reset your origin between each cutting cycle.


----------



## chriscass

Very informative and great designs!


----------



## MotoskinGraphix

Actually it all depends on the software. The window in my software and its production manager takes care of everything.


----------



## Annushka

I just pressed a sample that laurja/Jim sent me - this stuff is really nice! So now I have the same reaction as Lou - "I'm in love...vinyl transfers!" lol

thanks Jim


----------



## lauerja

Happy to do it. I use Twill USAs vinyl, it is easy to use and costs less than most.


----------



## Annushka

Silly question - there is no way one can cut a vinyl transfer without a cutter?


----------



## Vtec44

That will depend on the design. Assuming that it's symetrical, it's possible to cut using an xacto knife and ruler.


----------



## John S

Annushka said:


> Silly question - there is no way one can cut a vinyl transfer without a cutter?


Great question. Yes you can. It would work well for designs that are a little more free form. I wouldn't try to reproduce tight lettering, and I wouldn't try to make two shirts exactly the same.

The vinyl is opaque, so putting a printed design under the vinyl on a light table wouldn't work well. You might be able to tape a paper printout on top of the vinyl and cut through the paper with enough pressure to score the vinyl. 
Use an X-acto knive with a new blade.

Call Josh at imprintables.com and ask for a free vinyl sample for forum members. 800-347-0068


----------



## MotoskinGraphix

You can cut it with an exacto blade but I doubt the results or the time involved would really give you great results. The beauty of vinyl and a cutter is the precision that it offers.

Like James stated...a ruler and simple symetrical designs would probably give you the best results if cutting by hand. Probably not the very best way to produce your t-shirt designs.


----------



## Annushka

James, John - thanks guys. I'll look into the xacto knife. I want to decide on the type of the vinyl and get the hang of the application process before I get a cutter.


----------



## Annushka

MotoskinGraphix said:


> You can cut it with an exacto blade but I doubt the results or the time involved would really give you great results. The beauty of vinyl and a cutter is the precision that it offers.
> 
> Like James stated...a ruler and simple symetrical designs would probably give you the best results if cutting by hand. Probably not the very best way to produce your t-shirt designs.


Yes I agree. This will be just temporary just to play around with the kinds of vinyl and then if I decide I could use it for my designs then getting a cutter would be a must. I'm really excited about, it opens up more room for creativity, I think it's going to be fun


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## Annushka

JoshEllsworth said:


> I'm actually working on a whole "buyers" guide for heat transfer vinyls that will include composition, what to look for, cost per square inch, production aspects etc. etc. but without knowing the complete answer to everyones product heres the short list of my initial thoughts (not all confirmed):
> 
> Spectracut (PVC)
> Spectracut II (Urethane)
> Spectracut Plus (Urethane)
> Thermofilm (PVC?)
> EconoPrint (PVC)
> Gorilla Grip II (Urethane)
> Thermoflex Plus (Urethane?)
> Hotmark 70 (PVC?)


Hi guys, could you tell me what is PVC (what it stands for and what does it mean) and the same goes for Urethane? Thanks a lot


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## Moo Spot Prints

Annushka said:


> Hi guys, could you tell me what is PVC (what it stands for and what does it mean) and the same goes for Urethane? Thanks a lot


Google (and Wikipedia) is your friend!

PVC

Urethane


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## foxesfarm

PVC stands for Poly Vinyl Chloride. While they're bot plastics, they aren't interchangeable.


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## Annushka

Moo Spot Prints said:


> Google (and Wikipedia) is your friend!
> 
> PVC
> 
> Urethane


Thanks Moo. Is Urethane more environmentally friendly than PVC?


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## Jasonda

Neither PVC nor polyurethane are very environmentally friendly.

If you Google for "health hazards" + PVC or polyurethane you will find a lot of info.


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## Annushka

Jasonda said:


> Neither PVC nor polyurethane are very environmentally friendly.
> 
> If you Google for "health hazards" + PVC or polyurethane you will find a lot of info.


I see. Thank u Jasonda


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## JoshEllsworth

I will say that Nike demanded a polyurethane based material for their garments due to evironmental issues.

Also for those with laser cutters....cutting a pvc based material can be hazardous to you and void the warranty on your laser.


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## thrivers

hey guys!!

can you help me with this? i have a roland stika 15" and i tried last night to cut a deco flock but i think it's too thick (?). it did not went thru the flock totally.

do i need some adjustment/s etcetcetc....

thanks a lot


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## Vtec44

You need to adjust the blade holder so the blade sticks out more. The Stika models do not have an automatic adjuster so you have to do the guess work.


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## John S

thrivers said:


> hey guys!!
> 
> can you help me with this? i have a roland stika 15" and i tried last night to cut a deco flock but i think it's too thick (?). it did not went thru the flock totally.


Use a 60 degree blade (vs a 45 degree) for thicker/harder to cut materials.

Increase downforce as needed.


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## cynrach

badalou said:


> Very.. Because of the graphic I wanted it so..
> I guess that means I can stay at your hose when I am at the show.. Your husband can use my hotel..
> About 5 minutes, I had the desiign in bitmap form but inkscape quickly changed it into EPS format then sent to signblazer elements software.
> I have a JSI 30 inch cutter.
> I placed how I did it on my web site a few minutes ago and show the step by step process I used with more pictures.


Hi, I am just wondering where I can get that inkscape program or where I can read more about it. Thanks Rachel


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## Jasonda

cynrach said:


> Hi, I am just wondering where I can get that inkscape program or where I can read more about it. Thanks Rachel


Inkscape.org.


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## livinlife

Lou, you have some really good images for your vinyl cutter. Where do you get most of your images? I have the GX-24. I love it thanks to Josh and the video's he did.


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## badalou

livinlife said:


> Lou, you have some really good images for your vinyl cutter. Where do you get most of your images? I have the GX-24. I love it thanks to Josh and the video's he did.


I have over 5000 clip arts, maybe more, I lost count.. I am thinking about adding them to my video pageand I do a lot of stuff myself. Not sure which images you may be talking about. Lou


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## Vtec44

But darn it Lou, where do you get your clip arts generally!


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## badalou

When I got my cutter the guy I got it from gave me a ton that he bought.


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## bucolic

Your first 2 t-shirts looked great! I have a vinyl cutter and I just purchased a heat press and vinyl heat transfer material. Where do you get your designs? I jumped into this t-shirt idea without knowing ANYTHING about it. Any ideas and help would be much appreciated. 
Thanks


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## Rodney

> Where do you get your designs?


You make them up. Or you can search for clipart sites that offer vinyl ready designs (like clipart.com, istockphoto.com, etc)

Be sure to read the licensing agreements for the clip art sites.

If you search the forums for clip art, you'll find more sources as well.


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## TEEZRUS

Nice Work!

I Too Love My Vinyl Cutter!

Its Great For Small Jobs/ Small Production Runs!

Thanks For Sharing The Pic!


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## pegasus69

Hi Lou,
I went to ISS Schaumburg and know what you mean by falling in love with the megatallic! I am new to the biz (doing stock plastisol heat transfers only) and had no idea what a vinyl cutter even was. Now I want a Roland so bad I can taste it! However, I picked up the Phoenix Phire from the show and LOVE that too! Just wanted to say hi--and I got your tee-square-it the other week and I love it too  ! Everyone here on the board is great!


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## pegasus69

On the craft robo machine, is the vinyl rolls they sell made for textiles? Or is it signage vinyl? Can you use Stahl's spectra II on this machine? Also, what does " Lost some of the centers" mean? The center of the letter did not cut? Is that a common problem with cutters? Thanks


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## lgiglio1

Has anyone used gorilla grip from Stahls? I used it on volleyball uniforms and they came out great and looked wonderful. However, I was just at the third volleyball game of the year and they are starting to crack. not great for business. I am very upset about this. Thermofilm never does that. I just couldn't use thermofilm because of hte spandex in the uniforms. Any suggestions or anyone have this happen? 

i mean what good is stuff that is going to crack after 2-3 washes!


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