# what are the proper offset settings for the laserpoint 24" from uscutters.



## adammnq (Jan 16, 2010)

what should the laser settings be for the offset of the carriadge. i have it at 6.42 instead of the default 6.30. 

the cut was just an 1/8 of an inch to the left of the image.

i was on the phone and i am still emailing levi from uscutters. trying to figure out what the offset for the carriadge should be. any ideas anyone?

day 11 since opening box.


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## Nvr2Old (Oct 14, 2009)

adammnq said:


> what should the laser settings be for the offset of the carriadge. i have it at 6.42 instead of the default 6.30.
> 
> the cut was just an 1/8 of an inch to the left of the image.
> 
> ...


Hi Adam,
I think your talking about the laser point offset from the blade. That is determined during the laserpoint calibration process that is done in your cutting software. I set mine up with Signcut Pro. Took some time playing with it to get it right. I have read a lot of posts about people having trouble similar to yours. Are you using Signblaser or Signcut Pro?


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## adammnq (Jan 16, 2010)

i just need to move the off set an 18th of an inch to the right im guessing.


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## adammnq (Jan 16, 2010)

when i change the offset can i still use the same printed image again?

because when i used the same paper and changed the offset to 6.57 it was just a tiny change. if no change at all.

then i just printed it again and cut it at 6.57 and there was no change it was still just an 1/8 of an inch to the left.


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## adammnq (Jan 16, 2010)

i just realized that changing the offset is barely moving farther away. if not moving at all.


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## Nvr2Old (Oct 14, 2009)

adammnq said:


> i just realized that changing the offset is barely moving farther away. if not moving at all.


What cutting program are you using?


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## adammnq (Jan 16, 2010)

Nvr2Old said:


> What cutting program are you using?


 
signblazer, dont you remember talking to me over the last 11 days?


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## Nvr2Old (Oct 14, 2009)

adammnq said:


> signblazer, dont you remember talking to me over the last 11 days?


I talk to a lot of different people about different things and my brain does not work as well as when I was younger, but yes now I do remember you are using SB. I have seen posts before about problems with the contour cutting in Signblazer not lining up properly. Not sure but may be able to correct if you have a working copy of Signcut Pro


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## adammnq (Jan 16, 2010)

lol its all good. levi from uscutters wants me to install signcut pro now. and hes gonna walk me through it either over mail or the phone.


it really sucks because ive been spending almost 2 weeks of work on signblazer and the laserpoint 24.

and now im at the last step of getting the offset right. and its not changing at all, and ive put the carriadge offset as low as 4.00 and as high as 6.90 maybe more.


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## Nvr2Old (Oct 14, 2009)

adammnq said:


> lol its all good. levi from uscutters wants me to install signcut pro now. and hes gonna walk me through it either over mail or the phone.
> 
> 
> it really sucks because ive been spending almost 2 weeks of work on signblazer and the laserpoint 24.
> ...


I'm pretty sure that's a common issue with SB. I never really tried to use it, except one time, I started getting dizzy and light headed, realized I was having a major DOS flashback.


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## adammnq (Jan 16, 2010)

do you think in the next message you can give me the numbered steps for cutting on signcutpro?

maybe i can figure it out on my own after that instead of waiting till monday to talk to uscutters.


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## Nvr2Old (Oct 14, 2009)

adammnq said:


> do you think in the next message you can give me the numbered steps for cutting on signcutpro?


Your asking how to cut, but I think in the other thread you were asking how to contour cut. This is a much more complex task than just cutting. If I remember right you are using, Inkscape and SC Pro. I use Illustrator with SC Pro, so there will be some differences. I would spend a little time getting used to cutting with your programs first before you try to contour cut, but I will give you the steps to contour cut. Before I do, check out this thread about CorelDraw (similar to Inkscape) and SCPro http://www.t-shirtforums.com/graphics-design-help/t108901.html 

1. Make sure the Signcut plug in extension is installed properly with Inkscape. For Windows, the export-plugins are included in the regular installer and is installed automatically, however if you install SignCut first and then install a new layout-software such as CorelDraw, Illustrator or Inkscape, you will need to choose the "Reinstall export-plugins"-option in the Help-menu of SignCut.

2. Import the jpg file that you want to create a contour cut for into Inkscape 

3. Add registration marks now, not in SCPro. You will have to google "vector registration marks" and download them. (I have them installed in my Illustrator symbols library, but not sure how Inkscape works. I usually install 4 reg marks, one in each corner, about 1 inch away from image.

4. Print a copy of the image with reg marks to your printer. Make sure printer is NOT set to scale image.

5. Look for a tracing option (Illustrators is called "Live Trace") this will "trace" the bitmap image into vector format.

6.Select the newly traced vector image and change the fill color to black.

7. Rasterize the vector image. It should now be completely black.

8.Trace the black rasterized image 

9.Set the fill color to "no fill color", outline color black. outline point size .25 to.50

10. You now should have a completed contour cut file ready to send to the cutter.

11. Choose the "send to Signcut" command from the file menu inside Inkscape.

12. In Signcut look for the "calibrate laserpoint offset" I believe it is in the cutting menu. Load a blank sheet of paper in the cutter. Follow the prompts to calibrate the laserpoint offset. This procedure is best accomplished with the pen tool. CAUTION; Do not select "calibrate cutter" that option should not be needed. (Calibrate laserpoint offset should only be needed one time, delete this step for next contour cut file)

13. Load your Printed image (with the reg marks) into the cutter.

14.In Signcut, go to the special cutting menu. Select "simple contour cut" Follow the on screen instructions to set reg mark.

15. Select "contour cut" If everything is set up properly you should have a near perfect contour cut of your jpg image.

Remember this is the way "I" make a contour cut for a jpg file. There may be other ways to do this. Also Inkscape is different than Illustrator, so I don't know if this routine will work with it.


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## Nvr2Old (Oct 14, 2009)

adammnq said:


> do you think in the next message you can give me the numbered steps for cutting on signcutpro?
> 
> maybe i can figure it out on my own after that instead of waiting till monday to talk to uscutters.


Forgot to give you SC Pro contour cutting link Setup a USCutter Laserpoint plotter with SignCut | Plotters


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## taricp35 (Dec 10, 2008)

Nvr2Old said:


> I'm pretty sure that's a common issue with SB. I never really tried to use it, except one time, I started getting dizzy and light headed, realized I was having a major DOS flashback.


Hahaha....NVR2OLD I thought it was just me. When I got my LP 24" I opened SB and took one look at it and closed it back up. I was not going to even try to mess with it.


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## adammnq (Jan 16, 2010)

well i am happy, i should have stuck with signcut pro instead of sign blazer. i called uscutters since its monday, and levi walked my through signcut pro it is easy. now i just need a couple hundred designs and my website finished and im in buisness.


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## Nvr2Old (Oct 14, 2009)

Congratulations!


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