# Specialty Material vs Siser



## SmallChange (Mar 26, 2009)

I have two questions: 

(1) I am currently using Specialty Materials CPS-2160. It works great and wears very well but weeding anything at all detailed is not possible. The material stretches as the blade goes over it so that the blade skips. The result is not a cut but a perforation. I have tried changing speed, pressure, offset. I even tried 60 degree blades. Of course, I used new blades. No improvements.

I have considered Siser's Colorprint II. Has anyone had experience with using both of these products? How would you compare them? Can you cut details and letters with it? How well does it wear?

(2) I notice that Siser and Stahls both have a product called Colorprint II. I called the North American office for Siser to ask and they don't know anything about Stahls.

So the question is: are these the same product? If not, then how do the two compare?


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## seaygraphics (Jan 8, 2010)

We personally use Siser, the material is about half the thickness of speciality materials but they both have the same opacity, and like you mentions the Siser material is far easier to cut and weed. The only thing I did like about SM was that you can bring the press right down on top of the material without a teflon sheet and it doesn't stick (espicially good if you are doing multicolor laydowns.)


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## JoshEllsworth (Dec 14, 2005)

SmallChange said:


> I have two questions:
> 
> (1) I am currently using Specialty Materials CPS-2160. It works great and wears very well but weeding anything at all detailed is not possible. The material stretches as the blade goes over it so that the blade skips. The result is not a cut but a perforation. I have tried changing speed, pressure, offset. I even tried 60 degree blades. Of course, I used new blades. No improvements.
> 
> ...


I think you'll find the Colorprint II slightly easier to cut in regards to skipping, however they are very close other than that. Both are mounted to a paper backing and limited on the amount of detail you can cut. Typically materials mounted on a mylar backing are easier to work with in production. If you are looking to cut detail and want to stay in the Siser line you may try the Colorprint Evolution. It is actually mounted on a sticky backing. This material does have more of a matte finish, not the semigloss finish that you are getting with the CP2160.


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## SmallChange (Mar 26, 2009)

Josh, I see that you are distributing Stahls print and cut heat transfer material. What Stahls product would be a substitute for the Siser Colorprint II?


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## JoshEllsworth (Dec 14, 2005)

SmallChange said:


> Josh, I see that you are distributing Stahls print and cut heat transfer material. What Stahls product would be a substitute for the Siser Colorprint II?


I would recommend Express Print from our line up.


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## SmallChange (Mar 26, 2009)

That looks doable. I have one of the original Versacamms that came with ColorRip. Do you have a profile that will work with that?


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## scuba_steve2699 (Nov 15, 2006)

SmallChange said:


> Josh, I see that you are distributing Stahls print and cut heat transfer material. What Stahls product would be a substitute for the Siser Colorprint II?


Another great product that would do well is either Quick Print or Eco Print both from Imprintables Warehouse.


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## scuba_steve2699 (Nov 15, 2006)

SmallChange said:


> That looks doable. I have one of the original Versacamms that came with ColorRip. Do you have a profile that will work with that?


Have you looked into upgrading to Versaworks? I can help you get that setup.


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## JoshEllsworth (Dec 14, 2005)

SmallChange said:


> That looks doable. I have one of the original Versacamms that came with ColorRip. Do you have a profile that will work with that?


We don't, but I'm confident we can find an existing one in your RIP that would work with it...it's a pretty basic polyurethane based Heat transfer material. It's different from CPII and CP2160 in that its mounted to a mylar carrier...


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## SmallChange (Mar 26, 2009)

Steve, it would cost me about $1,000 to get VersaWorks. Seems to me that this wouldn't be a good investment given the age of the machine it would be used on. It would cost as much to update the software and rebuilt the machine than it would cost to buy a new one. If you know a way to get VersaWorks for less than that, I'd love to hear it.

Josh, any ideas of where to start on the profiles?


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