# Need Cutter for signs, vinyl transfers & rhinestone templates



## amyscarb (Mar 27, 2012)

Need a good cutter that can handle all types of cutting without spending a fortune. Have read many posts and researched, but want to make sure that I am understanding that most cutters can do it all. Thanks in advance for any info that you can share or anything you have not been able to do with your cutters.


----------



## Nick Horvath (Feb 26, 2010)

There are many good cutters out there for cutting signs, and vinyl transfers. When you talk about cutting Rhinestone templates, you are talking about cutters that have a servo motor. I would recommend the Roland GX-24 as this machine is easy to use and very reliable.


----------



## amyscarb (Mar 27, 2012)

thanks alot, I will look into it.


----------



## katruax (Sep 30, 2010)

I say save your money on the Roland GX-24... I had one... Nothing special... Not much downforce either...

Now this baby!

https://www.digitalcuttersplus.com/...ade-to-the-24-ACS-Eagle-Ultraforce_p_156.html

This sucker will cut... 1500 grams of down force... Bolt on flat bed tables... 

LOVE IT!


I've never seen a machine that can stand up to the specs of this one at this price... The cutting software it comes with... AWESOME!

If will for sure cut anything that will fit into it...

Kevin


----------



## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

I got the Graphtec CE5000-60 which does all three, has more down force than the Roland, and can also cut tighter than the Roland. I use it for vinyl signs, vinyl transfers, and rhinestones.


----------



## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

katruax said:


> I say save your money on the Roland GX-24... I had one... Nothing special... Not much downforce either...
> 
> Now this baby!
> 
> ...


I get the impression this is decent equipment....Too bad they hide behind a website with no physical address.....


----------



## katruax (Sep 30, 2010)

royster13 said:


> I get the impression this is decent equipment....Too bad they hide behind a website with no physical address.....


Brenda there I think works out of her home... But she's a doll to work with and very helpful with questions and what not...

You can get the same cutter from KNKUSA.COM as well...

Kevin


----------



## amyscarb (Mar 27, 2012)

Thanks Kevin, great info.


----------



## amyscarb (Mar 27, 2012)

Thanks Loretta


----------



## PhenomDnP (May 15, 2012)

Will a USCutter Copam work for cutting rhinestone templates? If so which material works best?

Thanks


----------



## Nick Horvath (Feb 26, 2010)

PhenomDnP said:


> Will a USCutter Copam work for cutting rhinestone templates? If so which material works best?
> 
> Thanks


The Copam has a Stepper motor which is not suitable for cutting Rhinestone Templates... You need a cutter that has a Servo motor.


----------



## katruax (Sep 30, 2010)

Nick Horvath said:


> The Copam has a Stepper motor which is not suitable for cutting Rhinestone Templates... You need a cutter that has a Servo motor.


Respectfully Nick, that is simply not true as many here can attest to...

I used this cutter for 4 years and never and issue and it just cut and cut and cut some more...

New 19" Sign Vinyl Cutter Crafts that will allow you to Scrapbooking TShirts | eBay

It has a stepper motor and most of your lower end cutters do.... I think there is a big myth in the industry that you need a big expensive vinyl cutter to get into the business when in reality you don't...

I can't comment about the US Cutter specifically... But Nicks statement that you must purchase a cutter with a servo motor to cut Rhinestone Material is simply not true...

Now that said a cutter with servo motors is probably going to outlast a cutter with stepper motors... So given the price of the cutter you mentioned it may well be worth a little more money to go with a cutter with servo motors... That said don't be afraid of a cutter with stepper motors either... 

Kevin


----------



## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

You can build a house with a hammer and a hand saw......But sometimes better tools do the job better.....

A "cheaper than dirt" cutter will cut but it will not do the same quality or last as long as a better machine.....If you take the time to compare side by side designs cut on a "cheap" plotter versus a "quality" plotter.....You will see a distinct difference in the accuracy and completeness of the cuts....

As far as getting a cheap cutter, if that is all you can afford, then that is what you have to do...And yes some cheap cutters do last a long time but I think if you read through the forums here you will see that they have a much higher failure rate and dis-satisfaction level than higher priced machine.....

Good luck...

PS...I have an Expert 24 but it does not get as much use as my Cut-3000....The Cut 3000 is so much quieter.....


----------



## katruax (Sep 30, 2010)

royster13 said:


> You can build a house with a hammer and a hand saw......But sometimes better tools do the job better.....


I wouldn't argue that point a bit and that's why I did eventually upgrade my vinyl cutter and now have a KNK Eagle from www.digitalcuttersplus.com I love it and it is light years better than my cheapo cutter...

My only point was to say you don't need to eliminate any cutter that has a stepper motor... Cutters with stepper motors can cut rhinestone material... And cut it well... 

Maybe not as well as a cutter with a servo motor but I know tons of people here who are using a little Cameo cutter to cut their templates... So just to get started you don't need to drop $1,500 on a vinyl cutter.

Kevin


----------



## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

"Well" is a word that has so much range....I do not think cheap cutters cut "well"....But for a handful of rhinestone templates, it may not matter because it is not quite the same as cutting heat press vinyl where you see the finished result on a shirt....

When I go to Christmas Craft Sales I see lots of very poorly cut decals and stuff....Some folks eat it up so one can pass off suspect stuff for those folks that are not as detail orientated as I might be....


----------



## Nick Horvath (Feb 26, 2010)

katruax said:


> It has a stepper motor and most of your lower end cutters do.... I think there is a big myth in the industry that you need a big expensive vinyl cutter to get into the business when in reality you don't...
> 
> I can't comment about the US Cutter specifically... But Nicks statement that you must purchase a cutter with a servo motor to cut Rhinestone Material is simply not true...


You do not need an expensive cutter to get into the business. Cutters with Stepper motors can cut sign and heat applied vinyl just fine. A cutter with a Stepper motor WILL also cut Rhinestone template material, Twill, sandblast material and other "thick" materials. The big question is how ofter will you be cutting a thicker material like that?

If the answer is once in a great while, then you will probably be alright. If your answer is everyday, for instance, then you will most likely end up wearing out your motor sooner. Also, depending on the type of cutter you are using you may not see as good quality of cuts as you would with a better unit.

Is there someone out there that has a cutter with a Stepper motor that cuts thick material daily and has for years? Sure. I imagine that it could happen. I just advise people against it because there is a good potential to damage your cutter.


----------



## mmonk (Oct 23, 2011)

Royce....you are usually a supporter of the Expert 24. Are you considering this a "cheap" cutter? I think cheap I am thinking ebay or uscutter branded machines for $200 or less. Experts are not cheaply priced anymore...Lx is now $700!! supply and demand I guess cause aint nothing new about them design wise.


----------



## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

The difference between an Expert 24 (390.00) and a Cut 3000 (890.00) is night and day......And these are both "cheap" compared to an FC Series Graphtec or Summa Cut.....You could spend over 10k for one of these so less than 1,000.00 is still cheap...

LX has contour cutting and because it has limited competition at it's price point, they can get away with that price....If I was buying another "starter" cutter today I would not even consider the Expert 24 because I am spoiled by the Cut-3000....Because I have no need for contour cutting, I would look at an Expert Pro....


----------



## mmonk (Oct 23, 2011)

now the expert 24 is $550 and the LX $695...whew! I understand the cut 3000 is the bengal rebranded? It has servo but no AAS. When I move up I'll probably go Puma.


----------



## Rusty44 (Apr 28, 2008)

royster13 said:


> I get the impression this is decent equipment....Too bad they hide behind a website with no physical address.....


I have a KNK machine too, I have cut so many rhinestone templates, and vinyl ... no problems with it. Nice downforce and the software lets me do anything I need to do. They have a new website knkusa.com Very pleased with mine.


----------



## katruax (Sep 30, 2010)

Rusty44 said:


> I have a KNK machine too, I have cut so many rhinestone templates, and vinyl ... no problems with it. Nice downforce and the software lets me do anything I need to do. They have a new website knkusa.com Very pleased with mine.


And Stepper Motors... I have the KNK Eagle and I'm happy with it... But honestly I was happy with my $300 Signwarehouse cutter too... The main reason I went with the KNK... The cutting software... It has a feature where it will cut my rhinestone holes in a logical order nearest to one another... My old cut software.. We jump all over cutting a hole here and there.... Took 3 times as long to cut the same template... So that's why I opted for the KNK....

In it's price range though there are so many choices... I really like that it has the bolt on tables... You don't know ow nice they really are until you have them.

Kevin


----------



## Corel Whisperer (Sep 1, 2010)

katruax said:


> I say save your money on the Roland GX-24... I had one... Nothing special... Not much downforce either...
> 
> Now this baby!
> 
> ...


Kevin, 
I'm late to the party again! I just have to ask, why would you need 1500 grams for force? What are you cutting? 
CW


----------

