# Seiki T-870 with Flexi 8.5 Starter problems



## mrwacky (Dec 12, 2009)

Hi gang,

I'm new here and this is my first vinyl cutter. I set up the cutter and ran the test cuts as outlined on the sheet that SekiTech included. The next step, which is step 6 is where I'm stumped. Here is what the step says:

*"Launch the Flexistarter. Select Text tool in the main tool box. Type ABC in the main windows. Select File > Cut/Plot.... the Cut/Plot windows will launch. Verify the size in the General Tap fit to you vinyl film. Adjust size if needed. Verify the cutter is in Connect status. (Leave light OFF) Press Send button, the cutter should cut the text ABC."*

Well....to begin with, there was no Send button that I could find, but what did happen is a Production page was launched. And there is Job page. Now neither of these are mentioned in the instruction page. I have spent hours reviewing the so called Help section of the software and have come up with no answer as to how to print ABC.

In my Device Manager, the Cutter is referred to as a Prrinter using Com 14. This is the Com that i set the software with.

I visited the software website and once again, there is very little information regarding cutting. Nothing useful or that can be used as a troubleshooting guide.

I'm stumped folks. The one time I did call SekiTech, the manaufactuers of the cutter in the Reno area, they guy I talked to spoke very broken English and was not of much help.

I want to get this cutter working and would appreciate any help I can get here. Some of you own this machine and may have had a similar initial experience and can lead me towards a solution. I'm all ear.

thanks


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## tdeals (Dec 13, 2006)

Welcome Dwight,

Did you buy your cutter and Flexistarter directly from SeikiTech? Wherever you purchased your Flexi software is who you'd contact for Support. If you're getting no help from SeikiTech, head here for help too: Flexi

What I would do, if you're still waiting and anxious to get your first cut in with the unit, is grab a copy of the app below that should work with your model of cutter, per their site. 

In that way, you can at least know that your cutter works.

Download Free Trial


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## mrwacky (Dec 12, 2009)

Hi SA, and thank you so much for the reply. I bought the Seki through Amazon.com. I wasn't aware that a technical piece of equpment and software would be sold as a bundle with such little documentation and support.

I spent the weekend reading and re-reading from both the software and hardware sites. The cutter ran when i did the on-machine test, however there is very little in the manuel to help a user understand the machine.

All I want to do is print out some decals and vinyl banners for our company. I'm not interested in designing multi colored signs or use any of the other fancy options. I wish the machine had come with a very simply operating program where i could type what i wanted on the screen, set the banner dimensions, and push a cut button. And import clip art from a DVD. I guess simple was too much to ask for.

The Flexi website isn't very helpful either. Nowhere does it explain what the production manager is for, what the job screen is for or how you get from design, through the production manager to cutting the decal. Very confusing asnd I'm not an idiot.

If there is a very simple cut program out there that I can use while throwing away the Flexi one, I would be satisfied. 

I hope some users of this machine that have experienced similar issues with this company will pipe in here and eliminate my learning curve. It sounds like this is a learn by the seat of your pants vinyl cutter.

I thank you so much for the two links and will open them up and see if I can get out of idle here and on my way to cutting my first vinyl banner letters. And in the future once I get this thing up and running, I'll pass on what I learned to the next confused and frustrated Seiki cutter owner.

Dwight


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## ambitious (Oct 29, 2007)

Read these threads on flexi here Flexi and also try this forum also SeikiTech.com Sign Making Forum - Index 

Hope this helps. I own a seiki but runnng it with SignCtx2, not familiar with flexi.


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## tdeals (Dec 13, 2006)

mrwacky said:


> If there is a very simple cut program out there that I can use while throwing away the Flexi one, I would be satisfied.


Already done. Click the link I added that says "Download Free Trial."


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## mrwacky (Dec 12, 2009)

OK...and once again thank you all for your help. Here is the update and I hope this helps others who have or will consider purchasing this cutter.

I contacted SAI, the company that distributes the Flexi brand of signmaking software. The support person that helped me was very cordial and explained the job and production program. I have no reason for that program as I don't intend for this to be antthing more than a device for producing our own signs and banners and some vinyl stickers for resale. Somebody eeds to design a simple cutting software that is not attached to a signmaking software, wherein plotters areonly one output medium among many.

I contacted Seiki. Frank was very helpful He is somewhat difficult to understand as his Engish is broken, but he knows that machine. (I'm running out of space here so I'll continue in the next post.)


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## mrwacky (Dec 12, 2009)

Continued:

On the Seiki website, Sam directed me to a section of his website labeled Skytech. By logging into Skytech, Sam was able to view my computer screen. The problem arose from part 2.4 of the Quick Start instruction paper that comes with the cutter. In that section you are instructed to go to the Device Manager of our computer, expand the port node, and note the number associated with the Seiki cutter. In my case, the number had been com14. You then must place this number in the Flexi production manager of the software. Well......com14 is too igh of a number for the cutter. Frank told me that Com1-6 seem to work best for their cutter. (there is no note of this fact anywhere in their documentation). Frank says this varies from computer to computer. I use a Dell Inpiron E1705, so Com 2 fit the bill.

After changing the number to com2, the machine came alive when I hit the send button. 

Note: I had changed the screen size on my computer and had to redo this as well. The Flexi software require a screen size of 1280 X 1024 (longer and narrower than I had it set at) This was the reason I couldn't find the 'send' button as the software cut screen was not fitting on my screen and the send button was not showing up at the bottom.

The test cut of ABC went off without a hitch and my blade setting was correct as the cutter made a perfect cut. And I now no longer fear that I had bought an expensive paper weight. We'll be making our first signs and banners in the coming days, and I will report back how that went using this Seiki T850.

Dwight


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## tdeals (Dec 13, 2006)

Way to go! Glad you got the help you needed.


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## mikegraphics (Nov 5, 2009)

i have the same cutter i junked flexi and went with winpcsign very easy program to use and came with an instruction dvd


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## BigRedPrinting (Mar 9, 2011)

mrwacky said:


> Continued:
> 
> The test cut of ABC went off without a hitch and my blade setting was correct as the cutter made a perfect cut. And I now no longer fear that I had bought an expensive paper weight. We'll be making our first signs and banners in the coming days, and I will report back how that went using this Seiki T850.
> 
> Dwight


i would love to know how your experience with this plotter has been in the last few months. i am considering buying one and i have seen mixed reviews on this machine.


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## mrwacky (Dec 12, 2009)

Sorry for the late reply, The Seiki is doing great. No problems whatsoever. I also bought a Graphtec at the SGIA show form Coastal Supply for making rhinestone transfers. The Graphtec is much quieter. If noise is a concern, the Seiki can make a racket.


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## BigRedPrinting (Mar 9, 2011)

I am glad to hear. I think I might have that in my near future of purchasing one. My main concern is the width and if it is large enough to do large banners and other jobs have you ran into any problems?


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