# Help. My plotter keeps jerking off course when plotting.



## BethDee (Jan 31, 2012)

I have a Expert 24 and use Great Cut. A few days ago I plotted on regular vinyl and my plotter worked fine. I am trying to plot on hear transfer and for some reason it keeps shifting during the plotting process and cutting stuff off. I've adjusted where I'm putting my vinyl to see if that helped, I tried moving to a more open area, and nothing I've tried has worked. I am new to the whole plotting thing and am completely lost. Please help!


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## idonaldson (Sep 29, 2008)

Have you done a test cut on the material to see if that works. Test prints are from machine so if it works then you know it is in your program. 
My steps would be:
Turn off and on the machine
load the media
have it register the width
do a test cut from the panel and see if that cut
If it does then try and send something small from your computer 
now you can isolate the problem


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## Blue92 (Oct 8, 2010)

Even if the test cut works OK there are several other things to try. I normally do all three at the same time.



Clean the the rubber rollers and the grooved portion of the drive bar. I use alcohol on the rollers and a dry tooth brush on the drive bar.
Wipe down the all of the feed areas of the cutter to make sure there isn't any residue or build up picked up off of the vinyl.
Disassemble, clean and lubricate the blade and the blade holder.
Reset and double check the blade depth when reassembling the holder.
Number three is what got me last time I had problems with tracking and shifting of vinyl. If the blade does not turn freely it will drag the material.


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## graphicfx2000 (Jan 22, 2010)

i agree with Blue92, I ahd similar problems but mine was in the head tracking, one of the rollers had fallen out of the track. I cleaned and replaced it into the track and good as new!!


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## Nick Horvath (Feb 26, 2010)

BethDee said:


> I have a Expert 24 and use Great Cut. A few days ago I plotted on regular vinyl and my plotter worked fine. I am trying to plot on hear transfer and for some reason it keeps shifting during the plotting process and cutting stuff off. I've adjusted where I'm putting my vinyl to see if that helped, I tried moving to a more open area, and nothing I've tried has worked. I am new to the whole plotting thing and am completely lost. Please help!


Is this a newer cutter?

It could be as simple as not lining your material up properly. Make sure you line the vinyl up with the lines on the whiet strips located in the front.

Also, if using a roll leave some slack between the roll and the cutter so that the cutter is not unwinding the roll for you. This can cause the material to feed in crooked. 

Too much downforce will cause this as well. Always dial in the force needed using test cuts so that you are not using too much force.


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## idonaldson (Sep 29, 2008)

I agree with what Nick is saying - In the beginning when I had jerking it was from the blading going deep into the carrier and trying to move. The force of moving is pulling it through the carrier until it jerks out and eventually off the rollers. Do a test cut prior to each material unless you know the thinkness and setting. 
Even then periodically you have to adjust for blade dulling. Also ensure your tip is not broken or chipped.


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## Tinkler (Feb 6, 2012)

Re: cleaning machine.
I've got the same problem on my Silhouette Cameo . I'm using a mat, blade depth of 1, on a vinyl sheet. It starts off Ok but then just starts feeding in at an angle, messing up the bottom part of the sheet.
I recently bought it second hand. Previous owner had it for about one year. It seems in good condition.

I've done a test cut and it seems ok. (makes a small shape).
How would I clean this machine?


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## idonaldson (Sep 29, 2008)

You can clean with alchol. More importantly check your pinch rollers. If you have a flat spot it will feed incorrectly and you will get erratic cuts. If this is the case and you cannot change the rollers - then you will have to keep your cuts small until you can. Also ensure that your media is lined up correctly or the above can happen. Healthy pinch rollers and correct alignment are key success to cutting vinyl.


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## Tinkler (Feb 6, 2012)

idonaldson said:


> You can clean with alchol.


What part of the machine do i clean with alcohol?


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## idonaldson (Sep 29, 2008)

You need to ensure that the whoe machine is clean and there is not stray pieces of vinyl on the carrier, in the blade holder, on the pinch rollers. all of those can cause jerking. As to the pinch roller ensure they are completely round and have no flat spot caused from leaving pressure on it all of the time. media needs to feed in evenly and if any obstruction throw it off - you will lose your alignment.


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## Tinkler (Feb 6, 2012)

cheers mate.


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## BethDee (Jan 31, 2012)

Thank you to all of you. I cleaned it and took the rollers off and examined them. One of my pinch rollers had cracked in half so I call and got a replacement.


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