# Plotter for Car Wrap



## hypereport (Mar 20, 2018)

Hello, im small landscaping business and I want to get a cutter to do three trucks. I dont plan on using the plotter for customers. Just me.... 

I wont wrap the whole truck but big enough portions that the smaller width plotters will be a pita. I will need it to track at least 4ft. 

I will probably use it for shirts and stickers. Thats not as important. I do have a screen press set up but failed with emulsion. Hired a local company to make a screen and then used that.

Im familiar with computers, web design and software so I think this will be a better option. Budget is $500


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## dcbevins (Jul 31, 2011)

When I think "Wrap," I think of a full color print/cut machine and not a plotter.

All you can do with a plotter as far as wraps go is cut one color film like matte black or carbon black or such. Many people don't use a plotter for this, and hand cut or use knifless tape.

If you just want to add lettering and simple graphics, then yes a plotter is fine. But wraps cover the whole vehicle. Lettering and simple graphics from a plotter are just large decals, and don't encompass the whole vehicle.

A midrange plotter in the 30" inch range might be in the $700 range. A top of the line model might be in the $4000 range. A UsCutter MH 28" would be around $300. Obviously there is much variance here. A 30" print cut machine would be in the $12,000 range, with larger ones being more, but larger ones being easier for wraps.

Doing decals with a plotter with no experience is going to be hard, but not impossible. Doing full wraps with no experience is going to be near impossible, with the likely outcome of bubbles and flaws in the wrap that will fail over time, allowing weather to get underneath. One problem with plotter or print/cut machine is you have to know some vector graphics. The BIG problem with wraps is getting it on the vehicle, well and not poorly. The printing part is the easy part. Decals are easier to install onto the vehicle, but expect some trials.

http://www.uscutter.com/Vinyl-Cutters


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## MadeDesigns (Feb 19, 2013)

hypereport;4325282....[/QUOTE said:


> The clipper 24 from Imprintables warehouse. $270 on their site or ebay site
> 
> Enough said.
> 
> ...


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## hypereport (Mar 20, 2018)

Thanks for that tip. I wouldnt think of something like that. So whats it lack of ground?

Ill look at the clipper.. Does this contour cut? Guy on youtube was cutting printed decals with it. I cant tell if he manually set it or what. Which brings me into the next question.

Not familiar with GreatCut but with Illustrator I know how to layer. Shouldnt that work for making multi color graphics. Just cutting one color at a time and then piecing it together?

Yeah wraps was wrong word. Just a bunch of various decals to make a complete looking design. I can stick to 24" width since bigger will just be harder to install. I did install a single color 24x48 decal on doors. I can see how a whole hood would be hard.


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## hypereport (Mar 20, 2018)

What brand/type of material should I use for the truck?


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## dcbevins (Jul 31, 2011)

hypereport said:


> Thanks for that tip. I wouldnt think of something like that. So whats it lack of ground?
> 
> Ill look at the clipper.. Does this contour cut? Guy on youtube was cutting printed decals with it. I cant tell if he manually set it or what. Which brings me into the next question.
> 
> ...


I don't know if that model he suggested can contour cut. You will have to research. You are not going to make printed decals and cut them with your cutter for outdoor use unless you have a solvent, eco-solvent or latex printer. Nothing else will likely stand the weather. Maybe you could come up with another method and laminate or frog juice it, but I would be suspicious. Many use contour cutting for printed heat transfer.

Lack of ground is lack of an electrical ground. Vinyl moving around can generate lots of static electricity. If it has no good path back to ground, (mother earth,) then it can interfere with the plotter, or even damage it.

If you can do Illustrator your in good shape. You don't have to layer, as in vector graphics objects can be in front of or behind other objects on the same layer, but it can be a good organizational tool.

Oracal by Orafol is a reliable brand. Orcal 651 being their cheap stuff, 751 the good stuff and 951 the best. 3M makes quailty stuff as well. There are others. I avoid the GreenStar, (would't easily weed.)


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## BrianHahn (Dec 29, 2013)

Just a comment on the static issue.
All cutters have to deal with static. Most surfaces on the cutters are painted or anodized with insulative coatings which allows the charge to build up and not dissipate. Eventually the charge dissipates through the USB connection and disrupts communication with the cutter. In Arizona, we are especially prone to this problem as our humidity is regularly very dry.
We have done a ton of testing on various solutions. The one that works the best is the anti-static string provided it is installed properly. We secure it to a fastener that taps into the metal of the cutter. This works very well. Other solutions I have seen from other providers just place the string over the vinyl and then use a magnet to connect it to a painted surface which doesn't help at all. If you have a DMM or resistance measuring device if you check the resistance between the static string and the ground plug on the cutter and you get a very low resistance then you have it connected properly.

In our testing, just rolling vinyl back and forth on the cutter you can hear the cutter disconnect / reconnect to the computer. As soon as we add the conductive string on top of the vinyl the cutter does not lose connection with the computer. It is a very robust solution provided it is implemented properly. There is more on our blog site about this.


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## hypereport (Mar 20, 2018)

Are you guys familiar with US CUTTER 34" SC2?
Ebay has a 15% off coupon today. Trying to choose between that and the clipper.


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## dcbevins (Jul 31, 2011)

hypereport said:


> Are you guys familiar with US CUTTER 34" SC2?
> Ebay has a 15% off coupon today. Trying to choose between that and the clipper.


Not familiar. Ask over on All Activity - USCutter Forum. It's a cheap cutter. Not sure how that plays out.


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## mfatty500 (Jan 18, 2010)

Sounds like your cheap, cut a few more lawns and spread a little more mulch, and hire some one to make "stickers" & then hire a shop (or the same guy that makes"stickers") to make your T-shirts.


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## pippin decals (Aug 26, 2015)

hypereport said:


> Are you guys familiar with US CUTTER 34" SC2?
> Ebay has a 15% off coupon today. Trying to choose between that and the clipper.



Ive been seeing hit and miss with those new cutters, Some people have been having issues and some havent. For me i bought a titan 2 28" servo cutter and im glad i did.Its on the same cutting field as a graphtec starting cutter. Here is a link to check some out. http://www.uscutter.com/index/page/static/subpage/buying_guides_new 

Mine is on the shop level. It has never failed me once.And i have had it for 2 years and i just finally changed my blade for the first time after doing over a thousands of cuts.If you have any question send me a pm.i will help you out with all the questions . You do not want a VALUE CUTTER. They are not the best choice trust me . 50% chance if they cut clean or you get a static issue and burn a board up etc
And no i do not work for them.,I run my own business doing non-printed decals and shirts .I have done 4x8 signs etc .

I just did a lot of research etc before i bought one .And i will continue to buy the same cutter for as long as i can.But titan 2 and 3 are very good cutters.But depending on the size you need will be up to you .


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## hypereport (Mar 20, 2018)

Heres what I came up.

Wish I couldve found more info on the clipper. I havent read anything bad about it besides set up problems and lack of support.

The USCutter MH line is horrible and support is questionable. The SC2 seems to be a better cutter but the manual contour is suspect. Titan2 looks like when they got it right. 

Cameo 3 besides being a entry level and having less cutting force. Seems to be a surprisingly good machine. I seen several videos where people had this in their shop for 10 years. A lot of them preferred it for decals. It has obvious limits.

I decided on a Expert II LX 24. GCC cutters seemed to be higher quality and best value for what I need. I had 20% off and 15% cashback on ebay($412 shipped). 

Remember mfatty500 I'm cheap. I was going to just do my graphics in house. Now I have to recover my $412. Going to teach my kids how to do this. If there interested, Ill make them a website and build them a business. Way easier then what I do.


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## dcbevins (Jul 31, 2011)

hypereport said:


> Heres what I came up.


Come back in a few months and say how it went. I'd like to get a new cutter, but the one I have ins't dead yet and I didn't want to take it out back and shot it.


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