# Need Advice on a Vinyl Cutter Purchase



## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

Hey Guys,

I'm completely new to vinyl cutting and was wondering if anyone can offer me some advice:

I'm on a bit of a tight budget, but what I need to be able to cut is something like 3M 1080 Vinyl (matte finishes, glossy finishes, brushed finishes, etc.). I'm not doing this for t-shirts or anything like that.. my main concerns are that it will cut the vinyl accurately, and that it's relatively user friendly for a begginer.

From what I've researched on this forum, it seems like I'd be ok even going with some thing like a MH-Series US Cutter, but I'm not sure..

Or am I better off buying something slightly more expensive like the GCC Expert?

I also came across someone on this forum selling a used Cut3000 (gcc bengal), anyone have any experice with that machine?

Any feedback/comments/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

I have a Cut 3000 which was free from Imprintables if you purchased a certain about of materials from them.....I like it a lot.....That said, buying used you will not get any support from GCC and their cutters can cause a lot of "grief" when you are trying to set them up.....Some folks have been able to work their way through and others have given up hope......So there is some risk....


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## BrianHahn (Dec 29, 2013)

A GCC Expert or Saga unit perhaps would suit your needs.

The 3M 1080 material comes in wide width for wrapping. Do you need a 60" cutter?


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

royster13 said:


> I have a Cut 3000 which was free from Imprintables if you purchased a certain about of materials from them.....I like it a lot.....That said, buying used you will not get any support from GCC and their cutters can cause a lot of "grief" when you are trying to set them up.....Some folks have been able to work their way through and others have given up hope......So there is some risk....


Interesting... Thanks for insight.

Would I be able to find a manual or a video that may help me setup the cutter?

How about parts? are they hard to find for that cutter?

Do you use the software that came with it?


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

BrianHahn said:


> A GCC Expert or Saga unit perhaps would suit your needs.
> 
> The 3M 1080 material comes in wide width for wrapping. Do you need a 60" cutter?


I wont need a 60" cutter... But I do need minimum 24"

I'm not familiar with Saga, which model would you suggest for someone on a tight budget?

Thanks


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## BrianHahn (Dec 29, 2013)

GCC and Saga parts are readily available. Saga comes with a bit longer warranty. 2yr for stepper systems, 3 yr for servo systems.
GCC or Saga can be used with a variety of cutting programs including Flexi, SignCut, VinylMaster, WinPC Sign, etc.
GCC comes with GreatCut and their preferred software is SignPal
Saga comes with plug-ins to cut from Illustrator, Corel Draw,etc. and a 1 year SignCut license but the preferred cutting program is DragonCut. Dragon Cut vinyl cutter software for vinyl sign cutters from Saga :: ideal for sign makers and signwriters for videos.
I think the Saga can be had for slightly less.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

CrownMe said:


> Interesting... Thanks for insight.
> 
> Would I be able to find a manual or a video that may help me setup the cutter?
> 
> ...


Mine set-up quite easy so I never sought out videos....There is a user manual somewhere......I think it has been posted somewhere on this forum....Google site:t-shirtforums.com cut 3000 and it will bring up past threads/posts....Never needed parts so no idea....I use Illustrator Plug-In for Great Cut....Good luck....


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

BrianHahn said:


> GCC and Saga parts are readily available. Saga comes with a bit longer warranty. 2yr for stepper systems, 3 yr for servo systems.
> GCC or Saga can be used with a variety of cutting programs including Flexi, SignCut, VinylMaster, WinPC Sign, etc.
> GCC comes with GreatCut and their preferred software is SignPal
> Saga comes with plug-ins to cut from Illustrator, Corel Draw,etc. and a 1 year SignCut license but the preferred cutting program is DragonCut. Dragon Cut vinyl cutter software for vinyl sign cutters from Saga :: ideal for sign makers and signwriters for videos.
> I think the Saga can be had for slightly less.


Thanks for your help... which manufacturer would you suggest for quality and ease of use, between GCC and Saga?


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## BrianHahn (Dec 29, 2013)

Ease of use, I think Saga as it is plug and play, no drivers, and DragonCut is very neat software.
Quality, I think they are on par. Saga has a longer included warranty.


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

Hey crownme where are you located?


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

plan b said:


> Hey crownme where are you located?


I'm located in Canada


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## vanmaninc (Jun 5, 2012)

in my opinion 

a cutter is something you invest in for the long run. if you can only afford a cheapie then go for the cheapie but be prepared for headaches in the long run. the best bet for going the cheapie route is saving for a decent cutter for the long run. 

we had a chinese cutter at the shop i used to work for, we had it standing there in a corner for almost 2 years unused it came with the cnc machine that was ordered.

at the time 95% of the cutting was print and cut on the roland printer and 5% on a roland camm 610 cutter. to increase production i downloaded software and got the 1220 chinese cutter running, i used the cutter for 14 months and the power supply packed up.

another buddy of mine started his own sign shop and also ended up buying a chinese cutter that also died 12 months later. not saying that is a chinese thing, but its def why they sell "expert" cutters because the parts used in those are higher quality and last longer than in the cheaper versions.

i have a old workhorse that is a NewStar OM-130, and i've had it since 2007 it runs all the time and never once gave issues im even still using the original blade that came with it.


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

vanmaninc said:


> in my opinion
> 
> a cutter is something you invest in for the long run. if you can only afford a cheapie then go for the cheapie but be prepared for headaches in the long run. the best bet for going the cheapie route is saving for a decent cutter for the long run.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your input... I definitely agree.

I just need to get something to get my feet wet. Even it lasts me 8-9months I'd be ok, because it will really give me an idea about the business at which point I can decide whether I want to go for a nice cutter or not.

The thing that I'm most scared of, is buying a cutter that I wont even be able to use/setup right from the start. 

Thanks


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## vanmaninc (Jun 5, 2012)

CrownMe said:


> Thanks for your input... I definitely agree.
> 
> I just need to get something to get my feet wet. Even it lasts me 8-9months I'd be ok, because it will really give me an idea about the business at which point I can decide whether I want to go for a nice cutter or not.
> 
> ...


the easiest and fastest way to setup a cutter is to get one that is listed on a website like i started with Signgo Lite because it was on their list of supported cutters

i then later switched to Signtools4 because my cutter also appeared on there list here

the only difference between the 2 is that signgo i had to export / import / cut 

with signtools i just position my cut file on a landscape page and send "selected" to cutter direct from corel draw 13-15

keep us posted


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## vanmaninc (Jun 5, 2012)

i guess another option is buying a 2nd hand cutter with software CD


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

vanmaninc said:


> the easiest and fastest way to setup a cutter is to get one that is listed on a website like i started with Signgo Lite because it was on their list of supported cutters
> 
> i then later switched to Signtools4 because my cutter also appeared on there list here
> 
> ...


Thanks again.

The USCUtter comes pre-packaged with Sure Cuts Alot Pro.

The Saga Cutters that BrianHahn suggested come with (I believe) One year subscription to sign cut pro.

The GCC Expert is packaged with Great Cut.

I know not all software are created equal. I guess I would have to get feedback from people that have experience with each piece of software.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

Great Cut is cutting software only.......You need to design in Illustrator or Corel Draw and use a plugin to get to the cutter.......Great Cut does everything I need it to do.....


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

Most software that comes with the machines are cutting utilities only, meaning that you send the image to the software and the software in turn sends it to the cutter, or the software bundle is limited in the scope of design. Most if not all people use a design software that they are comfortable with and save the file as a vector file and then import to the supplied cutting software and cut from there, some utilities like greatcut have plug ins available to send direct from applications like Corel Draw or AI.


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

ok, that makes sense, thanks guys.

As far as the equipment is concerned what would you guys recommend going with (~$500 budget)?

1) GCC Expert
2) US Cutter MH Series
3) Saga Cutter (only uses USB, I read that serial connection is more accurate)
4) Vinyl Express R Series
5) Continue searching for a deal on a used cutter
6) Other suggestions?

Thanks


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

Most computers now days do not have serial ports..


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

plan b said:


> Most computers now days do not have serial ports..




Or the ability to add them


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

I run 2 cutters on USB and have no issues....

I have no thoughts on a 500 cutter but for 1,000 I like the Expert Pro.... It is servo versus stepper so it is quieter and more accurate....


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

Very true on the USB/Serial Port issue...

I guess thats what I get for taking 100% of my education on vinyl cutters from really dated forum posts.

Thanks


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## voltron38 (Sep 12, 2014)

Hi guys sorry if OT. i have a question is the graptec ce5000 compatible with my windows 8? or is it xompatible only up to windows 7? thanks


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

I have no idea...But I am thinking if you called the vendor they would be able answer quick and correctly....Graphtec *Phone: +1 (800) 854-8385*


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## voltron38 (Sep 12, 2014)

thanks. well they said it wont work 100% but based on some of my research some says it can work with windows8 even up to 10. 

i think the main concern there is the built-in software in the cutter that will not work synchronously with my windows 8?


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## parkst23 (Sep 4, 2008)

I have owned Roland and Graphtec. If I had to buy as new one right now. I would go with the Graphtec. I love it and it runs great. Don't get me wrong the Roland printer was good but the options that the Graphtec had surpassed the Roland.


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## djque (Feb 5, 2013)

should work with 8 but you have to findout if the software is. I have that cutter but i only use mac. I do know there is suppose to been a update for 8 plugin for coral 2 days ago.


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

Thank you guys for your input and advice so far...

I'm just researching Servos vs Stepper motors.

Anybody have experience cutting small letters with a Stepper? How small can I go without things getting choppy and pixelated?

I will need to cut letters ~1cm quite often. Would a stepper work, on low speeds?

Thanks


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## jasondo (May 31, 2014)

Hey CrownMe,

I purchased a GCC Expert 24 LX (stepper motor) a few weeks ago and it is absolutely awesome. I've been experimenting with how small of details I can get with it and cuts super tiny details; details so small and accurate I can hardly pick them out with the tweezers! 

I'd say the smallest details it will accurately cut are about the size of a fine ball point pen. I have a picture of a t shirt I just made with with the neutron transport equation on it, but I don't know how to post it lol. I purchased the cutter from imprintables as their starter package as it comes with vinyl to start with for about $677 with shipping..


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## voltron38 (Sep 12, 2014)

hi parkst23,

question: do all graphtec ce5000-60 comes with stand? or it depends on the supplier?


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

jasondo said:


> Hey CrownMe,
> 
> I purchased a GCC Expert 24 LX (stepper motor) a few weeks ago and it is absolutely awesome. I've been experimenting with how small of details I can get with it and cuts super tiny details; details so small and accurate I can hardly pick them out with the tweezers!
> 
> I'd say the smallest details it will accurately cut are about the size of a fine ball point pen. I have a picture of a t shirt I just made with with the neutron transport equation on it, but I don't know how to post it lol. I purchased the cutter from imprintables as their starter package as it comes with vinyl to start with for about $677 with shipping..


That's interesting, thanks.

I came across an article that stated Steppers can not handle letters less than 1/2"

That's why I was wondering, because the letters I'm going to have to be cutting are ~0.4".


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

CrownMe said:


> That's interesting, thanks.
> 
> I came across an article that stated Steppers can not handle letters less than 1/2"
> 
> That's why I was wondering, because the letters I'm going to have to be cutting are ~0.4".


I have both a Cut 3000 (servo) and Expert 24 (stepper)......I generally find the Cut 3000 to be far more accurate (and quieter).....As far as actually cutting small text, I avoid it mostly......Takes far too much time and effort versus what you get paid....Fine to do some for a "hobby" project but as far as selling them I do not do it any more...


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

royster13 said:


> I have both a Cut 3000 (servo) and Expert 24 (stepper)......I generally find the Cut 3000 to be far more accurate (and quieter).....As far as actually cutting small text, I avoid it mostly......Takes far too much time and effort versus what you get paid....Fine to do some for a "hobby" project but as far as selling them I do not do it any more...


Thanks.

For me, I probably wont be doing jobs for any third parties. The small cuts however, are very important to me for in-house usage.

I think I might just have to save a few more bucks and go for a servo.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

Someone in the classified's is selling a Cut-3000 for 350.00...


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

The cut 3000 is a GCC Bengal and they are discontinued by GCC


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

royster13 said:


> Someone in the classified's is selling a Cut-3000 for 350.00...


I PM'd the seller same time I started this thread. He said someone else was in line and he would let me know if the deal doesn't go through. Also, I got a bit scared reading about setup issues with machine, considering I have 0 experience with vinyl cutters, and the machine would probably not be under GCC support anymore.

BrianHahn offered me some really aggressive pricing on brand new Saga cutters, they come with a 3 year parts and labor warranty, and unlimited phone and technical support.. I'm really leaning in that direction at the moment.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

I do like Sagas, however, I find having to pay 300.00 extra for software a stretch....If not for that is a serious contender in my mind....


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

royster13 said:


> I do like Sagas, however, I find having to pay 300.00 extra for software a stretch....If not for that is a serious contender in my mind....


... Well, he is offering the software as well, for a lot less than the $300 MSRP.

I don't want to disclose the numbers, but if anyone is interested in Saga Cutters (and/or software), I would definitely suggest contacting BrianHahn before purchasing. He's already gone above an beyond in terms of pre-sale customer service.


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

Why, not buy a used Roland Printer that contour cuts as well. Much smarter investment.


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## makingmagick (Jan 10, 2008)

royster13 said:


> I do like Sagas, however, I find having to pay 300.00 extra for software a stretch....If not for that is a serious contender in my mind....


The UScutter "Titan" series are Sagas cutters (re branded) and come with SCAL pro software. run directly off of usb.


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## BrianHahn (Dec 29, 2013)

DragonCut is much better software and was specifically designed to work with the Saga units. Connectivity is plug and play. If you would like a copy of DragonCut for your Saga unit PM me.

DragonCut and a bunch of other stuff can be had for less, you just need to know where to go to get it.


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## makingmagick (Jan 10, 2008)

BrianHahn said:


> DragonCut is much better software and was specifically designed to work with the Saga units. Connectivity is plug and play. If you would like a copy of DragonCut for your Saga unit PM me.
> 
> DragonCut and a bunch of other stuff can be had for less, you just need to know where to go to get it.


Yes it is! I really like DragonCut! the image vector tool is better than anything I have seen! Just got it from you and I highly recommend you check with him first! GREAT PRICES and a pleasure to work with!!!
Thanks!


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

Hey guys, 

Thank you all for your input.

Just an update, I ended up buying a 48" Servo cutter from Signsupplyclub.com . I got it packaged with DragonCut at an amazing price. 

If anyone's in the market for a Saga I'd definitely recommend checking them out. Great prices and great customer service.

Can't say anything about the cutter yet as I still haven't received it.

Thanks


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

Make sure you let us all know about your new cutter when you get it


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## CrownMe (Aug 29, 2009)

plan b said:


> Make sure you let us all know about your new cutter when you get it


will do... once I receive and use it for a couple of weeks.


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