# Which Vinyl Cutter to buy?



## mkeg (Oct 2, 2012)

Hello all,

I have started my tshirt business at a small budget late last year and it has been successful but after experiencing a few problems with injet transfers, i am now ready to move up to Vinyl transfers as they last for longer. I am in the middle of buying a VINYL CUTTER/ PLOTTER but i really dont know which one is best. Been looking on ebay and amazon but all im seeing is the following 

1- USCUTTER LASERPOINT 28"
2- MH721 VINYL CUTTER / PLOTTER CUTTER OPTICAL EYE
3- LIYU SC631E VINYL CUTTER / PLOTTER CUTTER OPTICAL EYE
4- LIYU TC631 VINYL CUTTER / PLOTTER CUTTER OPTICAL EYE
5- 260 REDSAIL RS720C

Does anyone know any of this VINYL CUTTER / PLOTTER CUTTERS??
Can you recommend any?
Please help and many thanks in advance.


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## Corel Whisperer (Sep 1, 2010)

I would recommend doing a search on this forum for each one of the cutters you have listed and read the posts about them. This will give you a good idea of some of the issues pro and con for each one. I will tell you, there are only a few for the Red Sail cutter and they were looking for support. 
Support for the cutter will be just as important as the cutter itself. If it doesn’t work and you can’t get support it has little value. In the end you get what you pay for.


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## RNBCUSTOMS (May 19, 2013)

I am using the Laserpoint but if you can afford one with an optical eye buy that instead. Also stay away from that 28" laserpoint as its old. Laserpoint 2 comes in 25, 31.5 and 50"


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## mkeg (Oct 2, 2012)

Many thanks guys i will search in here for these cutters and i will learn more about them. RNB CUSTOMS i take it optical eye is better then or is it just newer?


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## Corel Whisperer (Sep 1, 2010)

mkeg said:


> Many thanks guys i will search in here for these cutters and i will learn more about them. RNB CUSTOMS i take it optical eye is better then or is it just newer?


A cutter with an optical eye gives you the ability to cut around a printed design. This option was added to cutters a few years back. Match one of these cutters with a printer and transfer paper lets you print the design on the printer and then trim around the design using the cutter. Granted there are steps you must do the graphics program to make this happen. Getting a cutter with an optical eye just gives you that advantage over one without it.


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## mkeg (Oct 2, 2012)

i will most certainly be looking for an optical eye cutter, i have the epson wf7015 which prints out pigment inkjet transfers for me on JPSS paper but i really wanna be moving over to the vinyl side of things as durability is much better, but could a cutter still cut around the JPSS paper?


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## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

mkeg said:


> i will most certainly be looking for an optical eye cutter, i have the epson wf7015 which prints out pigment inkjet transfers for me on JPSS paper but i really wanna be moving over to the vinyl side of things as durability is much better, but could a cutter still cut around the JPSS paper?


O yes. With an optical eye it is a piece of cake. If you don't need wide vinyl cutting capabilities, the Silhouette Cameo may be something for you to look into. Bout $270 bucks, cuts up to about 12" wide and 10' feet long I think. I use it every day for vinyl and transfer contour cutting. I also cut standard vinyl up to 12" wide. Window, wall and where ever decals is a great addition to my mostly apparel shop. Budget is no concern Roland and Graphtech are the most popular. If budget is concerned, GCC Expert LX is 24" (approx) and has an optical eye. Around 700.00

Good luck.


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## mkeg (Oct 2, 2012)

I have seen the Silhouette Cameo and kept my eye on it for a cpl months now, i think its great and yes it will work for me and on what im doing now but im thinking that i will need something for the near future to expand my services for my business so thats why i have been holding back on buying the cameo. 12" does not really cover the whole tshirt if i wanted to do a large print on a tshirt does it? but what i could do is do 2 different prints and press them one after the other, do you think that will work??


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## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

mkeg said:


> I have seen the Silhouette Cameo and kept my eye on it for a cpl months now, i think its great and yes it will work for me and on what im doing now but im thinking that i will need something for the near future to expand my services for my business so thats why i have been holding back on buying the cameo. 12" does not really cover the whole tshirt if i wanted to do a large print on a tshirt does it? but what i could do is do 2 different prints and press them one after the other, do you think that will work??


Yes since the cameo also has a 24" mat avail to cut with, you could cut long ways 24" x 12" (approx) Making 2 wide cuts and press them together for a NEARLY all over print (APPROX 24X24).


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## mkeg (Oct 2, 2012)

calhtech said:


> Yes since the cameo also has a 24" mat avail to cut with, you could cut long ways 24" x 12" (approx) Making 2 wide cuts and press them together for a NEARLY all over print (APPROX 24X24).



Oh really? i have only seen the 12x12 mat. i did not know there was a 24x12 but ill keep researching. many thanks


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## Olperez1 (Feb 24, 2013)

I recommend Versacamm which prints and cuts at the same time (made by Roland), a little pricier but you can make the money back in no time if you already have a client base.


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## valleyboy_1 (Jan 23, 2010)

A versacamm is way too much money, how did we go from a silhouette cameo to a Versacamm? Anyhow I'm kidding lol. Roland gx 24, graphtec ce-6000, and Summa D75, are the cream of the crop when it comes to vinyl cutters for t shirts. I plan to buy a wide format printer from epson ( epson surecolor T3000 to be exact) to print on 24" rolls of JPSS transfer paper. I'm leaning towards the Summa because its a 30", and can cut 24" material with no problem. Graphtec would be my second choice. Roland and Graphtec are about $1700, the Graphtec includes the stand, and the Summa is about $2,500. Planning for the future with cutters, these should be the cutters you are looking out. Cheaper alternatives with good reviews includes GCC line of cutters.


Blood, Sweat, and Vinyl Cutters!


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## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

mkeg said:


> Oh really? i have only seen the 12x12 mat. i did not know there was a 24x12 but ill keep researching. many thanks


Check out these 2 links. One is for just the 24" mat, the other is for a bundle that includes the cutter, 2 mats an upgrade to designer pro (which I highly recommend), misc other stuff well worth the extra bucks. ALSO Free Shipping!

Silhouette Cameo 12" x 24" Cutting Mat

Silhouette Cameo Ultimate Bundle


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## mkeg (Oct 2, 2012)

Thank you guys for the information. im going to stick with the cameo for now although the gcc its at a very good price but right now i will get the best out of cameo, maybe later i can get the bigger machines. I had a look at the bundle price and thats a really good offer. I was going to get the Cameo tomorrow morning for just $299 which is the same price as this bundle.


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## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

mkeg said:


> Thank you guys for the information. im going to stick with the cameo for now although the gcc its at a very good price but right now i will get the best out of cameo, maybe later i can get the bigger machines. I had a look at the bundle price and thats a really good offer. I was going to get the Cameo tomorrow morning for just $299 which is the same price as this bundle.


Glad to help. This is where I bought mine a year or so ago. Good luck


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## mkeg (Oct 2, 2012)

Can i just just ask because I am new to vinyl transfers.
1- apart from the cameo, blade, Matt, vinyl, tape and 
software which comes with the cameo what else would
I need? 

2- at the moment I'm doing a lot of heat transfers with JPSS 
Paper. Doing it on white clothing it's easy but a little bit 
Trickier with darks as you have to remove backing paper and 
If its bit correctly aligned when placing on garment then it's
To re adjust if you take too long as the transfer paper gets very 
Delicate and starts sticking. My question is, with the cameo could 
I do anything to Imorove this? Sticking transfer paper on the tape
Then pressing it with a Teflon sheet on top of tape, will this work?


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## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

mkeg said:


> Can i just just ask because I am new to vinyl transfers.
> 1- apart from the cameo, blade, Matt, vinyl, tape and
> software which comes with the cameo what else would
> I need?
> ...


Make sure you have a rotary cutter, the work great cutting vinyl and transfer paper. As fo the dark transfers I use a clear heat transfer mask, which I purchased here: 

http://www.imprintables.com/product/eco-mask,314,68.htm

After you print and weed your opaque transfer paper, you cut off a piece of this mask the dimensions of your weeded transfer. Peel the back off and press the mask over the transfer paper. Use a small squeege to tack the transfer to the mask. Peel the mask away carefully (making sure your transfer stays in tack), then press the mask/transfer paper. Afterwards, peel away the mask, leaving your finished transfer. This works like a charm, esp if you have small or individual pieces in your transfer. This makes them all stay together and easier to accurately place on your garment. Hope this helps.


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## mkeg (Oct 2, 2012)

HI CALHTECH sorry if i sound a bit silly with this questions but like i said im new to this side of transfers.
Below its the paragraph you posted in reply to one of my questions but i got a bit lost and i want to make sure i do it right. could you please read and where i left the gap, there is also a question, can you please answer it as this information seems to be very good.

thanks in advance

After you print and weed your opaque transfer paper, you cut off a piece of this mask the dimensions of your weeded transfer. Peel the back off (PEEL THE BACK OF MASK OR TRANSFER PAPER???)

and press the mask over the transfer paper. (IS THIS FROM THE FRONT OF THE IMAGE??)

Use a small squeege to tack the transfer to the mask. Peel the mask away carefully (making sure your transfer stays in tack), then press the mask/transfer paper. Afterwards, peel away the mask, leaving your finished transfer. This works like a charm, esp if you have small or individual pieces in your transfer. This makes them all stay together and easier to accurately place on your garment. Hope this helps.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

valleyboy_1 said:


> Roland gx 24, graphtec ce-6000, and Summa D75, are the cream of the crop when it comes to vinyl cutters for t shirts.


I would not put a Roland GX 24 and Graphtec CE-6000 in the same league as a Summa D75.....Both the Graphtec & Roland you mentioned are their low end offerings and not as good as their FC and GX Pro models.....

Now having said that, for t-shirts there is no doubt they will do the trick.....But for a lot less money I would go with an "underdog" and get a GCC Expert Pro....But if you want contour cut, the Expert Pro does not do it....Unless you want to do it manually.....


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## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

After you print and weed your opaque transfer paper, you cut off a piece of this mask the dimensions of your weeded transfer. Peel the back off (PEEL THE BACK OF MASK OR TRANSFER PAPER???)

and press the mask over the transfer paper. (IS THIS FROM THE FRONT OF THE IMAGE??)

When you print opaque transfer paper, you always print READ RIGHT. This MASK has a paper backing and sticky clear carrier. You peel away the paper backing and place the sticky clear carrier on top of your CUT and WEEDED transfer paper. Squeege it down firmly then peel the clear carrier along with the desired transfer. Place this on top of your garment and heat press at your Transfer Papers time and temp requirements. Peel away the clear carrier, and toss in the garbage. That is it. Good luck


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## mkeg (Oct 2, 2012)

many thanks thats very helpful


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## valleyboy_1 (Jan 23, 2010)

And the Summa d75 is the low end of the Summa cutters so I think it compares to the Roland low end and graphtec low end pretty well


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

Yes I guess even Summa has started making lower end cutters....The nice thing about the D75 is it is a 30" cutter.....But even still you could buy 2 1/2 Expert Pros for 1 Summa D75.......


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## valleyboy_1 (Jan 23, 2010)

Yeah but you cannot contour cut with the expert pro


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

valleyboy_1 said:


> Yeah but you cannot contour cut with the expert pro


Sure you can......Just have to do it manually.....But if you need to do it on a regular basis, best to get a cutter that automates the process...


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## valleyboy_1 (Jan 23, 2010)

They need to make a cutter where you can add the optic eye when you need it


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