# The Vinyl Cutter Mac Compatible Conundrum



## AQHA1041 (May 24, 2017)

Hi All.

I'm looking to step up from my Silhouette Portrait to a larger vinyl cutting plotter. However, as you may already know these things are not compatible for the most part with Mac which baffles me given Mac is a graphic designer's standard. That's a whole other discussion...so I have questions.

*QUESTION ONE*
I've been researching and have come across EASY CUT STUDIO which is software that is Mac compatible and works on an array of vinyl cutting plotters. Have any of you used this software and with what cutters?

*QUESTION TWO*
I have been reading review after review on these cutters and I just want to bang my head against a wall. First I do not have the funds to get a Graphtech or Roland. I'm on the low budget side of things like a US Cutter MH or Vinyl Express R, etc. Wanting a 28" or higher cut for bigger projects I don't intend on going beyond roughly a 4' wide space with my cutter. 

The negative reviews are scaring the bah-geebers out of me combined with not being compatible with a MAC and having to purchase separate software. Finding reviews on some of these machines is near impossible outside of US Cutter brand. What is your take? Then I read that if the software is MAC compatible that is it no good.

At first I was leaning towards the US Cutter Titan but that's at the peak of my budget. But the MH'ers have horrible memory for complex cutting. By the way, what is considered complex cutting? Intricate designs like a mosaic? I like what I've read in the description of the Vinyl Express R31 cutter. I've also liked the Vinyl Systems Specialist 52" as well. Does anyone have any experience with these?

I don't intend to be using the machine 8 hours a day. It will be for special projects and orders. There is possibility to do my current work on it as well it will just allow me to do more cutting in one shot and hopefully use less material.

Any positive guided input is appreciated. Like I alluded to I'm confused, I can't figure out what is right and wrong, I don't want to invest a chunk of money and it all go to heck in a hand basket.

I look forward to your comments!

TIA


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## BrianHahn (Dec 29, 2013)

Saga vinyl cutters are Mac compatible using SignCut Pro.
SignCut | Professional Signmaking Software to see the system in action.
Not good for running the ARMS system but good for everything else.


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## dcbevins (Jul 31, 2011)

Designers do gravitate towards macs, but vinyl cutting is more manufacturing. The machines were in use way before the mac, back in the 486, and maybe 386 days. This I suppose is one reason its more common to see them on pc's and its essentially the same serial/com port technology.

I don't use a mac, but do use SignCut pro as Brian suggested. It has a Mac version. It cuts. It has few design options however, and you would need Illustrator, Inkscape, Affinity Designer or some vector design program to supplement it. It does all the cutting well however. It can separate colors and has easy options to add weeding lines.


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## AQHA1041 (May 24, 2017)

@dcbevins - I'm thrilled to see you are aware of Affinity Designer as that is what I use. I will cut out the software that you and Brian mentioned.


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