Plotter

[TonyM]

Hi all,
May I have your opinions on this please?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310384182381&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123
It is fairly local to me so i could pick up. (about 20miles each way)
I have contacted the seller and she tells me she has about 9/10 metres of vinyl to add and has a years subscription to signcut pro. But if she has already downloaded and activated then that may have ran out?
She has confirmed it is a Liya ( Chinese?)
Is this the same machine also local to me http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PERFECT-PROFESSIONAL-VINYL-CUTTER-CUTTING-PLOTTER-710MM-SC631-/190648184995?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2c638470a3 for a lot less new? I could pick that up also (5 miles)
Is the software and the vinyl worth the petrol money/time and extra cash?
Thanks for reading.

[mrs maggot]

£250 for a 2nd hand chinese cutter !!!! i would want all of the vinyl and all of the t shirts with it that she has

[TonyM]

Not good then, Mrs Maggot?

[Paul]

liyu are pretty popular. before you buy make sure there is some back up if no luck with installing them. make sure there is some cutting software that will work with liyu cutters.

[TonyM]

The seller has been in touch after i gave them a link to the wholesalers for the same machine at £185. She pointed out that the one She has includes the optical eye. What is that exactly? She has offered me the plotter for the same as the basic (non optical) price and to include 9m of vinyl and a few t-shirts (not said how many) to practice on. So I can buy new with a guarentee, OR nearly new with the optical eye and a few extras for the same price. Does that sound ok?
Seems ok to me now, but value and respect informed opinions.

[Justin]

Mine is a cheap Chinese cutter, similar price. The optical eye on mine was useless and actually stopped working, I've not seen a proper 'optical' eye yet on a cheap cutter that works. Hopefully someone will tell me different but in my own experience you really do get what you pay for with cutters....come back my Roland :-(

[Paul]

optical eye does not exist in chinese cutters :) this is nothing more then simple laser pointer that help you align your blade when you contour cut. its not accurate any way :)

only real "optical eye" is fitted in graphtecs and i believe Roland. its optical sensor that WILL recognize registration marks.

so if you see biger price for optical eye dont let them to foul you :)

[TonyM]

Hmmm interesting. Thanks for that

[mrs maggot]

9m of vinyl at £4/£4.50 per metre "few t shirts" £1.20ish each

as others have said make sure it comes with everything you need - and the optical eye is not what you find on the more expensive machines, it will not enable you to cut around images accurately

[TonyM]

Thanks all for the input.
I have decided to have a punt and take her up on the offer.
I know I can get the same machine at the same cost new, but after weighing up the pro and cons I may as well get the extras.
I can collect it saturday cash on collection so I will let you all know if i made a good/bad decision.
All I need to kow now is how to use it to actually produce some shirts.
Are there any good plotting for idiots guides/DVDS I couls buy?

[TonyM]

Hope my plotting is better than my spelling above.
Ooops!
Fat finger syndrome methinks!

[Complete Mug]

Thanks all for the input.
I have decided to have a punt and take her up on the offer.
I know I can get the same machine at the same cost new, but after weighing up the pro and cons I may as well get the extras.
I can collect it saturday cash on collection so I will let you all know if i made a good/bad decision.
All I need to kow now is how to use it to actually produce some shirts.
Are there any good plotting for idiots guides/DVDS I couls buy?

Hi Tony there is a mountain of tutorials on youtube you can watch...its quite easy to pick up once you know the basics:wink:

[RogerC]

Just a word of caution you might be stuffed if she has already registered the SignCut software.....

[mrs maggot]

my advice - take your pc . laptop over with you, get it loaded on and working over there, before you leave :)

[TonyM]

I have been in touch with the seller and now I have all the details, I dont feel able to continue.
The software is a link. I cannot collect weekends so that is an 80 mile round trip after work(rush hour)
Along M42 NEC area and very very busy motorway network.
Plus I can buy the same machine down the road at the same price (I dont get the extras though, T/shirts vinyl flex etc)
I dont know what to do?
I would like to expand from my sub work to plotting but am unsure of how to.
I really have no idea and people I ask say I learned it all on you tube!
I need an idiots guide.

Signed : An Idiot!

[RogerC]

'Plotting' is IMO not 'cheap' relatively speaking to get into. The best small plotter (again in my opinion) is the Graphtec CE5000-60 which can be bought new for around £1200-£1300. You could go 'Chinese' and strike lucky but that would be the exception rather than the 'norm'.

There is a wealth of information on the internet...youtube being one of them so really it is a matter of spending time looking and reading...unless you are prepared to just jump in and experiment.

Regarding equipment and software the saying 'buy cheap...buy twice' certainly applies here. IMO it is only worth buying the machinery and software you need for this venture from somewhere where the back up and after sales service is good and reliable because believe me at some point you will need it.

Good luck.

[Paul]

Tony! Leave it! few meters of vinyl aint wort it if plotter wont work or you wont get software to work with it. I say buy new one! so at least if anything goes wrong you could send it back or claim from paypal.

[TonyM]

Thank you Roger.

It really does seem to me, to be a bit of a "closed shop"
Whenever I ask how do i learn, it is, Check out You tube.
Are there no professional help files DVDs to purchase?

Over a grand to start and with no idea how to continue seems a massive leap of faith does it not?

When i started my framing and mat cutting work i was able to do a course.
It wasnt cheap, but after it i knew how to use my Morso Guillotine and Underpinner.

Are there couses to learn plotting and design?
I think there is an opportunity here for someone?

Tony

[Paul]

I dont think there is such dvds on the market as using is very simple. Is the software you need to learn. so I would suggest FlexiStarter as is very simple but still powerful to do all jobs.

[John G]

Chinese plotters are OK - its a bit of a myth that they are rubbish - yes some may be better than others, but its like comparing a mini to a ferrari, they'll both get you there in the end.

The biggest problem with the Chinese plotters is when setting them up - there is little, or no back up, and the people you are buying from have no experience in setting them up from scratch. If you look at all the problems listed on the internet its from people with no experience that are trying to set a plotter up without clear instructions. Once set up, there's little to go wrong. :wink:

[logobear]

Plotters are not rocket science, but the software to control them is important. How much software experience do you have?
I control my Roland with Corel draw and my graphTec with magic cut software. While I love Corel vector graphics but don't like it to run the plotter.
The magic cut software from the magic touch is so much nicer to use.
My machines Al have true magic eyes and I have never used them.
Buy a package, not a machine. Magic touch have entry level bundles for under £500, and their technical support is second to none. Plus unlimited training at their HQ!

[draig]

I run my Roland when it's needed either through Corel Draw, Sign Cut or the Sign Tools Plug in for Corel. Depends on the complexity of the graphic. I use the Studio software for the Craft Robo.

Sharon