Vinyl Express Qe-60?

[County Customs]

Signwarehouse.com is selling this as the same machine as the Graphtec CE5000. I was told it was made by them just with a different name. It's around $500 cheaper. Has anyone used one?

[Techman]

Ever buy a sears brand device knowing it was made by a name brand manufacturer.. Get it home and find out it has just a few key changes that make it cheaper and absolutly a lesser of the two?

[Jackpine]

I'm not sure but it may not have the ARMS to read registration marks. The CE5000 is a great cutter for the money. I have a CE3000Mk2 and love it.
Gerry

[Todd M Castle]

Jack is right. The main difference is the ARMS feature (Automatic Registration Mark Sensor) is not a standard on the Q. It is an option to add if needed but by default it does not come with it.

[signage]

I don't believe that is the only difference. Also Graphtec doesn't support them!

[Flame]

I have one... works fine for me. Looks and acts just like my other Graphtec, had it for a year now.

[Todd M Castle]

Flame I just want to say almost every post you do I enjoy and seem to agree with.. and always straight to the point I like that. :smile:

[Techman]

The graphtec rep said
"They are not the same"

I believe him.

[Replicator]

Yes I did say that !

Rep

[trakers]

I *just* finished up solving the same conundrum.

In the end I choose a genuine Graphtec CE5000-60 with the LXi Master Pro software.

When I started this journey I mistaken believed I could get setup as a bare bones operation for a grand based on a friends Master cutter. It ended up costing almost 3X that much but in the end I will be happier and my plotter should have good resale value in the unlikely event I want (need) to sell it.

I decided on a top quality plotter due mainly to this forum and the experience and opinions offered by these gentlemen and ladies.

I feel I got the best of both worlds in that I have plotter support from both SW and Graphtec proper. By purchasing the LXI software which appears to be a virtual clone of Flexi8 I saved a significant amount of cash as opposed to buying the brand name software which has a retail price of well over (switch to Dr. Evil voice) FOUR THOUSAND dollars.

[TrustedImages]

Signwarehouse.com is selling this as the same machine as the Graphtec CE5000. I was told it was made by them just with a different name. It's around $500 cheaper. Has anyone used one?



Are you talking about the QE-60 Plus or the Q-60? They are two different machines. Both 24" Vinyl Express machines. But significantly different in performance and capabilities.

[County Customs]

Are you talking about the QE-60 Plus or the Q-60? They are two different machines. Both 24" Vinyl Express machines. But significantly different in performance and capabilities.

The QE-60 Plus but from the looks of it I should go with the Graphtec. Thanks to everyone for the help. As you can see from my post count I'm pretty new at this. :)

[Darklight]

Since you are in Michigan, my experiences as a newbie with the Sign Warehouse in the NE Texas area may not matter, but let me just say that while the technology may be similar, (they say), their tactics have led me to spend about 5k with other companies in the last month. Im a new guy to all this, but they have lost my confidence. 5k is a lot of money in my world, and theyhavent been very helpful when dealing with small-time operators. Hope your luck in Michigan is better!

[Techman]

four thousand dollars

Its been my experience,, that if you are a regular customer with a well known supplier ,, that flexi can sell for about half that..

[TrustedImages]

Its been my experience,, that if you are a regular customer with a well known supplier ,, that flexi can sell for about half that..

Most suppliers I don't think you have to even be a regular customer. I think he was just stating that it retails for that. I think we all know what the actually price most people pay for Flexi is.

[Darklight]

Most suppliers I don't think you have to even be a regular customer. I think he was just stating that it retails for that. I think we all know what the actually price most people pay for Flexi is.

por que nada ? Actually, I guess the blanks cost them SOMETHING!

[TrustedImages]

por que nada ? Actually, I guess the blanks cost them SOMETHING!

huh? Sorry I am a retard tonight...been a long day. yea yea yea I know what's my excuse the rest of the time, right?

[trakers]

I will say I didn't ever ask for or get an actual quote for the "name brand" Flexi8 product for a couple reasons.

- To be absolutely frank it really pissed me off to see the Flexi rep prominently displaying a pricing sign at a local equipment expo that pegged the top level software at well over 4K. I mean, give me a ****** break four *thousand* dollars??? Apparently it seems it routinely sells for a lot less than that so why give a potential customer a heart attack? Perhaps to give them a feeling of getting a "deal" at only 2K?

- Even if severally discounted it is my belief there is no way I could have purchased the "name brand" Flexi product anywhere near the price I got the private branded LXi product for.

- And lastly, the Flexi rep told me that Flexi8 Pro and LXi Master Pro were virtually identical.


Also

"The QE-60 Plus but from the looks of it I should go with the Graphtec."

Please don't base your decision solely on my post, am I a real Noobie myself. I was just trying to help based on my recent experience and research.

The only reason I didn’t get the VE cutter was because I could never get 100% confirmation it was indeed exactly the same as a Graphtec, minus the registration mark reader (which appears to be a 50 cent optical board).

The VE cutter is not only $500 cheaper, but has an additional year of warranty. Just something to keep in mind. The extra warranty didn’t sway me much because people claim these things will run virtually forever. There certainly doesn’t appear to be much too them, which is why the cost is surprising.

Now, I got to go. Too many things to cut, too little time. BTW, is it a basic requirement to plot ones name right out of the gate or am I the only who did that? :biggrin:

[trakers]

"I think we all know what the actually price most people pay for Flexi is."

No we all don't. :smile: Please enlighten the rest of us uninformed.

[TrustedImages]

Sure it's $4,295.00. Sorry! That's the list price of it.

[bevets]

I'm no expert by any means.. But I purchased the Vinyl express QE-60 from Sign Warehouse about a year ago, including the LXI software package. I am completely satisfied with it so far! Not one problem as of yet.

Go for it,
steveb

[TrustedImages]

I will say I didn't ever ask for or get an actual quote for the "name brand" Flexi8 product for a couple reasons.

- To be absolutely frank it really pissed me off to see the Flexi rep prominently displaying a pricing sign at a local equipment expo that pegged the top level software at well over 4K. I mean, give me a ****** break four *thousand* dollars??? Apparently it seems it routinely sells for a lot less than that so why give a potential customer a heart attack? Perhaps to give them a feeling of getting a "deal" at only 2K?

Because that's their list price for it. That's what any dealer should tell you when you initially call. $4,295.00

[Techman]

The truth is... but will be denied by every supplier on the planet.

If you do not own this software yet and you want it ,, but already own equipment..

Depending on your ability to appear and act like a real sign maker using real equipment, that means not using the cheapest shyte junk available.. and purchasing a reasonable amount of supplies in accordance to your machinery.. Thus having some genuine credibility... That means you cannot purchase 3 rolls of vinyl a month and act like a real sign maker. Acting means you will be purchasing cartridge kits, roll stock etc... You can negitiate your prices down somewhat. Maybe..a big maybe.

OR if you purchase a big ticket item you can beg mercy and get a nicer price on your software. maybe, just maybe you might get a small break..

However, If you appear to be some jack leg braggert, or just an uncommitted dabbler, by purchasing a couple of rolls of 15" x 10 yrds vinyl,, and brag of your soljet but never buy any ink or roll stock for it,,
And you own some $500 bux cutter and run it with some unknown name bundled software you will be disappointed. And thats the truth..

[TrustedImages]

The truth is... but will be denied by every supplier on the planet.

If you do not own this software yet and you want it ,, but already own equipment..

Depending on your ability to appear and act like a real sign maker using real equipment, that means not using the cheapest shyte junk available.. and purchasing a reasonable amount of supplies in accordance to your machinery.. Thus having some genuine credibility... That means you cannot purchase 3 rolls of vinyl a month and act like a real sign maker. Acting means you will be purchasing cartridge kits, roll stock etc... You can negitiate your prices down somewhat. Maybe..a big maybe.

OR if you purchase a big ticket item you can beg mercy and get a nicer price on your software. maybe, just maybe you might get a small break..

However, If you appear to be some jack leg braggert, or just an uncommitted dabbler, by purchasing a couple of rolls of 15" x 10 yrds vinyl,, and brag of your soljet but never buy any ink or roll stock for it,,
And you own some $500 bux cutter and run it with some unknown name bundled software you will be disappointed. And thats the truth..

I don't think any supplier would deny that at all.

[Darklight]

I must admit, LXi 8 Master seems to work just fine here during my infancy....but I dont think similar software would have ever torn 4 grand from my hands. Of course my career is still young, and Ive barely begun to scratch the surface on horrendous screw-ups from the land of terminal stupidity. ( And thats with you guys screaming nOOOOO! about something every day!) LOL Lifesavers.....all of ya!

[asignstop]

I was told a phone qoute of 2500 for Flexi 8 Pro from signwarehouse - not bundled with anything.

Anyone here have realworld experience with the Q series cutter and its registration mark sensor? How does it compare w/ graphtec and mimaki? They have a 50' accurate tracking gaurantee - my mimaki can't go that long...

When I upgrade in machine sizes I would like to save money by going with the Q-130 as long as the contour cutting works well.. I can't see any difference in a plotter.

[Techman]

They are not the same.. They are not the same,, they are not the same..

[Jackpine]

The graphtec rep said
"They are not the same"

I believe him.
They may not have the capability in the number of "conditions" you may be able to set for your cutting situations. I believe there are not as many. I use 4 on my CE3000.

[Jon Gripp]

They are not the same.. They are not the same,, they are not the same..

Techman is correct, they are not the same.

There are some differences, speed and downforce. 60 IPS vs 50 IPS and 600 grams downforce vs 400 grams downforce. All of this info is easily available on both companies websites. Also we sell the ARMS as an option, we add it on if you need it for contour cutting with a digital printer.

There is one other difference.........the color of the machine.

(edit)The above info is for the comparison for the FC-7000 vs the "Q" series from SignWarehouse. There are no differences between the CE5000-60 and the QE-60+ except for the ARMS, we add it on if you need it for contour cutting with a digital printer.

There is one other difference.........the color of the machine.

[javila]

We started our sign business with a 24" vinyl express machine. (GRC-61 if anyone cares). It's been running 5 years without a hitch. Changed the blades and the cutting strip when needed. No other problems.

How this relates to the QE machine I don't know, just wanted to mention our experience with Vinyl Express cutters.

[gnatt66]

thanks for this thread..:)

i just upgraded from a hated chinese plotter that wont track too great to a hated rebadged graphtec that will track much better:) (qe-60)

wading through curmudgeonry is well worth it on here, imo...the amount of information for us newbies if they just SEARCH is vast and priceless.

[Jim Doggett]

They are not the same.. They are not the same,, they are not the same..

Hi Techman,

Your Graphtec rep was right, and you speak the truth, speak the truth, speak the truth :^)

In fact, the diffences abound:

1. CE5000-60 is an entirely different model name than Vinyl Express Qe60 Plus.

2. Cream in color is very different from the elegant and rich gray color of the Vinyl Express Qe60 Plus vinyl cutter from SignWarehouse.

3. The Vinyl Express Qe60 Plus vinyl cutter is available exclusively from SignWarehouse. So every one of them includes toll free support, 7 days a week, with really-extended weekday hours (7AM to 11 PM). That's only true of CE5000-60 vinyl cutters that are bought from SignWarehouse.

Thanks,

Jim

[Sign-Man Signs]

We got one with our Mutoh package. I wouldn't buy another., I'd cut by hand first. Sorry SW.

[Jim Doggett]

We got one with our Mutoh package. I wouldn't buy another., I'd cut by hand first. Sorry SW.

Hi SignMan,

Wow, that's a surprise, since I'm assuming you mean a wider Vinyl Express Q Series with ARMS. The ARMS system, on Graphtec FC7000-Mark 2 and Vinyl Express Q Series cutters is well regarded to an extent that borders on love.

Are we talking the same systems?

Thanks,

Jim