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A little help getting started, please.

amy s.

New Member
Just got a graphtec ce5000 (thanks for the advice, Jill and all), am using Corel 7 and just got corel x3, using windows xp. I can design in corel ok but then....what sizing cutting program to use????? I tried to use the robo master that came with the plotter but find it very confusing. :banghead: Anybody have any luck with an "idiot proof" program? I got spoiled with my old gerber graphics advantage which I no longer can use...it was an ancient version.
 

Rodi

New Member
Amy,
Use Cutting Master 2, keep at it. You will find it works just right for you. What you may consider is how you think it should work Those Graphtecs are pretty awesome and they have enough out there with people doing the same workflow as you. Essentially Cutting Master is a Bridge Program, but it is from SAI, and they have a good rep.

Rodi
 

Bigdawg

Just Me
Yep. Use Cutting Master - the one thing that may throw you is the language (HPGL or GPGL). If you get everything hooked up and it doesn't seem to communicate - you may have to change the default language.

Go to 4.18 in the manual to tell you how to change back and forth from gpgl to hpgl... here's an online link to the manual.
 

amy s.

New Member
Actually, you can cut right from Corel, but, you are limited in size to just a little bit bigger that 8.5 x 11, or page size. I experimented and found if I got copy much larger than the layout page it just wouldn't cut. Great idea though.
 

amy s.

New Member
Yep. Use Cutting Master - the one thing that may throw you is the language (HPGL or GPGL). If you get everything hooked up and it doesn't seem to communicate - you may have to change the default language.

Go to 4.18 in the manual to tell you how to change back and forth from gpgl to hpgl... here's an online link to the manual.
I got the language right. Believe it or not, I read the entire manual over Christmas that came with the plotter. I now have the Cutting Master installed and am working with it. My problem....the page on my layout screen in cutting master does not coincide with the plotter, meaning, a word to be cut is horizontal on my cutting master page but it cuts running vertical. I'd like to have them both the same and I know you can make changes but haven't figured it out yet.
 

3dsignco

New Member
Sound like your steps/scaling might be off may be off.. draw a 10 inch box. then send it to cut. Do you get a 10 inch box. if not your scaling is off and you need to adjust it in your cutting master program.. I am not in the shop so I can't tell you the exact steps.. Mine is like 1028 or something.. If you don't get it I'll check mine in the morning.
 

Jillbeans

New Member
To get the cuts going the right direction, (I am not in the program at the moment so I am guessing and vague) when you are in the Cutting Master, on the first page of it (where the last page is where you'd select Weed Border) Look towards the bottom right and you will see a picture of a little man's torso outline that looks like a Ken doll without the lump. You can select different directions by clicking on him. It's near the area where you choose the amount of copies you wish to cut, like catty-corner opposite.
If that makes sense.
If you click the little button at the very bottom (mid left) of this page that looks like a magnifying glass you can view the entire piece you've sent out to be cut.
Love....Jill
 
Actually, you can cut right from Corel, but, you are limited in size to just a little bit bigger that 8.5 x 11, or page size. I experimented and found if I got copy much larger than the layout page it just wouldn't cut. Great idea though.

i know that there is a size limitation when cutting directly from corel. however, it is MUCH MUCH larger than 8.5 X 11 i have cut things as large as 28" X 96" directly from corel...i do not know what the limitation is off the top of my head but i know it is MUCH larger than you were able to achieve and that it is large enough for the majority of the projects most ppl will encounter on a regular basis.

myself i see no reason for adding another step. however, many ppl do. have you tried cocut? i believe that they even have a free trial period http://cocut.com/index.dml

the majority of the time i design at fullsize and then just scale down proportionately for permits, schematics, etc... so i don't understand the need or the scailing issues that you are having. i've seen too many ppl struggle by designing at a reduced size and then confusing themself because they don't have the basic math skills for translating back and forth from various sizes of scale to fullsize...don't make things more difficult than they need to be.

i have entered other shops as a consultant and seen some amazingly crazy steps, procedures, etc that ppl go through for designing in scale. it really isn't difficult but you can make it as difficult as you would like. Design at actual size and then utilize Corel's scaling tools as needed.
 

OldPaint

New Member
Actually, you can cut right from Corel, but, you are limited in size to just a little bit bigger that 8.5 x 11, or page size. I experimented and found if I got copy much larger than the layout page it just wouldn't cut. Great idea though.
apparently..........YOU have a VERY LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF COREL 7 & ABOVE!!!!!
1. corel page size can be as large a 150 FEET X 150 FEET....i think you wont be doing much that big or bigger.
2. YOU....have to set PAGE SIZE in corel TO CORRESPOND with the PRINT(PLOTTER)DRIVER.
3. I....have been cutting directly from corel draw since VERSION 3(1992)
4. ONCE YOU SET PAGE SIZE......to plotter size....SAVE IT AS A .CDT!!!!! this way you have that page forever.
5. in my opinion, GA 6, was one of the worst sign cutting programs ever made.
but then, I WAS SO USED TO COREL..........all that built in redundancy in GA 6.....was a time waster for me.
6. IF YOU become proficient with COREL..........and you will never need any other CUTTING PROGRAM.
NOW.....try this:
call GRAPHTEC, ASK FOR THE COREL TO GRAPHTEC DRIVER.
INSTALL driver.
set printer to default to GRAPHTEC DRIVER
open corel, open FILE, go to PRINT SETUP, find GRAPHTEC DRIVER, set page in graphtec driver, now in corel open LAYOUT, go down to PAGE SETUP, set page FROM PRINTER, set to landscape,
bingo......NOW YOU SHOULD HAVE A DESKTOP PAGE......30" X what ever you set it in the print driver.
now....open the PEN TOOL......set it at hairline, color black, no fill.
now whatever size you set an object to ON THE PAGE......it WILL CUT IT THAT SIZE from the plotter. in corel up top, when you have an OBJECT SELECTED......it will show you the X or Y, height and lenght...........in a little window.
so simple a ..........CAVE MAN CAN DO IT...........hahahahahahahhaha
 
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amy s.

New Member
Sound like your steps/scaling might be off may be off.. draw a 10 inch box. then send it to cut. Do you get a 10 inch box. if not your scaling is off and you need to adjust it in your cutting master program.. I am not in the shop so I can't tell you the exact steps.. Mine is like 1028 or something.. If you don't get it I'll check mine in the morning.

I figured it out, I had to rotate the layout on the plotter. Now it makes sense. Thanks for your polite, helpful reply.:thankyou:
 

Mosh

New Member
Get a vinyl progam like Flex or Signlab. You get what you pay for, corel is not a vinyl cutting progam. People also drink and drive, that don't make it right.
 

visualeyez

New Member
I got the language right. Believe it or not, I read the entire manual over Christmas that came with the plotter. I now have the Cutting Master installed and am working with it. My problem....the page on my layout screen in cutting master does not coincide with the plotter, meaning, a word to be cut is horizontal on my cutting master page but it cuts running vertical. I'd like to have them both the same and I know you can make changes but haven't figured it out yet.



Control + A, rotate 90 degrees. Or turn your plotter 90 degrees, lol.
 

OldPaint

New Member
Get a vinyl progam like Flex or Signlab. You get what you pay for, corel is not a vinyl cutting progam. People also drink and drive, that don't make it right.

sorry dude............you speak of things you know nothin about...........like i said,
been cuttin outa corel since 1992.............you was still playin with your food.................
 
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