Keeping track of vinyl used.

[4R Graphics]

This is on a Mimaki JV33 so you may need to make a few mods to fit your printer.
Well 2 pics are labeled and its really pretty simple to figure out.
The wheel we got from Harbor Freight $8.99 the only real hard part was making the metal handle fit inside the .5" pvc pipe (we cheated and used a lathe) but you could do it with a file and patience.
The T connector has a section cut out of the bottom to slip over the rail but still wrap around about 3/4 see pic.

The screw connector there is a rubber o-ring inside take it out and we put masking tape around the threads to snug it up but keep it loose so the arm with the wheel can move freely but without being all loose.

Well hope you guys like it and if you build it I hope it saves you like it has us.

Nothing worse then printing a 30' job only to have 29' left on the roll and find out 27' into the print.


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[2B]

Thanks for the input, takes the guess work out of it

 

[HulkSmash]

My printer records how much of each vinyl is ran through the printer. Not needed here, but should help some.

 

[4R Graphics]

Must be nice to have the printer tell you Colorado.

For those of us that don't hope it helps out.
If you have any questions PM me.

The counter wheel just rests on the edge and the cross bar with the screw connector sits back a little so the weight of the counter wheel assembly holds the wheel against the material.

When you change out material types just roll it back (it counts backwards) to the edge of the vinyl then tape the vinyl and write the number on it.

When you start the new roll place the wheel on the edge of the material then pull it out and load it into the printer so you measure from the very start of the edge (this will give you a pretty good reading). We also covered the sensor on the printer so we can print all the way up to about 3" from the end of the roll (we have people watching the printers all day long).

The worse reading we have had was the first roll and it measured 149' 4" of a 150' roll so either we were off a little (changing rolls out) or the roll was short.

But it has saved us from printing a few jobs and not having enough material to complete the job. First job that it saved us on easily paid for the device.

 

[JTBoh]

what is that wheel called? looked up counter wheel on harbor frieght and didnt see anything.

 

[J Hill Designs]

http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-ft-measuring-wheel-95701.html

 

[Gino]

Neat idea.

If you are running various rolls through said printer, do you mark where you were at everytime you change rolls, like from calendared to banner, to cast, to something else and on down the line ??. I don't know about you, but I don't have enough printers to keep the same stock in their respective machine all the time. This would probably make you inches off from time to time, which might again, get you off track after 147' or so in the end.

 

[rjssigns]

Nice hack. I set up a wheeled counter on my laminator. Never a question how much is remaining.
Makes it easy to bill out too when we do laminate only jobs.

 

[4R Graphics]

We have them on the laminators also but there are so many different types I figured I would just post the printer one.

Gino to answer your question what we do is lift the pinch rollers and we hand roll the vinyl back down to the roll ( the wheel counts both ways) until the very edge lines up (as close as possible) with the contact point of the wheel then we tape the roll write the number on it and load the next roll. Reverse to load the material line up edge of vinyl with roller then pull out vinyl and load like normal.

We had a few issues at first but we have gotten use to it and with practice we are pretty close (with in a few inches) on almost every roll now.