Suggestions Which 24" cutter ?

[Jeremiah]

We are planning on doing some traveling this winter. I dont want to haul a large cutter. I would like to find a fairly dependable inexpensive machine to use on the road. 1200.00 US Cutter titan 3 24", 600.00 a laser point 3 24" , or a 1700.00 ce6000 graphtec. . I would like it to work at least 6 months. I have a problem with some of the distributors ratings. Like one star instead of 5 star. I would also like good customer support, if it stops. Am I asking too much ? Any experience on these units ?

 

[Jackpine]

ce6000 graphtec.

 

[Robert Gruner]

Jeremiah,

Lot's of cutter brands. IMO, SummaCut D60 or Graphtec CE. I recommend you call John Reinke at Pacific Coast Sign Supply in Portland. Dealer for both products and extremely reputable.

Good cutting!

 

[Creativity]

Re-think the US Cutter choice. Flimsy machine with no product support. They will help you with software issues but do not seem to care about mechanical problems. Jeremiah is right... there are plenty of other cutter brands to select from. Regarding customer service, I have had excellent response form Pro World < www.proworldinc.com/ > but know nothing about their vinyl cutters. May be worth exploring.

 

[equippaint]

Buy from a local dealer. If you must buy stuff online to save a couple bucks, dont waste your time asking how good customer support is. That is obviously not your priority or theirs either.

 

[decalman]

I go on the road often. I use a Summa d75. Great light machine. Only weighs 40 lbs, and it does the job.

 

[binki]

The Roland 24 inch cutter is pretty good and about $1800 from Stahls.

 

[Jeremiah]

Buy from a local dealer. If you must buy stuff online to save a couple bucks, dont waste your time asking how good customer support is. That is obviously not your priority or theirs either.

No, my priority IS customer support on any and all machines. Any brand name machine is useless if it stops working and you have no help to get it working again.

 

[Jeremiah]

I feel like I missed something in the original post. You travel with a plotter? Like on vacation, or is this a bit of contract work? Or is it like a road trip where you set out with nothing but the shirt on your back and the plotter in your trunk and see if you can make it back?

 

[Jeremiah]

Wow, that is an interesting take on me with only the shirt on my back, working out of the trunk of a car. We could dream a little more.. in a backpack, riding a bicycle across the USA with my pitbull "fred" making signs in trade for a beer. My business is very busy and we have a complete. Shop larger than 70% of 2 person operations. Including a 6 station 6 color workhorse, dryer etc. A few years ago during the -30 degree weather, we go to 70 degree weather for 2 months. I'm a workaholic, I set up a smaller shop at our home there. I brought an old cutter, it died. I am planning for the upcoming season there. Why you ask ? Answer= aprox 500,000 snowbirds. I find myself worried about that, while I am making shirts- signs- banners etc.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I would like to find a fairly dependable inexpensive machine to use on the road.

No, my priority IS customer support on any and all machines.

This is were a little bit of a concern could be. AT 24", you are looking at entry level and entry level comes brings with it certain notions. Typically on budget friendly, entry level, I don't expect much, that's the trade off with the more budget friendly nature of the machine.

Don't get me wrong, I have 3 24" Rolands that work a good bit of the time and haven't had a lick of problems with them, but it's mainly applique/patch work, but they do have their limitations. Now, having that that, I don't travel with them. Traveling adds another dynamic to the situation. How much traveling, adds to that dynamic.

When looking at budget friendly, some compromises are to be expected (at least in my mind).

 

[equippaint]

Wow, that is an interesting take on me with only the shirt on my back, working out of the trunk of a car. We could dream a little more.. in a backpack, riding a bicycle across the USA with my pitbull "fred" making signs in trade for a beer. My business is very busy and we have a complete. Shop larger than 70% of 2 person operations. Including a 6 station 6 color workhorse, dryer etc. A few years ago during the -30 degree weather, we go to 70 degree weather for 2 months. I'm a workaholic, I set up a smaller shop at our home there. I brought an old cutter, it died. I am planning for the upcoming season there. Why you ask ? Answer= aprox 500,000 snowbirds. I find myself worried about that, while I am making shirts- signs- banners etc.

Wow how will you ever find the time to get away?

 

[Jeremiah]

Thanks, I'm going Graphtec and have it shipped out to me, instead of hauling ut out there this winter. Support is important because it Is 150 miles to any big town.

 

[mfatty500]

I use a Graphtec ce-5000-40 that I take to events almost every weekend during the fall & winter months

 

[CeeJay]

I feel like I missed something in the original post. You travel with a plotter? Like on vacation, or is this a bit of contract work? Or is it like a road trip where you set out with nothing but the shirt on your back and the plotter in your trunk and see if you can make it back?