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Author Topic: Vinyl Cutting.  (Read 12775 times)

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Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Vinyl Cutting.
« on: October 21, 2009, 10:11:57 AM »
I made a self steering vinyl cutter (drag knife) some time ago and for anybody that is interested the details can be found here:-   http://www.cooperman.talktalk.net/files/11.htm

Thought I would adorn my machine with yet another sticker.  :-\

Once the design has been converted to vector it is cut into the vinyl - then comes the fiddly weeding bit to remove the unwanted vinyl - then application tape is applied over the top and the design peeled from it's backing and applied to the machine - then the application tape is carefully removed - simplicity itself.

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: Vinyl Cutting.
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2009, 10:01:19 PM »
Looks very nice tweakie, I was wondering how well it would cut letters with serifs. Did you have to do anything special with the cutting path?
It's getting colder here and will drive me back indoors so I can work on my machine more. Now I have to do a vinyl cutter and a Laser, I'm really getting behind. Oh, and a ring cutting lathe like Gertrude. :) :-\

Offline Chaoticone

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Re: Vinyl Cutting.
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2009, 10:03:34 PM »
Thats slick Tweakie and the x files are interesting too.

Brett
;D If you could see the things I have in my head, you would be laughing too. ;D

My guard dog is not what you need to worry about!

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: Vinyl Cutting.
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2009, 02:29:38 AM »
Thanks for the compliments Guys.

Nothing special is done to the cutting path - the important thing is the tip offset of the cutting knife (the smaller the better) and it's freedom of rotation. The 90 degree corner radius, which is produced by drag knifes, is only just perceptible and in many ways it is an advantage in so far as that the vinyl may otherwise easily tear at a sharp corner when weeding. For really small signage the very thin vinyl (used for RC model decals etc.) is superb.

Now that Winter is almost here I will try to increase the X file page on my website to cover more aspects (RSA encryption and factoring of large numbers).

Tweakie.

btw. I think Gertrude is a mill (with rotary axis).
PEACE

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: Vinyl Cutting.
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2016, 06:59:07 AM »
6 years on and I am still cutting vinyl (sticky backed plastic)  :)

Che Guevara (when alive, he was loved in South America, hated in North America and to this day there is still divided opinion around the world) he is certainly a topic of discussion but I think this will always remain an iconic imiage. I have included my .dxf file if anyone else wants to cut this image.

Tweakie.
« Last Edit: January 15, 2016, 07:01:08 AM by Tweakie.CNC »
PEACE
Re: Vinyl Cutting.
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2016, 07:58:47 AM »
Not bad but I assume it's very limited. Do you have a way of "feeding" the vinyl or is it just what you can fit on the bed?
IOW, can you cut an 8' piece?
I did this in 4 panels.
Re: Vinyl Cutting.
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2016, 08:00:13 AM »
Try your hand at multiple colors too.

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: Vinyl Cutting.
« Reply #7 on: January 15, 2016, 08:14:45 AM »
As you say 'very limited' I can only cut the size of the machine bed at any one time. I have done many multicolored, some laminated and some interleaved.

I certainly like your large wall decorations, perhaps you would be good enough to share the .dxf or Gcode files for that work ??

Tweakie.
« Last Edit: January 15, 2016, 08:16:32 AM by Tweakie.CNC »
PEACE
Re: Vinyl Cutting.
« Reply #8 on: January 15, 2016, 09:56:07 AM »
I can give you the corner tree, it's provided free from here: http://img1.123freevectors.com/wp-content/uploads/new/nature/246-free-vector-tree-with-birds.png
But the others are not. Sorry.
These are direct conversions from that image, you may want to touch up the birds a bit to make them clearer. I don't have the "finals" that I made accessible now so these will have to do. Not much work needed and you can cut them "as is" just the same too.
I have this split into the 4 panels I cut, you can further split them horizontally to fit your bed.

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: Vinyl Cutting.
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2016, 07:40:43 AM »
Many thanks for the link, I really do like that corner tree.

At that size it is a job for a purpose built vinyl cutter (rather than my CNC machine, which is essentially a wood router) but I can call on a friend who has an A2 size vinyl cutter that I can use.

Tweakie.
PEACE