Thread: PLOTTER! YAAAAy!

OK, I just had to brag about this to anyone who might appreciate it! Haha.

I came home yesterday and was looking for my misplaced phone (that was actually stolen by the husband!!) My other half kept calling my phone as I hunted and hunted around for it. FINALLY I came to the back room that I of course am never in and I could hear it just inside... I opened the door and inside there was a brand new computer on a new stand hooked up to a brand new plotter! I almost fell over I was so excited!

I have no idea what I need one so big for... it's a 34" I believe... but I am so excited to start learning how to use it!! I think I almost choked my husband I was so happy, haha. He had been putting his side job money aside for the last few months because he wanted to surprise me with that for a while.

The picture isn't that great, but you'll get the idea! If anyone has some good advice on using this thing, haha, I'd love to hear it

Or, if anyone knows how I can get him back, those suggestions will be taken into consideration too!!

Ya know, a 34" computer might be kinda cool! the plotter though, not sure... I'll figure it out

It is some wierd, cheapy/// ROHS I think?? It came with COREL Draw, and I have a couple photo shop programs I can probably adapt to it I would think? I guess he figured I better start with something that won't break my heart if I destroy it while learning, haha

you're too fast... I'll check it out and try it out tonight or tomorrow and if I figure it out I'll post what I find out about it!

wow Wanted, what a great gift, and thoughtfull husband !! Hope ya have plenty of good use and fun with it.

If you know how to use the pen tool in Photoshop, then you can always draw out your cut lines as Paths in Photoshop, then export them as an Illustrator file. Draw should be able to open and use those paths to cut from, but you would be much better off learning Illustrator (first choice) or Corel Draw (second choice) with their pen/path tools. Because they are designed to work and think primarily in the vector world, they tend to have much more flexability, and a greater amount of tools and capabilities when it comes to creating or dealing with them.

Providing your plotter can work with narrower material, you are much better off with the 34" plotter than a 12" model. Most people tend to underestimate their size needs when they buy their equipment, especially when it is their first computer, printer, or plotter.

Learn to use your material frugally. Setting up jobs so that you don't waste paper or masking material will save you time and money in a real hurry.
And the expenses on materials, especailly on masking materials, can be huge, especially with the crunches going on in the petrolium industry.

Keep in mind that you can probably put a pen in your plotter instead of the cutting head. This lets you draw/plot out large drawings rather than having to cut material to do masking or stencils all the time. Learn all you can about your plotter/cutter before you get carried away with cutting stuff. Head pressure and speed make a lot of difference in how your plotter performs, and the length of it's working lifespan. Using too much pressure not only wears out the blade quickly, but it also tends to shorten the life of the cutting bar it cuts against, and the slider and machine as a whole. Find a good supplier for blades for your machine now while you are not stuck to working without the availability of the cutter. It never fails, the blade will give way at the most inoportune times, when you either can't get a replacement blade, can't get it in time, or that because of your rush, will cost you an arm and a leg to get it because of your rush for deadlines. Having 2 or 3 spares is always a good idea.
Heat and dust are the biggest foes of the computers and peripherals (printers, cutters, etc.) So getting a fan and filter system for your computer room is a good idea for making your toys/tools last a whole lot longer.

Best of luck on learning your chops, let us know if we can help. I'm an A.C.E. on Illustrator, and know a bit on Draw, but there are lots more here who know Draw who would probably be more than happy to help you.

Keep us up to date on how things go!

Good info Fontgeek. I second the use of a pen in the plotter! Anytime I'm not sure, I use the pen and the paper for a quick check to see how it will turn out. Its saved me a few times when I wanted to use vinyl and then found due to size of the file being cut it wouldn't lay right with paper so I knew I'd have a heck of a time with the vinyl. Like on a curved surface of a helmet... amazing what won't go on one with vinyl.

Cliff

ditto to the pen, i learned to start using that myself after wasting vinyl on a few projects, now if im not sure, plot it with the pen, then cut,,,enjoy your new toy, i got an mh871 about 6 months ago, and its allready paid for itself making window decals for friends,,,have fun

Wanted hows the plotter/cutter working out? I am looking at getting the same cutter just wanted to know if its been working good for you.