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Thread: Vinyl cutting software

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Vacaville, Ca
    Posts
    313

    Vinyl cutting software

    OK, I know this probably not the place to post this, but so many replied to "my goto font" post about the font that they use when vinyl cutting. I have to ask.. What software do you use on your vinyl cutter..

    Thank you to all the people that posted on the GOTO Font post!!!!

    Thanks,
    Bruce
    Hardware: Chinese Laser
    GWeike C1290 80 watt Reci laser
    Home built CNC, Joe's hybrid 4x4
    12" Delta Bandsaw, Jet Table Saw
    Router table, and more.
    Software: CorelDraw Suite 5x
    PhotoShop 7,

  2. #2
    Bruce

    I use Corel with a plug in for my Graphtec. I have EngravLab also but it is not my favorite program.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Vacaville, Ca
    Posts
    313
    Thanks Mike, I was thinking about buying the laser version of Engravlab and thought it did Vinyl cutting also.
    Hardware: Chinese Laser
    GWeike C1290 80 watt Reci laser
    Home built CNC, Joe's hybrid 4x4
    12" Delta Bandsaw, Jet Table Saw
    Router table, and more.
    Software: CorelDraw Suite 5x
    PhotoShop 7,

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Conroe, TX
    Posts
    179
    I use WinPCSign Pro 2010. It seems to be quite reliable.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Cape Town, South Africa
    Posts
    3,922
    Mostly Corel via a Wasatch RIP to a Roland printer/cutter.
    Corel and the RIP are not optimal for vinyl cutting (tho there is a plugin for Corel specific to vinyl cutting , CoCut) I have Signlab as well , It does more than Corel with respect to specific needs for vinyl cutters, is expensive and is not as nice to design in..so I often use Corel , import to signlab and then cut. It has a better interface with the machine than the Corel driver. I don't do a lot of cutting only , mainly print and cut so am not up to date withe the latest and greatest stuff in this area...
    Rodney Gold, Toker Bros trophies, Cape Town , South Africa :
    Roland 2300 rotary . 3 x ISEL's ..1m x 500mm CnC .
    Tekcel 1200x2400 router , 900 x 600 60w Shenui laser , 1200 x 800 80w Reci tube Shenhui Laser
    6 x longtai lasers 400x600 60w , 1 x longtai 20w fiber
    2x Gravo manual engravers , Roland 540 large format printer/cutter. CLTT setup
    1600mm hot and cold laminator , 3x Dopag resin dispensers , sandblasting setup, acid etcher

  6. #6
    Bruce

    I find Engravlab to be very difficult for anything but text. Given it's excessive price ($1600) in comparison to Corel I consider it to be a rip off. I had to buy it for my other engraving machine.

    Engravlab is a derivative of Signlab.
    Last edited by Mike Null; 09-27-2012 at 5:00 PM.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Vacaville, Ca
    Posts
    313
    Thanks again Mike, you saved me some money!!!

    Bruce
    Hardware: Chinese Laser
    GWeike C1290 80 watt Reci laser
    Home built CNC, Joe's hybrid 4x4
    12" Delta Bandsaw, Jet Table Saw
    Router table, and more.
    Software: CorelDraw Suite 5x
    PhotoShop 7,

  8. #8
    I use Flexi Pro for my Graphtec and Roland cutters. It is a very powerful program and most sign shops use it so when I get a file to cut on the CNC and don't have to worry about importing files.

    Gary

  9. #9
    Corel with plugin from Roland's CutStudio.
    Martin Boekers

    1 - Epilog Radius 25watt laser 1998
    1 - Epilog Legend EXT36 75watt laser 2005
    1 - Epilog Legend EXT36 75watt laser 2007
    1 - Epilog Fusion M2 32 120watt laser with camera 2015
    2 - Geo Knight K20S 16x20 Heat Press
    Geo Knight K Mug Press,
    Ricoh GX-7000 Dye Sub Printer
    Zerox Phaser 6360 Laser Printer
    numerous other tools and implements
    of distruction/distraction!

  10. #10
    Corel Plug-ins. Most good plotters have them. Our Graphtec and Summa both have them and they both work well.
    Lasers : Trotec Speedy 300 75W, Trotec Speedy 300 80W, Galvo Fiber Laser 20W
    Printers : Mimaki UJF-6042 UV Flatbed Printer , HP Designjet L26500 61" Wide Format Latex Printer, Summa S140-T 48" Vinyl Plotter
    Router : ShopBot 48" x 96" CNC Router Rotary Engravers : (2) Xenetech XOT 16 x 25 Rotary Engravers

    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Christchurch, New Zealand (shakey town)
    Posts
    133
    I have always used Signlab for vinyl cutting for nearly 20 years which is why i use Engravelab for rotary engraving
    Epilog Helix 50W, Epilog Fusion 40 75W, Tekcel Router, Taylor Hobson Model D & K
    Dalgren 2516i, Epilog Fusion Pro 120W

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Sammamish, WA
    Posts
    7,630
    When I started about 1993 I had Anagraph Design Art. I have been using Gerber Composer since about 1996, it has a lot of features including a much better vector edit program than Corel, rip for digital printing and router drivers, and even a font designer. It cost $10,000 back then, and the newest version, Omega is $2,000-$3,500 depending on additional add-ons. I have also tested something called SignCut that requires an internet connection when running it for security, and you subscribe for a period of time, $8/week to $350/Lifetime. I was not impressed with it after using Gerber.



    Sammamish, WA

    Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.

    "One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher

    "The handyman's secret weapon - Duct Tape" R. Green

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    145
    I use a Corel plug-in for my Summa Cutter. Works fine for what I do,. We use EngraveLab for our rotaries and also have a laser version which has no cut function (print only) Hardly a day
    goes by when I don't swear at EngraveLab for crashing unexpectedly (Usually in the text module). Wish I could use Coreldraw for rotary engraving, but that would require an expensive controller
    upgrade. That being said however, EngraveLab does allow you to modify a font and save it(albeit in it's own format), which can be very handy.
    Hilton Lister. NZ
    GCC Spirit 60w. Meistergram 912, Gravograph IT, Old Roland Vinyl Cutter, Hand engraving, Retired

  14. #14
    More on EngravLab. I do all my artwork in Corel and save it as a plt to use in EngravLab with the rotary machine.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    145
    I use EPS files saved in Corel and imported into EngraveLab occasionally. Used to use PLT, but sometimes they appear somewhat jagged. When all is said and done, I guess we should count ourselves lucky
    that we can exchange files in this way. I really cringe when a customer gives me a Microsoft word file to use, though they are less problematic with the later versions of Coreldraw.!
    Last edited by Hilton Lister; 09-28-2012 at 3:48 PM. Reason: typo
    Hilton Lister. NZ
    GCC Spirit 60w. Meistergram 912, Gravograph IT, Old Roland Vinyl Cutter, Hand engraving, Retired

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