Vinyl Plotter and Heat Press Review

This is long overdue, but I am ready to write a review on my vinyl plotter!
 
Two years ago I started to use my Cricut Expression for vinyl instead of scrapbooking. Then my hobby turned into a business and I was working my Cricut to death. Almost literally. I had largely outgrown my SCAL2 version, and the Cricut was starting to spaz out from my almost unrealistic expectations.

It was time to move on. And I had no problem saying goodbye to my bug and the entire Provo Craft company. I mean really, they shot themselves in the foot and I was ready to move on. That choice was easy. Now, what do I move on to?

Diving into the world of vinyl plotters was super intimidating. I literally went eenie, meanie, miney, mo and picked the first one I could afford.

My purpose in writing this review is to inform you  of MY personal experiences so you can be a tiny bit more informed when making your purchase.

What did I purchase? I went with the USCutter MH-Series VInyl Cutter. Specifically, the 28' cutter WITH the stand. It now comes with SCAL3!! Lucky you guys :)

I tried going on different forums to get reviews, but everyone on those sites were professionals who recommended $1,500 cutters - not realist for this hobby-turned-small-business-mommy. So I tried calling US Cutters - and they tried to talk me into a $700 cutter. Again, simply out of my price range right then. These were their negatives:

Loud - um...have they heard the Cricut??

Trouble weeding - um...I am used to the Cricut so anything should be better right?

Slow - um...again, I am used to the Cricut. My 4-year-old daughter makes decisions faster then the Cricut can cut out a single word.

So I went ahead and bought it, received it, and then got sick to my stomach. Again, almost literally. What have I done?? This machine is HUGE, it looks like it does not belong in my craft room, and oh my goodness how do I use it?


So there she sat. For two months. Unopened.

Finally my little bug got the best of me and I was forced to open the box. My sweet husband put the stand together while I cried in front of the computer trying to install the program to make my new plotter work. After he and I both stared at the instructions, I finally gave the guys over as US Cutter a call. Within minutes they had the machine installed and ready to run.


I was able to simply upgrade my SCAL to version 3 and it was compatible with my new plotter. I chose not to learn a more advanced program at that time because I was swamped with new orders and needed to use something I was familiar with. I drive that program to the limits and I know I would be better off with a more advanced program, but for now I still use it as a matter of efficiency. I would have to take time off from orders to learn a new program, and we cannot afford that right now as my small side business has become something we rely on each month.


Once installed, I quickly saw that my problems were just beginning! I was comfortable with my Cricut - knew it like the back of my hand. And I went into using the plotter with some old habits. However, vinyl plotters are made for professions, not just crafters, and it was going to take a lot to get used to! Here are some tips and tricks that will hopefully save you time, money, and tears.

1. Pressure - the Cricut blade has settings for the blade pressure. The vinyl plotter does not. Many, many, many, many trials until I found just the right pressure to give the vinyl the perfect "kiss" cut.

2. Clamps - The Cricut has a "load" and "unload" button that takes away any guessing. The vinyl plotter has clamps to hold the vinyl down with. You have to adjust the tightness manually. Too tight on one side and it drifts to the other. To tight on either side and it leaves lines in your vinyl. Too loose and the vinyl slips around. Oh the vinyl that was wasted, the things that were thrown, and the tears that were shed!

I finally came up with a strategy. I cut straight lines over and over and over again, making minor adjustments to the tightness until I fixed the drift. Ahhh life is good and there are actually smiles again!

3. Vinyl sheet sizes - The Cricut has a mat with set measurements. The vinyl plotter does not. I had to again use trial and error until I found the exact spot to place my vinyl before cutting in order to keep my images from being cut off the page.

I also found that if I am precutting the vinyl to a certain size before cutting, I need to allow for an additional three inches at the end to keep the vinyl from falling off. The amount of vinyl I go through anyway doesn't make a difference to me. However, I remember when I first started cutting vinyl and how big of a deal wasting three inches was.

So, do I like my plotter? Actually, I love it now! Some days it still seems to have a mind of it's own - but not as often!

Here is a quick list of Pros and Cons:


Pros -
Quick cuts
Clean cuts - super easy to weed (compared to the Cricut)
Large cuts - I can cut large orders at one time
Backed by excellent knowledgeable customer service


Cons -
Lengthy learning curve - don't expect to work on projects right away.
Sometimes has a mind of it's own
Drift - no matter how good you are at setting it up, there will always be a risk of drifting on larger projects


I would highly recommend this cutter, and the customer service from the company is outstanding! Even though they were abrupt on the phone, I really found them helpful and efficient. Maybe they aren't used to talking to simple crafters like me :)

If you don't have anything yet and are just looking to do some crafts - maybe some vinyl and cardstock - I would look into the Silhouette Cameo. Check out some of their forums and get opinions from people who have actually used one, but from what I have seen I think it looks like an excellent machine. I say stay away from companies that are too tight knit like Provo Craft.

Here is my favorite project with vinyl: floating frames! Look back soon for a tutorial!

Heat Press Machine

As if a new plotter wasn't enough, a month after I started to use the plotter I purchased a heat press machine. I went with the 15x15 clamshell press - mostly because it was in my price range.

Here are some tips and tricks that might be helpful for heat press machines:

Purchase an infrared thermometer to double check that your press is reading right.
Set your temp to 350 degrees.
Use a Teflon sheet unless the machine comes with one on in. Directly pressing will burn the vinyl.
Thermoflex heat transfer vinyl has given me no problems at all.

Use a mousepad underneath small shirts and onsies. That will raise the are you want pressed.
Make sure when you press, that the tshirt is flat. If there is a ribbed neck, make sure it is off the edge so you can press firmly onto the rest of the shirt.
Double check your pressure. Not enough pressure and the vinyl will crack or fall off. You can test the pressure when the machine is off by pressing a sheet of paper. If you can pull the paper out, then you need to apply more pressure.

Figure out how long to press - use an old t-shirt and do lots of samples!

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