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[jazzygirl]

Ok guys! Finally bit the bullet and bought a cutter. My son and I went to the ISS show in Fort  Worth this weekend. took him along cause I didn’t want to drive on the road by myself(glad i did). We attended a free seminar that DAS (digital art solutions) had  and my son won a graphic art CD worth $500. I was super excited about that.
Anyways… bought the GCC EXPERT 24 LX with Great Cuts software. Its was $580 bucks. I know NOTHING about vinyl so I figured this would be a good entry level machine. Several of you guys said the Silhouette or the Cricut was more of a hobby so I listened  and went a little higher up. LOL  didn’t buy the $1600.00 machine, but I think this will be good to start with.
They gave me a few 1 yard sheets of pressing vinyl and I bought a couple of rolls of sign vinyl to start off and play around with.
The first few months will simply be learning the cutter and software and pressing shirts to practice on.  Can you guys suggest anything else that I may need to start? is there such a thing as good vinyl vs bad vinyl ? price points to look for when buying?

[charles95405]

what graphic program do you have....a $200 purchase of winpcsign pro will be a great addition for cutting...go the www.heatpressvinyl.com and join the forum there...you will find a lot of help here and there..  Do you have a heat press?

[jazzygirl]

Hi Charles
I have CorelDraw X5. Yes, got a pretty good heat press. I would love to have that new Fusion ( I think that's the name) it's like the Cadillac of heat presses. LOL

[knifemaker3]

Teflon sheets for the heat press vinyl.

application tape (I like R brand) for sign vinyl.
Squeegees for sign vinyl.
exacto knife for sign and heat press vinyl.

reverse image for heat press vinyl.  regular image for sign vinyl.

Stay away from Avery sign vinyl.  Go with Oracal.

lots more but just a couple of things to get you started.  someone else will be along with more.

Oh.........ASK QUESTIONS!!!!!! 

Good Luck and have fun!

[roxanneupnorth]

I have 2 GCC machines and they have served me well....Good luck....

[Ynkfan1]

Also just purchased this cutter, so I'm very interested in this thread. So I don't the first thing, or the second. Any tips, tricks and/or ideas will be helpful. Thanks a lot!

Charlie

Should arrive tomorrow.

[COCHISE]

WinPCsign2010 Pro will be a great cutting program for you and well worth the money. I have dumped all other cutting programs in favor of it.

You will have a learning curve to overcome. You have two support forums full of folks that have almost every brand and size of cutters and have experience with WinPC. You have tons of "how to videos" and a manual. Read the manual from cover to cover, make notes, read it again. Watch all the videos. Pay special attention to the SIMPLE cutting series...... DO NOT buy the program thinking you will cut complex multi-colored rhinestone templates within 2 hours. I have seen this frustration time and again......... this is an extremely powerful program but once you master the basics it is all simple logic. You can do it and you can succeed.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

ken

[charles95405]

Ken has summed it up quite well

[MonkeyMeMe]

Woohoooo I just got a GCC expert and i am very spoiled already,,,

I cut from winpcsign2010. not great cuts,,

works like a dream

[jazzygirl]

Finally got my Expert LX up and cutting. It took forever. It really sucks that technical support is on a different time zone. I had to leave work early just talk to someone. I'm excited about at least getting a name cut last night.
I know this cutter DO NOT cut rhinestone material. Just wondering what would be the cutter to upgrade to later.

MMM- you do rhinestone cutting.did u purchase the Expert just as an extra cutter?

It's sad that I have only had the cutter 2 weeks and already thinking about an upgrade. My hubby is going to be shaking his head! LOL

[MonkeyMeMe]

YOur cutter will cut rhinestone template material, like butter,,,,

you just need the winpcsign2010 software from roger at www.heatpressvinyl.com

[jazzygirl]

Stahls tec said it wouldn't cut rhinestone material?? Ok I'm really confused
I have the GCV Expert 24 LX
ARE YOU SURE???

[COCHISE]

MMM, who also owns the same cutter, and sells all the rhinestone accessories you need, has mentioned Roger at wwwheatpressvinyl. He is a forum sponsor and a dealer for the cutter you own. It will cut with over 250 grams of down force, plenty enough to cut Hartco or sticky flock. It will contour cut and is very easy to use.

Stahls is just not up to speed in their tech department I guess....

ken

[jazzygirl]

If that's the case then that's awsome!
I have coreldraw and plan to get the DAS Software in December. Would I still need winpc??

[MonkeyMeMe]

jazzy,,,
i have the step down from yours,, lol
the expert 24,,,

and it cuts sticky flock and hartco like butter i use 140 grams of force set my blade just right, and  use a 60 degree blade,, roger has those too
Lou might too,

Both lou and roger sell this machine,, GCC and it is what i use in my business now as my main machine, You will need the software,, winpcsign,

But i can send you a test breast cancer awarness ribbon to cut if you want to make sure,
go to my website and grab a piece of sticky flock and a piece of green rubber,, and will gladly help you as well as roger and the rest of us get get your setting right for template material,,

Your machine should cut it like butter,, with the right blade and settings,,

do you know how to set your pressure or force in your VLCD? if not we can help you there too

I think all you will have to do is get the software and you will be good to go,, woohoooooo then when you want a different cutter grab one,, but it is not needed now..

[charles95405]

With winpcsign, you don't really need DAS...use this to really good..then layer, maybe

[roxanneupnorth]

I called GCC and asked about cutting they heavier materials......They said the Expert 24 will cut them but they do not recommend it....It was explained to me that the Expert 24 was not engineered to cut heavy materials on a regular basis and could lead to the premature failure of that cutter....

[MonkeyMeMe]

I will let you know how long it lasts,,,, as i will have it running at least 8 hours 7days a week

[knifemaker3]

I called GCC and asked about cutting they heavier materials......They said the Expert 24 will cut them but they do not recommend it....It was explained to me that the Expert 24 was not engineered to cut heavy materials on a regular basis and could lead to the premature failure of that cutter....

So what they are saying is......yes it will cut it but we won't honor the warrenty if you do.  They just didn't out and out say it.

In other words you should be fine cutting with it! 

[MonkeyMeMe]

I have been using much less machines for the past how many years now to cut templates of all materials, just fine,,

and with a low end price of 450.00

SOLD... for me

as far as the force goes, it is 250,, I cut with 120-140 from most of my template materials,

Rolands also have a force of 250.... as well as many other hard working machines