Plotter/cutter machines and MTC software...

[Zogbert Splod]

A new thread since I have made a bit of a 'bend' in davijhope's printer thread...
After taking a basic interest in the subject of cutting machines (my ex had a Cricut for greeting card making) I discovered that these things are used in this hobby for making layout buildings and structures.  I looked at the various threads for a long time and followed up by hunting the net, finally deciding that the Zing machines looked to be the best for the purpose.  So, I bought one.

What I now see is what looks like a growing interest in the machines.  I am wondering how many people on here actually have one now or are planning to get one.
The main software package in use with these machine seems to be 'Make The Cut' but there are some(?) others around.
I wonder if there could be an interest and a willingness to share files?

So, do you have or plan to get a machine (which one), what software does it use and what do you think about possibly sharing some files???

[Tank]

I use Techsoft 2D Design for the projects I have. At my work we have a Roland cutter, laser cutter and 3D printer - which can all use the software. I'm just a beginner though!

Edit:-

Little video of my first go at the laser cutter.  I'm making platform shelters...

http://www.youtube.com/embed/tIRkPG3yYlg

[MalcolmInN]

A new thread since I have made a bit of a 'bend' in davijhope's printer thread...
After taking a basic interest in the subject of cutting machines (my ex had a Cricut for greeting card making) I discovered that these things are used in this hobby for making layout buildings and structures.  I looked at the various threads for a long time and followed up by hunting the net, finally deciding that the Zing machines looked to be the best for the purpose.  So, I bought one.

At the risk of 'bending' your thread 

Perhaps you could tell us numpties who know nowt yet, what did you look at and what did you discover about "best" that made you chose a/the Zing.

I did start googling, honest, but my first hit was Amazon 'out of stock' and it didnt get much better with the manuf. site list of suppliers.

 

[MalcolmInN]

^^ "Perhaps you could tell us numpties who know nowt yet," *

* For example I thought these cutter thingies used blades but the Zing is a laser ? or did i get my eyes xxed

[red_death]

I have a Silhouette Portrait (can be picked up for around £100) with Inkscape (free vector graphics program) or the software that came with it.

Cheers

Mike

[Dorsetmike]

This chart although not new, does compare most machines

http://www.paperthreads.com/bonus/paperthreads_machine_compare_112008.html

I've had a hunt for something more recent so far no joy. The Zing does use a blade, a laser cutter is similar in concept but probably a lot dearer, it will however cut things that a plotter cutter blade can not. Wood for example.

My reasons for choosing the Zing, it can cut much thicker material than most of the cheaper machines, I've cut Slaters embossed plastikard, and mounting board (thick heavy card) It is also claimed (though I have not tried it) to cut fabric, leather and balsa.

As well as cutting thicker material it also cuts thinner material faster. I've cut and built quite a few terrace houses, 2 blocks of 6 houses will fit on an A4 sheet, using medium card the Zing does it in under 10 minutes.

It also has heads for embossing and a pen, which is very handy for initial learning and subsequently can also be used to check that you are setting the start point for a sheet such that the cut does not go beyond the edge of the material. It is possible to set the registration very accurately but for most buildings we are likely to model that should not be essential.

The MTC software is easy to use, has quite a library of shapes, example for a terraced house I start with a rectangle, to size it just pull on the sides or corners with the mouse, there is a grid using Imperial inches, when you have a front and end wall to size fetch a triangle, size it and join it to the end wall for a gable.

I would suggest for a start take measurements of a Metcalfe or Scalescenes kit and use them as a rough guide to lengths and heights etc. I usually export the basic shape as a jpg to an image/photo editing programme to add door and window openings, I usually use Etched brass windows and doors, scan  one of each size you intend to use, convert the scanned image to a blank white rectangle,then copy/paste onto your walls, Once you have one wall done, just copy/paste to fill your page, until you have something like this

[smg id=19907]

Export back to the cutter software make sure it is centred on the sheet , (first few times use a sheet of paper and the pen in place of the blade, saves messing up a sheet of card)

I print my brick or stone onto A4 label stock and stick that  to the card, most printers don't like printing on card.

If you have a very detailed building with quoins or fancy door and window surrounds then I cut plain card then stick carefully cut out walls (with scissors or craft knife) onto the cut card.

Some kits have quoins separate so you could scan and cut them from printed label or thin card and stick over the corners. It might take a bit of trial and error to cut the quoins accurately, or you could take the time to get registration spot on

[Dorsetmike]

With the walls in the image in the previous post you could make thos up as 2 complete terraces or 4 low relief by cutting half the gable off and transferring to the other end, either at the image editing stage or after cutting with scissors or a craft knife.

You can also do a bit of image editing to make some rear kitchen extensions for the back

[smg id=19908]

A bit of imagination can add porches  or bay windows, although for the latter I usually use cast ones from Scalelink, also Dormers from the same place, as in this lo relief block

[smg id=20567]

Doors and windows from Peedie models

[MalcolmInN]

Mike, excellent thank you.
Good chart link as well,
ok I'll continue Googling for one of these Zing things >>

( I mustav got my eyes xxed on the Zing Home Site, to one of their other  laser models then, did sound a little exotic at the time !! )

[Dorsetmike]

Just had a thought (yes it was lonely all there by itself) I did this exercise just over a year ago

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=25428.msg272785#msg272785

I see they don't expect ant new ones before April, also price has gone up, I paid £300 2 years ago, now £435, none currently on Ebay nor Gumtree.

[Zogbert Splod]

A new thread since I have made a bit of a 'bend' in davijhope's printer thread...
After taking a basic interest in the subject of cutting machines (my ex had a Cricut for greeting card making) I discovered that these things are used in this hobby for making layout buildings and structures.  I looked at the various threads for a long time and followed up by hunting the net, finally deciding that the Zing machines looked to be the best for the purpose.  So, I bought one.

At the risk of 'bending' your thread 

Perhaps you could tell us numpties who know nowt yet, what did you look at and what did you discover about "best" that made you chose a/the Zing.

I did start googling, honest, but my first hit was Amazon 'out of stock' and it didnt get much better with the manuf. site list of suppliers.

 

Please feel free to 'bend it' as much as you wish! (ooh-er Missus!)

Mike has already covered much of what I will say, however, here we go!  Yeah, the Zing Air is the machine that I have and it is a blade based cutter.  It has a variety of blades and attachments available.  Bladewise these are blades for paper, card, fabric and believe it or not, fondant icing.  There are attachments for engraving and creasing, possibly others too.  It is possible to use pens with the machine also and I am currently waiting for some thin line paint pens to arrive and I will try using those to draw window frames on acetate in the style of the Metcalfe kits.
Oh, while I think on it:  The 'Air' part of the model name refers to the fact that it can be driven via Bluetooth, and that it can be controlled by voice. This is in addition to a more conventional approach using USB and the computer keyboard/mouse. 

For me, the 'best' thing was the force in the 'Z' axis which, while it is settable through the software, is the highest available in all of the hobby grade machines.  I have found that this makes cutting the thicker materials much easier.
Another important thing for me, remember that my only experience prior was with the Cricut (cartridge based mainly), was the design of the machine such as to be completely software driven.
I have found the machine to be accurate and repeatable in use with one gottcha.  That is this:  When using card from a product carton that has been glazed, the drive rollers can slip.  I have found this only to matter if you need to overlay two pieces cut separately as the misalignment is marginal (in the order of a fraction of a mm.)
I find the software to be quirky, at least for my purposes.  It is aimed at the type of ladies who make greetings cards and who do lots of what is called scrap booking these days.  I am more used to a CAD type interface.

If some of the above seems less than complimentary, please understand that I include it only for completeness.  I am full of praise for the machine and for the support that the supplier has shown.
I use the word supplier with reservation as it would seem that there are, currently, none available to supply!!!  I did try to go down the eBay route when I first looked for a machine but found, from the various craft forums, that no one who has one wants to sell it.  That was part of my decision making input.

Mike's link below above covers a huge amount of ground, but if there are any other specifics that come to mind, please feel free to 'bend' the thread as you see fit.

Regards, Allan...
'scuse me while I go Zing!

[ColinH]

Hi bought a Zing for the wife to use for her dolls house miniatures business (MiddleMumsMiniatures) a couple of years ago but to be honest we have not got on with it very well. The first machine we got had to go back to the supplier as the laser did not work. We are still trying to get to grips with the second and even our computer savvy son is having difficulties.

MalcolmAL you may be getting confused because one of the Zing models use a laser to aligning the blade when using 'print and cut' (PAC)- with this you can make your design in the Zing program then send it to your printer. After printing you then put the sheet on the Zing's backing sheet and load it into the cutter. The machine is then callibrated using pre printed markers and the laser so that it will cut your design in the right place. Think of printing a BR Totem sign with a station name in the centre for example.

'Make the cut' (MTC) is slightly different in that it will cut the shape exactly where it is on the paper similar to Dorsetmike's silhouettes. In this case the laser is used to set the bottom right hand corner of the sheet of paper. This bit we have mastered.

There are numerous tutorials on Utube for the Zing.

Perhaps our intended use of the machine in the dolls house accessories market is a little more intricate than model railway structures, even in N Gauge.

[Zogbert Splod]

Good points there ColinH.  I admit that I did find the learning curve to be quite steep as there is not much available by way of a manual either for the machine or the software.  What there is has to be downloaded or looked at on line.
I do have that habit that so many of us who stand up to pee have, I hate to read the manual anyhow.  But, I did learn, eventually, that if I did look for what I needed to do  and then worked through the steps (ALL of the steps) then I would get where I wanted to go.
I have found that setting the depth of cut and the blade/media gap (stack of PostIt notes) is CRITICAL but easy to apply after a short practice.

Hope you get around your issues with the machine but if not, and you want to get rid of it, I feel sure you will have no problem doing so.

Regards, Allan.....
@ColinH

[Dorsetmike]

I find the most useful pages of the manual start at Page 44, a table of settings for blade pressure, speed, blade height, number of passes which blade to use for loads of different materials, many of them American brand names, but most can be equated with UK stuff. There is also a blank table on page 43 so you can list your own preferred settings for materials you frequently use.

With some of the American branded materials I sometimes try the settings on what seems like the nearest UK equivalent, and make a note of ones that work and what they work with.

The plastic mat needs an occasional wash and respraying with adhesive, it needs to be one of the "stays tacky" or "repositionable" types,  there are some which grip too well, and you can't get the material off after cutting and after a day or two it is no longer sticky, as though it has dried out or set.  I also like to sellotape all round the edge of the materials like plastikard which doesn't stick to the mat as well as card.

[MalcolmInN]

Thanks all, very interesting, a whole new field to explore !
(I have archived y'all to flashUSB )

MalcolmAL you may be getting confused because one of the Zing models use a laser to aligning

Thanks Colin, yes I suspected that may have been so, (easy these days
but I must say, not helped by the manuf. site which was more floss and are-we-not-good over basic info, not helped by their limited 'Suppliers' info,, which linked to a previously unknown company not far distant from me,* which equally engaged in floss with nothing substantive ( April ! Pah! no wonder China is doing so well (rel.) )

* I may go round there Mon. and give a piece of my mind, ,  aka offer my services  !
, , maybe not they couldnt afford me on their present showing! LOL !

[Dorsetmike]

One point that has come to mind; when printing brick/stone/tile paper or label make sure you use the same orientation (I prefer landscape) when cutting out buildings, vertical brick courses don't look quite right!

I made the mistake of trying to squeeze in some extra bits on the end of the sheet (porches IIRC) but put them at 90 degrees to the rest of the parts - one of the mistakes I learnt from!