MH721 Vinyl cutter

#1

I have got the cutter working under linux using inkscape.

Process
Design graphic using inkscape - Text glyphs etc
Use path to convert objects into strokes
Save as .hpgl file - yourfile.hpgl
Exit inkscape, then send file to cutter
cat yourfile.hpgl > /dev/ttyUSB0

Notes
You can import your pre-existing files into inkscape
The cutter X axis is across the plotter bed. Y axis along the roll
Use dmesg to see what usb device has been assigned to the cutter.

I tested with the classical C phrase ‘Hello World!’ and the Makerspace logo

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#2

Great stuff!

Please update the documentation: Vinyl Cutter - Cutter-Plotter M721

(this appears to be a recent windows driver for users of that system: http://www.uscuttersupport.com/mh-series-vinyl-cutter-setup.html)

#3

I just checked and Inkscape does save as .hpgl without any plugin. The InkCut plugin for vinyl cutters is Linux-only at the moment.

The Windows driver might be worth me looking at? Or is there a way to just send the hpgl file to the printer with the ‘new page’ code and it will cut?

#4

You could probably just cat it to the end of hpgl and then just spit it down any serial terminal. Could probably do this with putty or something similar on Windows no driver needed (assuming that the usb serial convertor on the cutter is recognised by windows. If it’s not it’d be pennies to replace.

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#5

Yes, I found that out yesterday when I was testing Inkscape on the space’s Thinkpad!

On a 'nix m/c (linux, bsd, apple etc) you just have to cat the file to the appropriate port and on Mickycrap m/cs you used to be able to map a usb port to LPT1 and the a binary copy would do the job.

But we could set the m/c to print off the network in the same way as I proposed on the now defunct HP 600.

The cutter can be used with either USB or RS232 input and I can provide an ethernet to RS232 interface box so we could set it up as an internet printer.

Or, as we discussed on Saturday we could set up a rPi or similar to do the job.

Converting .dxf or .svg files to hpgl is as Deep Thought said a little more tricky, but I’m thinking about it.

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#6

Thanks, I’ve used Putty a little bit in the past.

Will try that windows driver too!

#7

Closing this post as there is a more up to date and relevant discussion here