[Oa] craft cutter

[Andrew Crawford]

Jeff Rutzky wrote:
> On Apr 23, 2007, at 4:38 PM, Andrew Crawford wrote:
>> I think the jury is still out on using the cutting machines for OA.
>> Some people are reporting good results but, there is typically a
>> learning curve associated with getting them to perform as expected.
> 
>> I bought a Klic-N-Kut (KNK) machine a few months ago.  I spent a few

> The jury has returned a few months ago, and Mr. Crawford knows it. He is
> biased for the simple reason that he is a distributor of KNK (or was
> thinking of becoming one at my last recollection).

Wow, Jeff, that's a bit harsh.  It's also not correct.

I am not a KNK dealer, nor do I have any plans for becoming one.  Are
you confusing me with someone else?

If any machine turned out to be an excellent tool for OA and were
difficult for people to obtain, I might consider becoming a dealer for
that - just as I have for various tools and OA cards that are difficult
to find.  It is possible I said something to that effect at some point.
 However, the KNK, Craft Robo, and other machines are all readily
available.  There is no reason for me to become a dealer for either.

Another OAer I (and a lot of other people here) know is a KNK dealer.
After purchasing and using half a dozen different machines (including a
Craft Robo Pro), she concluded that the KNK was a good choice and,
talked me into trying it.  I bought one at a reduced introductory price
and thought it was a reasonable investment, if I can get good results
from it.

I was not making any specific recommendations in my previous post.  In
fact, I was *especially* not making any specific recommendations.  My
point was that I have not seen a lot of OA models cut on any cutting
machine, so far.  I have had some limited initial success building one
model on my KNK.  So, I personally do not feel comfortable making a
recommendation, yet.

I did see your gallery when we talked about this briefly here before.  I
recall thinking (and probably telling you) that I thought you had some
good looking work there.

I don't see anything in your gallery that is as complicated as some of
the pieces I have seen cut with a laser, though.  I hadn't heard
anything about what limitations you have encountered while producing
those pieces (though you provide some of that in the post to which I am
responding).  I also have not heard anything from anyone else using any
cutting machine for OA.

Have you used any of the KNK machines?  What about the AC-40 machines?
I would give more weight to the preference of someone who has personally
used multiple cutting machines.

You are one member of the "jury."  You are one artist working with one
model of machine.  I think more information is necessary to arrive at a
judgment about the utility of cutting machines for OA.  So, I stand by
my assertion that the "jury is still out" on using craft cutting
machines for OA.  Your opinions and your dissent are both welcome, though.

I wanted to make sure Danielle got some sort of response to her post
fairly quickly.  So, I posted.  I referred her to the archive, where you
previously provided some input on the topic.

> I have discussed, at long length, with Chad at KNK's HQ in Florida. He
> and I agree that the KNK is a long way off from being of use to fine

That's interesting.  In my experience, Chad has reacted badly to
anything he perceives as critical of the KNK or KNK Studio software.
So, I am surprised to hear that he would agree with that assertion.

> artists such as OAers--but especially Mac-based ones since you can't run
> it from a Mac...they ship software that is not Mac compatible. All ad

I am a big fan of open standards.  I actually work on a number of open
source projects in my other (non-OA) life.  I am uncomfortable with any
equipment that requires proprietary software, particularly when the
vendor feels obliged to lock it down with dongles.

However, I know several people in addition to myself who are running the
KNK Studio software on Macs.  It is true that it cannot run natively on
MacOS and, that there is no MacOS version of the software.

However, there are ways to run Windows on Mac hardware.  I have KNK
Studio installed and working with Windows running directly on my Intel
Macbook using Bootcamp (a free download from Apple).  I also have it
working in a virtual machine running under MacOS using VMWare's Fusion
beta product (currently also a free download).  There are several other
virtualization packages that will accomplish the same thing.

Even in a virtual machine with very little RAM allocated, the
performance of KNK Studio has been indistinguishable from running it
natively on the hardware.

> agencies use Macs--to create prototypes of packaging, die-cut print
> samples--and would probably love to order 10-20 CNC cutting machines for
> their huge art departments.
> 
> BTW: The KNK Element is Chad's baby, and he is committed to putting more
> resources into it, but he just doesn't have enough support from his
> bosses, and doesn't even have a reliable Mac to test on anyway.

If Chad could convince his bosses to open and publish the protocol for
communicating with the machine, someone might do the work of writing Mac
software for him.  I bet they would sell a bunch more hardware that way ...

Another good alternative might be to provide cutter control using
something more like a printer driver.  That's how many of the laser
cutting machines work: you output from any appropriate vector graphics
application using the printer driver and it does the cutting.  It seems
like it would take a lot less programming work to write printer drivers
for two platforms than a full vector graphics package.

> So far, Craft ROBO has no competitor. And I've told Chad that very
> pointedly. They are missing a huge opportunity with the Element's
> weaknesses:
> 
> 1) Price
> 2) Size/weight
> 3) Software
> 4) Support
> 5) No actual company behind it, distributor only, like old-fashioned
> Tupperware.

I am not sure I quite understand: are you comparing the KNK Element with
the Craft Robo?

There are three different models of KNK machine.  One is the original
KNK (which cuts materials up to 13" in width).  There is a KNK XL (which
cuts materials up to 15" in width).  Then, there is the smaller KNK
Element (which cuts materials up to 8.5" in width).

There appear to be several Craft Robo machines, too.  Are you using the
original $269 USD Craft Robo machine?  Is that what you used for the
examples in your flikr gallery?  It looks like there is also a Craft
Robo Pro and a Craft Robo Pro II.

I have no experience with Graphtec support.  Chad and his colleagues,
the people who developed the KNK machines, are providing email and phone
support for the KNK.  I have heard few complaints about the support.
There is also a very active users' group who cheerfully answer questions.

I'm not sure what you mean about there being no company behind the KNK.
 Can you elaborate?  Clearly we have both had direct contact with people
(like Chad) involved in developing and manufacturing the KNK.  They are
selling through distributors but, that doesn't seem unusual.  A lot of
equipment is sold through distribution channels.

> Craft ROBO's Graphtec has been making industrial cutters, scanners,
> plotters for many, many years. they are some of the world's best.
> 
> No, I do NOT work for Graphtec, nor do I receive any monies or equipment
> for making these statements. I am an independent artist, graphic
> designer and author who is an "early adopter" of new technology, and
> take it to the limits when given the opportunity.
> 
> Jeff Rutzky

Thank you for your input.

Andrew Crawford