Ed:
I used this software as long as I was cutting vinyl. Don't do that anymore or rarely.It's actually pretty good and at the time, it was about $500.00. They added a RIP to it. Here is the website, the actual company is in Australia. I actually did some Beta testing for them once. Vinyl Master Pro is the name of the software and the company is Future Corp. Good luck.

http://www.future-1.com/united_states/products.htm

If you have corel draw you can use it as your software program. You basically set the cutter up like a printer. Theres detailed info on how to do this on the sign forum (signs101) if your interested.

I use a bridge program (cutting) after I design in corel but only because it came with my cutter when I bought it years ago. I also use signmate, sign express and sign elite. Use to use sign wizard but got rid of it, just wasn't needed. Theres just about nothing that can't be done in corel draw that the sign softwares do.

Theres also one called sign tools (I think thats the name) thats a add on to corel and you can get a demo of it to use to see if it would work for you. I tried it and liked it but don't need another software program. Was easy and would work for stickers and just about everything else.

Puck

I've used SignWizard in the past and have found it very easy to use.
I now use Corel (I've got a laser) and have found the trasition difficult at times. SignWizard is very interactive (do most things with the mouse) where with other programes you have to use drop down boxes. It's a bit more expensive than what you're willing to pay, but the investment will be well woth it I think

Regards
Dave
http://www.signwizard.com/products/signwizard/index.php

Ed: You may want to take a serious look at the program listed on ebay.
I have read a little about it in a couple of the sign magazines I get and I personally think it’s worth a strong look. Best thing is it works with Corel and your cutter. My personal opinion is you will like having a bridge program from Corel design over to the cutter. When I buy a new cutter I plan on test driving this program before I consider my upgrade to Co-Cut Pro. Co-Cut has been excellent for me because of its ease of use and has never shown me a bug. It also lets you know if you have done something in the design that will cause a cutting issue.

Best of luck to you on this undertaking and let me know if I can do anything to make this learning curve easy for you.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SignTools-3-for-Corel-Draw-sign-software-vinyl-cutter_W0QQitemZ170098812548QQihZ007QQcategoryZ3771QQcmdZViewItem

Ed:

Graphtec tech support gave me a password to download a Corel compatible plug-in. It's called Cut Master. It actually shows up in the drop down options in Corel. I have a 5100.

That was about 3 months ago. Like you, I've been turning business away because I haven't had time to get up to speed on it.

If I am correct the demo will let you use it as a full program for about 25 or so times. That should be enough to tell if you like it. Let me know if it works well for you it might be one that I would look at for future use. From
a cost stand point and what it seems to have it looks good.

The vinyl bridge program I have (pro-cut) is a stand alone program.

I design in corel draw, save it as an .AI or .EPS file and then open it in pro-cut. It then layers it by colors so that I can either cut it by colors or I can cut it all at once if I want to. Can be sized, rotated, mirrored, sectioned or etc. I use it for cutting all my graphics. Very simple and great program. I believe co-cut might be the newer version of what I have.

I use the other programs I have for basic lettering but I could use them for the graphics if I wanted to but I like corel for designing and pro-cut for cutting, simple is what I like.

Sign tools should do everything you need and it's at a reasonable price.

Puck