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Question Advice on buying used wide format for small shop

Aardvark Printing

Aardvark Printing

New Member
I'm a small print shop subbing out all my wide format.
I'm looking to get a used printer at least 36" that can do banners and vinyl. I don't need cutting.
Any recommendations on what to get that balances cost and utility? What to avoid?
I'm looking at an hp designjet 1055cm
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Any particular reason you don't want a more convenient size ?? Ya get a 30" or a 36" or even a 42" and low & behold, your first order for a banner will be a 4' × 8'.

Edit: Don't forget, you'll need a laminator.
 
Aardvark Printing

Aardvark Printing

New Member
Gino said:
Any particular reason you don't want a more convenient size ?? Ya get a 30" or a 36" or even a 42" and low & behold, your first order for a banner will be a 4' × 8'.

Edit: Don't forget, you'll need a laminator.
Click to expand...
Trying to keep the cost down. The jobs I get that are rush tend to be banners and my vendor has gotten slower for them.
 
V

Vinyl slayer

New Member
Guy Rovella said:
I'm a small print shop subbing out all my wide format.
I'm looking to get a used printer at least 36" that can do banners and vinyl. I don't need cutting.
Any recommendations on what to get that balances cost and utility? What to avoid?
I'm looking at an hp designjet 1055cm
Click to expand...

Question... do you have any large format printers in your area that you could build a relationship with? Keep it local, and it's amazing how making local connections in this industry can grow like wildfire by word of mouth. Make some friends nearby, then when you have so much business you are sending out, that it makes sense to bring in-house... grow as needed, and makes the most sense.

Edit. Never mind. ah, I should listen better before I start talking. I wish you could just delete a stupid post.
 
Aardvark Printing

Aardvark Printing

New Member
Val47 said:
Question... do you have any large format printers in your area that you could build a relationship with? Keep it local, and it's amazing how making local connections in this industry can grow like wildfire by word of mouth. Make some friends nearby, then when you have so much business you are sending out, that it makes sense to bring in-house... grow as needed, and makes the most sense.

Edit. Never mind. ah, I should listen better before I start talking. I wish you could just delete a stupid post.
Click to expand...
No worries. It's still good advice.
 
N

netsol

Active Member
guy
i agree with gino, you should be looking at a larger printer, unless it won't fit in your shop.
i would go one step farther. i disagree, i would think you DO NEED cutting capability.
with the ability to do banners same day/rush, i can't see not having the ability to turn out the plethora or jobs that can be done with basic print cut capability.

obviously, if you are happy farming out the bulk of this kind of work, continue to do so.
but if you place a value on being able to fulfill PREMIUM PRICED same day rush work, as well as having the ability to perform an IN HOUSE SAME DAY REDO when the occasional screwup happens (color not right, miscommunication, UPS's "weather delay" screwing up delivery of a "time is of the essence" job, etc.)

add to this, i always feel a new client takes us more seriously, being able to produce a small sample, to let decision makers see "proof of concept"
 
Jester1167

Jester1167

Premium Subscriber
That printer appears to be a water-soluble printer either pigment or dye-based. Are you looking to make exterior durable prints like most in the sign business, or are you looking to upgrade your copy store so you can print short-term banners and posters? Designjets are glorified office printers.

Sign companies printing banners, wraps, graphics, and decals are looking for at least 5 years of outdoor durability with a UV laminate. That's why they use solvent, latex, and UV machines and add a UV laminate on everything but banners.

I definitely agree that you should get a 54" wide machine. Once you have a large format printer on-site, opportunities come knocking and you will kick yourself for having to outsource 40% of your banners. With a smaller printer, you will find yourself consistently talking your customers into spending less on a smaller project, or creating more waste and labor than your competitors to accommodate the larger projects. Even companies with 54" printers still run into those types of limitations.
 
nreklam

nreklam

New Member
[QUOTE = "Jester1167, post: 1516973, member: 14568"] Čini se da je taj pisač vodotopivi pisač na bazi pigmenta ili boje. Želite li izraditi vanjske trajne otiske poput većine u tvrtkama s potpisima ili želite nadograditi svoju kopiju kako biste mogli tiskati kratkoročne natpise i plakate? Designjeti su proslavljeni uredski tiskari.

Tvrtke s potpisima koje tiskaju natpise, omote, grafike i naljepnice traže najmanje 5 godina trajanja na otvorenom s UV laminatom. Zato koriste otapalo, lateks i UV strojeve i dodaju UV laminat na sve osim na natpise.

Definitivno se slažem da biste trebali dobiti stroj širokog 54 inča. Jednom kada na licu mjesta imate printer velikog formata, mogućnosti će vam zakucati i izbacit ćete se jer morate prepustiti 40% svojih natpisa. S manjim pisačem pronaći ćete sami neprestano nagovarate svoje kupce da troše manje na manji projekt ili stvaraju više otpada i radne snage od svojih konkurenata da bi prilagodili veće projekte. Čak i tvrtke s 54-inčnim pisačima još uvijek nailaze na te vrste ograničenja. [/ QUOTE]
 
nreklam

nreklam

New Member
Vidim da vas savjetuju o HP-u. Nije loš izbor, ali Rolanda imam 25 godina i promijenio sam 5 printera i nisam požalio.
Održavanje je jeftino, tako da cijelu stvar možete obaviti sami, boje su jeftine, naravno ako koristite zamjenu, ispis je izvrstan, a imate mogućnost rezanja i možete odmah rezati.
Nećete požaliti, moj je savjet sigurno 100%, pun pogodak.
 
N

netsol

Active Member
Jester1167 said:
That printer appears to be a water-soluble printer either pigment or dye-based. Are you looking to make exterior durable prints like most in the sign business, or are you looking to upgrade your copy store so you can print short-term banners and posters? Designjets are glorified office printers.

Sign companies printing banners, wraps, graphics, and decals are looking for at least 5 years of outdoor durability with a UV laminate. That's why they use solvent, latex, and UV machines and add a UV laminate on everything but banners.

I definitely agree that you should get a 54" wide machine. Once you have a large format printer on-site, opportunities come knocking and you will kick yourself for having to outsource 40% of your banners. With a smaller printer, you will find yourself consistently talking your customers into spending less on a smaller project, or creating more waste and labor than your competitors to accommodate the larger projects. Even companies with 54" printers still run into those types of limitations.
Click to expand...


absolutely right. who hasn't had that experience when a customer would like a 5' or 6' banner

54" size makes sense (unless you are moving it and there is no elevator.)
 
nreklam

nreklam

New Member
moj savjet vam je ROLAND VS 540, zadovoljit će sve vaše potrebe.
Nije velik, nije ga teško pomaknuti, a jednostavan je
 
R

Roper1967

New Member
Guy Rovella said:
I'm a small print shop subbing out all my wide format.
I'm looking to get a used printer at least 36" that can do banners and vinyl. I don't need cutting.
Any recommendations on what to get that balances cost and utility? What to avoid?
I'm looking at an hp designjet 1055cm
Click to expand...

Hello Guy, My advice is to buy at least a 54" printer and yes you will need a cutter if not now you will. Not having a cutter is really not a option in this business. Don't constrain your productivity by buying a small printer the difference in price is not enough to worry about. If you have never owned one before I would highly suggest a new one. Once you learn how to maintain them and get over the hurdle of being scared to death to do anything to them. Then it's a good option down the road you will no more of what you need. There is a lot of good used machines on the market and anything is fixable . I just wouldn't advise you to purchase one as your first. Get some experience with a new one first.
 
nreklam

nreklam

New Member
in any case a new printer is a great choice. My experience is that I have always bought demo machines because their price is a bit lower and they are in excellent condition.
 
I

ikarasu

Active Member
From a 36" Printer to a 54" Printer, A cutter, and a Laminator... o_O


I'm not saying you guys are wrong. In order to replace outsourcing, you need all 3 - It's just funny how people think they can buy a printer and none of the finishing equipment with it.

Do you have a grommeter already? What about experience with hemming... Do you have a sewing machine, or will you be doing tape? Does your supplier do sewing, if so bringing it in house you'll have a quality drop in that regard.


You'll need a lot more equipment than you think, + Setup and training and time spent... Banners are the cheapest material you can have made... Lots of places do it for a buck a SQFt, Most of the time it's cheaper to outsource it than it is to do it in house. So if you're just looking for more control and you're willing to make the leap time/cost wise.... it's worth it. If you're trying to get stuff cheaper... I wouldnt bother
 
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