Anyone Know About Colorspan Displaymaker Printers?

[SignProOhio]

I was searching on e-gay today and came across some Colorspan Displaymaker wide format printers. Has anyone used or know someone that has used these printers? I'd like to know more information...prefferably pricing on new machines because the one I saw was 72" I believe and he was selling it for $400.

 

[wonsngis]

We used to have a Displaymaker X12. All I can say is that there is a very good reason that it is only $400.

 

[ScottyDoo]

I have a DisplayMaker 72s.

 

[AlexRamon]

We work with Colorspan DisplayMaker 72SI about one year. If you have any questions, ask it to me.

 

[pwstudios]

Colorspan Displaymaker Printers

What are the problems found on Colorspan displaymaker printers? Are there any fixes to the problems? Specifically the x12 72" model with dryer. Also, is it possible to convert these to solvent based inks? Thanks

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

They don't make them printers any more, and to get parts for them well thats another story. Plus to top it off Colorspan sold out to HP theres is no more colorspan.

 

[PressPrintGraphics]

Before opening my own shop, the place I worked at had a Colorspan 72UVR, and I can tell you maintenance was a pain on it. There was constantly something wrong with it. My boss bought it, then fired the only person that knew how to run it - it sat for year, then I came in and got it running.

It was a VERY tedious machine..get's the job done, and is fast, but there's a sacrifice in the print quality while gaining the speed it has, and it's full of headaches. Just my $0.02.

 

[Mspec]

The X12 printer can be an asset depending on what you want to do with it. First off, forget about any type of conversion to solvent. It uses thermal heads that will not hold up to any solvent inks, and then there is the profiler / ink situation. Colorspan inks come with counting chips and there is no easy way to work around them. 3rd party ink is off the table.

Outside of that, it can be a good printer but you will have to keep up on the daily cleaning and servicing of the heads and capping station. Usually running a humidifier in the room helps them from drying out as well. Poor handling of the heads or the inklines that feed them will give you headaches and cause the heads to fail prematurely, but once you figure that out it can print fast, and with very good quality. It is essentially a 12 head version of an HP5000. Check into if the printer ships with a rip. There were not a lot of rips running that printer. If you already have Onyx all you will need to do is add another network card to your system depending on the version of Onyx you have. I don't think Wasatch or Flexi ever developed drivers for that printer.

Colorspan sold a rip for that printer, but since HP bought them that rip was discontinued. You can probably find that on Ebay if you look.

Good luck.

 

[ScotJ]

I'm looking at a 72UVR, is this a comperable unit, or better quality than the x12?

 

[Mspec]

completely different animals. X12 is a water based printer, prints great on photobase, canvas, backlit film, and "some" banner and vinyl. It can print in 4 to 8 colors with photo quality and high apparent DPI

UVX is a UV cured 4 color printer that prints on just about anything that is flat enough to run through it. More suited for signage work, banners, and direct to subtrates like coroplast, pvc, aluminum, plexi, etc. Faster, but not as high quality. Quality is good, but not "photo" grade.

 

[KevSign]

I got one before. Good quality printer but a lot problem with print head.
If my choice bying used HP 5500 60" better printer than ColorSpan Display Maker X-12.

Good Luck!!!!