Considering a 48" PrismJet Package from SW

[Vinyldog]

I agonized over this same decision - in the end i went 54in. combo because I heard the 48in. material was being phased out of production and my shop is too small to accomadate three machines - but that price is hard to beat - and you could still do wraps - just more seams - I'm using 48in. MPI1005 right now because I got a better deal on it than the 54in.
Another side to the size issue - with 54 you can do banners a full 4ft. wide but you will have 4in. of drop on every banner you make - using 48in. mat the banners are smaller but you use all your material - I dunno - tuff one.

 

[artbot]

Most likely scenario

back in the day as a newbie, i bought one of the first piezo printers, a roland fj-50 for $17,500 (on sale, demo). that was over 12 years ago. it took me way too long to get it into production. by the time you get you kit really cranking, it will have depreciated 50%.

what happens:

1) time to master color, resolution, profiles, ink behavior, adhesion, drying, etc.
2) time to transition a business that is predominantly built around a different product using customers as guinea pigs on your new equipment. you will lack a portfolio and experience to compete with veterans of the same product.
3) time learning to diagnose and predict maintenance issues.
4) during this learning curve your machine will throw away tons of ink while purging it's heads with routine cleanings everyday while you think you might use it tomorrow so you keep the machine print ready.

all the while making payments on this herd of machines that you are slowly grafting into your business. it's called losing money.

buy a good condition, used machine for about 4k. and get used to what it does. a newbie with a brand new machine is a newbie move. don't do it. earn your way up to a brand new machine. i've got a jv3 160sp that i bought for $4500 in almost unused condition. it is cherry. and virtually free.

 

[joshuamalachi]

ask them to throw in the take up reel...most of the time they will.

even though you think you'll never use it....you'll find reasons that you'll be kicking yourself for not getting it.

I set mine up to run in the evening....will run and make me money while I'm not here.

also, go with the biggest machine you can afford. If you have the option, you'll find reasons to use the extra space. That's why we got a 64", we're practically the only ones in our area who can print an actual 5' banner. most of the time we're printing vertical banners, where they are 5' wide and however tall they want them.