Help getting into digital printing.

[bdawg8527]

My business primarily does vinyl wall decals but we are looking at expanding our services . We currently use a gx-24 which has been great machine. Though we would like to be able to cut 48 in material so we could do much larger decals. I have been thinking about getting a printer/cutter combo so that we have something that we can grow into without having to buy and resell a lot of equipment, plus we do not have a lot of space as we are a home business. I was looking at trying to get a vp-540 so that we would have the plotter we need, and be able to greatly expand our services. We would start doing printed wall decals and move into banners,bulk printed decals, displays, partial and full wraps. We would look for a used vp-540 with a budget in mind of around 12k.

The reason we would want to go to a large print/cut immediately is because of space and cost. We dont want to buy a 48in plotter now (~3k), then get a small printer (30in ~4-5k), then get a larger printer/cut combo. The space that we would save with a print/cut combo is a necessity. We would hand laminate things at the start and find a decent laminator when we start doing things that need laminated. ( Our wall decals should be fine unlaminated)

So what do you guys think would it be wise to get all the money we have got and invest in a printer/cutter?

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

HEY! from HOTlanta!

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

bdawg8527, I am a fifth generation Daytonian transplanted to Atlanta in 1979. I would encourage you to continue to work out of the house. Meanwhile, ADD the 48" to 64" vinyl cutter; SUB your printing for the time being. Once your sales volume justifies it, purchase a solvent or latex printer. If you have any questions, please give me a holler.

 

[MrSalumi]

You'll get two general opinions on this site. One side will tell you to outsource your printing until you have to buy one. The other side will tell you to buy a machine and buy the best one you can for your money, then grow into it.

I was in your shoes once and I took the latter option. While I know that I can't print banner for 89c ft/2 like some of the bigger wholesalers, I enjoy the craft and the ability to produce whatever and whenever I feel.

Whatever your choice is, good luck! Also Rolands kick butt so if you do buy one you'll be in good company.

 

[bdawg8527]

Ya I love my gx-24 so I wanna go roland. Plus I want print and cut in one machine. Im leaning towards the vp300 because of budget and outsource larger prints. Anyone have experience with removable wall decals? Most our business is online wall art sales

 

[ddarlak]

printer

cutter

only a couple grand over you limit and well worth it.

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

When you say REMOVABLE WALL DECALS, are you referring to FATHEADs and interior walls -or- heat applied decals on exterior walls?

 

[bdawg8527]

We currently do RTA quotes and sayings. Just cut lettering with 631. Its all customer applied so we do max 2 layers. We would like to be able to multiple color one peice decals.

 

[401Graphics]

http://signwarehouse.com/color-printers/mutoh-valuejet-48packages.html

 

[mudmedia]

I suggest not getting a 30" model but that is just my opinion. You will find yourself needing a 54" sooner than later.

 

[Mosh]

Don't forget the price of the laminator you are going to need..printer "salemen" always forget to tell that part to new printer buyers...

 

[bdawg8527]

Don't forget the price of the laminator you are going to need..printer "salemen" always forget to tell that part to new printer buyers...

I wouldnt get a laminator initially. The wall decals would be 3621 more than likely which dosent require lam. Ive got a big squeegee and have done some hand laminating. I know its a pain and if we get enough larger work we would get a laminator. And regarding getting a separate printer and cutter we do not have the room its not an option

 

[MrSalumi]

You'll need a laminator.. Trust me.. It's like having a sweet new porsche without any gas.. It looks pretty but it's no fun...

 

[toomeycustoms]

We've been in a similar situation. Our 54" printer used to be in our living room along with all our vinyl(50+ rolls), a 24" plotter, swing away heat press and we had a small table in the kitchen for weeding/trimming. We've moved from there and now have a small 1000 sq ft retail office and outgrew that within a year. If you get a printer definitely get a 54". We sell a lot of die cut wall decals and you really only need a 30" plotter. We splice all the designs bigger than 30". If you do not have the room for a separate printer/cutter, how will you have room for a laminator when the time comes? Plus you will need a couple of big tables to laminate with the Big Squeegee and let your prints dry before laminating. Another thing to consider is how you are going to ship those larger decals and where will you store those boxes/tubes in your limited space. The space disappears fast.

Don't plan on full bleed decals with the 3621. We had too many problems with edge curl and the decals falling off especially if they are large. We primarily use the wall fabric material, i.e. Seramark and Phototex. If they have to have vinyl, we use Avery 2611, but have found that the adhesive can damage the paint if not removed carefully/properly.

Good luck on the investment, just plan for a lot of waste in the beginning and frustration as you get to know the machine.

 

[401Graphics]

I think the room that I have my equipment in now is approx 25 x 12 and i have a VJ1204, a graphtec 54" cutter, a 4x8 work table, computer and desk, and a 64 inch GBC laminator. And its not that bad.

 

[bdawg8527]

Ill be converting my whole living room into the shop basically. I was thinking a 4x8 table should be good for masking etc.. I can fit a laminator in the kitchen when I have to.

And toomey would laminate fix the edge curl? Could try a cheap laminate.we were hoping to replace these 20 rolls of 631 with 1 or 2 rolls of printable

 

[Jim Doggett]

Ill be converting my whole living room into the shop basically. I was thinking a 4x8 table should be good for masking etc.. I can fit a laminator in the kitchen when I have to.

And toomey would laminate fix the edge curl? Could try a cheap laminate.we were hoping to replace these 20 rolls of 631 with 1 or 2 rolls of printable

Another option, especially since you seem to be focusing mostly on indoor, would be liquid lamination, to start out. Then when your business supports it, spend heavy on the laminator, since the better ones are pure heaven, while cheaper ones can be a real pain to work with.

Also, the print-and-cut in the VersaCAMM 30 is handy, but not ideal as many folks might tell you, especially if you're laminating. Also, 30 inches is the media, and your maximum printing width is more like 29 inches, which is fairly limiting, and will probably knock you out of the running on many jobs requiring more width without seams.

And as 401 points out, this is a great, wider printer, at a remarkable price: http://signwarehouse.com/color-print...8packages.html And a matching cutter is pretty inexpensive these days. That'll not only win you some jobs that 29 inch wide printing would not serve, well. It lets machines do what they do best, and not add wear and tear to a printer doing cutting. Plus the output can be far greater, when printers can print, uninterrupted, and cutters are cutting.

And to add, print and cut machines, which Roland has done so well, began with a cutter that cut well and printed poorly (ColorCAMM). VersaCAMM is a printer that prints well, but cutting is pretty marginal, and forces the machine to do something printers don't really do very well (running media back and forth at higher speeds, which vinyl cutters are specifically designed to do). So your cut quality, and cuttable media choices will be vastly greater, with a real deal cutter doing the cutting, and a printer doing what it does best, which the PrismJET does, namely, high speed printing, with superb, non-banded output, since it does what it should. Print, advance, print advance, ... with a Wave Print feature, that greatly reduces banding when printing at top speed (circa 100 ft, sq. per hour).

Just my opinions.

Best,

 

[Gino]

I too, think a 54" would be better suited regardless of what you're presently thinking you'll need. Almost everyone getting a 30" runs into that 3' banner needed by the end of the day tomorrow and you're screwed. You have to tell them, sorry, but I can't do that. You'll have to go to the guy down the street. Then you run the risk of losing your customer to someone set up to do that which you should, but can't.

Wait til you can afford the big one or go get a loan and do it right.

Use your kitchen for cooking and keep your printer in the living room, but set your laminator up in the doing room. You won't have to walk so far.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Ill be converting my whole living room into the shop basically. I was thinking a 4x8 table should be good for masking etc.. I can fit a laminator in the kitchen when I have to.

And toomey would laminate fix the edge curl? Could try a cheap laminate.we were hoping to replace these 20 rolls of 631 with 1 or 2 rolls of printable

You're not married are you? My wife would leave me in an instant if i tried to put a printer anywhere in the house lol!

 

[bdawg8527]

You're not married are you? My wife would leave me in an instant if i tried to put a printer anywhere in the house lol!

Nope just a girlfriend lol. She actually helps out quite a bit. We are both college students so the revenue is to help pay the bills/college.