Help us choose our first printer!

[fine point]

Hi all. I read so many threads on the "first printer", and more I read more I get confused.
I was hoping you all could enlight me a little.

We were pretty much set to buy HP Latex 315, but we found out that we can't use it in our studio. So I have to start all over again to find the perfect printer for us.

We are:

Very small studio in a shared building in Brooklyn, NY (can't convert 110 to 220v) nor use the converter.
We don't have room for 64" printer. (Did I say Brooklyn?)
We don't do vehicle wraps, no need for 64".
We need to print super sharp images for picky NY clients.
We need to print on paper as well as SAV.
We do wall dressing a lot.

What do you think? Can you guys suggest a printer for newbie?

 

[Solventinkjet]

Any modern printer is going to print very high quality prints these days so that is usually not an issue. You want to look at reliability of the printer and the ability of your dealer to fix the printer in a reasonable time. If you can find a dealer with a full time tech on staff, that is the best way to go. I would recommend a Mutoh ValueJet 1324 or Mimaki JV150-130. They both come with take up reels which helps in the small space and they are good, proven printers. You could also get the Mimaki CJV150 printer/cutter to have a cutter and save space as well. The only concern, and this is why latex would have been perfect for you, in small spaces the fumes of the solvent ink are going to bother you a lot and you would probably want to put in ventilation. Maybe there is a latex machine out there that doesn't use 220?

 

[fine point]

Is there a latex machine comparable to HP 300 series? I just couldn't find one...
I looked up Mimaki and Mutoh too, but I was worried about the fume. I don't know how bad it is though.
Thanks for your input!

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

Eco solvent printers have no smell

 

[bilge]

Hi all. I read so many threads on the "first printer", and more I read more I get confused.
I was hoping you all could enlight me a little.

We were pretty much set to buy HP Latex 315, but we found out that we can't use it in our studio. So I have to start all over again to find the perfect printer for us.

We are:

Very small studio in a shared building in Brooklyn, NY (can't convert 110 to 220v) nor use the converter.
We don't have room for 64" printer. (Did I say Brooklyn?)
We don't do vehicle wraps, no need for 64".
We need to print super sharp images for picky NY clients.
We need to print on paper as well as SAV.
We do wall dressing a lot.

What do you think? Can you guys suggest a printer for newbie?

Your requirement seems to bit tough. You might sacrifice at least one of them. If I were you, sub your jobs other places in the beginning even there is no profit. Then you can see the difference of each printer, soon knows how fast they are, what printers they have. For example, what is supersharp? Someone will say every printer on themarket nowadays prints supersharp, another will say eco sol not comparable to offset press or laser printers. A lot of? How many? 3 shifts a day or 10000 sqf per day? If you can't accomodate 64" printer then 54" is only 10 inch short. Is it you place too tight? There is many question answered before you get the printer, that's why it seems confusing.

 

[accord-ra]

Roland or Mimaki. Ecosolvent only

 

[BigfishDM]

Hi all. I read so many threads on the "first printer", and more I read more I get confused.
I was hoping you all could enlight me a little.

We were pretty much set to buy HP Latex 315, but we found out that we can't use it in our studio. So I have to start all over again to find the perfect printer for us.

We are:

Very small studio in a shared building in Brooklyn, NY (can't convert 110 to 220v) nor use the converter.
We don't have room for 64" printer. (Did I say Brooklyn?)
We don't do vehicle wraps, no need for 64".
We need to print super sharp images for picky NY clients.
We need to print on paper as well as SAV.
We do wall dressing a lot.

What do you think? Can you guys suggest a printer for newbie?

You could always get a machine like the HP Z6100, are most of your applications made for indoors?

 

[Solventinkjet]

Eco solvent printers have no smell

You're just too use to the smell that you can't smell it any more lol! But seriously, I have many customers who run 1 machine in a small area or multiple machines in one room and fumes are definitely a problem. Especially when you take into account employee safety and well being etc. These fumes are not good for you and you may want to consider venting your print room.

 

[Correct Color]

What does "wall dressing" actually mean?

The reason I ask is that if all this stuff is inside, it sounds to me like what you might need is an aqueous printer. They're smaller, much less expensive, use less power, produce no odor, and produce actual fine-art quality prints, something no latex or eco-solvent can do.

They're also slower, their media costs more, and what they print basically is for indoors only.

But if you're after truly stunning prints, for truly particular clients, they will give you better results than any signage-type printer.