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I am buying a large format printer this week, only question is which one?

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depps74

New Member
Hello potential salesman or woman,

I recently was told by a client that I would get all of their work if I got my own printer. This would triple my biz. Only problem is I know nothing about large format printing. Regardless, I am buying my own printer.. new. I am keen on the signwarehouse Prismjet VJ 54. It's in my budget and will fit in my shop nicely. Is there a better model out there? I am your sales dream, because I need to make a decision this week in order to meet my first job deadline of April. I figure 2 months is enough time to learn and be somehwat comfortable with small jobs. All my jobs will be indoors, no vehicle wrapping just murals and wallpaper stuff.

Please contact me asap I am really in need of some knowledge here....

dave
 
rjssigns

rjssigns

Active Member
Get the one that doesn't break in the middle of a big job. I'm not kidding. They all break and at the worst possible time.

My advice is buy local even if you have to spend more. You may save a buck ordering online, but try and get service. When your rig is down you want a tech on site in 24 hours or less.
I learned that lesson the hard, expensive way and lost clients that never came back.
 
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SameDay Signs

New Member
Rj is right buy local or atleast make sure you have a tech somewhat local as they do seem to break down while your doing. Huge job.....I love the new mimaki or I tees myself but Roland are nice as well....are you looking for an all in one or a separate print and cut machine or just the printer? Im not a huge fan of mutoh but that' not to knock them but i will say if your only going throigh them cause of financing look at a bank or buy outeight if your able becUse i know signwarehouse interest and such is quite high as I once looked I to it even.....Also the go the hp latex may be just what you want as well being they dry quick print quick and offer a nice quality print and they are pretty easy to replace heads and such which are consumable, I still personally vote mimaki but that' just because it' what I've used and always had good luck wi5h, either way good luck in your endeaors
 
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depps74

New Member
Thanks! I understand about the tech support. SW has been great with plotter tech support I've had throughout the years, but I am guessing printing is a whole new beast. I gotta imagine there are technicians in NYC where I live that can service machines? Any suggestions?
 
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equippaint

Active Member
Go on the manufacturers website and look to see who your local dealers are and call them. I have a mimaki cjv and like it, never had any problems with it. Our dealer is decent too.
Seems like many people on here like the HP latex for wallpaper stuff. Contact merchant member bigfish, he seems really on point with materials and the latex machines for this type of work.
 
Johnny Best

Johnny Best

Active Member
They are giving you good advice, go through a local dealer, not SignWarehouse. Then you can buy inks and supplies through that same dealer when you need them. Roland, Mutoh, Mimaki or HP latex all have their likes and dislikes.
 
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ikarasu

Active Member
Depending on the type of wall murals your doing, just remember you might need a laminator also. Without knowing exactly what your applications are for, it's hard to say. But I'd definately recommend latex, especially if you have one customer and will only be printing every so often.

At a couple grand per head, I wouldn't want to learn from scratch with no help on a solvent.
 
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ewded

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I wish i knew these before getting my printer:

Latex pros

Latex is better for wallpaper stuff as it can print direct to real PAPER, eco-solvent prints only to coated media.
Cost of HP Latex / sqft is 25c for ink and 15-20c for printhead+electricity+cleaning solution so about 40c/sqft in total VS 20c for solvent.
Latex quality is inferior compared to solvent but you don't need very high quality on textured wallpapers anyway - it can be printed 720 dpi no problem

Solvent pros

Cheaper consumables
Cheaper machine
You can print on any small piece of media (HP prints only to full width media)
Can print photo quality - HP got problems with pastel colors (as I heard)

Good luck with your choice.
 
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ikarasu

Active Member
Texas_Signmaker said:
Is there a big difference in the 110 vs 115?
Click to expand...
I believe the only difference is the 115 has a cutter on the front .It's not a big difference at all.. but the 115 is replacing the 110, so hp stopped making 110s a couple months back, and once your inventory is gone, it's gone... So most suppliers are into the 115s now.
 
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ikarasu

Active Member
110s are great for small shops. I can print a full roll per 8 hours on good quality... So it's not like it's that slow. It's unatended printing, so it's not bad. Hit print.. go do other stuff, and by the end of the day there's a full roll printed. Throw on another If you need to...


Only downside is the ink is more expensive than the bigger models .So if your printing a roll or two every other day, it may be more.cost effective in the long run to goto a bigger model .
 
Ian Stewart-Koster

Ian Stewart-Koster

Older Greyer Brushie
Latex might be twice the ink & electricity cost per sq ft compared with eco-solvent as per the above figures, BUT...
HP's are designed for the heads to wear out and be user-replaced at a small cost.
The ink cartridges are not expensive really. The head cleaning cartridge is a user-swap-out item.
No expensive technicians needed to do basic things. You do them yourself.
Look at the cost of a print head for a Roland eco-solvent printer in comparison...and the cost of getting it changed over...

Then there's the advantage of prints being instantly ready as they come out of the machine, rather than needing outgassing...
 
afinn35

afinn35

Premium Subscriber
I have an HP310 and love it. It has broken down once in 3.5 years and that was a faulty firmware upgrade from HP. I am in the middle
Of nowhere and they sent a tech out to fix it no charge - post warranty. Prints are beautiful. Maintenance is almost zero. Would buy another on today if needed.
 
P

ProPDF

New Member
The mutoh is running old tech. Look at the epson S40600. They are running them around $9k after rebate, better prints. If you buy from signwarehouse make sure you keep all your ink receipts in order for their tech support or they won't even speak to you when your head fails under warranty which it will.
 
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nomadme

New Member
I'm also interested in HP Latex 115. But anyone know the difference between 115 and 315?

And is it true I can't print onto 24" roll on HP Latex 115?
 
E

ewded

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Ian Stewart-Koster said:
Latex might be twice the ink & electricity cost per sq ft compared with eco-solvent as per the above figures, BUT...
HP's are designed for the heads to wear out and be user-replaced at a small cost.
The ink cartridges are not expensive really. The head cleaning cartridge is a user-swap-out item.
No expensive technicians needed to do basic things. You do them yourself.
Look at the cost of a print head for a Roland eco-solvent printer in comparison...and the cost of getting it changed over...

Then there's the advantage of prints being instantly ready as they come out of the machine, rather than needing outgassing...
Click to expand...
As a newcomer in the printing field I'd like to save 30% on the machine in the first place. I'd like to have low printing cost in the first years and pay $2500 for a PH when the machine is 8-10 years old and I made some profit. I'd also like to have a print&cut machine to save space and money.
 
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