HulkSmash
New Member
Which Rowland? I havn't even considered one. What's the advantage of the Rowland over the Epson?
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Latex vs epson 6k
- Thread starter HulkSmash
- Start date
Which Rowland? I havn't even considered one. What's the advantage of the Rowland over the Epson?
ProWraps
New Member
i was told that you have to lead it to the take up as it will actually go back and forth to dry.
i might have gotten bad info, but thats what i was told by someone that owns one. so yeah, they have to waste 4' everytime they load material.
they also told me that it gets so hot that if you leave the heaters on, and the material isnt moving (aka, you forget to turn them off) it will melt the vinyl to the printer.
the heat thing for me is a deal breaker. i had a vendor tell me one already burned down a sign shop. again, thats what i was told (and he does sell the printer so it wasnt that he was trying to steal my business).
the vendor also told me that one of his customers is very unhappy because of all the time wasted for the heaters to heat up, and all the monkeying with it. he said that some days he wastes up to two hours for the entire day waiting on heaters etc. ive heard it can take as much as 20 minutes for the thing to heat up.
i might have gotten bad info, but thats what i was told by someone that owns one. so yeah, they have to waste 4' everytime they load material.
they also told me that it gets so hot that if you leave the heaters on, and the material isnt moving (aka, you forget to turn them off) it will melt the vinyl to the printer.
the heat thing for me is a deal breaker. i had a vendor tell me one already burned down a sign shop. again, thats what i was told (and he does sell the printer so it wasnt that he was trying to steal my business).
the vendor also told me that one of his customers is very unhappy because of all the time wasted for the heaters to heat up, and all the monkeying with it. he said that some days he wastes up to two hours for the entire day waiting on heaters etc. ive heard it can take as much as 20 minutes for the thing to heat up.
You don't HAVE to lead to to the take up reel. There is an option on the screen to enable that or not.
I only use it when I go to print a long print and I don't have time to wait for the print to get to the take up reel, or on a long banner (because of the heat).
artbot
New Member
what's taking so long to heat up? ...the platen? if so i'd lay a silicone heating pad (used for veneer and other industrial heating stuff). can get to 300F!
http://www.briskheat.com/p-351-srx-hazardous-area-rated-silicone-rubber-heating-blankets.aspx
http://www.briskheat.com/p-351-srx-hazardous-area-rated-silicone-rubber-heating-blankets.aspx
rfulford
New Member
MacServTech has a really good pro for latex that I did not mention. Fabric looks fantastic printed on a latex machine. It is a close rival to dye sub. This is an advantage for latex that no solvent machine can boast.
In regards to your original question, 1 of each is not the way to go. If you have the funds and volume for 2 printers I would get identical units. I had the opportunity to give 1 of my epsons to another location and replace it with the HP. I can't count how many times having 2 identical units has saved my bacon.
In regards to your original question, 1 of each is not the way to go. If you have the funds and volume for 2 printers I would get identical units. I had the opportunity to give 1 of my epsons to another location and replace it with the HP. I can't count how many times having 2 identical units has saved my bacon.
We opted for the latex... We wish we would have gotten the epson.
In fairness, most of our issues are with the RIP, which we pretty much had no choice in per our supplier. Onyx X10 is slow, and extremely buggy. we damn near need to convert everything to raster prior to ripping to avoid any issues...
We'll get the kinks worked out I am sure... but we're wasting time in doing so. There seem to be alot more variables than the learning curve we've had on previous printers.
In fairness, most of our issues are with the RIP, which we pretty much had no choice in per our supplier. Onyx X10 is slow, and extremely buggy. we damn near need to convert everything to raster prior to ripping to avoid any issues...
We'll get the kinks worked out I am sure... but we're wasting time in doing so. There seem to be alot more variables than the learning curve we've had on previous printers.
National Sign Co. - Print
Merchant Member
shops still buy solvent printers????
I guess I will also trade my Ipod in for a new CD player....
I guess I will also trade my Ipod in for a new CD player....
Not quite true. The L25500 machines don't require this. These are the 42" and 60" flavors of the technology. The LX600 and 800 do require a few feet of media to be wasted on load but if you're printing rolls as we do it's no big deal.
Trade it in for Caldera. Much much better RIP. We've got four of the L25500 units and one of the LX800 machines running alongside several other machines all on Caldera with no issue. It's worth its weight in gold (and then some since it's actually not a very heavy box that it comes in).
Ok i know a Ton about both, and i know they're both great printers. Ive talked with owners of both, and they all say what they have is the best...
I'd like to get some more opinions. I'm buying one today. So helllllllllllllllllp
should i get 1 of each ?
I have them both. The Latex is a better technology in my opinion. We find we run more jobs on one of the latex machines rather than one of the Epsons. Speed, the ink itself and the instant dry are all factors in this.
Several issues here:
1) on the 42" and 60" machines you do not have to load the takeup to use the machine. You can have the print fall on the floor, you can tape the print to the roll prior to printing or you can tape the print to the roll when it gets to that point as it prints.
The LX600 and 800 (104" and 126"0 require some form of media usage at the beginning of a roll.
2) The heaters turn off after the print. No issue for me on 3M media and banner which we push through these machines daily. Nothing sits in there and burns.
3) The heaters are pretty quick. The 220 connection is a must to run them. I could see if you're printing 24" of media, changing rolls, doing this again, and then again and again how it could take a while, but if you simply load in media and hit print it'll start printing in a few minutes. Nothing that throws off a whole days worth of work. And besides-- everyone with a solvent printer is waiting for its heaters.
Yea go figure-- we're looking to get a second LX800 here. We've also got 4 of the L25500 units in our fleet as well.
HulkSmash
New Member
you're so cool.
HulkSmash
New Member
Keep in mind, we sign the front of checks. He signs the back
so true
National Sign Co. - Print
Merchant Member
You guys are missing the point and getting offended and emotional.
Hate it or call me cool or what evs..
Technology is moving and solvent printing is old technology.
Ride the bus or get behind it...
Yep I sign my pay check on the back every week . Back in 99 when I had to write the checks and had some of the first 5 meter solvent machines in the world in my shop what the hell were you new jacks doing???
My contributions and answers are based on real experience from our shop running solvent machines, uv machines and latex machines in a real world 24/7 production profit making shop.
HulkSmash
New Member
If you're so good and experienced why don't you have your own shop anymore? What happened to the shop back in `99 bro? Solvent Tech. Is fine. I wasn't offended at all. But saying selling your Ipod for a cd player is you being a jerk. The company you prob are a sales rep for has been in business for what almost 90 years? They have the funding to do so, since they've been in business so long. Not everyone has that privilege.
I understand the point you're trying to make, but when you're also going to be laying out funds for a flatbed and a new CNC. you cant just drop another 100k on a printer. Ill stick to updating my current solvents for now.
Man, I am not doubting the 'profitability' of a given machine... but the guy who runs it knows it best, regardless of who chose to buy the damn thing.
How many clueless retirees do you see buying into franchises and have no idea what they're buying into? Because they sign the front of the check they determine the future?
Not sure what else is playing here... but you can't discount the guy running the machine... how else can you determine if it's profitable or not?
How many clueless retirees do you see buying into franchises and have no idea what they're buying into? Because they sign the front of the check they determine the future?
Not sure what else is playing here... but you can't discount the guy running the machine... how else can you determine if it's profitable or not?