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Looking to get into printing!!!

PMG

New Member
Who has the best print and cut systems,,what would you buy if you were getting started?
 

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
Depends on your budget and what you want to do with it. My opinions are:

On the inkjet side, Roland and Mimaki are emerging as the leaders.

On the thermal side, Gerber Edge is a proven money maker while the Summa DC line still has the jury out.

On the UV flatbed side, Gerber Solara looks very interesting.
 

PMG

New Member
i was thinking of going with the PrismJet EXtra 48, whats your feedback on this system?
 

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
That's a rebranded Mutoh who has been having some difficulties as of late and was dropped by Sign Supply Store. Proceed at your own peril.
 
I have been looking at VersaCamm's I think that they have everything a smaller shop could need, At not to bad of a price either. Also I have a Mutoh, and although it has been a pretty good machine, I wish I would of looked around a little more before buying one.
 

Jackpine

New Member
PrismJet EXtra 48 is a private label Mutoh.It does not print 48" Mutoh just discontinued the Falcon Outdoor line in the US except for Sign Wharehouse. Mutoh has a ValueJet that does print 48" and is a 4 color printer that prints 2 1/2 times faster and with better quaility. I have a PrintTech36 from SSK and I am pleased with the printer but not so much with Mutoh for dumping the line. I would look into a Mimaki if I were buying today.
 

PMG

New Member
Vinny's Sign Shack said:
I have been looking at VersaCamm's I think that they have everything a smaller shop could need, At not to bad of a price either. Also I have a Mutoh, and although it has been a pretty good machine, I wish I would of looked around a little more before buying one.
ya im doing some research on this,i can get the Versa Camm for around the same price !!!! now does this print onto textiles,or is it some type of transefer media ?
 

Flame

New Member
I have a prismjet, and yeah, it's just a Mutoh. It prints up to 45", not 48". Good printer, slower than some, but not horrible either. Versacamm is a little more money but it DOES have a plotter. I think the plotter in the Versacamm sucks so I went with a Mutoh and Graphtec plotter.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
The VersaCamm’ s will print to virtually any vinyl material, coated or uncoated. It also prints to vinyl banner material, papers, shocard, backlit, reflectives, foils and some polys. If you mean T-shirts by your reference to textiles, it will only print to transfer stock to go onto shirts with heat, not directly... that I know of at this point.

You big decision is 30" or 54" !!!

Think hard because the first time you do a job where you need 40", you’ll be cursing yourself out like crazy. :Big Laugh
 

maddmd

New Member
I got my 30" Versa Camm before they made the 54" I am just waiting For the right time and I will have the 54 it's not that much more. 48" banner print one shot NICE!!!
Mike
 

Derf

New Member
I have a Mutoh Falcon (AKA Rock hopper 46") good printer for the money.... However Mutoh has me nervous about parts.. They have been back ordered on my capping station for three weeks now... NOT GOOD


Mamaki and Rowland are good printers too.

Now I would look at a Seiko/HP they are rock solid printers so I have been told.


Or if you have the coin a Viewtech UV printer


Bottom line I think the new printer from Mutoh is the best bang for your buck or pick up a used falcon... But you will want a bigger better one in a year... I Do
 

wildside

New Member
Derf said:
Now I would look at a Seiko/HP they are rock solid printers so I have been told.

Seiko colorpainter 64 prints good quality and fast, compared to a mimaki jv3-160

however, the seiko has the media sensors in it, which is not a problem, but ruining a print 10 feet in, because it was 1/32" off when it ran off....:help:

the seiko is very tempermental when it comes to media tracking, and it will dump everything, if mis-aligned, most of the time you don't know it is mis-aligned until it is 10-15 feet in.....

seiko techs worked on it numerouse times, several different guys, same thing

just my experience with them....
 

Derf

New Member
Good call.. Mark!

every printer has it's good and bad. some just better than others. My POS just has a parts shortage... and what does that tell you.





Yes... it breaks down.
 

Flame

New Member
Yeah, mine's broken down a lot too (mutoh Falcon). Just got a new one today though so we'll see how this one handles things.

That sucks about the Seiko's ruining a print because of the media being off. I put some material in too hastily once in my Mutoh and at the end of a 10 foot print it was 4 inches off. Kept printing though, and the amazing thing, the print was perfectly square! Don't know if it automatically compensates... or what. But that material was tracking WAY off and I was able to use the print just fine!

I'm looking at one of the BIG Rolands next. Probably their biggest SolJet. That would give me one big grin having one of those babies...
 

quicksigns

New Member
i have a versacamm print and cut and its okay i guess. Havent really compare it t other machine. takes about lil over half an hour to print a 3'x8'. cant do anything else while its printin. Need to get an extra plotter to do other work to keep up with all my jobs while printer's printin. gotten lazy after i got it. job i use to weed and mask and apply, just goes straight to my printer. Come to think about it its not that bad, cause instead of weeding and maskin and applyin, i just let the printer do the work while i start on a new job!
 

Prism1

New Member
quicksigns said:
takes about lil over half an hour to print a 3'x8'.

DUDE...are you kiddin' me...a 1/2 hour?!?!? What software & inks are you running?? Took me about 10 mins. to print that banner yesterday. Hook that thing up to 220...LOL.

With Triangle inks on bulk...yes...less than a $1
 
Just curious, but please tell us what it is that ACTUALLY want to use the machine for. We would also ask for the "mental budget", as many different machiines fit into a different category BUT there are also equipment vendors here - so that would not be a good idea to display all your "cards".

Also do you have a market or will you be building a market, for this machine?
 

PMG

New Member
Yes i do have a market for this and the company who makes the best deal will get my $$$$$$$$!!!! I wont spend unless they wheel and deal!!!!
 
Glad to hear that, in regards to the deal - although please consider the support that is available - as sometimes that can be worth more than the initial purchase.

Wht about the actual application that you are hoping for - it will help everyone narrow the field of choices.
 
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