Mimaki Get Off your A--.

[Dice]

Mimaki a Love Story.

2 years ago I fell in love with you. You were fast, sexy and had all the right curves. You could run circles around your competitors producing color that they could only dream of. You didn't break the bank like a Roland and put out on a regular basis. Your Solid and a Hard worker. In these past 2 years we've had some good times. Even when your motor went out I didn't blame you, you worked hard, you deserved that $750 part. I only cried a little.

Mimaki I'm sorry if your reading this, but I must say you have let yourself go. In these two years you were happy with your top market share and growth not improving yourself as you should. Someone younger faster and better has come by. Her Name is Espon Gs6000. I'm sorry Mimaki but i must say goodbye. No tears. It's too late i've already bought her and her Sister.

Perhaps in a few years when your market share has dwindled and you notice the market being taken over by Epson with you crying on the corner, wondering where all your customers have gone, you'll remember putting research dollars into creating the UJF and not a JV55. You'll remember that no one will buy a UJF for 40k. I won't even mention the red headed step child UJV or a Flatbed with Cartridges. Maybe then you will upgrade. Maybe some sexy new clothes on your JV33? Call yourself JV333 maybe?

I'm sorry Mimaki it's good bye. Remember those Red Margaritas with the little Umbrellas on Saturday nights? Espon GS and I will be sharing those.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

hahahahaha




























traitor.

 

[speedmedia]

Good story. I have to say I love my Mimaki as well but the rate parts prices are climbing for these things it is only a matter of time. three years ago a head was $700.00, now $1,500. What gives?

Thanks,
Kurt

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Be thankful you don't have a JV5 Kurt!

 

[artbot]

???? i'm seeing dx4 heads as low as $580 from china. i think parts in a bit will go the way the other outdated printers. you can buy a dx2 head for around $100 now. these heads are priced at what the market will bear. and used printers are owned by shallower pockets, and a dollar is a dollar. don't be surprised if you see dx4 heads going for $250 in the next years. you can still buy replacement parts for encads from china. that goes to show if you can makes a motor or a pressed piece of plastic and their is a demand for that part. someone will make it and sell it for a profit.

 

[speedmedia]

While I agree some parts are getting cheaper and it is cheaper to get them from China it is becoming harder to find reputable places to get them.

I am sure over time they will go down but a 50 - 75% increase in 3 years is ridiculous at best. I can only imagine some folks are finding it better just to buy a new machine than to put thousands into a used one. I guess if I was in those shoes I would indeed look at another brand..

Thanks,
Kurt

 

[artbot]

we should put together a list of chinese suppliers that we have had good experiences with.

i've bought from ebon (no problems at all).. i know inkmed has a great rep'... maybe a new thread should be started for this one though.

 

[speedmedia]

Very good idea. I don't have a problem ordering from anyone as long as I know they are legit.

Thanks,
Kurt

 

[sfr table hockey]

we should put together a list of chinese suppliers that we have had good experiences with.

i've bought from ebon (no problems at all).. i know inkmed has a great rep'... maybe a new thread should be started for this one though.

Good idea... I'm looking at "special color technology" in China for some parts to have on hand.

 

[artbot]

started a new thread. in digital printing. (i was considering special color for one particular part.)

 

[Neil]

I won't even mention the red headed step child UJV...

And then there's the other ugly red headed stepchild - the CJV.
That one gets beat around the head a bit in these parts...

 

[Rooster]

I just got a quote to replace dampers, pump, head and capping station. Including labour the cost was $4770.00

Mimaki's asking $67 per damper here in Canada and the printhead was $2600 alone.

Somebody needs to hook a brother up with a reliable asian parts supplier. Thankfully my firmware is still at 2.2 on the JV33 so it will accept a standard epson DX5 head.

That'll serve those buggers right for not swinging by the shop and keeping my firmware up to date.

Mimaki, why do you make it so tough to love you? Why must you gouge me so?

 

[J Hill Designs]

pirate:

anyone have a line on legit yet cheap KM512 heads?

 

[eye4clr]

I ordered jv3 heads through these guys about a year ago and thought it was as easy as it gets. I was a little gun shy since it was from overseas. But all went as expected and they were charging MUCH less than NuSign. At the time it was about half the cost.

 

[artbot]

$67!!!!

holy crap, around damper are like paper towels!

i started a thread to discuss reputable chinese suppliers. but it was closed because it would attract too many actual suppliers. the discussion of reputability should between customers only. maybe there's a better way of discussing it that won't be an issue.

 

[Rooster]

I ordered jv3 heads through these guys about a year ago and thought it was as easy as it gets. I was a little gun shy since it was from overseas. But all went as expected and they were charging MUCH less than NuSign. At the time it was about half the cost.

I'm going to have to try those guys out. They'll save me over $2600 in parts alone.

How quick was shipping?

 

[eye4clr]

If I remember right, it took about 4-7 days for shipping ground.

Not bad considering how far it had to go.

 

[artbot]

shipping can be a mixed bag. i got my parts in 3 days for $100. i thought it was a bit high.

recently on the mimaki/yahoo forum, adam yang of INKMED INKJET TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
mentioned that he's set up to ship to the USA every week and parcels under one kg are $32! i have an ebon catalog with pricing. pm me you email address and i'll send it to you. adam yang is a frequent contributor to the mimaki/yahoo board and i believe no one has had a negative experience. in fact i think he's a member of signs101 too. very smart guy.

 

[Dice]

ok who hijacked my love story.

 

[TheSnowman]

That little kid in your picture that is about to give me the bird did.