I found a 2004 JV3-160 SP for sale for $7k. I hear lots of people recommending Mimaki printers. I'll be using this in combination with a fc8000 cutter. Will the fc8000 be able to recognize the registration marks from the Mimaki? Looking to do car wraps, decals, stickers, banners with this printer. Is $7k a good price? Says it's been checked by a tech and in good working order. Thanks
-
I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...
Mimaki JV3 SP opinions
- Thread starter 503WRAPS
- Start date
iSign
New Member
I paid 4 times that for mine, back in early 05.... new of course, and I've kept mine in great shape, so I'd never let it go for $7k... on the other hand I hear it's unlikely to be able to get more then that so check it out well... I've heard of a few going for $6K this past year...
Nuagedesigns
New Member
Been running ours since 2005. Great work horse. If you stay up with the maintenance and run a clean shop and our on top of your profiles we very rarely ever run into banding or print issues. We love our JV3
ChicagoGraphics
New Member
I can't say I ever got banding on my JV3, only when I printed at 180dpi did it happen.
Thanks guys. I'm not strictly a sign shop. I'm adding this to my exsisiting screen printing shop. So I dont want banding!!! I've almost always hear Mutoh with banding but i think this is the first time someone brought up banding issues.
They're asking
7k and I've seen some on eBay selling for the low 6k range. I think I'll offer 5500 and see if I can end up around 6k. Are there any head issues I should ask about? Print samples? This machine is out of state so I won't be able to look at it in person but what makes me more comfortable is this is being sold by a leasing company that specializes in decorated apparel and I've bought from them before. Better than buying off a personal person...or so i think.
They're asking
7k and I've seen some on eBay selling for the low 6k range. I think I'll offer 5500 and see if I can end up around 6k. Are there any head issues I should ask about? Print samples? This machine is out of state so I won't be able to look at it in person but what makes me more comfortable is this is being sold by a leasing company that specializes in decorated apparel and I've bought from them before. Better than buying off a personal person...or so i think.
What's the difference in the S and SP?
This is my first solvent printer. When I bought my first automatic screen print press I only bought new because of the factory warranty. The warranty has save me some troubles. Is it wise to buy a 7 year old printer that I have no idea about for $7k or buy something new like a Roland 540i with a warranty for $18k? I'm afraid if I buy purchase the wrong used printer I'll end up paying out the rear on print heads and tech installations. I hear print heads are $1-2k each? Any recommendations from your own experience?
This is my first solvent printer. When I bought my first automatic screen print press I only bought new because of the factory warranty. The warranty has save me some troubles. Is it wise to buy a 7 year old printer that I have no idea about for $7k or buy something new like a Roland 540i with a warranty for $18k? I'm afraid if I buy purchase the wrong used printer I'll end up paying out the rear on print heads and tech installations. I hear print heads are $1-2k each? Any recommendations from your own experience?
Last edited:
There's no reason to put up with banding you just have to stay on top of adjusting it. Most people don't bother but it's really not that hard. I re-adjust it for each media every 3 months, Onyx lets you set the media comp as a variable on the media profile instead of doing it on machine.
Workhorse printers.
Workhorse printers.
Anything specific to ask the seller when buying one? Any known problems?
Thanks brother!
Make sure it was decommissioned properly otherwise you might have clogged/dead heads, and they're $800+ a pop.
SightLine
║▌║█║▌│║▌║▌█
Sort of but not exactly.
The S is an older 3 head model and yes - those are generally setup as 6 color but they can be configured to use only 2 heads and run 4 color.
The SP is the somewhat newer 4 head model and when setup as 4 color (dual CMYK) it has roughly double the speed of the older S or the SP running 6 color mode. When in 6 color mode the SP pretty much the same as an S since it only uses 3 heads in the 6 color configuration.
Either way - yes a JV3 is a workhorse of a machine. They are time tested and proven in this industry as one of the standards many others get judged by. However it is an older model and does require a bit more maintenance and is a bit more work to calibrate. The newer JV33-160 is much easier to keep up.
If you shop it around you shoudl be able to get a decent JV3-160SP in good working ready to run order for 4k to 6k. Good used JV33 machines are also coming onto the market here and there as well. If you are patient you can find a good one for 7k to 9k...
The JV33 machines use a much larger single printhead thereby eliminating most all alignment issues. Also has a somewhat improved ink system where is you are running 4 color it auto-switches from an empty cartridge to a full one which is nice.
The S is an older 3 head model and yes - those are generally setup as 6 color but they can be configured to use only 2 heads and run 4 color.
The SP is the somewhat newer 4 head model and when setup as 4 color (dual CMYK) it has roughly double the speed of the older S or the SP running 6 color mode. When in 6 color mode the SP pretty much the same as an S since it only uses 3 heads in the 6 color configuration.
Either way - yes a JV3 is a workhorse of a machine. They are time tested and proven in this industry as one of the standards many others get judged by. However it is an older model and does require a bit more maintenance and is a bit more work to calibrate. The newer JV33-160 is much easier to keep up.
If you shop it around you shoudl be able to get a decent JV3-160SP in good working ready to run order for 4k to 6k. Good used JV33 machines are also coming onto the market here and there as well. If you are patient you can find a good one for 7k to 9k...
The JV33 machines use a much larger single printhead thereby eliminating most all alignment issues. Also has a somewhat improved ink system where is you are running 4 color it auto-switches from an empty cartridge to a full one which is nice.
artbot
New Member
i'd say a jv3sp bought used in decent condition is worth about $4000 (maybe $5k). they are at an extreme disadvantage to a jv33 because of support and the heads are too expensive. i'm sick to my stomach to think that a jv33 can get a new head (replacing all 8 channels for $800) for cheap while a jv3 sp would cost $2800 for four new heads to do the same and need a much more complicated alignment upon install. in a few years the jv3 will still be kicking and heads will probably be dirt cheap (i.e. the dx2 head price of late). but for now i can't imagine not attempting to pick up a 33 instead for about 10k. it will be crazy super sweet compared.
I found a jv3 -160 SP for sale about 3 hours from me. Coming from a Fast Signs still in operation. Now I saw the price for print heads being expensive and I don't want to have to change print heads righ after buying a printer. Is there a way to check the print heads to make sure they are in good working order?
I asked the seller about the condition of the print heads and any banding issues. He said that the heads are calibrated and 100% working properly. But he mentioned that the printer has always had light banding issues on certain colors especially pastel colors. He also said when banding occurs he prints unidirectional and it solves the problem. Do all jv3's have light banding issues or is something wrong with it? And no software is included with the sale.
artbot
New Member
there are some color/media/print-mode combinations that will create banding. since you are a bit of a newbie (i assume). the reason uni can do what bi directional can't is two things. think of the the ink dots like bombs and the head carriage like the bomber. in uni the plane only drops bombs in one direction. therefore any callibrated point, will drop bombs perfectly in the feed direction (the media feed is going out). bi requires the printer to coordinate a position for both left and right bombers to land perfectly in the same feed postion. this doesn't get rid of or create banding in itself. it gets rid of a blur effect in which say a tiny vertical line needs a crisp vertical edge. the printer also lays down ink colors in a sequence (cmyk, etc). each ink has a slightly different viscosity, dry time, opacity... when the printer goes left the senquence creates the color. when it goes right...the sequence creates the color in reverse, allowing minute difference in the blend of the color. (left yellow beneath cyan, right cyan beneath yellow). in uni, the entire image is only, for instance, yellow beneath cyan, for all passes. so no quasi banding effect.
so you see real banding is only a result of the media compensation being off. it can be carefully callibrated away. the lawnmower effect can only be fixed by using uni. this is an issue that exists in all printers. maybe inksets or heat settings can also play a part. my assumption is banding is both user error and nature of the beast and fixable always.
so you see real banding is only a result of the media compensation being off. it can be carefully callibrated away. the lawnmower effect can only be fixed by using uni. this is an issue that exists in all printers. maybe inksets or heat settings can also play a part. my assumption is banding is both user error and nature of the beast and fixable always.
Last edited: