Multiple feed rolls behind Inkjet?

[Gene@mpls]

OK- so I have been thinking about this for quite a while... and I finally bought a GX500 cutter which should be operational this weekend. I use
most often 2 types of vinyl and one of banner material- and switch several
times a day (we do a lot of different things for a ton of customers). So, thinks I, why not have all three set up (horizontally) and do less work
with my back. Anyone see anything like this or actually do it? Thx Gene

 

[GAC05]

I've been doing this on the fly but have also been thinking a permanent solution is in order.
I run my 54" banner material off the take up reel on my vj1304 as the rolls are too heavy for the regular brackets (and the cores about 1" to wide to fit). With this I can run vinyl off the top and banner off the bottom without doing the load/unload one man dance.
I also have a media bar clamped to some large jack stands (we are an auto shop) set up to take the odd rolls that will be used for short runs - things like end rolls - window perf etc.
It's working but I'm thinking a single rack heavy rack behind the printer will speed things up and give me back my take up reel.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[Gene@mpls]

Maybe this pict will make more sense than my explanation. Using
54" rolls of course- just happened to have a 30 in the machine.

 

[SightLine]

Ah - at first I thought you were thinking on printing on 2 different rolls at once. That is also doable and most grand format machines are already setup to do just that. Only thing I do not like on that photo is the rolls are not supported on their cores. If one sits very long that way it will get pressure spots from sitting under it's own weight.

I've considered similar - trying to figure a way to attach rolls to the wall behind the machine but have not come up with much as you really need to be directly behind to feed the material in initially. Also on a Mimaki it has a rear pre-heater which needs the material to feed in from lower than the platen. It really can run fine without the pre-heater for the most part though.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

How lazy can you be?

Just switch out the rolls as needed.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

Maybe this pict will make more sense than my explanation. Using
54" rolls of course- just happened to have a 30 in the machine.

Nice setup but it can bruise the vinyl thereby cheapening the stock.

 

[Jack Knight1979]

gene, that's pretty cool.

 

[Gene@mpls]

How lazy can you be?

Just switch out the rolls as needed.

How old are you son? I no longer make my living with my back.

 

[MikeD]

that's a great idea. I want the same thing for some of our printers, and have prototyped some things. The biggest issue aside from supporting the media on flanges, is keeping the rolls absolutely square to the platen. Having it feed through crooked kills the value.
As stated above, this set-up will most likely bypass the pre-heater. I have a couple IR heaters to compensate, but it's difficult to control how much heat is being applied.
Good luck! I know what it's like to heft around heavy media with a bad back...and I'm not that old!