Newbie with CJV150-160 Help

[Prairie Portable]

Hi everyone. I'm about to purchase a used CJV150-160 and have it shipped to me. This will be my first printer as my business has been outsourcing our printing for the last 3 years. I have a few questions for some of you experienced owners.

1. I'm planning to have the ink flushed so when I receive it I will need to get ink flowing again. Is this something that can be done by me or does it have to be done through the service menu by a tech?

2.My current printing is sometimes very intermittent. Some months we are printing 500+ sqft. Sometimes we can go a few weeks without any printing. We're in advertising so were always printing large 5 foot x 10 foot prints. I'm slightly worried about keeping the machine in tip top shape if we aren't running a print every day. Are the auto cleanings the printer does sufficient to keep things flowing if the printer goes a few weeks without use? Can I get by with custody washes if I know the printer will be out of use for a longer time?

3. I'm about 8 hours from a mimaki tech. Which makes servicing tough and pricy. Are there service manuals or online resources for self servicing these machines?

4. How long do ink cartridges last before they expire? Is there anyway to lengthen the lifespan?

5. Lastly I'd love to hear any feedback or tips that will help me navigate this new machine or just make my experience better.

Thanks !!

 

[Solventinkjet]

1. If the seller flushes the machine the proper way, when you receive it, it should be as easy as turning the machine on, following the prompts on the screen, inserting the cartridges and then letting the machine pump up.

2. The auto cleaning will keep the machine in good shape as long as you are cleaning the cap top and wiper once or twice a week. Once a month take a look at the bottom of the head and clean any build up where the cap top meets the head so that it makes a nice clean seal. It's always good to print a nozzle check once in a while to see what the nozzles are doing. If some are missing, run a short cleaning.

3. There are manuals all over the internet and here on Signs101.com. The machine is fairly easy to work on. Signs101 always has people like me who are willing to help as well. We sell parts and give free support as well. Check out Solventinkjet.com

4. It depends on how long they sit on your dealer's shelf. Anywhere from 6 to 18 months in my experience. A dealer who sells a lot of ink will have the best expiration dates.

5. Look up some YouTube videos. Mimaki has done a pretty good job posting content about this machine.

 

[Prairie Portable]

1. If the seller flushes the machine the proper way, when you receive it, it should be as easy as turning the machine on, following the prompts on the screen, inserting the cartridges and then letting the machine pump up.

2. The auto cleaning will keep the machine in good shape as long as you are cleaning the cap top and wiper once or twice a week. Once a month take a look at the bottom of the head and clean any build up where the cap top meets the head so that it makes a nice clean seal. It's always good to print a nozzle check once in a while to see what the nozzles are doing. If some are missing, run a short cleaning.

3. There are manuals all over the internet and here on Signs101.com. The machine is fairly easy to work on. Signs101 always has people like me who are willing to help as well. We sell parts and give free support as well. Check out Solventinkjet.com

4. It depends on how long they sit on your dealer's shelf. Anywhere from 6 to 18 months in my experience. A dealer who sells a lot of ink will have the best expiration dates.

5. Look up some YouTube videos. Mimaki has done a pretty good job posting content about this machine.

Thanks for the reply. Do you know if the flushing fluid can freeze at colder temperatures.? I am in Canada and it will be travelling in a truck that could experience below freezing temps. I assume some of that fluid will remain in the lines and various passages. Wondering if I should be concerned about freezing related damages?

 

[Solventinkjet]

Thanks for the reply. Do you know if the flushing fluid can freeze at colder temperatures.? I am in Canada and it will be travelling in a truck that could experience below freezing temps. I assume some of that fluid will remain in the lines and various passages. Wondering if I should be concerned about freezing related damages?

There is some residual fluid in the system but it's pretty minimal. The flushing sequence empties the machine after flushing so it's only little bits here and there. I would recommend letting the machine heat up to room temperature before doing anything though. We get machines off the truck here in Denver during the winter all the time with no issues.

 

[Prairie Portable]

There is some residual fluid in the system but it's pretty minimal. The flushing sequence empties the machine after flushing so it's only little bits here and there. I would recommend letting the machine heat up to room temperature before doing anything though. We get machines off the truck here in Denver during the winter all the time with no issues.

Thank you!. What are your thoughts on running Mimaki brand inks vs third party inks?

I've searched but can't seem to find any service manuals online. Are they available anywhere or does Mimaki keep that stuff out of owners hands so we use techs? I've been reading about inks SS21 VS ES3 from Mimaki. The printer will be in my shop but I don't currently have a ventilation plan. How much of an odour will this machine put out while printing? Obviously in the summers I can open doors but winters not so much.

EDIT:


Another question I have is I read a lot about print heads lasting 5-6 years. This machine is coming up on its 5th year and is showing 2 missing nozzles on a test print. I only print billboards at this time which are viewed from afar. How much life can one really expect from these machines before they won't even print anymore?

I also am wondering about using third party parts like dampers and capping heads? Do people have issues with these consumables if they stray from Mimaki.

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

We started with Mimaki SS21 inks on our CJV 150-130 and then switched over to Bordeaux MS33 inks (exact replacement for SS21) after the warranty expired about 2 years ago and we've had no issues to speak of. If you do go with aftermarket inks, I would strongly recommend Bordeaux and there is also at least one other brand of ink that is very reputable but the name escapes me. There are some other brands that you don't want to touch with a ten foot pole from what I've heard.

 

[Solventinkjet]

As Pixels said, the SS21 inks are the best for that machine as far as scratch resistance goes and longevity goes. We sell the Bordeaux ink as well and have been for about 5 years. No issues to report!

 

[GWFI]

Using a Mimaki CJV-30, we got a bunch of new JetBest ink cartridges Eco-pigment from a Roland printer will it work with Mimaki machine? Can someone let me know if they have any cross-reference info on both brands? Don't want to screw up my machine if the ink is different.

 

[Prairie Portable]

As Pixels said, the SS21 inks are the best for that machine as far as scratch resistance goes and longevity goes. We sell the Bordeaux ink as well and have been for about 5 years. No issues to report!

Im having a hard time finding a Canadian supplier for Bordeaux inks. Has anyone heard or had experience with Marajet inks? Is the machine capable of running with 4 carts in a cmyk set up or do you always need to have 8 carts in the machine?