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OKI E64s vs Mimaki JV150

Brands Imaging

New Member
So I have a latex machine but want another eco solvent machine. I had a mimaki for 10 years and had SO much lock with it and really enjoyed the consistent color and dependability.

I have a high production shop (5-6 wraps a week) and we already have an HP 560. I just want another machine that is dependable that we can really put through its paces. I know the JV300 would be more up to my level but its not in the budget and I want to make a move. My sales rep is really pushing this color painter but I'm not too thrilled about the 6 heads and all that maintenance and possibility of problems. I also had the JV33 for long and know my way around it. Thoughts?
 

tomence

New Member
From what you say I see that you are not very confident in the HP latex, are you? I am in the same way and thinking of adding something different than the latex, i don't feel confident in my latex as well, but when i was running the solvent/eco solvent printers i was happy and confident that it will do the same job exactly the same every time.
 

BigfishDM

Merchant Member
Oh man I am getting sick to my stomach!!! Lol you guys know I love Latex, but I am also a Mimaki dealer as well so here is the latest promo's being offered on eco-solvent machines if you are interested. I would not buy a colorpainter!!! That machine prints great but that unit has been kicked around by multiple MFG's for a reason.

Mimaki INSTANT REBATE Sale
 

Brands Imaging

New Member
I love latex too, when I can print the same color between two panels that were printed 3 min apart from each other...

and btw, your mimaki prices are high from what I'm seeing
 

BigfishDM

Merchant Member
I love latex too, when I can print the same color between two panels that were printed 3 min apart from each other...

and btw, your mimaki prices are high from what I'm seeing

Yes I understand your situation on the Latex. As far as the pricing on the Mimaki, what do you base your findings on, just the standard price of the machine? Do the other companies come in and profile all your media also? How many days of training with their installs? My price for the just the machine may seem higher but the service you get is worth the extra money in my opinion. We don't just sell the machine, we sell a solution, we sell a service that others cannot provide in most cases. I totally understand you might not need those added values but I just wanted to let you know why my price might look higher.
 

Brands Imaging

New Member
If you understand that most people out there are having these issues....how can you be so big on latex? I don't get it.

Anyway, I like your sales pitch. The numbers I'm getting for the JV150-160 @ 12,500
Also, the extra 1500 you're charging is any companies standard training price.
 

BigfishDM

Merchant Member
If you understand that most people out there are having these issues....how can you be so big on latex? I don't get it.

Anyway, I like your sales pitch. The numbers I'm getting for the JV150-160 @ 12,500
Also, the extra 1500 you're charging is any companies standard training price.

I understand that some companies are having color shift issues in the 500 series but not that many instances to be honest. If we were to look at the number of people unhappy with Latex vs. the amount of people who simply just love everything about latex, the numbers would be so lopsided in favor of Latex and that's why I am still so big on the Technology, I am also confident HP will fix the issues you have seen.
 

Brands Imaging

New Member
If you're familiar with the Mimaki, Id say go with it again.

It's probably what I'm going to do. I have a friend though who has a shop and has a few mutoh's and says they don't smell. My mimaki does smell. NOW I'm hearing about these epson printers and how they cure in 3 hours.
 

BigfishDM

Merchant Member
It's probably what I'm going to do. I have a friend though who has a shop and has a few mutoh's and says they don't smell. My mimaki does smell. NOW I'm hearing about these epson printers and how they cure in 3 hours.

Mutoh makes a pretty good machine, not many bells and whistles but very affordable. Even though the inks do not smell, know that they still have harmful VOC's in them and should really have ventilation.
 

Robert M

New Member
As far as smell goes, last time I looked both Mimaki and Mutoh had similar chemical bases in their inks. I have heard that some manufacturers (Roland) use additives to mask the chemical smells. When Comparing the Mimaki to the Seiko I would take a look at the print head costs, these will be your greatest operating expense after ink. We sell and rebuild large format printers and I won't touch the old six headed printers, too much to go wrong with all those expensive heads. So I would suggest buying a printer with only one or two heads.
As for latex printers, how long do they last? We see 10-12 year old eco solvent printers all the time, anyone still running an original HP latex?
 

Brands Imaging

New Member
I completely agree with Robert. The only thing though, is that the latex machines didn't really explode IMO until 3-5 years ago so they haven't been around long enough to stand that test of time. I've been in the business 10 years and I've had 1 latex for 3 years and a solvent for 10. Both machines can handle the workloads but its the consistency that really counts. There just isn't a perfect machine yet. Self cleaning vs daily maintenance, instantly cured vs outgassing time, banding and settings, speed and so much more. Theres so much to consider and not one printer can nail it.

I'm also looking at the new Epson S line but even though epson (like HP) has been in the game for a long time but they havnt been making their own large format printers so who knows what kind of issues they'll now have.
 

jaylem

New Member
It's probably what I'm going to do. I have a friend though who has a shop and has a few mutoh's and says they don't smell. My mimaki does smell. NOW I'm hearing about these epson printers and how they cure in 3 hours.
We are super happy with our Mutoh and the support from Fellers. You can defiantly smell the VOC and it gets to be too much without proper air quality control. We put a small airpura directly behind and under the machine and it gets almost all the fumes.
 

dale911

President
As far as smell goes, last time I looked both Mimaki and Mutoh had similar chemical bases in their inks. I have heard that some manufacturers (Roland) use additives to mask the chemical smells. When Comparing the Mimaki to the Seiko I would take a look at the print head costs, these will be your greatest operating expense after ink. We sell and rebuild large format printers and I won't touch the old six headed printers, too much to go wrong with all those expensive heads. So I would suggest buying a printer with only one or two heads.
As for latex printers, how long do they last? We see 10-12 year old eco solvent printers all the time, anyone still running an original HP latex?

Yep. My 25500 just ran 2 full rolls of material today. I also run a Mimaki. They both have their place in the shop but I intend to add an Epson in the near future.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

GaSouthpaw

Profane and profane accessories.
- Nothing wrong with Mutoh- if you get the eight color version. If you get the four color, you're going to have limited color gamuts. Don't get me wrong, I love the way they run, and they're pretty simple to work with, but I'd have to spend the extra money for the eight color version.
- I run five ColorPainter H2-74S every day. It has eight color or four color x 2 set up, and great color reproduction. Then again, we've also profiled each machine and calibrated to the media run. I do five minutes' worth of maintenance in at startup, and same is done at shut down 16 hours later. When issues come up, we correct/repair most of them ourselves- other than replacing heads, which we have the local tech do. Frankly, this is one of the best printers I've run.
- I ran a JV3 back 15 years ago, give or take, and it was a good machine (other than the smell- whew!) and I've always been impressed with them at trade shows since (just never been in the market for one when looking). So, like many others have said, though- why not stick with what you know?
 

BigfishDM

Merchant Member
As far as smell goes, last time I looked both Mimaki and Mutoh had similar chemical bases in their inks. I have heard that some manufacturers (Roland) use additives to mask the chemical smells. When Comparing the Mimaki to the Seiko I would take a look at the print head costs, these will be your greatest operating expense after ink. We sell and rebuild large format printers and I won't touch the old six headed printers, too much to go wrong with all those expensive heads. So I would suggest buying a printer with only one or two heads.
As for latex printers, how long do they last? We see 10-12 year old eco solvent printers all the time, anyone still running an original HP latex?

I know many people who still run the 25500, HP makes solid equipment. Look how successful the 5000/5500 series was, lots of people still run that machine also. It's not the machine its the printhead that makes the machine and HP and Epson are the real companies that change the business. Roland is just a distributor in my opinion.
 

KEYSER SOZE

New Member
So I have a latex machine but want another eco solvent machine. I had a mimaki for 10 years and had SO much lock with it and really enjoyed the consistent color and dependability.

I have a high production shop (5-6 wraps a week) and we already have an HP 560. I just want another machine that is dependable that we can really put through its paces. I know the JV300 would be more up to my level but its not in the budget and I want to make a move. My sales rep is really pushing this color painter but I'm not too thrilled about the 6 heads and all that maintenance and possibility of problems. I also had the JV33 for long and know my way around it. Thoughts?
So I have a latex machine but want another eco solvent machine. I had a mimaki for 10 years and had SO much lock with it and really enjoyed the consistent color and dependability.

I have a high production shop (5-6 wraps a week) and we already have an HP 560. I just want another machine that is dependable that we can really put through its paces. I know the JV300 would be more up to my level but its not in the budget and I want to make a move. My sales rep is really pushing this color painter but I'm not too thrilled about the 6 heads and all that maintenance and possibility of problems. I also had the JV33 for long and know my way around it. Thoughts?

Listen to the OKI rep.
I don't know about the 'States, but here in Australia the M64s have a 3 year warranty INCLUDING the heads.
We've had 8 Seikos over the years (including 2x original Colourpainters, 3x H74s), currently 1x H2104s and 2x M64s.

The M64s's have been a revelation; inexpensive, speed with saturated colour, simple design, so reliable and easy to load.
Maintenance is 3 minutes per day - really, just 3 minutes.
The new Teflon-faced printheads are almost bullet proof, never drop out, and are fully warranted anyway.

Latex just can't hit the colours (even the new 500 series) unless they are run hilariously slowly, and the loading system is ridiculously complex.
The cheapest Latex with an acceptable (still not great) speed/colour trade off close to the OKI's is the 1500 series, but at over $260k ?
 
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