Seiko 64S...Should I be spending money? Is it a steal at this price?

[Dsmantledyou]

We run a digital printing shop here in california. Our production mostly consists of Small format Xerox work, and large format through our HP 5000. I've been brokering out all my outdoor work to a guy who's around a 1/2 hour away from the office. Right now I'm being offered a Seiko 64S for $4000 from a sign shop who has been using it for 3 years. One of the printheads are almost on their way out, but it's still producing acceptable prints. Keep in mind that we also do not have any RIP software (that would mean more $$), but we do have local support for Seiko/HP machines, and a resource for training.

I'm seeing alot of change in the outdoor sign industry. Based on today's market, is it still worth it for me to even spend money? I do get outdoor jobs in, but I'm just not sure if it's worth spending time, money, and maintenance on this thing. On top of that, we experience downtime occasionally on our signage work. So the last thing I want is a solvent printer sitting for a weeks.

 

[BigfishDM]

Wow BUY IT!! Thats a crazy price!!

 

[Dsmantledyou]

That's what I was thinking. But the wife is holding me back right now 'cause I just spent $10,000 on another digital machine. She's giving me the whole "only if you really need it" talk. But worst case, I always have my local wholesale guy.

 

[BigfishDM]

Well I can post it on some machine sites and maybe you could make some cash by reselling it. That would really make your wife happy huh..lol

 

[joshie]

How much is another printhead? $1500? Let them print out the maintenance logs for you, and a history print - in general the one that tells you how many meters of media it has printed, how many carriage/pump/feed cycles there were. Oh and let them print a nozzle check for you. 3 yrs might be a lot and not much, depends on how much that shop has been using/abusing the printer. $4000 is very little money for this machine, imho. And why do they sell it? If they don't use it anymore ask them if the machine is now switched off or not (the 64s should never be switched off unless you perform a special procedure) and if it is maintained on a daily basis. Basically if they switched the machine off and don't care about the printheads, they might be totally stuck. That's why a nozzle check is absolutely necessary.

 

[MachServTech]

If you post a pic of nozzle check I can tell you what kind of shape the print heads are in.

 

[premiercolour]

Correct, a piece of print head is about $1,500. And pump is about $1,000. And another $1,000 for the RIP and everything you need to do to start printing? Buy the seiko and prepare to pay at least 6G for it to get it running. If it does not run often; better watch out the ink clogged in the print head. OEM ink cartridge runs about $250- $325. Post a picture of nozzle test. We're all here to help. It is an excellent machine though.

 

[joshie]

A pump is so much? I never knew... OEM cartridge seems pricey too... I don't remember how much we pay for it now, but i thought max $200, will check.

 

[MachServTech]

Remember the Seiko and HP9000 use 1000 ml carts.

 

[renamer38]

...man its your choice to buy it for 4k but if you buy it ,you just take some other inks like Sun Chemical or smth similar and download cracked RIP from internet and you have business...

 

[Artildawn]

...man its your choice to buy it for 4k but if you buy it ,you just take some other inks like Sun Chemical or smth similar and download cracked RIP from internet and you have business...

Sigh, I'm not positive, but I'd wager that some of the RIP manufactures cruise through this forum...

 

[Typestries]

if you dont want it I'll take it for that $$$ LOL. Seriously, folks, it probably only needs a head, and maybe not, maybe that head just needs to be pulled and flushed. It may even be the damper, or the o-rings, and not the head at all. Dampers are $100+ from HP but like $32 from seiko and less from an aftermarket place.

As for the pumps, they are simple peristallic pumps that can be easily rebuilt if needed, the tygon pump grade tubing is readily available at most plastics houses.

If you've got other digital machines and you are not afraid of a little wrenching that goes along with having digital printers, it's a great deal. Primary thing is that it actually runs and prints, indicating no electronic/board issues.

yeah, they're will be a learning curve, but if you go into it knowing that, no big deal.

Once you take all those fluff covers off, the machine is really simple.

 

[MachServTech]

the tygon pump grade tubing is readily available at most plastics houses.

Sorry, but you are wrong.
Its a really nice thought. "hey you can do it yourself!" If they really can do it themselves, they wouldnt be wondering if it was a good idea to buy this machine or not. They would just buy it and fix it...period.
I have brought several HP9000 and Seiko CP64's back from the dead (dried up in a warehouse for over a year).
It can be done, but there are a few realistic expectations on this model of printer.
1 the Tygon peristaltic pump tubing is a unique diameter not easily ordered unless you have the EXACT spec.
2 The pump tubing has an external lubricant applied to it before it ships.
3 The connections are already fitted on the OEM replacement tubing.
Final thought....ok go ahead and try to do it yourself, but make sure you budget for a tech to do the job and order the parts just in case you cant.
You can PM me with any repair questions on the HP8000 HP9000 HP10000 or Seiko CP64, I would be happy to help.

 

[renamer38]

Sorry, but you are wrong.
Its a really nice thought. "hey you can do it yourself!" If they really can do it themselves, they wouldnt be wondering if it was a good idea to buy this machine or not. They would just buy it and fix it...period.
I have brought several HP9000 and Seiko CP64's back from the dead (dried up in a warehouse for over a year).
It can be done, but there are a few realistic expectations on this model of printer.
1 the Tygon peristaltic pump tubing is a unique diameter not easily ordered unless you have the EXACT spec.
2 The pump tubing has an external lubricant applied to it before it ships.
3 The connections are already fitted on the OEM replacement tubing.
Final thought....ok go ahead and try to do it yourself, but make sure you budget for a tech to do the job and order the parts just in case you cant.
You can PM me with any repair questions on the HP8000 HP9000 HP10000 or Seiko CP64, I would be happy to help.

living in america and talking such a bull...

 

[Typestries]

Sorry, but you are wrong.
1 the Tygon peristaltic pump tubing is a unique diameter not easily ordered unless you have the EXACT spec.
2 The pump tubing has an external lubricant applied to it before it ships.
3 The connections are already fitted on the OEM replacement tubing.
.

Actually, I'm NOT! It's called measure, replace fittings, lubricate and install.

When HP wants nearly $200 for a 14" piece of tubing, you are damn straight resourceful intelligent machine owners are gonna figure out a better way.

If HP didnt try to shove it up our asses so much, maybe I'd think and feel a bit differently and just buy the HP parts.

What they are doing with these parts is not rocket science, it's pure rip off plain and simple.

And now that I'm shopping for a new 3 meter, you can believe it wont be HP scitex.

 

[Bigdawg]

...man its your choice to buy it for 4k but if you buy it ,you just take some other inks like Sun Chemical or smth similar and download cracked RIP from internet and you have business...

I'm just going to take this as heavy sarcasm... because I know you wouldn't just ignore the policies of this site or it's position on cracked and illegal software ...

 

[MachServTech]

Actually, I'm NOT! It's called measure, replace fittings, lubricate and install.

When HP wants nearly $200 for a 14" piece of tubing, you are damn straight resourceful intelligent machine owners are gonna figure out a better way.

If HP didnt try to shove it up our asses so much, maybe I'd think and feel a bit differently and just buy the HP parts.

What they are doing with these parts is not rocket science, it's pure rip off plain and simple.

And now that I'm shopping for a new 3 meter, you can believe it wont be HP scitex.

You ARE STILL WRONG.

You cant tell somone with no experience in this stuff that its no problem to do it yourself....thats reckless...If they are mechanically inclined they at least need the service manual and a tech that will give them some advice if they get themselves in a jam.

First. If you apply the wrong lubricant it will cause the tubing to fail...quickly...just so folks reading this dont get the wrong idea....Im not saying you cant do these things, just that if you do make sure you do it correctly. (mis installed parts make a helluva mess)

It doesnt matter where you get the parts HP, Seiko or China....as long as they are the right spec.

and actually much of the development of digital inkjet comes directly from rocket science.

BTW no HP? Too bad. You sound like the perfect customer for one of their Colorspan machines

 

[renamer38]

I'm just going to take this as heavy sarcasm... because I know you wouldn't just ignore the policies of this site or it's position on cracked and illegal software ...

...man you with bunch of your morons can just pull me you know where.
I thought about this forum as smth good where i can learn smth but here is so stupid ego guys that i dont know why to come here after this post.
ofc and you with those guys and those cracked rips can just lower your head dont and start to swallow...like i care about you policies or your sarcasm...
gl faggets

 

[Techman]

well. your exit from this bunch of dummies can be easily arranged..

 

[Bigdawg]

...man you with bunch of your morons can just pull me you know where.
I thought about this forum as smth good where i can learn smth but here is so stupid ego guys that i dont know why to come here after this post.
ofc and you with those guys and those cracked rips can just lower your head dont and start to swallow...like i care about you policies or your sarcasm...
gl faggets

Buh-Bye