Something good to know about bulk ink

[jester2kx]

I thought I would send this out to everyone. Everyone I talked to about this had no idea how it would turn out.

Situation: We purchased a Roland SolvetII V SC-545ex printer/cutter a couple months ago and it was sold with a "bulk ink system". Our initial thoughts were "Awsome....less $$ on ink" ohhhh were we wrong.

When we got the printer it was using a Lyson LOD ink. Now some of you may be using a Lyson ink, however this LOD ink is discontinued. No more.....it has been that way for a while. so bad in fact, when I called Lyson and asked about it, they had a hard time finding someone in the company that has ever worked with that ink.

Also, with the Lyson inks they run a "pentachrome blue" and "pentachrome red" which is actualy a darker red then magenta and darker blue then cyan. So if I were to use normal ripping software it would print really bad gradients.

Anyways, so we decided to switch back to Roland Eco-Sol Max inks. (we have used that in a sp300 for a couple years now) Everyone that I had talked to about the conversion from the Lyson to Roland inks were really scared that we would have head cloggs and have to place those and the dampers, also possibly the motors and tubes. This did not excite us at all seeing as we just paid to have 4 heads replaced before we can do anything with it.

So being the risk taker I am, I decided to just go for it. I ran the head flush cycle with roland cleaning cartrages. After it fed those through and restarted. I walked through the installing of Eco-Sol Max inks. It all worked. No cloggs, no need to replace anything. It prints like a freaken champ now. I am not saying that this will work for everyone. But its good to know that there was no need to for any more expenses. And it only took 4 cleaning cartrages to do all the cleaning and installing the new inks.

I am just soo happy that that worked out that I am telling everyone

 

[Replicator]

Glad it all worked out for you !

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

Who told you that you might have to replace the heads, with switching inks?

 

[jester2kx]

Well Roland said that I would have to replace the whole ink delivery system (lines, dampers, heads, etc..). However the techs that I talked to said that there was a good chance that I would have to replace the heads at least due to the inks reacting to eachother and coagulating. so it was from a couple different places.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

They were BSing you, I never heard that before. They just want you to use there inks, As long as you clean out the lines good you can switch inks when ever you like.

Our first printer was a Roland CJ-500 and the tech told me not to use bulk ink, that things like that can happen, at the time the carts were $120 for a 220ml. That was 7 years ago and it still runs, using bulk inks

 

[jester2kx]

I have noticed that everyone kind of bad mouths other people's inks. I was kind of weary when the a couple techs that I talked to that work with both inks started saying things like this. I am glad that I did it, and like I said, I am really just trying to get the word out there so others dont feel trapped like we did.

I am sure that we will switch to a bulk ink system soon enouph, but to know that you can switch is a really nice freedom.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

Also I dont know if you know but Naz-Dar bought Lyson
Triangle inks are really good to

 

[dsi]

Well Roland said that I would have to replace the whole ink delivery system (lines, dampers, heads, etc..). However the techs that I talked to said that there was a good chance that I would have to replace the heads at least due to the inks reacting to eachother and coagulating. so it was from a couple different places.

Roland are pretty dishonest in some of their advise, but its more related to ignorance than anything else. That, and changing from Roland inks to an oem supply will affect their bottom line. So they say anything to keep you from making the change.

I converted my Roland SC540-ex to Techink Full Solvent Bulk Ink (I was the first Roland 540 conversion in Australia) about 3 years ago. Roland voided my remaining warranty, and made it clear they would not be interested in helping if I had any problems. They made all these claims that I'd need to replace everything and it would wreck my machine.

When Techink came to do the CMYKOG conversion, they discovered my black head was faulty (Roland were reluctant to change it under warranty), so they replaced it FOC. (I just replaced that same head last friday after 3 years of 6 day a week use - my other heads are fine so far).

Roland made a concerted effort to rubbish my conversion, and tried to to find out who supplied the new head for Techink to supply me. They issued vailed threats to anyone who helped Techink in any future conversions. Didn't stop many as they have done many conversions now, in Australia and New Zealand. (I was their test machine for many other sign shops)

Think is, I can still go back to eco sol ink cartridges at any time. Techinks are actually finer than most other inks out there, so head damage is less likely anyway.

As long as you flush correctly, and purge old inks you'll have no issues. When you go from eco sol to full solvent, you'll need to replace the pumps with ones from a JV3, but going from solvent to eco, it should work fine.

The thing is, Techink is an oem ink for a lot of manufacturers, and here in Australia, Techink do a Mimaki package that is sold by Mimaki retailers here.

Eco Sol max inks V Techinks is no contest. Give me the techink any day.

Sorry to go on, but I've been on the receiving end of rubbish from Roland for 3 years, just had to get it off my chest

Check it out www.techink.com

 

[alias1]

3 cheers...

Roland are pretty dishonest in some of their advise, but its more related to ignorance than anything else. That, and changing from Roland inks to an oem supply will affect their bottom line. So they say anything to keep you from making the change.

I converted my Roland SC540-ex to Techink Full Solvent Bulk Ink (I was the first Roland 540 conversion in Australia) about 3 years ago. Roland voided my remaining warranty, and made it clear they would not be interested in helping if I had any problems. They made all these claims that I'd need to replace everything and it would wreck my machine.

When Techink came to do the CMYKOG conversion, they discovered my black head was faulty (Roland were reluctant to change it under warranty), so they replaced it FOC. (I just replaced that same head last friday after 3 years of 6 day a week use - my other heads are fine so far).

Roland made a concerted effort to rubbish my conversion, and tried to to find out who supplied the new head for Techink to supply me. They issued vailed threats to anyone who helped Techink in any future conversions. Didn't stop many as they have done many conversions now, in Australia and New Zealand. (I was their test machine for many other sign shops)

Think is, I can still go back to eco sol ink cartridges at any time. Techinks are actually finer than most other inks out there, so head damage is less likely anyway.

As long as you flush correctly, and purge old inks you'll have no issues. When you go from eco sol to full solvent, you'll need to replace the pumps with ones from a JV3, but going from solvent to eco, it should work fine.

The thing is, Techink is an oem ink for a lot of manufacturers, and here in Australia, Techink do a Mimaki package that is sold by Mimaki retailers here.

Eco Sol max inks V Techinks is no contest. Give me the techink any day.

Sorry to go on, but I've been on the receiving end of rubbish from Roland for 3 years, just had to get it off my chest

Check it out www.techink.com

good ink, great performance... definately the way to go.