Hello guys it's been a long time since I've been on the site I've been in business since 2002 but I've only done plotter cut vinyl. Any digital print I would have I would outsourced but I'm looking to get in to buying a very affordable cheap machine so I can do it in house. I used to have a CJ 500 that I did very little inside printing and realized it was dying technology, and did not want to invest the money to have the machine converted. But reading a little bit it seems like I am completely dumb now lol I have forgot everything about the digital print biz. Any help from you guys would be great what type of machine, cost per print, ink cost, and maintenance issues etc. Thanks in advance
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Thinking about getting into digital print
- Thread starter Hollywood
- Start date
signguy 55
New Member
So you want guys on this forum to do your legwork for you? Asking to identify a font is one thing but you need to invest your time and resources. A quick glance at the forum and you can see that there are real issues that guys have to resolve. Many tackle the problems themselves and only ask for help when they have exhausted everything else.
Go to a few trade shows, have about 100K in the bank for the machine, software, computers, materials and everything else and go for it.
Go to a few trade shows, have about 100K in the bank for the machine, software, computers, materials and everything else and go for it.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Tough crowd, huh ?? 
Since you forget anything you did know and don't know anything new, why do you want to get into something you know nothing or very very little about ??
In other words.......
What is your target audience for the machine you want to buy ??
Do you have adequate ventilation according to what you buy ??
You'll need a laminator, in addition.
What kinda space do you have ??
You'll need software, so think about what you'll feel comfortable with, if any at all.
Since you forget anything you did know and don't know anything new, why do you want to get into something you know nothing or very very little about ??
In other words.......
What is your target audience for the machine you want to buy ??
Do you have adequate ventilation according to what you buy ??
You'll need a laminator, in addition.
What kinda space do you have ??
You'll need software, so think about what you'll feel comfortable with, if any at all.
Also, as mentioned, this question in some form, is asked 2 to 3 times a day, almost. Try doing a little homework of your own and tell us what you learned. 
Logoadv
New Member
Probably better to find a local source for your printing until you have a large enough client base that you know it will cover the cost of the hardware and maintenance. It isn't as simple as buying a printer, and there isn't anything cheaper than letting someone else own it instead. Where are you in VA? We probably aren't quite large enough in the sign/printing side of things to be a supplier, but we can probably suggest a few people to use (and a few to avoid like the plague!)
Now, embroidery on the other hand...
Now, embroidery on the other hand...
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Nah...... I'm waiting. I'm gonna use the Pancake House analogy, again. Was talking about Maple Syrup earlier, so I want pancakes and waffles. Now, that brings to mind a very good question. If I open a Pancake House...... can I make waffles, too ?? I don't know if I could go from round to square with indentations. Heck, for that matter, I'm looking into cross breeding watermelons with squares, so I can sell watermelons to grocery stores and they can stack them much better if they were square, instead of round. That would be a money-making deal, huh ??
reQ
New Member
Nah...... I'm waiting. I'm gonna use the Pancake House analogy, again. Was talking about Maple Syrup earlier, so I want pancakes and waffles. Now, that brings to mind a very good question. If I open a Pancake House...... can I make waffles, too ?? I don't know if I could go from round to square with indentations. Heck, for that matter, I'm looking into cross breeding watermelons with squares, so I can sell watermelons to grocery stores and they can stack them much better if they were square, instead of round. That would be a money-making deal, huh ??
Geez, Gino. I am on diet here and you are talking about pancakes & syrup.... Bad, bad Gino!
eahicks
Magna Cum Laude - School of Hard Knocks
I'm looking into cross breeding watermelons with squares, so I can sell watermelons to grocery stores and they can stack them much better if they were square, instead of round. That would be a money-making deal, huh ??
Japan beat you to it.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mbvd/japan-begins-selling-cube-watermelons-to-customers-overseas#.kweGjdy6Jn
lol dang, I was just about to post a picture.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Yeah, they might've developed the square watermelon first, but ya can't eat it. Mine is gonna be edible. I loves me watermelon. Dang...... gonna hafta work or something else, I guess.
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Pumpkins perhaps?
Nope, they did that years ago with marshmallow Halloween candy smashed in a bag.
I'm thinking maybe corn without the cob. It'll be much easier to eat for those with false teeth. Could become an overnight success...... and don't say Cope's Corn, that sh!t ain't even real.
rjssigns
Active Member
This^^^
I have an SP540V that still hammers out the work. Laminator is an older 65" RS.
FWIW there is a complete shop for sale about 30 minutes from me. SP540V, laminator, Fletcher wall mount cutter, software, materials, computers, etc...everything but the building goes.
Asking $29K IIRC.