Used Roland ColorCAMM Pro PC-60 Printer/Cutter, worth getting?

[rm25x]

I found a deal locally on a used Roland ColorCAMM Pro PC-60 Printer/Cutter for $1500 (Asked if they would take $1200) to add to the shop. Per the seller, unit is in good running condition, one owner. Right now I outsource my full color stuff, and just do cut vinyl in house. Was looking at mostly for car decals, bumper stickers etc. Small stuff I could just cut on hand and not have to wait for. I still plan on outsourcing as well too.

I figured there's probably several people who have used that unit at some point in the past.

Also, this machine would allow me to print white for printing non transparent clear vinyl based decals correct? (I hope I described that correctly)

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[weaselboogie]

Some people have had success with this model, but I think most people would have rather gone another route if they had to do it over again. Its super expensive to run (printing) and print head damage is fairly common.

 

[rm25x]

ah good to know.

 

[stickygraphics12]

Just sold mine and got an sp540......I am so thankful I sold it! VERY Expensive to run and the quality was never there! Print heads do go out on them about every couple years. I also had terrible banding with certain colors.

Here is the plus side - Although you will not make much money(and who wants to work for free), I used this machine for about a year and a half, started to advertise printing, outsourced all of my stuff that needed to be a better quality, didnt make much money, and bought my new printer b/c of the demand I started to receive to do printing. It was more less a stepping stone for me and really helped to start the print end of my business!

Hopefully this will give you a little more insight.

 

[Gino]

Good machine, but other than some odds and ends stuff, you'll continue outsourcing because you can't compete with the prices these new machines can produce products.

Get it, but don't expect to set the world on fire by any means.

 

[trimguy]

Im selling my sp300 to get a 540. Let me know if you are interested. It runs perfect.

 

[Cross Signs]

I bought the PC-60 when it first came out...wow more than 10 years ago, it never really did pay for itself, head went bad after some years and I didn't have the insurance or want to spend the money to ship it back and have it fixed. It is a good pressure feed plotter which is nice because I have Gerber plotters and can now use scraps and non punched vinyls. If I had it to do over again, I'd save a little more money and spend it on a small ink jet of some sorts.

 

[rm25x]

Thanks for all the insight guys. I think I will just pass and save the money for better use. (Like more marketing)

 

[Pat Whatley]

Piece of shit. Ours spent more time in California being repaired than it did in our shop. Eight new print heads in two years. One of them went bad THE SAME DAY WE GOT IT BACK FROM THE REPAIR SHOP!

Roland completely crapped on everyone who bought one. Just abandoned their customer base. Never made enough to pay for the stand, much less the printer. The only thing we ever made money on was selling Weasel Boogie up there the big box of ribbons I found in the back.


$1500? you should go slap them for trying to rip you off.

 

[signrios]

a local guy here asked me if a wanted to buy his for $6000, he bought it for his son, the son didn't want to have any thing to do with signs.
might be because of this printer!!!

 

[thmooch]

at most I say 500, see a print if possible. Stay with spot colors as process is dull & not vibrant in my opinion. Can be used as a back up cutter(one reason I justified picking up mine).

Clean head after every job. Cover when not in use. Cross Fingers.

 

[Sign Works]

at most I say 500, see a print if possible. Stay with spot colors as process is dull & not vibrant in my opinion. Can be used as a back up cutter(one reason I justified picking up mine).

Clean head after every job. Cover when not in use. Cross Fingers.

Dull prints w/process color ????? Your definetly doing something wrong! IMO. My PC-600 continues to produce the most vivid, brightest color prints I have ever seen from ANY printer, thermal or inkjet.

Man you guys continue to make me feel like I possess some form of superior intelect when it comes to operating this simple devise. That can't be right. :ROFLMAO:

 

[yukon]

Dull prints w/process color ????? Your definetly doing something wrong! IMO. My PC-600 continues to produce the most vivid, brightest color prints I have ever seen from ANY printer, thermal or inkjet.

Man you guys continue to make me feel like I possess some form of superior intelect when it comes to operating this simple devise. That can't be right. :ROFLMAO:

I must possess that same superior intellect too 'cause I used my PC60 for 13 years, only replaced the head twice, and was very very happy with it. It IS expensive to run and it has it's size limits, but it CAN print metallic ink, it CAN print on virtually ANY vinyl, which the Inkjets can't.
I sold it 6 mos ago and upgraded to a VP540 which is great, but I don't regret owning the PC60. You have to keep it clean and take good care of it and it will serve it's purpose.

Hope this helps.

Yukon

 

[Techman]

ITs like any other machine
Some people have a knack for making things run good.
If you do have the knack then good luck.

I have an encad printer. Many feel it is junk. But I run this thing and make money. With hardly any problems,, (just had to change the mobo). But is is said it has cartridge problems,, I have almost nor trouble with cartridges.

 

[weaselboogie]

Then 90% of people who owned them must of had the lemon of lemons. Like pat's, ours was crap. I was lucky to print 3 linear feet without the ribbon breaking. We even stopped offering printing because we were afraid to print anything of any size. After the third scratched head, we completely took all the ribbons out and only used it as a cutter... and yes, I cleaned the vinyl before every use (like roland recommended). Oh and the cartridges liked to fall out on their own too on 4 of the 6 holders.

Congrats to Sign works and yukon. You guys must be the 10% of machines that worked how they were suppose to.

Thermal is good, but expensive. It's got a great longevity even when it's uncoated (5 yrs?) and yes, it can print metallics with the spots, but to go thermal, i'd recommend the gerber edge.

 

[andy]

The PC-60 is based on a design developed by Citizen.

You could buy a desktop Citizen printer which used the now familiar ribbon cartridges to print onto almost any vinyl- I had 4 at one point.

These were A4 printers and even they didn't work properly; banding, ribbon breaks and scrapped print heads.

God alone knows why Roland thought it would be a great idea to make a bigger version for the professional sign market- I laughed out loud when the first marketing leaflets started appearing.

Roland dumped the whole PC60 range a long time ago- clearly the whole idea was flawed and Roland couldn't get out fast enough

If you want to print short run stickers which you can actually sell buy an Edge machine. PC60's were an attempt to make a poor mans alternative- an attempt which failed miserably.

 

[rm25x]

Lots of good info. Yep I think I will stay away.... far away....

 

[ddarlak]

i bought one when they first came out, although i made ennough to pay for it, and i did sell it for half of what i paid for it. it was not worth the trouble.

snapped ribbons way too often, replaced three heads in two years i owned it.

junk to me.....