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Where to buy printheads?

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speedmedia

New Member
Hello all,
Looking for the most cost effective place to buy print heads for my JV3. My tech from Advantage quote me $1,025.00. Anyone here know where to find them a little bit cheaper?

Thanks,
Kurt Dietrich
Speed Media
 
C

Case

New Member
The problem with doing this is this: Your supplier will probably still install or put the heads in for you if you find them somewhere else cheaper, but will offer no warranty or guarantee on the repair. If you are willing to take that chance and buy them cheaper, then that is up to you. With paying the actual cost from your supplier, you get the guarantee on the heads and the work for x amount of days. I guess it is up to you on the route you are willing to take.

I would spend the extra money that I know I am going to make back off of my machine and have the guarantee on the parts and the labor.

Perhaps you can ask your supplier if they are willing to show you how to install the heads and calibrate the machine as well if you buy them from them...

Just my opinion...

Case
 
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Letterbox Mike

Letterbox Mike

New Member
Go with your dealer. You can get them for less at CMYK parts.com, but speaking from experience, heads can be bad right out of the box, if your dealer supplied the head, they'll probably eat the labor to install the bad one, but if you provide a bad head, you're paying for two head swaps and that is NOT cheap. I just went through this, paid $700 for a head from CMYKparts.com, paid my tech $600 to install it. It was bad. Had to buy another head from my tech (because they were already here) for $900 plus another $600 to install that one. Then I had to return the bad head for an exchange, so I've not got a spare head, plus I paid twice as much for the install as I should have. If you can install them yourself, then buy them elsewhere, but if you're having a technician do it, buy the head from them.

BTW, this is not to say CMYKparts.com sells bad parts, I just had bad luck, but it wasn't their fault. My technician said his record was installing 3 bad heads (straight from Mimaki) in a row before installing a good one.
 
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speedmedia

New Member
Thanks for the heads up guys! Tech is going to come tomorrow and put the OEM heads in. Don't need to take a chance I guess, just sucks to have to dole out the bucks...

Guess, I need to raise prices! lol

Thanks,
Kurt Dietrich
Speed Media
 
Robert M

Robert M

New Member
Print heads

What I think is interesting is that the JV3 and the Current Roland Eco Sol printers all use the same head. We sell the Roland heads for $645.00 which is Roland's set price. Why so much more for a Mimaki head?
 
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speedmedia

New Member
Robert M said:
What I think is interesting is that the JV3 and the Current Roland Eco Sol printers all use the same head. We sell the Roland heads for $645.00 which is Roland's set price. Why so much more for a Mimaki head?
Click to expand...

I wonder the same thing. It seems like Mimaki parts in general are so much more expensive. I have found this will several other parts as well.

I love my printer but it would take an act of god for me to buy another Mimaki.

Thanks,
Kurt Dietrich
Speed Media
 
particleman

particleman

New Member
There isn't anything magical about these print heads, the thing is to buy it from someone that will replace it if it is DOA or has missing nozzles out of the box. Advantage stands behind their stuff, we know from experience.

We bought 3 heads on ebay earlier this year for $550 each with dampers from a ebay store seller "macmedia". I looked today I don't see the guy selling them still, but over 1k for a head is pricey! I'm sure the fact that mimaki isn't making this printer anymore is driving the price of all parts up. This head though is Epson made (model 1000) and is in alot of printers.

Kurt it really pays to learn how to work on your equipment. Changing a head is very intimidating at first, but really isn't that hard. It is like anything else, you have to know what you're getting yourself into and how you're going to clean up the mess if it goes south :D. Advantage has good tech support though, it also appears they are in your back yard!
 
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speedmedia

New Member
particleman said:
There isn't anything magical about these print heads, the thing is to buy it from someone that will replace it if it is DOA or has missing nozzles out of the box. Advantage stands behind their stuff, we know from experience.

We bought 3 heads on ebay earlier this year for $550 each with dampers from a ebay store seller "macmedia". I looked today I don't see the guy selling them still, but over 1k for a head is pricey! I'm sure the fact that mimaki isn't making this printer anymore is driving the price of all parts up. This head though is Epson made (model 1000) and is in alot of printers.

Kurt it really pays to learn how to work on your equipment. Changing a head is very intimidating at first, but really isn't that hard. It is like anything else, you have to know what you're getting yourself into and how you're going to clean up the mess if it goes south :D. Advantage has good tech support though, it also appears they are in your back yard!
Click to expand...


I see what you mean. If it wasn't Advantage I probably wouldn't be paying it. Everytime they send somebody out I get a good experience, their tech guys are 2nd to none. I guess for $180.00 per hour they damn well better be!!!

I am going to watch the guy replace the heads tomorrow as well as dampers, capping station and pumps. Hopefullly between me watching and taking notes and his explanations I will be able to go at it myself next time. I am still dumfounded by the same head being twice as much as if I where buying it for a Roland.

Thanks again guys for all of the help, the people on this board are great!

Thanks,
Kurt Dietrich
Speed Media
 
Matt-Tastic

Matt-Tastic

New Member
While people are right, the head itself is identical to several other printers on the market, there is a plate the mimaki has manufactured as a mounting bracket, so unless you pull that off your old head, most likely you won't be able to buy a generic head for replacement. Not that it raises the price that much, but with it beign discontinued, mimaki probably wants you to buy their new printer. also, do you really want to put gunky, ink-soaked parts from your old head onto your new shiny head?

as far as service goes, that 180/hr isn't terrible. GEI Calgraph, the typical OEM parts-replacer, will charge you 600 to even step into your shop, and i think its over 200/hr to actually work.

180 isn't that bad a deal, and you get someone who knows more than pulling out one part and replacing it with another.
 
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GTSTech_1

New Member
You can put the Roland eco-sol, head into the JV-3 without any problems. All you have to do it take off the bracket (2 screws) off the old mimaki head and install it on the new roland head. You can do the same with the JV-4, but you have to use the old printhead ID, as the JV-4 firmware does not allow you to input the "." portion of the ID.

My .02

Joey Alonso
GTSTech

PS- If you can find them the cheapest route for epson DX4 heads (used in Roland,Mimaki and Mutoh) is to buy a Epson 10000 (not 1000 as stated earlier). The 10000 will give you 3 heads, after you take the head apart for 1200.00 (400.00 each).
 
Color Dude

Color Dude

New Member
Just curious about something Speedmedia, was that $1025 including install from Advantage? Seems thats what I would have charged to replace the head. Actually I would have done it for about $875 and provided you a 90 day warranty on the part. You guys can always ask me about parts, I generally have them and if I dont they will drop ship within 3 business days unless you choose to use NDA (Next Day Air). That price was to purchase and replace if you were within a 2 hour traveling distance from my shop.
 
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speedmedia

New Member
Color Dude - The price of $1025.00 was just for each head. The install was an extra $180 per hr which ended up being about $360 after all was said and done. Printer sure prints good and the tech was excellent I am still a bit baffled at the $180.00 per hour, which us sign folk could get that!!!!

Thanks,
Kurt Dietrich
Speed Media
 
ncpdfsb

ncpdfsb

New Member
i had read this at another forum, seems if your doing it yourself the 10000 head(s) is the one to install. as far as the bracket being used over.. its not a wearable item.. $400 per head, you install it, you win! just buy from a reputable seller!

GTSTech_1 said:
You can put the Roland eco-sol, head into the JV-3 without any problems. All you have to do it take off the bracket (2 screws) off the old mimaki head and install it on the new roland head. You can do the same with the JV-4, but you have to use the old printhead ID, as the JV-4 firmware does not allow you to input the "." portion of the ID.

My .02

Joey Alonso
GTSTech

PS- If you can find them the cheapest route for epson DX4 heads (used in Roland,Mimaki and Mutoh) is to buy a Epson 10000 (not 1000 as stated earlier). The 10000 will give you 3 heads, after you take the head apart for 1200.00 (400.00 each).
Click to expand...
 
premiercolour

premiercolour

Merchant Member
We carry genuine Epson1000 print heads out from s. California. Installation is available within one hours of driving from los angeles. $1,000 installed.

Thank you,
Francis
 
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