Gerber Owners. Spot or Process Foils?

[Duncan Wilkie]

John,
The Edge is a terrific machine with endless applications. It is more versatile than ink jets and the like.
It has 2 drawbacks, resolution on half tones and with print width. That said, it panels fine for big images and the half tone limitation is only on small stuff. The detail is great on spot colors.
Here’s a link to some resources at the Gerber site.
http://www.gspinc.com/default.asp?contentID=48#LIT
Here’s a couple of pics of a van we did. The paneling is not a problem.

Resolution is not an issue on stuff like this and the print was not laminated and has lasted beautifully for at least 3 years so far. I suggest using the Gerber Process "Pro" foils. They are more vibrant and durable.

We have had difficulty with after market foils, so I suggest Gerber only as well as Gerber vinyls for the "fussy" jobs. We use a lot of Mactac for the "everyday" stuff.

[John Cooper]

Thanks for the reply John, the pictures look terrific. It’s great to actually see what people have done with the Gerber.

I’m only just getting to grips with the concept so have an awful long way to go.

I was particularly interested in the use of the process foils. I don’t have any yet. How well do they handle printing multi-coloured graphics?

Do you use transparent vinyls often?

I’m grateful for your help and tips.

John

[Peter Normington]

John
the edge can produce good and acceptable full colour graphics in process,
and even at only 300×600 dpi look as good as they need to on a van.

unfortunately the cost and time to do them as a main stream product is now non competitive, compared with inkjet, and of course you have the join issue, yes it is the same on an inkjet, but the joins are not as close together.The resolution is more important on small images, not larger ones, the edge will not give goodg full colour results on small labels and decals,

The edge is very good and versatile for certain specialist products, but you need to have the demand for the type of work it is capable of.

one or two spot colours, and small labels is what it is good at, and of course, reversed out clear labels, with a white block, are its main strength’s

Peter

[John Cooper]

Hi Peter

Hope you’ve recovered after all that champagne!

I understand what you’re saying Peter. Whilst I’d love an inkjet printer there were several issues that stopped me just now.

1. Capital outlay
2. I understand they need to be kept working or they clog?
3. I don’t have the work to justify the cost.

I managed to get the Gerber setup at a great deal less than a wide format inkjet and I do have some work for it – when I get the confidence to produce good stuff.

Bedtime for me, work at 7am!

Cheers

John