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Help buying a Printer – does anyone have any suggestions?
Hi all, I’m new to this so apologies….
I currently am only able to offer cut graphics, and want to get into the printed graphics market, but I’m trying to get info on buying a printer and I’m so confused. Need to be able to print graphics for mainly vehicles, some outside signage as well. Anyone got any suggestions?? Don’t think I have the budget or space for a solvent printer, so can I get away with an Inkjet? I’m currently running Signlab 9.1 and have a Graphtec Cutter. I’m told that only certain printers will be compatible with the Signlab software….any help would be much appreciated! 😮 -
4 Replies
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For vehicles & outdoor use I would think a Solvent, UV or Latex machine is the way to go. Waterbased inks just aren’t durable enough, and the media is limited from what I believe. Even with a Solvent printer, I’d still suggest laminating print so add a laminator your shopping list too.
Unless you have enough demand to warrant buying a machine, I would think outsourcing to a trade printer such as James @ group 101, or even try speaking to local companies?
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With printers my view is Go Big or Go Home. Minimum 1370mm wide with matching cutter and laminator.
If you cant afford it at present then buy from a trade supplier until you can.
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We are a design and print business and outsourced our sign work for quite a while, but decided to bring it in house.
We bought a refurb’d Roland SP540v from one of the dealers, yes slightly more than buying of ebay, but I didn’t mind paying more for the peace of mind. It came to us as a virtually a brand new machine with warranty.I would say as a first wide format solvent printer, I would highly recommend the Roland, I am really pleased, we have done a wide variety of projects on it in the 3 months we have had the printer, which it has done with ease. Yes an older model, so not the fastest, but cheap to run, easy to look after, so has been a great addition, plus I have control, which is what I wanted for our clients.
We did look at the latex, but at the budget we had, but came to the conclusion that the Roland was the better option for different kinds of work and being able to print and cut gave it the edge.
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If you don’t have the budget for a solvent machine then forget about buying a printer for the time being, try getting any distributor to give you any more than 18 months warranty on exterior graphics even with the highest level of uv protection laminate you can buy.
As David has suggested start off using a trade printer while that side of your business grows & at some point in the future you should find that you are spending so much on trade print each month that bringing it in house is a serious consideration. You also shouldn’t have a problem paying for a machine at that point either if you have been charging for it correctly.
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