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just found this site again!
Greetings all
I’m a bit dumb really, been using my cadet on and off since I bought it in 2004 to print stuff for an airshow I was running. To be honest, its hardly been used, I doubt I’ve run 10 rolls of vinyl/banner through it since 2004!
I’m using bio inks, but haven’t used it now about 2.5 months. I didn’t do a capping station fill, just left it. Tried a clean and pulled the pipes off at the pump, cleaned them out fully, but only the red line from the capping station is filling, not the black. I cleaned the heads, but in the absence of flush cartridges (just ordered 2), I’ve clamped the lines and I’m soaking the heads. When the flush carts arrive, I’ll fully flush all lines through and hope no damage done.This forum has got massive since I last looked in, back in 2005!
Is there any virtue in thinking about converting back to a Versacamm? I can’t find such posts, I know they are there as I’ve seen a post suggesting such.
I recall about 5 years ago that Roland brought out an ink (you guys will know what I mean) that effectively makes solvent inks redundant….am I right?
I recall trying a smear test with solvent cleaner and then petrol on the same banner material (I’d been sent a sample printed with the new Roland inks) with the Roland inks and solvent inks, and I seem to remember that the B&P solvent inks wiped off much easier than the Roland.
Coupled with the absolute stench of the solvent inks…even the Colorific bio inks…..and I have to admit….very quietly of course….that the cadet is in my kitchen!
So, apart from the cost, is there real value in converting back to a Roland, is it easy…."just a change of lines"…will the heads just flush etc?
I asked Roland last year at the Sign show and I think they wanted £1200 or so?
Sorry if I’ve asked questions whose answers already exist somewhere!
I guess I just need to bite the bullet and trawl through masses of posts on the subject!
Anyway, good to find the forum again!
regards
Arthur
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7 Replies
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Hi, welcome back
I converted my Cadet plus back to Roland Eco sol max inks and it was very easy.
You need 2 flush cartridges and the Eco Sol MAX inks ready.
Also you need to get the latest firmware for your printer off the Roland site.
There is a guide included on how to use this and it’s very easy to do.I changed 2 colours over to the flush and then pulled it through using the syringe, then the same on the other 2 colours.
Don’t fit the max inks yet, fit some old cartridges to stop the flush dripping.
I then left it for the night, the next day I turned on the printer and went through the menu to the ink type (can’t remember exactly which setting but it’s obvious) you change the ink type and the printer asks you to remove the old cartridges and then it does an empty cycle.
It then asks you to insert the new cartridges and does a fill cycle for a few minutes and that’s it done.I’ve found the heads have got better as more ink has come through, my printer had been on activasol inks and was about 5 years old when I did it last year.
After 6 month of use I’d not go back to the full solvent inks, the print is as good or better, no smell and I can leave the printer for ages with no problems with heads blocking.
2 weeks over Christmas and it printed perfectly on startup, my other Cadet however with the solvent inks in needed a few head cleans to get a good print again.Watch this, the heads ‘ll die now 🙂
Steve
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Sorry being a little daft about this, at what point does one pull through with a syringe…..the only point I can see is where the two lines break before the pump?
Now, why syringe it, wont the pump pull it through on a long cleaning cycle anyway, or I suppose the syringe action is faster….perhaps I’ve answered my own question.
If I’ve left the machine for some time anyway, I pull the tubes off at the connectors just prior to the pump, lift the capping heads off, pull the tubes right out, then syringe through and poke a piece of stiff wire along the tubes and clear out the hardened ink. Then do the head clean at the maintenance station etc. I guess this is standard practice for those like me who don’t use the printer much?
I knocked over a jug of flush the other day and it took the paint off a kitchen cupboard door! Wife went off like a V2 rocket!
I’m impressed with those who’ve gone eco sol max without spending with Roland! Is it still solvent ink though?
Many thanks
Arthur
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You don’t need to do a clean cycle to clear the blocked heads, it’s sometimes better to slowly pull some ink through at the point you normally use but leave the heads engaged with the capping station.
This will pull a little ink through manually without the heads firing and is usually better at clearing blocked nozzles.Since changing to the MAX inks I’ve not had to do this anyway, just done normal weekly cleaning on the heads and capping station and the printers been fine.
I believe the MAX inks are a type of solvent ink but the smell is very minimal and I’m led to believe there isn’t as much of a health issue with them, I’m not saying there is no health issues but less than the full solvent inks.
In practical use I’ve found no difference other than they seem to be slightly more opaque so give slightly better coverage on clear, they are also slightly matt, the Activasol inks had a glossy finish.
Performance on stickers etc seems to be similar and vehicle graphics need laminate on anyway so again no problems.I don’t know which RIP your using but if you printer is a SP540V (cadet plus) then you’ll be able to use the Versaworks rip and once your used to it I find it does everything needed.
Steve
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Sorry Steve, I’m still being a little dense…if one leaves the heads on the capping station (they are locked on and would need the steel tube device to unwind them) I would not be able to remove the short lengths of plastic tube to clean them easily, though I could rod them through having disconnected from the pump end, is this what you mean….then poke a syringe up and attempt to pull through some ink?
h empty carts and litre of flush has arrived from Time2maintain today, so I’ll perform on the damn thing tomorrow, meanwhile the heads are on soak with the lines before the pump clamped.
Thanks for your help.
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I can get at the join before the pump to suck the ink through even with the heads on the capping station, bit tight but it can be done.
I also put the syringe on the pipe going into the bottle, you’ll find if you slowly wind the pump motor spindle round anticlockwise (using the same flattened tube tool) that you’ll get to a point were the ink will pull through from the heads.
After this do a head clean as the capping station is full of ink.Steve
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Splendid advice, many thanks.
Tomorrow will tell. Just had the empty carts from Time2maintain…and they are used ones, previously had ink in! They emailed to tell me this…after I paid them…£25 each, I’d expect brand new ones…the bastards!
Its the principle that matters, they’ll be hearing from me!
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I am continuing to doubt their parentage….of course, we all know they are ex B&P though!
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