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MIMAKI or ROLAND or NO PRINTER
Hi, Been buying in print for years, as usually need all different printed products from most durable cast wraps and lam. to POP exhibition displays to Stickers to Banners to Mounted Prints, Indoor vibrant prints blah blah blah… Well every year I weight up buying a new machine and ditch the idea as buying in costs are not too much for our quantity needed. (I can hear some shouting now about £1 a meter costs) and there is no operation cost, or stock. Also one new printer as I would understand it will not do the best job on all dif. medias. Then you have rips and laminators, and stock.
My questions,
Q. Does anyone not have a printer? and still like us Design and just Print Manage.? What level of printed product turnover do you justify new printer .?
The furthest I have got is the Choice of Mimaki JV3 (2yr warranty) or the Roland Vp 54 something, and its the time of year I look again and this very handy website I hope is going to point me in the right direction. Im looking for the best all rounder.
Q. Does anyone use either of these machines for vehicle graphics and wraps re durability over full solvent.?
Q. Anyone Know how well made these type of printers generally are and would I get a few years use out of one without too much further service costs with printing only a few times a week.
Q. How many square meters is in the life of these machines.
Q. Anyone got both machines and have a preference.
Q. Best Inks.? Q. Best Supplier for media.?
Q. where best to buy
Q. MIMAKI, ROLAND or NONE.?
ALL YOUR INFO MUCH APPRECIATED.
GAB
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5 Replies
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Gab, I don’t have a printer and don’t get asked that often for printed graphics so can’t really help to much but if you try doing a search and reading through old posts you should get a better idea of what is best for you.
Both machines you have mentioned seem to get good feedback from those that own them, don’t forget the JV3 is just a printer so you would still need some way to contour cut.You are right in that there is no one printer that will do everything you want but your best bet might be to sit down and break your print down into different areas and from that work out if it would be worth buying a machine to do the majority of your print work and then just buy in the stuff your machine doesn’t do such a good job with.
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I don’t have a printer but I am fortunate in as much I have 3 signshops nearby who have, I am also fortunate in as much these guys are also personal friends and we help each other out. I concentrate on providing a print ready file. they know what they get will be ready to go and consequently are prepared to give me a good price considering the small volume I give them.
Their machine range from a Cadett (30") an older Roland converted to full solvent (slow but capable of producing good prints) and a newer Mimaki. Rips are Troop, an old unknown rip, (possibly Amiable) and Colourgate.
All three are capable of first class results providing file is ok. All three do require maintenance and for vehicle work all three will need laminating and that said if laminating would be part of your workflow then maybe eco solvent ink might be an option as it appears to require reduced maintenance for the machine if left for periods.
Can’t comment on where to buy
If I were seriously in the market I would sway towards the Mimaki with eco solvent inks. I have a Summa with OPOS so contour cutting would be done with that.
I’m speaking as vinyl only guy, supplying digital output by others from my files which I set up in a similar way as litho but with reduced finished size resolution.
Alan D -
The minute we got our printer the volume of print work we output probably tripled. When it’s there it’s another tool that you use. You’ll be more inclined to sway towards full colour as it’s often a good option for the customer and can save you lots of time as well as increasing profit.
G
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Thanks All for your valuable info. I will do some maths I think. Gavin – what machine did you get.?
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The versacamm sp540v
It’s a cracking machine, but they all have their pro’s and con’s, worth spending a good bit of time on the boards and trade magazines reading up on your options.
G
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