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Newbie about to buy a Versa Camm
Greetings all
I’m a new member for my sins!
I had a demo again at Roland Slough yesterday on the Versa Camm. Annoyingly I had not lloked at the forum before, as it had not occurred to me. I was particularly interested in the longevity/U/V aspects but without being to paranoid of course. I run a conventional art business selling litho prints, all aviation and one particular thing often tell people that whatever type of ink is used in litho including so called U/V inks, a paper print will always fade and I know from experience that if I place a framed print in my shop window it can fade inside one month in direct sunlight. I always try to talk up the use of more expensive U/V filtered glass for this reason!
Emma at Slough printed some samples on a Hexis “mid-range” vinyl and today I tried the tests that some members mentioned. The print was about 24 hours old. Neat petrol was the fastest to tekr the ink off immediately in one easy rub! White spirit was slower, diesel didn’t unless rubbed hard, neat Fairy Liquid detergent had no effect as of course washing up water/detergent mix had no effect. The vigorous dry finger approach took the ink off as did a rubber/eraser.
I had previously had a demo at Slough last November with Simon and I found some of the demo prints over 6 months old and petrol/white spirit had the same immediate effect.
In the main I want to buy the machine for small stickers at shows I attend, then vinyl banners, but inevitably I realise that some people will want stickers/graphics for vehicles and therefore unlaminated, the ink will move/disappear if in contact with petrol. I assume that even with a laminate that petrol will move the ink. I particularly wanted to aim some stickers at motorcycle users for petrol tanks etc as I have a range of “pinup” girl subjects…this now seems an obvious no no!!
As a newbie, and I have no knowledge of signage whatsoever, except 10 years ago I had a small fleet of trucks that I owned sign written in massive cut graphics (no big full colour printed stuff just cut from solid coloured vinyl) and running these trucks in arduous conditions did not effect the colouration etc.
I am used to dye sub printing (I print mousemats/t-shirts/mugs/plaques etc) and I print on to canvas using pigmented inks (Epson) with an Epson 7500 24″ wide printer.
I could do with some input please on the best types of vinyl and banner materials to use given the constraints of the Versa Camm and the “problems” that I had read about.
Sorry if this post is a little long for a first timer!
regards
Arthur Rayner
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5 Replies
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If you use cold lams on eco-sol prints then it will survive even acetone attack. The big advantage of the versacam is that its a snap to print , lam and then relaod for cutting. Very suitable for vehicle graphics or for just about any extreme application. You get various grades of lamination with varying protective abilities. GMP’s Micronex dura is a hot melt lam that is even more resistant to just about anything than even some cold lam.
A laminator is ideal for your business , espcially since it is much more than a laminator . but a print finisher. We have a GMP Excellmaster which , to be honest , was horrendously expensive , about the same price as a Versacam = but we have a soljet and thus needed the 1.6m width. It does cold lams , mounting , can apply all sorts of self adhesive stuff to other stuff , has hot rollers for single and double sided hot lams , encapsulation , pouching etc etc. We do a lot of contract work on it for other ppl. As a print reseller , I would imagine it is something that would certainly increase the range of products you supply as well as an essential to the printers you have and intend to buy.
As to the best vinyl , use premium stuff meant for solvent based inkjets , for banners which are short term items , use the cheapest that prints best.
As to service life or durability of any print , whatever machine you use , to offer any guarantee when you have no control over how a user mistreats it , you have to protect it. -
Hi there and welcome to the boards.
There are many topics on the versacamm & cadet (both same machines but use different inks) reading back posts, you will see many mixed views on both machines.
Both are equally as good in their “own” field.
If abrasion, UV stability, unlamented etc is an issue for you then I would point you in the direction of the cadet.
If its point of sale, posters, exhibition work etc then I would say the versacamm.
Don’t get me wrong, both machines can do all the above and much more. It’s just what suits you best on the majority of your work.My own opinion is that the cadet is the sign maker’s printer.
So much so that I have approached the manufacturers of the system that makes the cadet what it is & asked them would they consider coming on board as a UK sign group supplier. The answer I am glad to say was YES! there will be more on that a little later in the week. 😉Like you I have been trying and testing sample prints for some time now. My belief is that for unlamented prints, a true solvent printer comes up trumps.
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Thanks chaps, this is most encouraging. Robert can you give me details about the Cadet machine and who the UK importers are etc as I’d like to talk with them. is it a similar price?
I have to admit to a little confusion at the moment having no knowledge about solvent inks. It appears therefore that Roland’s inks are not true solvent inks from your post, is not just a case of changing inks to to true solvent inks in the Roland? Also does anyone use or know of bulk supplied ink systems. I use bulk inks for dye sub printing on my small desk top printers and will probably get a bulk system for my Epson 7500. I use manoukian dye sub inks in 500ml bottles, I wonder if they produce solvent inks as well.
All help is much appreciated as this will be one big step for mankind if go the route of the VC or the Cadet and at a touch of £10K the product has to be right!
regards
Arthur
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Hi Arthur
Have a look at http://www.uniformdigital.com or http://www.bplightbrigade.com You’ll find details on the Uniform Cadet.
I’m haveing the same problem as you. We need a printer for doing sticker’s and some van graphics, but what system to go for. At around £10,000 outlay is has to be the right one. From what I have found out so far, the Cadet is the better option.
Hope the links help.
Regards
Lee -
This is all becoming very exciting quite rapidly! From knowing about the Roland VC I now know about the Cadet! I’ve just spoken about the Cadet with Andrew Wilson of B&P and I’m going for a demo with them tomorrow morning and will take the Roland output and do a side by side comparison.
They appear the same price. Its fascinating that they buy from Roland yet use a full solvent ink, why don’t Roland themselves do this?I am thankful for the professionalism I’ve met from this forum and the superb advice. It just shows how the unwary can tread into a minefield!
Will report back with my findings.
Many thanks
Arthur
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