Roland VP540i – ordering today but need last minute advice

[John Childs]

Ruari,

I guess it depends on the length of the prints you might be called upon to do, but we couldn’t live without a take-up. There’d be print all over the floor with the inky sides sticking to each other. I dread to think how much waste we would generate.

My comparison knowledge of the different printer makes is limited but, from my experience of Mimaki, I’d go with them, even without the price advantage.

[Ruairi O'Boyle]

cheers john if I go with the Roland Ill get them to throw in the take up. You have kind of put a spanner in the works suggesting mimaki though!

[Luke Lansdell]

Ruari,

The Sign & Digital UK 2010 is in April…you will always find some really good deals there if you could hold on.
As for me Roland is the way to go, we have 2 and they just keep going with minimal fuss.
I would get a take up in there, you do not want to be laminating dusty prints.
Good luck and let us know…
Luke

[Chris Wool]

my 2p worth

buy neither until you grasp the difference between the machines and how they are going to earn you dosh.

chris

[Ruairi O'Boyle]

chris

for someone who has started up a sign business from scratch, having never worked in the industry prior, it has been a case of try it and see for the last 7 years! Thats probably whats going to happen with the printer too because I can read around them all day but without actually using one I dont believe you ever get a good grasp of the machines!

Can you point me in the right direction at all? What can I do to get a better grasp of a print machine? I am sending prints out on a weekly basis and feel it is time to try and do it in house from now on!

Any guidance is greatly appreciated!

[Colin Crow]

The problem with asking the Mimaki/Roland question is that you are only going to get biased answers. People select (and stand by) their printers because they choose them for their own use. We chose Mimaki because after examinating comparative prints etc it did what we needed.

I suggest you contact your favoured suppliers and if possible get them to demo or at very least print your files so you can compare the results. If you need a contact for the Mimaki speak to Emma at Isub digital who helped me with all sorts of samples etc. Hybrid, the importers also have superb backup for these Mimakis.

Colin

[Ruairi O'Boyle]

Cheers Colin

I am mainly dealing with my local Robert Horne Group and they can supply both but they are steering me towards the Roland. I was fairly impressed with both to be honest but then I am new to it and havent got what might be called a "trained eye"!

Anyone any ideas on the signlab thing cos they full version is about twice the price!?

[John Childs]

quote Colin Crow:

If you need a contact for the Mimaki speak to Emma at Isub digital

:yes1:

[Peter Dee]

As Luke has already stated, wait for the Sign Show in April, you will get much more of an insight as well as a likely show discount.

[Ruairi O'Boyle]

just my luck! I am working on getting a grant and I have to have it bought before the end of the month! Too good to miss!

[Martin Oxenham]

I very much doubt if you will get a take up real "Thrown in" by Roland. But you don’t have to pay £1000 or more. If you do a search on here as there was something posted a short while back for one available for £300.
We have had two Roland printers and as said they are great machines>

[Ruairi O'Boyle]

Thanks Martin I found the take up you were talking about. It gets good comments anyway!