Some advice please on pigment/dye/uv/solvent inks

[Jamie Wood]

You won’t be able to use either of those materials on the Epson 7600. This is an aqueous ink machine – the dye ink and pigment inks are both water based. To use
either of the materials mentioned, you will need a solvent, latex or UV based printer.
You can get vinyl for the water based machines, but it is more expensive and not as
versatile as the solvent one, and would definitely need laminating for your planned use.
I think Warren used to use aqueous vinyl, so maybe he could point you in the right
direction.

[Warren Beard]

sorry quick reply as on my way out, do a search under my name for pigment based printing and there is a thread somewhere I put my old suppliers down, not sure if I still got them as have been running solvent only for 18 months.

cheers

Warren

[Chris Wool]

since you last asked some questions i had a look in to what the main players are using. just out of interest before i get asked about some.

the epson 7600 is a dye or pigment water based printer and will not print on to the IJ40 for instance.

epson used to do if you can find a supplier a gloss vinyl for that printer but cant comment on its suitability.

the machine that will do all you want for phone wraps is a roland bn20 coupled with a air release wrap vinyl and laminate that’s the material they seam to be using. (for the better dearer ones anyway)

you need print and cut something like a SP300 will do the job but the output quality from the little bn20 is more like you want to sell + its got metallic colours for up selling.

[Helen Butcher]

Thanks all

Warren I shall find that post and read it.

What do 3M mean with the different descriptions:

solvent and UV-Base piezo inkjet printing
or
piezo ink jet printing

Are they really the same thing just the second one is an abbreviated description?

I will absorb all this and make sure I get the correct equipment – I promise.

I have a shopping list with all the correct equipment but I was hoping the Epson might save me a few ££ just while I get started.

Helen

[Andrew Martin]

As your going to laminate your vinyl the Epson will work providing you get suitable vinyl for aqueous (water based) inks.

piezo ink jet printing applies to solvent or water based printers… it referes to the piezo print heads the print machines use.

[Stafford Cox]

Hi Helen.

The Epson 7600 is a wonderful little machine. It is a 24" water based (otherwise known as aqueaous) piezo (typically a fix head rather than a user replaceable ‘consumable’ printhead) printer that prints very high quality (1440dpi or even 2880 IIRC…?) but by todays standards, could be classed as a little slow. If speed is not important to you, then this will be a great printer for you.

The 7600 is a pigment based printer and was only sold in it’s dye form outside of Europe. I’m pretty sure you can run the printer on either Matte black or Photo black, depending on what media you print on the most but to swap from one to the other involves flushing out a couple of the lines and refilling which can be expensive. I would choose one ink type and stick to it if I were you. Most people chose the Photo black option.

You will need to print onto coated media such as Epson Self-Adhesive Vinyl Paper Roll (C13S041437) or similar and then laminate it for durability.

I hope that’s helpful.

Stafford

[Martin Pearson]

Helen, the biggest problem you have is that you need a media which is conformable to cover the range of products you wish to sell. As far as I know there are no manufacturers of coated conformable media that you could use in a dye or pigment ink printer.

I use to run an encad 850 which ran on the same type of ink you are asking about, tried everywhere to get a suitable media but as there is no great demand for it people just don’t make it. Even looked into coating media myself but that’s not really practical.

Best bet would really be to look at the BN 20 from roland which would be ideal for the sort of work you want to do.

[Martin Pearson]

Have you spoken to anyone like Business Gateway about your business plans Helen?? Might be worth seeing what’s available in your area. I remember you saying in another post that Disability has stopped you working. They might be able to help with some things as there are grants available to help if you meet the right criteria. Unlikely someone else in your area is already doing this sort of thing which normally knocks most grants on the head.

[Helen Butcher]

Hi
Couldn’t find the post you mention Warren – if you can provide a link I would appreciate it.

I think I am going to stick to the eco-solvent printing method and have the wider choice of media to choose from.

Martin – I took my business plan to Business Link/Chamber Commerce (in same building) who loved my idea and threw all sorts of questions at me and were impressed I had all the answers. However, they admit there is no financial assistance out there at all – not even loans for start-ups and this is hitting start-ups hard. This difficulty in financing is what has taken me away from my original shopping list and to looking into cost-cutting ways to at least get started.

Have looked into renting – which is possible and will give me the opportunity to get trading, test the market before committing to purchasing new equipment – that leaves me some time to also raise the readies to get the equipment I would prefer.

I am spending the weekend mulling everything over and will have hopefully decided my path by Monday so I can move onto the next task on my long list! 🙂

Thank you all for your input (once again).

Off to have a hot bath with a cold drink now – enjoy your evening & weekend too.

Helen