What print & cutter would you recommend?

[Phill Fenton]

Buy a Cadet

[g5graphics]

Ok, but why?

[Phill Fenton]

Because that’s what I would recommend. You asked, I gave you my honest opinion. Read all the back posts for reasons why- cause I aint going through it all again 😀

[g5graphics]

ok. 🙁

[Phill Fenton]

Sorry – didn’t mean to sound so grumpy 😕

I agonised for about 18 months before buying a Cadet – I think it’s the best choice for a signmaker 😀

[Nicola McIntosh]

oh hes a rotter eh g5? 😀

yep go with the cadet…only because i have read the past threads and have a fair idea now what to buy…so i would go with reading the old posts first..then maybe you can ask more on the subject 😉

nik

[Phill Fenton]

Im not a rotter 😕

[Nicola McIntosh]

quote Phill:

Im not a rotter 😕

okay then a stinker :lol1:

nik

[David Walker]

i agree with phil,

i personally went for size and price and ended up with a rockhopper38 (eco solvent inks) colour is good but durability is diabolical print off my ink jet are more durable..

go with the cadet or any other full solvent ink printer…

hope this is helpfull

thanks dave…

[Phill Fenton]

😥

[g5graphics]

Maybe it’s past his bedtime Nik?
😀 😀

[Robert Lambie]

quick reply, sorry john… but ide say cadet or grenadier. both do virtually the same job but the gren pushes the print out much faster, 28 metres an hour i think its at with banner material. slower on vinyl.

[Phill Fenton]

I usually get grumpy when I’m tired :lol1: :lol1:

[g5graphics]

Cheers Dave,
I’ve had a look through some of the past threads and discussions on the Cadet. anyone any thoughts on suppliers and their service aand support?
Cheers,
John.

[Iain Gordon]

7 Dwarfs in a bed, all feeling happy.
Happy got up, so they all felt Grumpy.

Cheque please!!!!! 😀

[g5graphics]

That’s truelly woeful!!! 😥 😥

[Nicola McIntosh]

quote g5graphics:

anyone any thoughts on suppliers and their service aand support?

hi john..i would check out the on-line shop for the best deals..seen your a uksb you get all the perks 😉

nik

[g5graphics]

Ta Nik.
Will have a look.
John.

[steve geary]

Anyone know why There isn’t any uniform dealers listed in the states?
Am I missing something?

[Rodney Gold]

None of the print and cut machines will register exactly on a cut , however you would have to be as anal as I am to worry about it , we do VERY small decals which need exact cutting and cannot get better than about 0.5mm precision , IE our cut line might be shifted 0.5mm in one direction or the other , for large graphics this is amazing precision , but for very small stuff it means bleeds, compensation etc.
In terms of colour matching , you have a choice , either go with a machine that has the correct profiles , a great rip and use mnfgr specified materials to get the best rendition using the profiles , or if you want to use independant media , aftermarket inks etc – then you have to buy into a calibration and colour workflow system where you make your own profiles.
Make no mistake , if you or your clients are fussy re colour and demand proofing type prints or the like , it’s gonna cost you!!!
It’s also gonna cost them , cos giclee type printing (art/photography etc) is normally a LOT more expensive than the run of the mill stuff.
Plenty ppl here recommend converted machines , and for signage these might be 100% , for your concerns , they might not be. I do this type of printing , very colour accurate work , extended gamut printing , very high detail very small stuff etc. I use a Roland Soljet 6 colour machine and use a lot of “certified” materials , I also do not print continuously but in fits and starts. I also do not run the machine myself , tho used to and have an operator who is perhaps less clued up than I to do so and thus need exceptional mechanical reliability , repeatability and ease of use re colour workflow. I would NOT buy a 4 colour machine if you are looking for the ultimate in colour accuracy as the 2 extra colours do help in tones and matching pantones etc. Roland have zillions of profiles , tried and tested for their various media and for others , they tend to work very well in a colour sensitive workflow situation.
Running costs will vary , direct costs are related to ink and media cost , ink usage for high quality work is in the order of 20ml per sq meter (10 sq ft) and media costs can be $8 or 5 quid per sqm or more if you use premium stuff. In your case with your quality concerns using cheap media will be a diaster – some stuff can’t ever be profiled!!
Factor in about a 1.3x number for wastege , test prints etc – IE if you print 1 sq meter , then you factor in a 1.3x the direct cost per sq as your ACTUAL cost. Other costs are the payments and depreciation on the machine
Due to the fast moving digital print field , the “life” of a machine is 2-3 years , you have to amortise that. You will have to get a decent puter system and some good software , an operator (even if you do it , its still time) and the machine will not really print unattended , so a minder might also have to be employed. If you are not experienced in printing then it is going to take some time to get to grips with the colour workflow , its easy enough to print with little experience , but its not easy to deal with AD’s etc who demand spot on colour. Otyher costs will be so0me sort of maintenance contract and budget for replacing a set of heads over the life of the machine (about 600 quid a head)
you will have to look at your potential markets too in order to find what machine is suitable , the general signage market is not that hung up on your concerns , the advertising and point of sale and fine print market is.
If you do specialise in high quality graphics , profits are good
Competing in a general signage market with lots of surrounding competition is , imho a waste of money cos prices are driven down to levels where no one really makes the big bucks and you might as well be selling bananas cos that would be as profitable with less aggravation.

[g5graphics]

Hi Rodney,
thanks for the reply. As usual, informative, helpful and to the point.
We already do a lot of large format work and have several machines which we would like to supplement with a print and cut facilty.
We do a lot of our own profiling here but tend to start with the manufacturers recommended profiles where these exist.
As I said at the start, accuracy of cut and colour is more important than out and out print speed because we have plenty of capacity on our other kit. We are getting more requests by the week for printed text and logo’s cut to shape., hence the need for something else. I’ve considered a flat bed such as an Aristo or a Kongsberg but they are rather too costly for our needs at the moment.
Again with it being an additional service then I would charge a premium over our usual pricing, so I’m less concerned about material costs as long as the ink costs are reasonable, which they seem to be.
So far it seems to be down to the Grenadier or the Cadet with the likely next step being demo’ing these to see how they perform.
Cheers again,
Regards,
John.