Which way forward ?

[Gavin MacMillan]

Laminating is not essential for what you have listed (in my opinion) It would add life to your products but if you wanted to you can laminate specific things by hand without spending thousands on a dedicated machine. Lot’s of people, myself included, mainly use a standard clear vinyl to laminate.

You can avoid all of this by layering colours and making your labels from stacked vinyl colours, it’s amazing what you can do without a printer once you get in the way of it!

The versacamm is a great machine and people rave about the jv3 aswell but I have no experience with it. You can search the boards for both printers as you’ll find plenty info on them.

Hope that helps a bit.

Gavin

[Peter Normington]

I would look at a second hand gerber 1 or 2 printer + plotter

ideal for small stuff, and no need for laminates, or drying time, and it can print white, a bonus for window stickers. and even do full colour for teeshirts. the banners and pop ups, just buy in when needed, otherwise you are looking at a minimum of a 760 ink jet (mimaki roland cadet etc)

Peter

[Chris Wool]

out of interest can dye sub go to standard vinyl.

laminating is only required to prevent scuffing and chemical damage customers choice of if to pay the extra or not.

chris

[Saph-D]

quote Chris Wool:

out of interest can dye sub go to standard vinyl.

chris

Thankyou all for your comments – I’ll look, in the first instance, for a stand alone printer as it makes economic sense to do that initially (unless of course a cadet or versacamm throws itself at me for a great price 🙂 )

I’m thrilled to hear that lamination isn’t a vital part of the vinyl printing process but is an optional extra ! If I find that the income from this part of my printing warrants a laminator I’ll invest in one in the future.

Regarding dye sub onto standard vinyl – I have yet to come across one that is suitable, primarily because of the problems associated with temperature. The dyes have to attain a temperature of 180 degrees before they are ‘activated’ as such. At that temp they convert into a gas and are laid down onto the substrate before reverting to a solid.

I have heard of some that can be used, but I have also heard that they are not very successful and so haven’t attempted them myself.

Thankyou again for your advice ~ I’ll concentrate my efforts on reading about printers and associated inks now – especially the gerber.

Saph 🙂

[Saph-D]

*hair*

[Hugh Potter]

the only thing i’ll add, is that i think you’ll need to have the optical sensors on your plotter, to detect the registration marks, so it knows where to cut around the print,

i guess you could use a simple cut line on the plotter, and start the plotter blade over the reg mark manually,

i dont print, so i’m only going on what i think i remember reading somewhere once a long time ago in a place far far away maybe ! !

[Peter Normington]

hugh,
gerbers dont have optical sensors, (except the human eye) its a purely mechanical set up.

Peter

[Hugh Potter]

i was just thinking if he got a printer only and used his current plotters, i think you’ve just confirmed it can be done manually though.

[Peter Normington]

Hugh,
it dosnt apply to all gerbers, just the edge and compatible plotters.
Its a thing with sprocket driven devices, as the x axis is constant, only a y co-ordinate is needed to align the cut.

Peter

[Saph-D]

The cutter I have has an optical eye.

I am in touch with a chap on ebay selling a Gerber – his write up includes this ~

Good condition gerber edge vinyl printer with good condition 380 plotter and also gerber omega software. Every thing you need to get started in digital print in sign writing excellent if youve just stared or even if you have been going sometime brilliant for vinyl decals in full colour plus photos labels stickers etc.

We will throw in the colour foil cartridges plus vinyl and head cleaner + roll of vinyl everything to get you started.

We can also show you the gerber in production before you purchase the machine if asked…

This is a great machine which would suit a small sign company who are taking their first steps into the full colour sign world, or as a secondary machine for a very busy company who already have a digital printer. This Gerber Edge is going to be a great bargain for somebody and it will pay for itself very, very quickly. The production of small to medium size stickers, printed and cut, is a piece of cake, and very profitable.

The ability to print gold, silver and even white makes it very versatile. Large full colour images can also be produced, whether artwork or photographic, and very large images can be tiled up in sections, with almost invisible joins when using good quality vinyl.

From what you are saying it doesn’t print and cut ? Would be awfully useful it if did. It sounds as though it is what I could use though as I can’t really afford to buy a new printer cutter, but it does ‘look’ a little old. I am obviously nervous about making a mistake and wasting what little money I have available to spend for this type of item.

I was offered a Versacamm for £3.6k which I accepted but it appears that this is not going to happen now, much to my disappointment. I have looked at the items on here which are reduced, but they too are a little out of my reach just yet.

It may be that I have to bide my time and wait until something pops up which is just right for me and at the right price.

Saph ( ps I am a she 🙂

[Hugh Potter]

Sorry for the gender mix up Saph,

the edge does make very nice prints, in the past, peter N made me a good few prints on it, and i can’t fault any of them, he’s sure to be able to give you (a her !!) the better advice on them.

best of luck,

ps, where in sussex are you ? i’m near eastbourne. some of the jobs i had done on the gerber, can only be done on the gerber, so you might be able to do a few bits (only occasional and sporadic at that) for me if you get it !

[Lynn Normington]

saph if the black text is the ad it does say printer and plotter 🙄

just re-read that and no mention of a dongle you will need one if you buy it

Lynn

[Peter Normington]

Just to clarify, a gerber edge is a printer, it does not cut,
you need a gerber plotter to cut,
but they work together,

they are work horses, I sold mine when I bought my mimaki, I sometimes regret doing so, I past a van today, with my gerber full colour prints on it, and it looked as good as the day I did it,

https://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.p … ight=jacks
Peter

[Saph-D]

Thank you for your patience with me. I initially understood a plotter to be the drawing function and not the cutting function – so that didn’t help matters lol.

I have looked at your link Peter, superb graphics on that van – I can only dream of producing anything with such clarity.

It is sounding more and more as though this is the way to go now. As long as it is simple to cut too ! ( Although having said that, initially it will be very simple boxed or oval outlines and so could even be hand cut if necessary. )

Thank you, you are, between you all, saving me a lot of heartache. My eyes are on stalks at the moment from so much reading. It’s often difficult to shift an initial impression that you have, with mine being that I should have been looking for a printer / cutter capable of banners.

I just need to remind myself that all things in their own time and that I can work up to banners if I find it necessary to do so.

I will place a bid on eBay – and perhaps ask the seller if they would be willing to accept a buy it now offer., unlikely but may be worth asking. What would you expect a second hand outfit like this to be sold for ?

Hugh I am not too far from you and come over to Eastbourne quite often as we have friends in Bexhill. We’re in Lindfield, mid Sussex.

Again thank you all for offering your advice – it is too easy to allow exuberance and excitement to run away with you and result in the wrong purchase.

Saph

[Lynn Normington]

saph please be carefull on there 🙄 is the seller offering to show it working ? has the omega software got a dongle ? are you near to the seller ? it is a very heavy bit of equipment !!

Lynn

[Peter Normington]

quote Hugh Potter:

Sorry for the gender mix up Saph,

Post a pic Saph, then all will be clear.

more friendly as well

and check your pm inbox,

Peter

[Saph-D]

Hi Lynn,

They are in Reading, not tooooo far but far enough. Yes they do offer to show it working prior to purchase which is always comforting. We could collect quite easily as we have a large vehicle with a ‘garage’ boot which it could slide into, if we can manage to lift it.

There is no mention of a dongle, I have already asked him a few questions, I am sure he won’t mind if I ask about that too. So many pitfalls about buying on eBay ~

Peter, thankyou for your message, I have responded 🙂 Pic ? hmmmm I will have to try to find one that isn’t too scary. In the meantime I will find something a little feminine to give members a gender hint :lol1:

Saph

[Peter Normington]

Saph, this may sound strange, we only like real pictures for avitars.
Unlike a lot of forums, this site is kept free from spammers and such like, and keeps its uniquness by doing this, have a look at the board rules,
post a nice pic of yourself, and you will gain from the friendly, family atmosphere that we encourage…

Peter

[Saph-D]

Apologies, I didn’t fully read the rules – I have done so now 🙂

I’ll find an appropriate photo shortly to post.

[Saph-D]

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