would it be sensible to go ahead and buy a PC600?

[Brian Hays]

I think they will print about 580mm.

I also think they are more than slightly expensive consumable wise than the edge.

For anything a decent size the PC-600 will almost certainly be much slower. They are also generally far less reliable than an Edge.

I would only buy one if it was VERY cheap. And then only if you have a specific task that you know will earn you money.

[Andrew Bennett]

cheers Brian, but the edge costs more to buy and only has a print size of about 250 doesnt it?
Is there a third option for low income people like myself 😀

[Robert Lambie]

before i can advise mate… exactly what do you want to use the machine for mate…

as brian says, many things come into play….

[Andrew Bennett]

Hi Rob,
short runs of decals, bumper stickers, things like that.

[Robert Lambie]

realistically… what sizes do you recon? and how many of each?

[Andrew Bennett]

I don’t know as yet as I have not had any orders.
but I suppose 100mm – 300mm square.
I see what you might be saying rob, is it bigger than the edge footprint that I’m after. That I don’t know the answer to.
The 600 is about a grand across the board 2nd hand though and the edge can be bought for 3 grand……I don’t have 3 grand 🙁

[Rodney Gold]

Do not buy it , may be cheap short term but it is VERY expensive long term and is not a relaible machine , far eclipsed by the new crop of digital print and cut machines.
Output will cost you 10x the price of stuff like a roland sp300 and it cant do anywhere near as much, It will only be good , when it works properly , for very small stuff. Ours works , but we use it as a doorstop. We got sick and tired of replacing heads and spending fortunes on the ribbons.

[Andrew Bennett]

Thanks for your advice rob and Rodney.
But can you please educate me in what is a cost effective, affordable print and cut…
(hang on I could go print on one reg cut on another and achieve the same result)
…… machine that will allow me to move where I want to go to which is the small run sticker side of things please without contracting out.

regards
Andrew

[Rodney Gold]

I would buy a Graphtech craftrobo and use inkjet vinyl , use a clear overlam if you want major abuse resistance.
http://www.graphteccorp.com/craftrobo/
They arent expensive , but limited to a4, it seems a good cheap start for small stuff.

[Andrew Bennett]

Hmmm, I had not considered that approach.
What excellent lateral thinking.
Excuse my dumbness Rodney but would that be a clear sparay or clear vinyl as the over lam.

I also understand that the Epson 4000 is being put up as the bees knees for printing on upto 1500 micron thick !!

Rob mate, what inkjet vinyl supplier do you recommend please?

Thanks in advance
Andrew

[Alan Wharton]

Have you thought of farming out/subbing the printing out! i get digital print done on a cadet at a local vinyl gfx shop at £12 per mtr 610mm and that is laminated aswell ! suits me great as i charge £55 per mtr, saves me work and any mistakes are down to the printers not me. 😛

[Andrew Bennett]

Hi Alan, yes I thought of that but as it is only small run stuff I really wanted the challenge of having a go myself. Which is why I was looking at a machine worth a grand as opposed to a machine worth 10k +
😀
But you are right, if what I am looking into took off I would have to come to some arrangement with someone with a cadet or similar.

[Mike Grant]

I would go for it, one step up on the ladder. Get ribbon refils not whole cartridges will bring the cost down. It will give you a foot in the door that may lead to more work of a bigger nature. I still keep mine even though it doesn’t see much action nowadays but still earns the odd £100 now and again when I print onto coloured vinyls that the other printers can’t. There is nowt else on the market so if you can get a cheap one then go ahead. Just be meticulous with cleaning the vinyl first before printing as that is how the heads get damaged.

[Robert Lambie]

andrew, sorry mate… i just sat typing a long winded rob lambie type reply… 😮 :lol1:

whilst doing this norton was updating all my security stuff…
half way through typing it popped somthing up, i hit ok without noticing what it said, and proceeded typing…

it just happened to be:
"norton requires a reboot for updates to function etc" :yikes:

yip… lost the whole post 😕 👿

ill reply again later once i calm down :lol1:

[Andrew Bennett]

I like rob lambie type replies 😀

[Gert du Preez]

Run, my child, run!! We had the 60, only difference is a slight saving in using (or not using) the ribbons when printing. I dont know about the cost of consumales in Blimey, but you coul do better printing just 50 bumper stickers a week, including finance charges on a machine like the VersaCamm! We used our PNC60 as a backup vinyl cutter. Slightly better than a doorstop. Fulstop.

[Richard Urquhart]

hi mate i have this printer and as has been said the down side is the cost of ribbons but having said that its got its good points
i think it depends on how much you get it for

its great for very small stuff
it can make money for you and the one colour spot colours are great

the head change thing is easy thanks to getting all the paper work from Chris wool on the boards here

i would say any thing over 6inch x 6 inch i would sub out unless its a run of one colour spot colour

i have got the banding problem to an OK issue and after printing i spray with frog juice

can i ask how much its up for??

how ever like any thing if i had the money i would get an ink printer but would still keep the pc60

rich

[Andrew Bennett]

Hi Richard.
The price i’m being asked is one thousand pounds.

[Richard Urquhart]

thats what i paid for mine
think its up to you its not too much to pay and that for a pc600 i have seen them is sign mags still asking for £2500 i would never pay that but you cant get much for a grand

rich

[carla ritchie]

well if u decide u dont want it pass the details over ill take it
i would use it fro flags and stuff on numbe rplates so would do nicely

how ever victory were offering me this for 3000 so a 1000 is a good price as far as i can see mate should snap it up if its for small stuff

[Richard Urquhart]

wow £3000 thats a lot
i think printone would have a second hand edge for that sort of money

[Andrew Bennett]

Is the edge better then despite the fact that it only prints upto 11" wide and you need a seperate cutter please?

[Richard Urquhart]

yes if you print under 30cm the print is far in front on the edge.The pc60 uses 8mm ribbons to make up the print and on some prints banding is a problem i have spent ages getting mine to be just ok

the pc60 or 600 can be half way through a print and the ribbon does not laydown and the print is rubbish.

the pc600 can print 550mm ish wide but i would not use a print that big as it would look poor given the choice i would get an edge but not knowing what i know now i would hold fire and get a new ink printer on lease

rich

[Andrew Bennett]

Cheers for that Richard, which model inker are you considering mate?

[Richard Urquhart]

i have not made my mind up and its not going to be for another year until i get one so will wait and see whats about then

good luck with the pc if you go for it and if you need any help just ask
rich