Colin Crabb
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This might help any Adobe Illustrator users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVkrwKON–E
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Mini table out of ACM offcuts, slightly angled, not dead level, approx. 350mm each side – also the table support helps the tracking, not the lightest of medias for the machine to drag back an forth :awkward:
Have been told about using heat, but never tried that trick, as this seems to work okay for the small amount we cut at the start of MX season. -
We use a sandblast media blade and support the media each side (effectively turning cutter into a flat bed!), run on a slow speed seems to do the trick :smiles:
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£32k + £20K OTE + company car/car allowance
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Not on a 260, but Latex 360, using Metamark wallart, 10mm overlap for fitting – no lining up issues to speak of.
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Rare for me to see any snow – here this mornings view, starting to melt now.
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Just to be different…
… We have a solar battery system installed – panels charge battery bank, which then power tube heaters in the workshop (or in summer will power the extractor).
Its a 4KW system so give a discharge rate of 3.6KWH (ish) -
Sounds like Fire Officer will be referring to BS 5499-10:2014 (Building Regs)
And don’t start me on Part M (Access to and use of buildings: Approved Document M – Building Regs)
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I think due to the forthcoming Hackitt Report, you’ll see more of this – Interim report is focusing on the ‘responsibly person’ – so expect to see a lot more tech sheets requested no matter what media / materials being used… it’s all down to the paperwork being in order for the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 & BRegs compliance.
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Hard to explain, but here goes:
Gradient tool with all the colours required added (set to linear), draw circle, fill the STROKE (not fill the circle) with the uber colourful gradient, change stroke to ‘apply gradient along stroke’ (In stroke panel), alter stroke width to fill completely – If you want it square format, expand, draw box and make clipping mask.
Tip: don’t forget, the last & first colour in the uber colourful gradient must be the same. -
Not sure if this helps, we have disguised doors (and part of wall) to look like a bookcase, so the dementia patients don’t keep trying to go through into staff areas.
Perhaps something like this would also help?
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95% of our trade is B2B, invoiced 30 days, payment via BACS.
We see very few cards (the small transaction fee we absorb).What I don’t like is the goverment bringing in rules that effectively telling uk businesses that they can’t pass on the transaction fees, yet the international banks still get to charge them – double standard, irrespective of if you absorb or pass on the fee.
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Light boxes I’d avoid transparent print with white backing unless you really have no choice.
Use a ‘Duratrans’ media – +1 for the Metamark products, we use a lot of the BL2 media – it prints soooo nice, great colours etc, something that would be impossible to produce backing with white from experience.
I think Metamark do a 5m roll too. -
Biggest single piece – 650mm x 1870mm(ish) for van panel.
Still going around 3 years later, and have been told by the driver, that it stays on at over 90mph……We had the owner a info sheet with all magnets – how to clean (remove and clean), storage when not in use etc, but never anything about liablity.
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Soooo… no longer allowed to apply a charge, but the car supplier is allowed to charge us still?
Class action VS card suppliers ?!
PS: We’ve never added a charge in the past for cards, but as a mainly B2B supplier 99% of work is via invoice with BACS payments.
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In general media should be stored at the same temperature as the machines environment, and if possible at least 24hours before use.
From Metamark website:
The roll must be at the correct temperature (+10°C to +30°C) before attempting to print, as the heater settings will not compensate for a roll stored in too cold conditions. Often, a roll will need to be used within hours of being delivered in, so be aware that it may still be cold from overnight storage at the courier company. If media is stored in damp conditions, moisture on the film can cause spots in the print, while moisture within the liner will cause it to ripple as it dries out, causing ‘head strike’.
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+1 For Metamark.
Print grid on MD3, laminate with Metaguard 200 (Dry Wipe Overlaminate).
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Nice Mike! We didn’t get to work in the vault, but have done some work for a private bank before – had to do the work at the weekend, with 2 security staff with us at all times (well until they wanted a ‘smoke’ lol).
Oh and my office girl decided to call the work order… ‘Bank Job’….. and yes, the security staff read the job sheet!John – WOW! (PS is it straight 😆 )
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£50 for an 8×4 panel…… :shake:
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quote Richard Urquhart:The Steinel ones are the business have 2 and nice to have the clip in temp sensor, best gun I’ve had
Yup, we have 2 Steinel’s – the extra long leads are a big bonus too.
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Best route I’ve found is to quote with price breaks, we do this with roller banners for a national client, they can order 24 / 48 / 96 with price breaks set (as you would in small format printing).
If customer likes the top price break (as they ALWAYS do..), but only requires a smaller amount, we’ll supply them in batches of say ’24 over XXX amount of time’ – this protects against getting caught out by those promises and avoids having to say ‘NO’, placing the emphasis back onto the customer – also helps out the genuine customers who just don’t have the space or logistics to hold a huge amount of stock.
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James @ Group101 is Essex based – East Tilbury from memory.
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Merry Xmas & Happy New Year to you all.
Already ‘fidgety’ here… so working from the laptop @ Home!
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quote :I remember thinking we had gone all modern when we switched to 100 megabyte Zip Disks.
God, I remember them!.
My first after-school job at a local printers in the 80’s had all these typesetting machines that used jumbo 8-inch floppy disks, printing out onto bromide paper ready to paste up artwork for plate making – Ohhh that was cutting edge for a while…. till the first PC arrived.CRM – we’re using a custom set up in Microsoft Access at the moment, with job details that feed into a calendar, but have been looking around to improve this with integrating invoicing and banking.
Roughly what we looking at for clarity?
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And todays issue with supplied artwork – Tel number is wrong.
Customer: ‘Surely you checked the number before printing’…….
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PMS 300c
ATFs
Spot colours Pantone 654
Spot colours Pantone 3298 -
Never tried this media before on our 360 / 310’s, but on difficult media we lift the lever to load media instead of using the auto load.
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hehehe love it!
Rob will start a uksignboard shop at this rate selling customer service signs! :bigsmile:
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What models / types are you using?
Never really looked at them apart from producing Architect models.
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😆 😆 😆
I will admit… I’ve emailed this before to customers (ones that can take a joke!!!!!).
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hehe love’ it.
Here one we like:
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quote :We were also amazed on how many designers with degrees had never had a designing job since leaving college or uni….
Do they still have to do work placements for the Graphic Design degrees – hope so, real world is totally different set of pressures.
I took a 2 year foundation course, followed by 3 year degree (with 6months work experience), followed by 20 years in the trade… and still learning 😆
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Government general guidelines for Outdoor advertisements and signs:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s … 326679.pdf
Local authorities should also publish guidelines like yours has Ewan, normally listed like ‘Shop Fronts & Shop Signs’ or ‘Shop Front Policies’, we have a few dozen of these documents around the place!
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Yes, we always leave to customer & yes 6 weeks is pretty standard (can be a lot longer, our client has temporary foamex signs up at the moment, as planning from August is still under consideration).
Be careful about retrospective planning, normal it’s fine…. but we had a client that was forced to remove the lighting as planning was refused, another due to colour scheme in an AONB – rare but happens – this is why we leave it to the customer to apply.
You should also be able to search your local planning applications and see what kind of drawings have been supplied – I’ve seen everything from high-quality scaled tech drawings to sketches created in Microsoft word.
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quote :The act of copying or adapting someone else’s work is a restricted act. Any adaptation will be legally regarded as a derived work; so if you simply adapt the work of others, it will still be their work, and they have every right to object you if publish such a work when they have not given you permission to do so. They are also entitled to reclaim any money you make from selling their work.
The only safe option is to create something that is not copied or adapted from the work of others, or seek the permission of the rights owner (you should expect to pay a fee and/or royalties for this).
There is nothing to stop you being inspired by the work of others, but when it comes to your own work, start with a blank sheet and do not try to copy what others have done. -
Don’t forget HP’s
HP Z6200 / Z6800 are quick – In high quality mode the zip along at 20 m2/hr (120ish m2/hr in fast mode) combined with a XY trimmer will greatly ease the workflow.
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Turned an old PC into a NAS RAID system.
Powered by Freenas ( http://www.freenas.org/ ) from a USB stick, with the RAID setup it gives us 4TB storage using low energy Green drives, they were the only real cost.
Great setup, all files are saved to the server now, not on PC.
As for accessing the server remotely – yes totally possible, I can access server from my house with ease.
Yes, I know the building can burn down etc and we’d loose the server, but don’t like cloud servers to much, being in deep countryside the broadband speed can fluctuate very heavily. (but we do back mobile phone pictures etc to the Apple cloud). -
Ekk Kevin!!! Had similar issues with another company a few years back, so moved to Metamark!
Never had issues here with Metamark, really nice bunch of Girls & Boys we deal with, had 3 rolls damaged in transit and replaced straight away without question, was very very impressed with the service. -
I think MD5 Hi-Tack going to grey adhesive soon too.
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quote :Have you found that the M7 isn’t as glossy as it used to be.
Ordered some M7 Light Grey last week and it came and was more Satin than gloss, noticeably different to the M7 black vinyl we had in stock.
Not noticed … yet.
But we do notice a few products are going to grey back adhesive – the intermediate grade high-tack being one. -
And I hope you’ve taken your H&S course on how to use and ladder, and remember if your required to stay up da’ ladder for more than 30 minutes, you should consider using alternative equipment… :yikes:
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For our L series Latex machines:
Metamark MD3 & Laminate for flat panel work
MD5 & Laminate for vehicles
AD Young supply a lovely 100micron Vmax product for stickersTried other brands, but find these work the best for us, never an issue & always run smoothly.
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Metamark ‘exterior polish’ MI-BS – 5 years
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quote :Colin, The HP Latex priters are also a Designjet 😉
yup 100% correct Sir :blushing: , L20000 & L300 series are Latex – but there are not a cheap
quote :designjet t520Oh I wish you could buy Latex designjets for the price of the pigment T series machines … would have saved use a fortune with the 3 we have here 😆
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quote :Roland do a small printer
BN-20 little desktop printer – search these forums for info.
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quote :Orajet 3164 for cheapy cheap, stickers/correx
Ah cheapy stickers on 100micron – We Looove VMAX GT100 for them, goes really well through the HP Latex, cuts & weeds well too.
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quote :HP Design Jets as they can be picked up really cheap and can print on vinyl
Slightly untrue – Yes, they can be cheap against a solvent / latex machine, but you’d need to buy specialist vinyl’s with a coating to except pigment inks of the Design Jets – These inks will not dry if you try to print onto standard vinyl media.
You will have to take this limitation into account – specially coated vinyl will be a lot more expensive, so will this make you cost effective in your market place?
Personally I’d test the market first by outsourcing to a trade printer, then look at the investment at a later date.
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Metamark – tried other, keep going back to it.
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PET Film generic – then created own profile on L360.
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Oh yes, we do the premium Saturday fits… but this cheap ass customer didn’t like the 40% premium & wanted a Sunday!
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Hi Kev – which latex machine? – Only asking as the Metamark clothing vinyl works fine on the L3** series, we got a sample and tested on both L310 & L360 with perfect results.
It works better than the others we have tested – one issue with Grafityp is the transfer tape issue… doesn’t alworks come off the backing neatly (Which I think has been mentioned on these boards before).
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Or the customer confused why we’ll not sign write his van on a Sunday.. as its the only days its free as he doesn’t work Sundays.
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Eurostand Display do these:
http://www.eurostanddisplay.com/display … hp?client=
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quote :Reports suggest that it was expandable foam used behind the panels which caused the fire to roar out of control!
Spot on James – the main issue is what’s behind the ACM sheet.
Insulation materials such as cellotex are treated as a combustible material (once ignited they also burn quickly). The ACM panel then acts as a funnel / chimney further accelerating the spread of fire as it races towards the oxygen, in turn the panel delaminates, producing ‘fire droplets’ of molten aluminium & plastic.This is why a lot of countries limit the height of cladding as used here.
The ACM panel on its own isn’t the biggest problem – its what’s behind & how its fitted (air gaps, fixing materials..).
Fire Brigade had issues years ago with ACM panels used in food hygiene prefabs – the panel clips were plastic, so melted in a fire allowing walls & ceiling to collapse.
Terrible fire & the building control inspectors (The local council) are going to have a lot of explaining to do, as is the government (we are on of the only European countries that allow a single exit staircase in tower blocks!!)
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Antalis do Printbond
Tony Stark IS Ironman -
Today.
C: ‘Oh that a little higher than we wanted to send, you know we can buy them for £xx amount lower online’
Us: ‘Really? wow – can we have the details as that’s below cost!’
C: ‘Ahhh… forgot the website….’:rollseyes:
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In new unit, due to time factor we did buy in a new bench from Signgeer – solid enough with a slab of MDF on top for our needs
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We have the 360 with a Summa cutter, top combo.
Highly recommend Sam @ AD Young, brilliant after sales care, help and good ink prices!
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Its good fun/work – we get some cracking results with Metamark Décor (find it very easy to fit too).
Enjoy!
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Try running the summa program in ‘Administrator Mode’ might help, had an issue before with a summa cutter, this helped.
Hope it works for you!
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If you’d prefer the butted look, I’d still over lap, then cut through both layers carefully, removing the excess.
But as with all media, you will get a nominal shrinkage overtime creating a hairline gap.And as Rob says – a good straight will do if you don’t have a bench top cutter.
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We use Metamark, great product.
10mm overlap
Trimmed on bench cutter (Keencut Evo) -
I’d talk to Sam @ AD Young about a good HP deal for a machine & Easymount laminator – sorted us out really well! :smiles:
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Never had any issues with media on our HP Latex 360, and moved to these machines from Mimaki (which we also rated highly at the time).
Looking at a 4th machine here, and it would be another Latex. -
I get it all the time with my photography…..
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But.. but.. but personalised crystal trophies :shocked:
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Sorry but
quote :2 personalised crystal trophiessold option one for me!
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Your really just after a new delivery vehicle…..
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Sure its not leaves blocking the drains…… 😉
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As there’s an Election looming…… Why not call your local candidates and ask ! 😆 😆
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Just to add another name – I’d try AD Young (speak to Sam), I think there might be a trade in if our looking at going to a HP Latex machine.
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Make a nice carpark once slabbed over…. 😉
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From an old AllPrint swatch – JAC Serical Panther Rose looks pretty close.
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1000% happy with our 360, highly recommend the machine.
We also use Metamark, and have zero issues – defo’ strange!hehe we had more issue when running our Mimiaki!
Have you had the HP experts out, or your suppliers engineers?
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I’m guessing print head are fine – any issues can cause banding.
Has HP checked the OMAS sensor? this controls the media step advance if faulty or calibration is out will cause banding.
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Never had any banding problem here – I think this would be a calibration / media advance issue more than heat, vacuum or optimiser.
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Only one I know of is Metamark MDP200 – it has a waterbased adhesive, there will not degrade the plastic of the helmet.
We use it on site helmets after a lot of research and speaking to the helmet manufacture we was informed waterbased adhesives are safe. -
We use Metamark MD-WA, love the stuff, self adhesive with air escape, really rate the product.
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Does it have to be wood?
I’ve made custom frames from tubes & clamps before (eg: http://www.themetalstore.co.uk ), quick & strong with a more professional look in my opinion than wood.
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But its not a copy Sir, it our own design… It’s not meant to look the same…. Honest.
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Master of Time & Space – Not a job title, but a requirement working for us!
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Love yello tools (we buy from signgeer in the uk), really like the BodyGuard Knife-Teflon – So good bought a second!
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And… prices go down for HP inks today, small decrease but welcome …. 😆
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Akkk no!
Hmmmmmm… If you cut the centre out, rotate 180 and hot glue it back into position your get away with it…. customer will never know….. :shocked: -
You forgot Dorset in the list! :tongue:
Just a point – West Country / Devon / Cornwall areas, is you will notice a huge wage difference to London.
But everything else is waaaaaay better! Far more relaxed, and defo’ not grim in the winter! -
Thanks, it worked so well, one of our fav’s.
We use felt squeegee’s (standard & jumbo!), not had a issue.
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We’d use Metamark Wallart media – no lamination
Used on this wall in a café with no issues
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Try Sam @ AD Young’s new ink & media division – we get great prices for our HP inks, they might supply Roland.
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HP Latex inks also gone up from £72 to £81 in space of 3 weeks with one supplier – again exchange rate.
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Our design PC’s
I7 processor
20GB RAM
Geforce GTX 1050 graphic cards (768 CUDA to take advantage of GPU performance with Illustrator etc etc, cheaper than Quadro cards)
Windows 10 64bit Pro
500GB solid state drive for Windows & Adobe
1TB hybrid drive as scratch diskVery quick to start up, handles huge files with ease. We ordered a barebones set up from Novatech (case, power supply, motherboard, processor & some memory) and extras, assembled here.
We built a FreeNAS server out so don’t store files on local drives.
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Few years back our 2 month old Z6200 developed a fault (machine had only been out a few weeks), a new OMAS sensor was required, HP engineers had one sent from German next day to ensure we were up and running quickly (3 days down only). The engineers from HP I found to be excellent, very helpful, and on the final day we had 3 of them here to make sure it was fixed.
Agree with the others – complain very quickly, a 7 week wait in my book would be a replacement machine! Something sounds very wrong. -
This is one of the reasons I like Antalis style set up.
First look at the price list shows Joe Public pricing, that scared George.
But once registered you see the true pricing, enabling you to do quick quotes etc without speak to a rep each time. BUT a rep is always at the end of the phone, and you get to build up a great relationship with them. My rep Clare is brilliant very helpful, researches our weird requests, checks deliveries are okay etc etc. Best of both worlds in our books.I agree with you Robert, access to trade prices is becoming an issue and I feel this type of set up Antalis use is the correct way – prices for public to view – prices for trade only once registered.
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No worries – Ask for Clare Jackson of you need to speak to a rep, top top girl!
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Try this product code: 75145 – £1.38 metre showing on my screen once logged in.
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Mines showing up as 1260mm wide matt (defo’ matt) £3.95 per metre /630mm matt @ £1.38 metre for 641 series ….. don’t look at the ‘standard’ prices there a LONG way out, contact them & set up an account.
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Antalis stocks 641 & 631 Matt – oddly no 638 series.
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We have 2 Latex360’s & a HP Z6200 all running from Onyx – its great! No issues with colour etc, but we do create our own profiles as the machines have built-in spectrometers.
Onyx is also linked to our Summa cutters – so in terms of work flow, everything is printed with barcodes, loaded straight onto the cutter & the PDF’s have been created with cut lines named, onyx does the rest. No need to open in illustrator and send as a separate job etc.Sorry no experience of Flexi :awkward:
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190gsm is fine, we started using 260gsm upon feedback as easier for clients to handle in the large sizes, less likely to crease.
Unless your printing volumes with / or tight margins, it just adds a quality feel for hardly any price difference. -
As above, use a coated media satin or gloss both for a quality finish & to prevent wrinkles.
Oce (Canon) IJM263 (260gsm) is cheap but good
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It starts printing fine (correct colour) then after a time the colour changes?
If so, sounds like a ink supply issue – pump?