Question, do I need an offset? posters?

Discussion in '4-Color Offset Presses +' started by Ghost, Oct 25, 2009.

  1. Ghost

    Ghost Member

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    I would like to print out posters of 36x24 inch or 91x61 cm.

    I think digital uses a lot more ink. I wanted these print with the less ink as possible along with good work on it. And gloss on top of it like real posters.

    Was wondering how much it would cost me, and if the machine would be pretty darn big?

    Thank you, David.
     
  2. RichardK

    RichardK Senior Member

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    A little more info would be good...

    Would the posters be a 'one off' or would there be multiple copies if so how many?

    You can forget buying any litho press to do the job(s) unless you have deep pockets which I suspect you haven't since you are looking to 'save' money by reducing ink.

    The option I see, there will be others, is a wide body inkjet like Epson 7880 for up to A1 size and then get a local company to gloss encapsulate or gloss laminate the posters.

    A full set of inks isn't cheap but if you go for the double size tank (220ml) they last a long time depending on coverage plus the cost per litre is a little less.

    On the subject of minimising ink usuage - you could always desaturate your images in Photoshop but that's your call...personally a well balanced and well saturated image is preferable to 'saving ink'.

    And the pricing...well budget for around 3,500 GBP for the machine and set of inks. The material you print on comes in rolls of 30m and can vary in weight, gloss or satin, textured. Local pricing will vary tremendously so shop around and do test prints before you commit to a roll.

    Hope that helps.
     
  3. Ghost

    Ghost Member

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    I am so happy someone replied to me.

    One off as in, I only print one when I need it you mean? In multiple I would probably do around 25 to 50 posters at a time and put them to the side till they sell.

    Alright on the deep pockets one for the litho. How much are we talking about? Deep pockets to me would be 250,000 euros/usd/gbp. Because I do have money, I just want to spend €xxxxx amount in it. I can have it bough in the US or here in Europe. When I mean save money I mean like get the most out of the ink and a very low price per print.

    A1 size is that 24 X 36 inches at least? Or whats the size on those? Just wondering how many posters I could print on full colors there. My friend told me offset would be the best because it does not use up a lot of ink. But the machines are like 240,000 for it.

    3,500 GBP is kind of cheap but no idea if it would work or how many posters I could get out of it before the ink runs out and I'd have to find out the prices for the ink on those also. More research.

    Is there a site that tells you all the information on it? Or just do it the old fashion way, bug the sells man for 2 hours with 500 questions? hehehe.

    Thank you, David.
     
  4. xpquickprint

    xpquickprint Senior Member

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    That's the ballpark I would say. I don't think there's a cheap way per print to print 25 to 50 posters at a time.
    1.) Outsource to someone who has volume to keep a half million to million+ press busy for quality and economy (if you're running at least a thousand at a time so plate costs don't kill you on a cost per print)
    2.) Have the volume yourself to get a used press, not cheap since you need a large sheet size. Don't forget the skill to run and maintain it.
    3.) A xeikon can run short run laser prints up to 19 or 20" wide but not 24 -- http://www.xeikon.com/system/files/xeikon_8000.pdf -- also an expensive machine and you would still need a coater, but if you must do short runs at a lower cost per print and need something between inkjet and litho in price per print, this could fit the bill for outsourcing.
    4.) Run them as art prints on an inkjet yourself; a few thousand in equipment but $1 per square foot in ink and inkjet stock to print on (or lesser quality materials for a bit less, but still it's going to be high per print.) The quality you can get from pigment inks is great, and though the price per print is extremely high for volume, with low volume this might be the most economical for you if you don't have volume to keep a big machine busy and don't want the liability, debt, etc. and must run them yourself.
     
  5. Ghost

    Ghost Member

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    For 1, its way out of my price for what I want to do already. Was looking to sell the posters at 8 to 12 USD. I would wait forever on the money to come back. 1 Million I could invest and get 1,000 a day for 365 days a year. Then again if I had that press I could make mad money doing other things. Alright I guess I could print out 250 to 500 posters at a time then. I think the on Epson 7880 would be good. But I got to find out how much it would run me to make 1 poster.
    2, No skill to run it, but I have someone who does.
    3, The xeikon my friend said looks very nice and all. The size is not there, but I guess that can work also. Not to sure really wanted that 24 by 36 inch.
    4, Yikes on that one, $1 per square foot on the posters thats about 6 dollars per poster? Outch. No thank you on that one.

    Thank you,
     
  6. xpquickprint

    xpquickprint Senior Member

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    How many posters per month?
     
  7. RichardK

    RichardK Senior Member

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    FYI we print A2 (594 x 420mm) posters litho, up to 1000 for 235.00GBP

    I doubt whether you'll find any B1 print company to take on such short runs (unless you pay the right rate) so it's widebody inkjet or nothing unless there's someone out there who has an alternative solution.
     
  8. Ghost

    Ghost Member

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    I have no clue yet I am guessing 600 to 800 a month. Depends on the price, the cheaper the more sells. I don't want to sell to companies unless its a large amount. I think it's best to go from printing your own to customers direct who are willing to pay full price on it.
     
  9. Ghost

    Ghost Member

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    Yeah I guess I might have to go with a company out there and pay the money for it. Found a site that prints out the size I want for $777.00 USD for 500 copies. Might have to use that one and see how it goes. The thing that sucks is you have so many and trying to sell them.

    Do you know the price per poster with the widebody inkjet by any chances? I did look up the others online the Espon 7880 but no luck on that one. It looks very nice, just no idea how much it would run me.

    Thank you, David.
     
  10. RichardK

    RichardK Senior Member

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    How much depends on many factors...ink coverage and how much the base material is.

    All I can say is that you won't be disappointed with the output quality. We use it as a high-end proofing solution for our SRA2 litho press and can honestly say we've never had a better proofer/printer.

    Of course the quality depends on the file you send to it.

    We charge out A1 at 35.00GBP..but then it is a litho proof quality output.

    But compared to 500 for $770 it's expensive. I guess you'd better get your salesmans' hat on :D
     
  11. Ghost

    Ghost Member

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    You are one funny guy Richard just like me. I like that. Mind if I email you?
    I will explain what this is all about. :)

    Thanks, David.
     
  12. RichardK

    RichardK Senior Member

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    No problem - in our business we've just about heard every idea going...I'm waiting to be dazzled ;)
     
  13. Ghost

    Ghost Member

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    LOL If you give out good prices as you have. You just might also print out my book, I've been writing for over 2 years.

    With technology coming out and so on.

    So give it another 15 or 20 years and you just might be dazzled with the new things coming out. You never know, if put in enough research and time on something, you can always have something great out of it.

    I've seen many things in my life happen. And everything is possible.
     
  14. RichardK

    RichardK Senior Member

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    I'm still waiting for the magic moment when a client pays his bill on time!!

    Now that would be impressive. :D
     
  15. Ghost

    Ghost Member

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    You got to be kidding me????? I use to own a trucking company out in Canada. Running things from Toronto to Chicago. I would have to use a factoring company to pay me since the would take from 40 to 90 days to pay up. And needed the money up front to run my truck with fuel, driver, insurance, truck payment, and the list goes on you know???

    I mean I always say if you don't have the money, go dream about it but don't do the credit card stuff either.
     
  16. RichardK

    RichardK Senior Member

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    Yeah factoring,...and if your client doesn't pay they drag their money back quicker than **** through a goose.

    Not to mention the admin fees and percentages they want...oh and if your client isn't creditworthy enough they won't allow the payment anyway.

    Nope not for me I'm afraid. The old fashioned approach, you know the kind of thing, dark threats followed by the 'right kind of action', still seems to work.
     
  17. Ghost

    Ghost Member

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    Good money in factoring, you make .1% on your money daily. We had a credit with the company for around $33,000 at all times. So this means they made $33 a day off of us, even on saturday and sunday. Make that 990 dollars a month on barrowing just $33,000. I would start a factoring company for trucking companies in Canada if I had $300,000. That would be $300 bucks daily just for barrowing money, for one year you are looking at 36.5% Show me a bank that will give you this? Then again business is business.

    We had a few people who didn't pay and they got taken to court and had to pay 20% on top of it plus court and lawyer fees.


    But with the fees and % they want, you can not blame them, it is a business and they have to make money.

    Like I say in this world we need everyone. You need drug dealers, so cops, lawyers, judges, and people who own prisons make money off of tax payers. You just have too have it. If this world had no more drug dealers and so on. How else would they fill up the jails and take our tax money for profits???

    And debt is needed to run a lot of things in this world. Then again I am just like you, I can not stand people who can not pay and so on. You should always ask for money up front and so on.
     
  18. Ghost

    Ghost Member

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    Alright here is what I got off Epson charts.


    It would be about $1.07 per square foot, on "Photo Glossy Paper" I guess it really depends on what type of paper I would really use. Now part 2, research of the paper.

    Why can't this just be easy? hahaha
     

  19. turbotom1052

    turbotom1052 Senior Member

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    my thinking is that if youve got someone with the skill to run your multicolor offset press then why isnt he advising you on the cost of buying one. i cant stress enough to you that the skills required to run a sophisticated piece of equiptment like that are not aquired overnight. if your guy is truly skilled then go for it but be prepared to pay him well if hes good, or be willing to sacrifice lots of paper and press time if hes not!!!
     

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