Thanks for the info. That is so way out of my league.

I am really looking for a printer that is cheap to buy for now that can get me going, so I think I will have to work with an inkjet or XEROX phaser 7760DN or 8860DN. I'm also trying to get the cost of the docucolor 242.

P.S. I love your tagline!!

Again thanks.

quitamar, what is it specifically you are looking to print?

Is a copy machine better suited for your needs, or a high quality ink-jet copier like an iGen, or do you really require an offset press? what is it you have a market for?, what is the quantity your looking at?, most important, what is the "QUALITY" you need to reproduce? These are the questions (along with many others) you need to sit down and draw out a business strategy.

1. who are your customers?
2. what are their needs?
3. what equipment can you acquire to best fulfill those needs?

These are the thoughts you need to consider.

Then we can help you in the direction you need to go.

HTH (hope this helps)

__________________
[I]"No well engineered plan survives contact with reality"[/I]

Ok. This is really helpful. I'll actually print your comments and answer the questions after I've gone done some more research. The way you are suggesting I approach the purchase is a much more structured way than how I was thinking. Thanks.

Will get back to you.

I think the numbers being thrown around are wrong. I just ordered my 2nd Presstek 52DI it its not close to 750 - list price fully equipt with bells and whistles is only 650k. Pleases are expensive but they get minumum of 44 sets pre roll and can get more depending on size of run jobs. I would not rule it our it has a great ROI and we have 4.2 million impressions in only 8 months (that's why we ordered a 2nd one).

Call Presstek and double check your figures.

The 750 number was what my owner (boss) threw at me the day he interviewed me. So I'm not surprised if I was off. But I do know our plate material comes 4 rolls per box, 28 images per roll, and our price for the material is $1,400 USD per box (the invoice I was looking at was last years and I believe the boss man has gotten a better price, but those were the numbers I was aware of.

Good printing with your new 52, I wish I could find a better place to be here in the Northeast, the company I work for is, well lets just say I'd rather be sitting on hot coals sticking bamboo under my fingernails.

__________________
[I]"No well engineered plan survives contact with reality"[/I]

Thanks for the info. I am way way out of this league in terms of money. But thanks again for the info.