Wanting to into entry level wide format inkjet printing

Even though i'm in semi retirement, I would like to get into wide format inkjet printing, several of my customers want me to start making posters and such. What brand would you guys/gals recommend? I would like to buy a used printer to start with, maybe something under $2500. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

depends on if its for outdoor use or not, if it is youll need a solvent and i would look at a roland 300. if its just indoor poster work then maybe a hp 500 you can get cheap on fleabay and parts are also cheap and abundant. if you go with the solvent youll need to keep it on at all times and these machines need alot of maintenence and know how where as the hp is just a large format desktop inkjet with cheap inks also on fleabay

 

After looking at the different ones on ebay, I think I want one that can do outdoor stuff. I wouldn't mind and older one. I have heard of people converting them, can and indoor one be converted to and outdoor one? also how long would and indoor one last outside? can the indoor one print on sign vinyl? The reason I ask this is because I do a lot of auction signs and the prints would only have to last about 3 weeks or less. I appreciate your response.

 

some rolands and mimakis can be converted, but this cost lots and is no end of agro. you cannot convert the cheaper hps or canons as the print heads are compleatly different. solvent inks use piazo print heads like epson but the ink would just eat away at the internals of a standard printer.. roland sp300 or 540 is what i think is the market leader, as i said though they need to be kept busy, i dont have one because i dont have enough work for one, im a litho printer, when i get work for a large format printer i farm it out...

 

I found an Calcomp techjet 5424 color at a yard sale for $15 bucks. Is it worth trying to hook it up?

 

If you're looking to do outdoor usage (depending how long you want to have it last outside), pigment printers (aqueous) will last for at least a month; even with lamination or coating for protection. For having something last much longer outside, you will want to go with latex or Solvent as the inks are baked in the media for long term outdoor usage.

You won't really find one of these models under $2500. You can get a good quality aqueous printer around this price which would even be brand new.
Epson and Canon have nice printers within 24" that are around $2500 or below.

Let us know if you have any questions on these. We also sell the inks and papers for those printers as well as the printers NIB.

www.itsupplies.com
800-238-6050

 

Calcomp wide format??? anyone??

 

Calcomp sells the different brands like we do. Mimaki (Epson), HP, 3D printers, and photographic printers. http://www.calcompgs.com/
This is the 3D company that is off of our company- http://bl3dimension.com/

If you can find one in good condition for cheap, I would find out why it's that cheap to be safe against any issues upfront.

 

I plan to get a newer one, I saw this one at a yard sale and thought I would mess with it. I will post a pic soon.

 

I have searched all day looking for a MAC driver for my Calcomp Techjet 5324 wide format inkjet printer. Can anyone here help me PLEASE?

 

I'm leaning towards HP or Epson, do these printers need RIP's?

 

Depends on what you would be using it for. Epson has a RIP software available where HP has the PS addition to the printer (which only PS versions have the hardware attached to make the prints come out the way you want them to from the screen). Canon also has their IPF6450 which has the spectrophotometer that does the same thing as the PS version of HP.

RIPs are much more useful if you need to do many copies of the same files at once so it doesn't slow down the printing processed during the print.

Feel free to contact us if you have any other questions regarding the printers or RIP's.

800-238-6050

 

I see a bunch of units on flea bay that say parts or repair. Is there any code or error message that are fairly easy to fix? is there anything that I should stay away from? I really appreciate your guys/gals help. I am semi retired offset printing and sign maker and always wanted to get into this area of the printing and sign industry. I want to start with a good used one before I try my hand at a new machine.

 

With the cost of ink for modern inkjet art printers running so high compared to the cost of the printer itself, I can't see starting with a machine sold for parts/repair. The last thing you want is to have a printer that prints 8 feet of a 10 foot sign and then starts leaving gaps or smudges.

 

You are correct. I was trying to save a little money until I know what I am doing.