Big decision

[wwpro]

hi there

I'm not a sign guy, I don't make signs for a living and now very little about this whole scene. I do cut vinyl as a hobby/learning experience, screen printing too. I don't make money with this, not right now, I have a service business and that pay the bills and some more for now.

We are moving overseas by the end of the year and I'm taking all my equipment with me with hopes of starting my own shop there, and right now I still have a few things to buy but the "big stuff" is already here.

I know I can get away with cut vinyl and outsourcing my digital printing, but there are not a lot of printers in my area which leaves the door open for them to manage the pricing, and I'm sure I can manage to create the necessary customer base to justify a large printer, but is not a fact, it's a very strong speculation.

I've been looking for a older model because I'm not worried about speed, but I now the older model parts are cheap compared with the versacamms and printers in that range. If something dies I have to get the part here ins the States and get it shipped to me so that really adds up to the final price.

Not too long ago I was going to buy a FJ50 from a member here who I consulted about another printer I was watching and he offered his at a great price (needed to be converted) so I made the other guy a ridiculous offer which he obviously declined, but this guy then chickened out and I was left with nothing

Now I'm looking at a CJ-500 already converted with both heaters and the whole think with a complete set of 440ml inks for $6K , what do you guys think about that?

I'd rather buy a print/cut, because I have a 30" Roland cutter but I don't want to buy a 30" versacamm knowing I;m going to need something bigger sooner than later, and the KEY here is that I have to buy while we still living here, once we move I'll be screwed with importing fees and other stuff. In case the business doesn't go as expected or something better comes up I can always sell it and I might get aroun $10K for something like that over there.

I apologies for the rant, but in order to make my situation clear I had to tell you about the whole background situation

thanks and please let me know what you think, I'm new and I read as much as I can here every day, but sometimes is not enough with just theory, and you guys doing this every single day are the right people to ask about this stuff :signs101:

 

[HulkSmash]

i got a couple of hp9000's i want to never see again

 

[wwpro]

I'd like to stick with Roland, I was recommended Mimaki but I'm not sure if that's not too much for me, at least right now.
I need something at least 54", I'd like a SP300 but I'll regret buying something too small I'm sure.

 

[wwpro]

Well, I'll give it another try based on the awesome response I got /sarcasm

Thanks Coloradosigns for not ignoring me .... completely

There's a guy in town selling a SP300V well taken care off for $6K+ , I'm tempted but still think I'm going to regret not getting a larger one once I get things rolling, and also the price of the parts scares me a little.

What do you guys think about that ? Should I go with an older and larger model, or the newer, faster but smaller machine ? Price of parts is key here based on the fact I'll be outside the US.

Usage for such machine : I think anything a normal shop does, not really planning on vehicle wraps since that's not common where I'm going.

Can I still tile my stuff even when is more labor intensive right ?

I'm looking forward to hear what you guys have to say, I'm confused and a big part of that is my lack of experience, that's why I came here looking for the knowledge you have accumulated over the years.

Thanks a lot

 

[Rydaddy]

I know a lot of people on here only have 54" printer/plotters. I would recommend getting a 60"ish printer and the same for the plotter. We have a 60" JV3 and the EPSON GS6000. We had a 48" Gerber Odyssey and have been using a graphtec 54" plotter for a couple years. Weekly I find myself in a situation where I should have gotten the bigger plotter, and probably a Summa.

 

[deegrafix]

The CJ500 is an able printer, converted, and prints beautifully. It's solid steel and "easy" to work on. I've been printing with mine for several years and it's been converted for 2. Don't go cheap on the ink -get the name brand. (That's how I know about working on it!) The only difference between it and the SC500 mild solvent printer is the ink lines in the pump.

That said, it appears the only RIP is the outdated ColorChoice. I was told getting it or the printer to work out of Vista was problematical if not impossible. Don't know about Windows 7.... It's a bit of work keeping an older technology in place to run it. I had to order it's new computer station with XP Pro and wait for it a couple years ago.

Mine makes me money every week and I expect it to keep on doing so far into the future. I print a wrap now and then but mostly signs, banners and decals.

There are two ways of thinking about an older printer. Many would tell you it's nothing but a big paperweight. I feel that it is sufficient for my needs and has the potential to do anything I want it to, albeit slowly. When it gets too slow for what is needed then it will be time to upgrade.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

Where over seas are you moving to?

 

[wwpro]

Deegrafix : I have the exact same mind set, I don't need speed right now, when the time comes it means that I'm doing well and I can justify a better machine.

Also I cannot stand Vista or 7, still using XP pro whenever I can

ChicagoGraphics: Uruguay - South America

 

[OhioSignShop]

I'd seriously look into buying when you get down there, buying here may work but you may still have to pay import fees going in with the equipment. South America has a strong digital printing industry, established dealers and used equipment. It's not a backward uncivilized place, like Detroit for example

 

[wwpro]

I'd seriously look into buying when you get down there, buying here may work but you may still have to pay import fees going in with the equipment. South America has a strong digital printing industry, established dealers and used equipment. It's not a backward uncivilized place, like Detroit for example

I understand what you're saying and I partially agree, but I'm from the there not just moving to a "new place". Equipment there is really expensive, way overpriced, and there's no importing fee in my particular case, so it's gonna cost me whatever I pay for it here a nothing else.

 

[Mosh]

Now I am not a roofer, but I have a ladder and a hammer and I think I could go to italy and start doing roof jobs...good idea or not????

 

[artbot]

in many countries, expect to pay a 50% tax on the equipment you ship. whatever your budget is, 50% plus shipping it to get there gets you about twice the equipment for the same amount of money. not to mention horror stories of not being able to get your stuff out of customs. not so bad if it's your dirt bike... but a piece of equipment is there to pay your way. in fact certain country's exchange rate might allow you to cash in against your dollar. i'd do some serious time on message expatriot message boards.

i'm looking forward to moving to australia or panama in the next ten years. it is a daunting operation to move overseas with a business.

 

[wwpro]

Mosh: you won't probably do much in Italy with a hammer and ladders roof-wise, but I get the idea

artbot: I already did my research on the financial side of this and that's why I'm asking about the technical part related to equipment and not about moving the goods. There's a law right now to incentive us to go back home, we can take everything we have at home and all equipment related to our business without having to pay any taxes, like if you were moving out of state, but without the cargo containers

 

[Salmoneye]

Sounds like you should buy 100 printers (all related to your printer sales business) import them tax free and sell them making a killing!

 

[wwpro]

$6500 for a SP300V very clean 75000 shots on the black print head + a lot of printable mixed media. Guy is local to me and takes very good care of all his equipment.

I'm kind of confused with prices and obviously my lack of experience doesn't help either.

What do you guys think? Good deal? decent deal? stay away deal?

 

[mark galoob]

if you think that your going to get through customs with out paying the appropiate fees for a several thousand dollar printer, you prob want to reassess that notion...unless you are part of an embasy, somebody will have to pay those fees and they can be HUGE.

i cant stress enough that your idea of buying a used printer to ship overseas is a huge waste of money...dont waste it, donate it to me, it will get better use.

you will prob spend the same amount of money on a new printer with support wherever you are going, than buying a used one here, packing/crating it, transporting it over seas, going through customs, having it delivered, unpacking/uncrating it, fixing damage to it, prepping it for print, new parts ruined by transport process...etc...

mark galoob

 

[Fivestar]

wwpro he may have sold it. I seen a few people asking if he still had it that seemed very interested.

I can tell you from owning both a CJ-500 and a VP-540, there's no comparison. VP-540 prints a 4'x4' banner in 11 minutes, CJ-500 about 1.5 hrs. and the VP-540 on fastest setting still prints better quality than CJ-500 on highest quality setting.

These guys on here may be "sign experts", but I've had hands on experience with both machines and they are in 2 different leagues.

 

[wwpro]

Good to see you around Fivestar, and thanks for the input.

I didn't want to start asking question on the other forum to keep it quiet and don't get too much people interested

I wanted to get it from Tim because he's really close to me and even when I don't personally know the guy I know he really takes cares of his equipment.

 

[tomence]

It's all up to you what you want to buy. Having converted printer as i had one is very hard to get right profiles for it, and to print righ all the time, actually there is no profiles for converted printers at all. I would rather get the Mimaki or the Roland SP300 than a converted printer. But that's just me.