Buying A Used 360 Hp Latex - Any Advice?

[kazziu]

Hello fellow members!
I want to buy a used Hp Latex and this monday i will have the opportunity to inspect a used 360 HP Latex, it has supposedly printed 4000 m2, so it's not that bad, it was moved from Germany to Poland. I have experience owning a solvent printer but i have no idea what i should be on the lookout when buying a used latex machine. Could You give me some advice what i should check to be sure the printer is in good condition? Could the seller manually input a false milage? I know i want to run some single color prints to see if there is any banding... Anyways if someone with Latex experience, especially a technician could give me some hints i would be very very thankful.
Sorry for my English.
Kazek.

 

[TomNJ]

Hello fellow members!
I want to buy a used Hp Latex and this monday i will have the opportunity to inspect a used 360 HP Latex, it has supposedly printed 4000 m2, so it's not that bad, it was moved from Germany to Poland. I have experience owning a solvent printer but i have no idea what i should be on the lookout when buying a used latex machine. Could You give me some advice what i should check to be sure the printer is in good condition? Could the seller manually input a false milage? I know i want to run some single color prints to see if there is any banding... Anyways if someone with Latex experience, especially a technician could give me some hints i would be very very thankful.
Sorry for my English.
Kazek.

Hello,

I'm going through a similar analysis in looking at a printer. I've come to the conclusion that I would not buy a used printer period. I was also leaning toward latex, but after more research, I've decided to go with solvent. I also need a cutter so buying 2 machines, a printer and a cutter didn't make sense either. I came across this pdf from Roland comparing solvent to latex. I found it very helpful in pointing out some facts I did not consider.

 

[tomence]

I would just say Good Luck when buying a used HP Latex

 

[equippaint]

I would just say Good Luck when buying a used HP Latex

With all if the recent latex posts id say Good Luck when buying a new HP too. Theres a new complaint everyday with latex and virtual silence on any solvent.

 

[BigfishDM]

Hello,

I'm going through a similar analysis in looking at a printer. I've come to the conclusion that I would not buy a used printer period. I was also leaning toward latex, but after more research, I've decided to go with solvent. I also need a cutter so buying 2 machines, a printer and a cutter didn't make sense either. I came across this pdf from Roland comparing solvent to latex. I found it very helpful in pointing out some facts I did not consider.

Unfortunately that was a marketing ploy against HP and those numbers are false. The foot space difference between what you want is 7sqft FYI when your cutting guess what you can't do? That's right, printing. Are you laminating your prints at all? Are you looking to be more efficient? Then you should have a stand alone cutter, look at the specs of the cutter on those units vs. stand alone cutter spec like FC-8600.

 

[BigfishDM]

With all if the recent latex posts id say Good Luck when buying a new HP too. Theres a new complaint everyday with latex and virtual silence on any solvent.

Virtual silence on solvent because it's old news that's dying a fast death now with UV and Latex. Now Gel technology too! Latex will be king of the hill for now.

 

[ProColorGraphics]

I still say it is personal preference on the solvent vs. latex debate. I have had both and now back to (2) Epson Solvent machines. Although I have also just purchased a Fuji UV hybrid. There is a service report that can be generated on the latex from the web server. I would take a look at that as it will show you exactly how much ink, media, print heads, etc. have gone through it. It also lists any errors that it has had.

 

[AKwrapguy]

Hello,

I'm going through a similar analysis in looking at a printer. I've come to the conclusion that I would not buy a used printer period. I was also leaning toward latex, but after more research, I've decided to go with solvent. I also need a cutter so buying 2 machines, a printer and a cutter didn't make sense either. I came across this pdf from Roland comparing solvent to latex. I found it very helpful in pointing out some facts I did not consider.

Most of that is and has been de-bunked. We went from eco-solvent to latex and the biggest issue that I see is just the change of work flow. Oh and the not having the fumes.

 

[TomNJ]

Most of that is and has been de-bunked. We went from eco-solvent to latex and the biggest issue that I see is just the change of work flow. Oh and the not having the fumes.

Thanks for the reply. I still think the color is more vibrant on the Roland TruVIS compared to the HP's when viewed side by side. Maybe I'll by both.

 

[equippaint]

I can see a benefit of the instant dry for wraps but not much else. You're more likely to screw up a panel in a wrap than pretty much anything else and need it right now. The fumes don't bother me personally, its so little and easy to control. I'd be more worried about whats off gassing from heating up plastics/vinyl. They are dangerous and do funny things when burned. Just because you cant smell it doesn't mean its not there. The latex is off gassing too, its being forced dried just like in an auto bake paint booth. Reminds of people that switch to vape cigarettes, its not tobacco so it wont hurt me. With paint, people equate the strong smell to being more harmful when in fact its the isocyanates in the hardener that are really bad and they don't have any odor. Its the reducer that smells but generally wont do much damage.

 

[AKwrapguy]

I can see a benefit of the instant dry for wraps but not much else. You're more likely to screw up a panel in a wrap than pretty much anything else and need it right now. The fumes don't bother me personally, its so little and easy to control. I'd be more worried about whats off gassing from heating up plastics/vinyl. They are dangerous and do funny things when burned. Just because you cant smell it doesn't mean its not there. The latex is off gassing too, its being forced dried just like in an auto bake paint booth. Reminds of people that switch to vape cigarettes, its not tobacco so it wont hurt me. With paint, people equate the strong smell to being more harmful when in fact its the isocyanates in the hardener that are really bad and they don't have any odor. Its the reducer that smells but generally wont do much damage.

I wondered that as well as far as the material heating up. At the same time you also have to heat it up with solvent I remember my Mimaki having to get pretty hot for some materials.

 

[papabud]

as a current owner of an hp 360. i love the machine. compared to the solvent machines i have owned. it is for the most part issue free. easy to maintain and run.
unless your an extremely small shop i would suggest a stand alone cutter. many days i am printing one thing and cutting another. i would never be able to keep up if i only had one machine.
i do print lam cut or cut colored vinyl. So i have to be able to move quickly some days on several projects at once. so i never suggest anyone to get a printer/cutter. i just to me would not make sense from a production stand point. its not versatile enough to meet most demands.
Another point with the latex is out gassing. i can grab something from the printer and go straight to the laminator, i dont need to wait for it to dry or outgas.
this also saves a lot of time and allows me to turn projects around a lot faster. and moves closer to the print on demand area.

 

[FrankW]

With all if the recent latex posts id say Good Luck when buying a new HP too. Theres a new complaint everyday with latex and virtual silence on any solvent.

There are a lot of topics around latex printers because a lot of people have one or more. In switzerland for example, HP is the market leader, while epsons, rolands or mutohs market share in the same printer class (44 to 104") is not worth mentioning. But, anyway, there are a lot of complaints of eco-solvents too: the market introduction of Epsons Surecolor-Printers were a desaster, people who have bought Roland TrueVIS and want to print textile transfers facing that the new ink is not washable and so on.

Buying a used latex printer is not very risky: no risk of tausands of euros if a printhead won't work correctly for example. And the advantages in opposite to current eco-solvent models: immediately dry, very scratch resistant, regularly no banding even on higher print speeds (300 and 500), possibility to create own profiles easily, Profiles for more than 600 medias available which work with EVERY RIP with a Latex 300-driver, more compatibility with papers and textile banners, higher density prints possible for backlit applications and more ...

 

[ericm]

Thanks for the reply. I still think the color is more vibrant on the Roland TruVIS compared to the HP's when viewed side by side. Maybe I'll by both.

THIS ENTIRE CAR IS PRINTED USING LATEX ......................i have been printing since 1990 and have used all makes of printers and love the latex printers
Roland i will never use again!

 

[kazziu]

Thanks for the answers!
I have been testing the machine nearly whole monday, and it looks pretty solid, the exterior looks clean, everything seems to look fine, i know the pros and cons of latex vs solvent, i like the scratch resistance and fast print head replacement the most, i don't like the fact that you can' t put in small pieces of material. I have the service report attached so maybe someone could take a look and share some information especially from the error report section...?

 

[TomNJ]

THIS ENTIRE CAR IS PRINTED USING LATEX ......................i have been printing since 1990 and have used all makes of printers and love the latex printers
Roland i will never use again!

Looks great in the pics. I can only wonder how much better it would look if it were printed using solvent inks?????

 

[Jesus Martinez]

as a current owner of an hp 360. i love the machine. compared to the solvent machines i have owned. it is for the most part issue free. easy to maintain and run.
unless your an extremely small shop i would suggest a stand alone cutter. many days i am printing one thing and cutting another. i would never be able to keep up if i only had one machine.
i do print lam cut or cut colored vinyl. So i have to be able to move quickly some days on several projects at once. so i never suggest anyone to get a printer/cutter. i just to me would not make sense from a production stand point. its not versatile enough to meet most demands.
Another point with the latex is out gassing. i can grab something from the printer and go straight to the laminator, i dont need to wait for it to dry or outgas.
this also saves a lot of time and allows me to turn projects around a lot faster. and moves closer to the print on demand area.

Hi, Im also doing some research on the HP Latex 360 I have a friend who has the 375 and he said the some older models are having issues when printing the same design in panels, he mentioned that colors will look different from the first to the last panel, He also said that it was only with his older models not the new 375, so I asked him if 360 was one of those older models he said that he does not know so im doing some research here. He mentioned that HP will stop manufaturing printheads for those older models. Are you facing this issue with your 360? Thank you very much

 

[RaymondLoewy]

Don't, and if you do go latex buy new.

Here is the the joy my 6 year old well taken care 360 gave me this week. I have never had a large format printer just spill ink everywhere. Before I decided to drop $2K on a tech, I thought I'd take a closer look since I remembered how easy it was to swap out ink line kits in the old 5000 design jets; I found the problem and when I tried remove the ink line form it's connector, the damn connector broke.

Buy a machine you know will last a long time and won't have to worry about the manufacturer up and deciding they are done with it in 10 years.

Edit: these pictures don't even come close to showing the mess that was made.

360Ink

• RaymondLoewy
• Aug 7, 2020

HPLatex

• RaymondLoewy
• Aug 7, 2020

 

[RaymondLoewy]

Hi, Im also doing some research on the HP Latex 360 I have a friend who has the 375 and he said the some older models are having issues when printing the same design in panels, he mentioned that colors will look different from the first to the last panel, He also said that it was only with his older models not the new 375, so I asked him if 360 was one of those older models he said that he does not know so im doing some research here. He mentioned that HP will stop manufaturing printheads for those older models. Are you facing this issue with your 360? Thank you very much

The 360 uses the 831 Latex ink that the current 365 etc use. I purchased a 365 last year but grilled my sales rep about the inks, I trust the rep I have known for a decade for his word.

I would have loved to have gone solvent but I print in an office with coworkers who are not sign folk, and already had the 360.

 

[jimmmi]

Hi, Im also doing some research on the HP Latex 360 I have a friend who has the 375 and he said the some older models are having issues when printing the same design in panels, he mentioned that colors will look different from the first to the last panel, He also said that it was only with his older models not the new 375, so I asked him if 360 was one of those older models he said that he does not know so im doing some research here. He mentioned that HP will stop manufaturing printheads for those older models. Are you facing this issue with your 360? Thank you very much

Hp 375 is almost exactly the same with 360 with only difference it has bulk ink of 3l. 360 uses exactly the same ink cartridge, printheads, maintenance cartridge. The only difference that makes sense in size consistentsy is the counterweights kit the 365-375 printers have. They are some weights that make the dancing bar of the TUR lighter so less tension is applied. You can buy this kit for your 360. I bought it too for my 360. About color consistency its same thing. You must calibrate colors and follow some tips you can find in the forum and also in hp videos. Also bought my 360 used. Runs perfect every time from day one. Go for it you wont regret it. Also about problems, every printer has it pros and cons. Solvents also brake.