How offen to you use the printer?

[Jim Hill]

I have a question that has been on my mind and I really do not know the answer.

How many times a week are you not using your VersaCamm and what problems do you run into if let's say you don't use it every other day or so?

I am going to purchase a VersaCamm V 300 but will not be using it more then 1 hour a day.

It will be used a few times a week for short runs only and how often to you clean it?

Please don't say sub out the work because the printers I have been using are running between 1 week and 3 weeks turn around time which does not work for me. Every week I find myself running between printers trying to get the work done so it is time to make the investment in the printer.

Thanks Jim

 

[Flame]

I'd say outsource. Sorry. Find a good printer, there are many quick ones out there.

As far as how much your printer runs, I run my Valuejet about 6-8 hours a day. Some days it's only 2, some days it's 15. It prints at 98 sq. ft. an hour though, so considerably faster than your Roland.

If you don't run it one day, make sure to just run a small test print or maybe a cleaning cycle, and you should be fine. And one day sitting shouldn't hurt it... but a week really will.

 

[Derf]

If you get one you will not know what you did with out it shortly! you will print everything.. I have vinyl rotting on shelfs because its more productive to print.

 

[Gino]

It won't really hurt it at all.

Like Derf said, you'll find all kinds of things to start printing and next thing ya know, it will be going two or three hours a day.....

Make sure you can't fit a 54" in there instead, because within no time at all, you'll be wishing you could do a 36" x 72" banner in one piece.

 

[SignBurst PCs]

I agree... I have a client who was hesitant about buying his Roland because he was afraid that he wouldn't use it enough to warrant the price. Now all he does is print, print, print, all day long.

 

[Derf]

There has been days/weeks where I do not run my printer but there are other days/weeks where I wish I had 3.

 

[EnergyDesign]

If it aint running, I dont make any money, so to answer your question, It usually runs about 2-3 hours per day, sometimes 6 hours. It will quickly overtake your plotters role in your shop...

 

[totalimage]

we have a versacamm and use it everyday. If you are worried about cleaning it.. Leave it on automatic...we clean the head about once or twice a month. We are very happy with our printer.

 

[hoppers]

I had the same questions back in Jan 2008 when I bought my SP300V (bought it was used)...I run it about 1 hour every other day....but sometimes Im designing a lot and dont run it for a week and then run it every day for a few hours. I have the cleanings set to automatic like someone mentioned and I hear it turn on once a day if I am around it.

I do a manual head cleaning every 2 weeks and it hasnt let me down so far (but only had it for 3 months now). I think the printers are best when you run them everyday and clean them manually like once a week - but my Roland tech said as long as you manually clean it and have it set to automatic, it should be fine with light use each week. If it went longer then one week, then I would be worried.

And yes, subbing out my work now is not even a question (thought of it long and hard too) but now that I have the printer in house - no question that it was worth it. Opens so many more opportunities and allows you to experiment more on your own dime - so go for it I say if you have the cash available.

-Hoppers

 

[mark in tx]

I run my printer every weekday, almost all day long.

I do a daily morning cleaning, which is wiping around the heads, cleaning the wipers, and wiping around the capping station.

 

[signrios]

not to be a but at what temperature should these printers be kept?

 

[GregT]

I run my 540v several hours a day. Like mentioned earlier, if it's not running, I ain't making money.

Hoppers, glad to hear the 300v is working out well for you.

 

[Pro Image]

There has been days/weeks where I do not run my printer but there are other days/weeks where I wish I had 3.

That me........I try to run it everyday but today we screenprinted and it sat idle......Then we have days like monday when we printed 12 3x7 banners.......

 

[hoppers]

Yep Greg T it is! The 300 is a perfect size for me and well just another happy customer of s101 FOR SALE section! Thanks again Greg,

-Hoppers

 

[TonyHoles]

if not used often try and do a tst print daily and atleast a print heads cleaning weekly. There should be a maintenance sheet for you to get an idea of how to care for it. If not then you can most likely find one from Roland or online somewhere.

Once you go print, it's hard to relent

 

[Ken]

You need to make sure you have the current firmware update to ensure it will do the daily autocleaning. That hardly uses any ink at all but keeps things flowing. Do not turn off the MAIN power switch. Just lift the pinch rollers and let the machine go to sleep.
Cheers!
Ken

 

[TheSnowman]

Mine seems to run all day a couple days out of the week, and then be off a day or so, then run a couple hours on whatever day is left. If I could go back in time, I'd have probably waited to purchase, but...it's paid off in one more year. I'm only a one man shop, so lots of time I'm designing, and the printer prints quicker than I can design some stuff, so that's why I'm not runnin' everyday.

 

[ilevelsign]

wouldn't be without it.Just about to purchase a JV33 130

 

[AlexT]

Our VP-540 gets used everyday. However when in sleep mode, it does comes alive every so often to flush and refresh the heads.