HP 800 vs Mimaki UCJV300

[petesign]

I am about to buy an HP 800 - wanted to make sure I am not about to screw up. LOL. What are your thoughts about the 800 vs the UV Mimaki? I have had mimaki printers for 11 years, and when researching the newest printers, the HP800 really appealed to me. I'm tired of breathing in solvents all day. Most of my business is on 13oz banner material, but I like the idea of adding fabric. Coroplast, magnets, and the rest are a small portion of my business but I do them from time to time.

The thing I cant stand about the Mimaki's honestly, is the Epson print heads. I'm about to put a new one in my jv300-160, and the price just really irks me I like that the HP heads are considered consumables. I like that theres no damn capping station, pump or dampers to go chasing after issues.

Talk me into this, or out of it

Thanks!

 

[Solventinkjet]

I don't know much about the HP 800 but I do know the UCJV300 doesn't use Epson heads and in my experience they didn't clog nearly as much as a solvent machine. Just so ya know.

 

[balstestrat]

Let me ask you a different question. Have you ever had a UV? You might be surprised how different the output is compared to solvent. And I don't necessarily mean it in a good way.

With latex you can do more like you said, I guess if you would keep switching the inkset on the Mimaki it could be more versatile but who has time for that...

If you like the idea of consumables no one can talk you out of HP

Are you considering with white ink or not?

I would consider Mimaki more traditional and manual machine while the Latex is more modern tech. Everyone has their opinion, love it or hate it. After all two completely different machines.

 

[Zach Starr]

I am about to buy an HP 800 - wanted to make sure I am not about to screw up. LOL. What are your thoughts about the 800 vs the UV Mimaki? I have had mimaki printers for 11 years, and when researching the newest printers, the HP800 really appealed to me. I'm tired of breathing in solvents all day. Most of my business is on 13oz banner material, but I like the idea of adding fabric. Coroplast, magnets, and the rest are a small portion of my business but I do them from time to time.

The thing I cant stand about the Mimaki's honestly, is the Epson print heads. I'm about to put a new one in my jv300-160, and the price just really irks me I like that the HP heads are considered consumables. I like that theres no damn capping station, pump or dampers to go chasing after issues.

Talk me into this, or out of it

Thanks!

If you are not considering white ink as an option you can also check out Stratojet Hawk, thats also a non solvent ink printer. I think they use a latex similar ink, but only have standard CMYK colors so far no white, but the ink and consumable cost is much lower than hp. It does similar applications too banners, fabric etc..

UV is a good option too, but you have to remember the finish you will get on your prints would be different from eco solvent, as it would give more of a matte finish, unless you are adding gloss on each print, which would just be too expensive for printing banners.