Opinion on Roland Bn-20 Printer

[Stormyj]

Anyone own one of these? and if so, how do you like it. I can get one thats only 2 years old for around 4k. Dont know how they are. Please let me know.

 

[VizualVoice]

why on earth would you buy a 2 year old machine for 4k when you can get a brand new with warranty BN-20A for 4k?
I bought my 20a at the end of 2022 and it's been a workhorse TBH. I didn't buy for speed (though with some tweaks like bi-directional printing it's not as awfully slow as some make it out to be). I was at the time limited by space, and also super impressed with the print quality. There's been very little in the past 2 years that I couldn't produce with the machine (and had to outsource, but it's stuff I would likey have anyway) and I can't think of any times when I was really hampered by it's speed. Sure there are times when I set it to print a bunch and go to bed, but it's not like I'm ever standing there waiting on it to print something, when I'm gonna let the print offgass and laminate the next day anyway.
I will say that I almost never cut on it because THAT is super slow. But I've got a graphtec for that part anyway.

 

[damonCA21]

They are basically hobby machines. They are ok if all you ever do is small items, but for 4K I would get something like a used SP540V or VP540V which are much better built and will give you a lot more scope.
The other problem is they use the DX7 printhead. If they develop a fault you are looking at about $1800 to replace. The SP and VP use the DX4 heads. If you get a bad colour then a new head is more like $500. You see a lot of BN20s for sale cheap because the head isn't working and its not worth replacing them

 

[Stormyj]

Idid see that they are 4k new. The used one is a no go. Thx

why on earth would you buy a 2 year old machine for 4k when you can get a brand new with warranty BN-20A for 4k?
I bought my 20a at the end of 2022 and it's been a workhorse TBH. I didn't buy for speed (though with some tweaks like bi-directional printing it's not as awfully slow as some make it out to be). I was at the time limited by space, and also super impressed with the print quality. There's been very little in the past 2 years that I couldn't produce with the machine (and had to outsource, but it's stuff I would likey have anyway) and I can't think of any times when I was really hampered by it's speed. Sure there are times when I set it to print a bunch and go to bed, but it's not like I'm ever standing there waiting on it to print something, when I'm gonna let the print offgass and laminate the next day anyway.
I will say that I almost never cut on it because THAT is super slow. But I've got a graphtec for that part anyway.