Thinking about getting a new Solvent Printer

[WrapperX]

I have been instructed to look into whats new and cool in the Solvent printer world. Currently we have two Mutoh/AGFA Grand Sherpa - something or other style - solvent printers. These about 10 years old and are just causeing all sorts of headaches. We also have an HP L25500 and we really like it and I will be pushing for a second HP printer in the event that we ditch these two AGFAs. However I also feel that we need to have a solvent printer on hand as well. So I'm asking you all out there - What do you think is the best Solvent printer out there RIGHT NOW and Why.

 

[tomence]

Why solvent and not another Latex printer. Is there something that solvent can do that latex can't.

 

[WrapperX]

No - I'm certainly gonna be pushing for a second HP - no question. But I think the boss man is gonna want to have at least one solvent in here - not sure why...old habits maybe...for a total of 3 printers

I'm pretty sure the latex can do anything that the old solvents can do - but I'm not entirely positive.

 

[HulkSmash]

If you can another latex for sure. But if you need a solvent - definitely the Epson.

 

[BigfishDM]

How wide and how fast do you want? Whats the budget for the machine? What is the main applications your going to be running?

 

[tomence]

I asked you this because i have been thinking of getting the latex for a long time and don't have to deal with clogged heads as long as it does a same job as the solvent.
If i was to buy a solvent it would be an Epson just because of the extra orange and green ink. If that's not the case than probably a Roland or Mimaki.

 

[WrapperX]

No talk of budget - just in the researching faze. Main applications would be POP UP and tradeshow type displays, posters, calendered and cast vinyls and banners. Maybe some fabrics but unlikely. 65" Max width - We would probably like something that has good speed and good quality output. We don't want something that screams in speed but is crap in print quality. But we don't want to sacrifice speed for Extremely high quality either.

 

[BigfishDM]

Well it sure sounds like you should pik up another latex but maybe the lx600 if its in the budget. Its fast and prints crazy good.

 

[WrapperX]

Yeah - I'm quite pleased with the Latexs' ability to be handled shortly after printing.
Of course this is all early in the process so all these questions and research may all be for nothing.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

If you push any kind of volume, I cannot stress this enough: do not get an Epson.

 

[MikePro]

i'd stick with the latex, and upgrade to a UV printer if anything. most possibilities for production rather than more ways to do the same thing.

 

[WrapperX]

We do currently have a UV Flatbed as well. I'm just researching to update/upgrade our roll fed machines.
And they do quite a bit of volume so I guess the Epson is out.

What sort of reasons do you all have for the printers you are suggesting - or cursing for that matter? Personally I would like to get back to using a Mimaki of some sort. The last place I worked had one and I really think it was a better machine then the Mutohs I have here. But is there something better out there...I don't know.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Wrapper, we have a JV33 as well (and a JV3 prior) and can't praise it enough. If you're familiar with Mimaki printers, you know what's up with them, they're just bulletproof and are hard to beat for the money. The epson GS6000 prints very nice, but honestly not significantly better than anything else and with good profiles you'll hit 98% of the gamut of the GS6000 with a Mimaki. The Epson's weak points are it's material handling abilities, or lack thereof. The media feed system is weak at best, even the new updated one. And the Takeup reel is unimaginably bad. Full rolls through this machine are difficult at best, impossible at worst, it's just not built for production.

 

[boxerbay]

Wrapper, we have a JV33 as well (and a JV3 prior) and can't praise it enough. If you're familiar with Mimaki printers, you know what's up with them, they're just bulletproof and are hard to beat for the money. The epson GS6000 prints very nice, but honestly not significantly better than anything else and with good profiles you'll hit 98% of the gamut of the GS6000 with a Mimaki. The Epson's weak points are it's material handling abilities, or lack thereof. The media feed system is weak at best, even the new updated one. And the Takeup reel is unimaginably bad. Full rolls through this machine are difficult at best, impossible at worst, it's just not built for production.

This is your opinion.

We have an Epson GS6000 and dont have any issues with the take up reel. It runs and runs and runs with no clogs, no cleanings, no banding, just runs.

I load full rolls and leave. Come back in the morning and the job is completed on the take up reel ready to finish.

Loading the roll, clamping and attaching it to the take up reel are critical. If you load it or attach crooked then yes you will have problems. We train employees properly and they know what to look for to avoid these issues.

Mimaki is a great machine but for us in an enclosed area we could not run it without a scrubber. We also liked the color gamut of the epson and the ease of use with colorburst.

Latex - I thought I read on here somewhere that they were not that great for vehicle wraps because of the stretching of media during install. Correct me if i am wrong.

Been 5 months and no complaints.

 

[randya]

And the Epson is made by Mutoh.

 

[SightLine]

I've seen some of the same with the Epsons as far as being very fickle on media handling. I'd also give a nog and vote to the Mimaki JV33. We have one and that machine just goes - incredibly easy to maintain (immensley easier than our old JV3), tried and trued media handling (many many years of proven ease of use - same hardware as the older JV3), and yeah - its agressive solvent which stinks but nothing outlasts agressive solvents on durability.

 

[WrapperX]

Mimaki is a great machine but for us in an enclosed area we could not run it without a scrubber.

Explain this - what do you mean by scrubber?

[/QUOTE]Latex - I thought I read on here somewhere that they were not that great for vehicle wraps because of the stretching of media during install. Correct me if i am wrong.[/QUOTE]

I've done a couple of wraps so far using the Latex - no major stretching was needed so far so hard to say what it will do on something like a HHR or Duely wheels. However you really aren't supposed to be stretching the vinyl all that much anyways. Just heating it to mold it around curves is all you need to do. But thats whole nother discussion!

 

[Letterbox Mike]

This is your opinion.

Not really. You're one of the lucky few that has a GS6000 that doesn't have these issues, but it's a well documented problem. So much so in fact that Epson has engineered a new media feed system to retrofit printers that are showing the symptoms (even though it really doesn't solve the problem). Run an Epson GS6000 next to a Mimaki day in and day out and tell me they're in the same league as far as production capabilities go.

 

[randya]

its agressive solvent which stinks but nothing outlasts agressive solvents on durability.

Not necessarily true, tests by some of the media companies show eco to have more fade resistance than mild and full solvents.

 

[Beyond 1]

The Epson has a way better color gamit and dot gain then the Mimaki. I Have 2 Mutoh's and just bought my 3rd (the epson GS) and they all run great! I use the epson for all my tradeshow and POP signs because of the better picture quality. I hear the ink is brighter and have a higher color gamit, but I also heard that some of the colors fade outside quicker. I've been running all my auto graphics with the mutoh eco-solvent and for over 5 years now NO complaints. Don't want to test the rumors and print on the epson and have the yellow fade within a year. It even says on there brochure that the ink has less of an outdoor life the the original eco solvent inks on the market... Guess thats what you pay for better color. On to the take up wheel...The valuejet line (like the epson) has a gravity take-up.... If you tape it off right away and trim the edges to a point it rolls up great... If you forget and tape it up when it's already on the ground.... and yes it does SUCK! It will never feed straight and if your lucky you might get only a few head strikes.