Printing bumper stickers and small small quantity of stickers

[stickerman 28]

Want to print some bumper stickers and regular stickers small quanities no real big runs.  What would be the cheapest route to go for equipment to do this?  I looked at Roland but not looking to spend a few thousand dollars.  Anyone able to point me in the right (cheap) direction?

 

Thanks in advance.

[mr300s 1,272]

I would contact Richard from Cobra ink tell him I sent you or that you belong to the forum, not only will he steer you in the correct direction but give you 10% off on whatever you buy.

 

I would go with pigment ink and 210 laminate should work good.  I just did these using that for these to put on my own boat, I have a Harley Sticker I did on my truck window  a couple years ago and it stills looks great after two years in the Florida Sun.  I will say I can see a little fade but two years I am happy as I usually just make these stickers for myself so I am not worried if they didn't last.

[stickerman 28]

Not really interested in having to print, then laminate.  Looking for an all in one printer that I can print stickers on.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

cheapest - is the roland bn20 - sest cheap alternative - roland sp600i    

[hockeygirl 30]

Owning a printer is not cheap - it may be a better investment to sub out your print job.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

Owning a printer is not cheap - it may be a better investment to sub out your print job.

com'on hockeygirl, my desktop doesn't cost me a thing to run or sit there LOL     and once I spring for the eco sol printer won't it just be like free money  .  before i bought my first one I drove 5 hrs to a friends house to learn about the printer and process - was a real eye opener.  more people should realy do the same thing.  It is not that people shouldn't buy one - but they should be more informed than when buying a home printer, like you said there is an ongoing cost to keep it going adn printing properly.  heck many don't even know what a RIP is or the cost involved with that

[OWJones 1,981]

 heck many don't even know what a RIP is or the cost involved with that

 

I've got RIP software on my computer - it lets me RIP music from my CDs and RIP movies from my DVDs and it didn't cost nuthin'!!!  

[stickerman 28]

I just picked up a RICOH SG 3110DN to start the dye sublimation part of my business on top of the vinyl hat I have been doing for years.  However have had more and more people requests regular multi color stickers and I can only do so much with layering.  $8500 is a lot for a printer (Roland bn20) that I dont know how much use I will get out of it though.

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

I just picked up a RICOH SG 3110DN to start the dye sublimation part of my business on top of the vinyl hat I have been doing for years.  However have had more and more people requests regular multi color stickers and I can only do so much with layering.  $8500 is a lot for a printer (Roland bn20) that I dont know how much use I will get out of it though.

That machine is more than a printer.. It is a Roland printer and  Roland cutter.. combo

 

Roland 20" Desktop Inkjet Printer/Cutter - VersaStudio BN-20

 

http://www.uscutter.com/Roland-20-Desktop-Inkjet-Printer-Cutter-VersaStudio-BN-20

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I just picked up a RICOH SG 3110DN to start the dye sublimation part of my business on top of the vinyl hat I have been doing for years.  However have had more and more people requests regular multi color stickers and I can only do so much with layering.  $8500 is a lot for a printer (Roland bn20) that I dont know how much use I will get out of it though.

There is a price to do it right. if that is the market you want to get into then you have to pay.  several people have bougth used equipment with varying degrees of success - but the repairs and maint on the eco sols are much  more than the cost of your entire sublimation printer.  many people that try to go cheap end up throwing away thousands of dollars . . . 

[hockeygirl 30]

I'll probably catch some flack for this post and many of you will disagree with me... but here goes anyway.

 

My advice for those who are wanting to sell printed decal (not talking about the 8-10mil laminated aqueous inkjet kind you print on your desktop printer):

 

1. Visit print shops, learn about the business. Learn what it takes to own and maintain a printer and how to run a printer - it's not rocket science, but it's also not plug and play either.
2. Talk to your local dealer. Get demos of the different printers they sell. Do your research and get all the costs associated with it. Understand that you really cannot do it on a $3000 budget. 
3. Unless you already have enough business lined up to justify the cost of the printer, outsource your work. Spend the extra time on the business side and secure more capitals and customers before taking the plunge.
4. Partner with someone who has a printer that you know you can trust and get reasonable turn-around time on the jobs. I have done it for years before buying my own printer. I have a 30" and I still outsource my larger print jobs and they send me their smaller jobs when they're at capacity.
5. Yes, you can buy a new printer for $3000 and blindly go into debt. Believe me, many dealers will try to sell you a printer and offer you an attractive financing option. And I'm not saying that's not the right thing to do, I'm just saying, think before you buy and educate yourself. It is a big investment and it's not something you can just take back to the store if it doesn't work out 30 days from now.

[Rodger 527]

Great realistic advice HG , MANY local printers around me willing to make great deals on subbing from other business owners . Unless a person has enough work to really justify the expense , much more profit to be made by out sourcing . Printers are beginning to become like vinyl cutters years ago . Cutters were many times higher & now much cheaper . Everybody & their brother plus me has 1 it seems . Used to be few had printers , now many do . Depnding on anybody sucks & that is a reason to have your own stuff , but if customers see the ads in back of Sign magazines or e-bay for $1 per square foot of printed vinyl , it is hard to compete with that price .

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I'll probably catch some flack for this post and many of you will disagree with me... but here goes anyway.

 

My advice for those who are wanting to sell printed decal (not talking about the 8-10mil laminated aqueous inkjet kind you print on your desktop printer):

 

1. Visit print shops, learn about the business. Learn what it takes to own and maintain a printer and how to run a printer - it's not rocket science, but it's also not plug and play either.
2. Talk to your local dealer. Get demos of the different printers they sell. Do your research and get all the costs associated with it. Understand that you really cannot do it on a $3000 budget. 
3. Unless you already have enough business lined up to justify the cost of the printer, outsource your work. Spend the extra time on the business side and secure more capitals and customers before taking the plunge.
4. Partner with someone who has a printer that you know you can trust and get reasonable turn-around time on the jobs. I have done it for years before buying my own printer. I have a 30" and I still outsource my larger print jobs and they send me their smaller jobs when they're at capacity.
5. Yes, you can buy a new printer for $3000 and blindly go into debt. Believe me, many dealers will try to sell you a printer and offer you an attractive financing option. And I'm not saying that's not the right thing to do, I'm just saying, think before you buy and educate yourself. It is a big investment and it's not something you can just take back to the store if it doesn't work out 30 days from now.

That sums it up perfectly  . . . . seriously Hockeygirl that should be copied - pasted and stickied under "printers"

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

I'm studying everyday on printer / cutters, I read so much up on them, I ask fellow forum member that's right Dakota lookin at you lol. I watch instructional videos on YouTube, consumers and the companies so I get takes from both sides of the product. I. Pretty much sold on the Roland BN-20 does what I want and it isn't that small. However finding financing is a different story. But do what hockey girl said, just don't jump into it.