FrznFire07 217 Posted January 7, 2014 So we finally did it! We were very undecided about which printer to buy but we finally decided on the 54" Mutoh Valuejet 1324 w/ free plotter and 54" laminator. Our new equipment should be arriving in a couple days. To all you Mutoh users: how happy are you with this printer? any tips/tricks? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted January 7, 2014 congrats - looked at the VJ early on - now just keep up on the maint. - was some pictures on another forum of some very unloved printers and then wondered why they didn't perform well anymore! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrznFire07 217 Posted January 7, 2014 You have a versacamm right? why did you choose VC over the mutoh? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted January 7, 2014 found a deal on one and durability/parts availability. first one was just because I got a deal - after that I was hooked - I think the vj will work great but durability over the long haul has been questioned by some on the big sign forum. just keep up on maint and put back for the replacement because even with rolands the replacements will be needed. the best durability I have heard are the mimika's (sp?) heard of them going forever with proper maint!. Last VJ i was on the other forum hadn't been cleaned for like a year and a half and the guy wondered why it was printing bad . . . pictures were ugly as he never did the weekly cleanings - pure gunk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrznFire07 217 Posted January 7, 2014 yea we're definetly going to keep up on the maintenance, we cannot afford to mess this up. We needed a printer real bad but at the same time the owners basically went all in. So this has to work!! Makes me a little nervous but hopefully it will start making us money quickly!!! Anyone know anything about the flexi RIP software? any tips/tricks? what problems have you had? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted January 7, 2014 check with mopar - I think he runs one and does great work Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrznFire07 217 Posted January 7, 2014 So I just thought of something else... Our shop doesn't have a lot of room, so to fit this equipment, we were going to put printer on one floor, plotter on another. My question is if we do this do I have to have two versions of RIP Software? or can my current software (VE LXi Master) run the plotter just fine, including some plot cutting? The printer will obviously be on it's own computer and have RIP software on it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted January 7, 2014 I would think you would want to use the same program to print and cut - I use versaworks and have a printer/cutter in one so again shawn would know better. On the ve lxi it doesn't have a rip but can contour but not sure on the printer cut on another machine because my rip adds the registration marks itself = then finds them when necessary Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrznFire07 217 Posted January 7, 2014 that's my worry, is I can obviously cut, but software doesn't RIP and I don't believe it reads reg marks either. So maybe we'll have to buy another RIP software? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted January 7, 2014 I will read registration marks it makes but not sure if you can add them, run it thru your rip then go back to cut - will the marks be exact after the rip?? SHAWN where are you? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mopar691 281 Posted January 8, 2014 I'm here, lol, What cutter did you get? and running two rip stations with the same file will be alot of issues I do not suggest it at all. But the printer will connect VIA Ethernet and most plotters you will have that option also. Mine were quite a ways apart for a while. Now they are in a completely different room than my main rip computer. Everything is thru ethernet so location is no problem at all. Maintenance on the 1324 is a breeze. Swab around the heads and wiper and your done. Been running mine for about a year and a half now with no issues at all. Did you get the vm-10 also? Lots of decent profiles out there for this printer but they can really eat up the ink. I have created all custom profiles and my ink usage is less than half of what the canned profiles were. I check my colors on important jobs and they are very consistent. With the right settings you can whip out a 4' x 14' banner in less than 15 min. Couple little things you will want to change on the take up reel after you get it up and going but I can help you with that later. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrznFire07 217 Posted January 8, 2014 The Mutoh Valuecut, they had a Special on a free plotter so we took it! So you are saying connect the plotter to the same computer via ethernet even though it's another room? What is VM-10? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mopar691 281 Posted January 8, 2014 Connect to your hub or a switch. Not directly into the computer. Just assign everything a different IP. Yes. All my printers are in other rooms. One is approx 50' away from the computer that runs it. The VM-10 is a spectrometer to help with profiling if you get that involved. If not there are literally hundreds of profiles to choose from out there. Are they setting up the equipment and connecting it all for you? Sometimes that helps setting things up in the production manager as I could assume if your have never done that sort of thing it will be very confusing at first with setting presets and output profiles. If you go to the Mutoh FTP site you will find a batch file to download with many presets for the 1324 that will help you get started very easily. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrznFire07 217 Posted January 8, 2014 yea we opted for the installation just because we knew we'd be in over our heads. I already spend to too much time asking you guys for advice!! So I can connect printer and cutter to my router? or I need to get a Network Hub? Then how does that work? I control everything from another room? No we didn't get the VM-10, we might later on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
