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Low Cost Printer for Printable Vinyl Decals? Dye Sub? Pigment? Help!

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Hey All,

 

So I am going around in circles with this one, so much conflicting information, I thought I would just post to the forum and see if anyone can help.

 

Recently purchased a vinyl cutter from USCutter and its awesome!!  Now I am getting big ideas and I am looking for printable vinyl decal to stick on some of our products, the thicker the better.  Papilio seems to make nice stuff, but I am confused when it comes to the printer choices.

 

I hear pigment and solvent printers are probably a better choice for this vinyl?

 

If so, any recomendations for a cheap pigment / solvent printer?  A4/Letter sized will work for me and its just for product labels, so quality isn't photographic.

 

The Epson Artisan 50 looks like an interesting option?

 

Thanks in advance for your time guys!

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Pigment works well with Papilio from what I've read and seen on here but there is no such thing as a cheap solvent printer. Figure $7k-$8 for a 20" solvent printer which the cheapest I have seen them. Check out cobra ink's website and look into a printer with a cis kit because ink cartridges get expensive fast if you use it a lot.

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Pigment works well with Papilio from what I've read and seen on here but there is no such thing as a cheap solvent printer. Figure $7k-$8 for a 20" solvent printer which the cheapest I have seen them. Check out cobra ink's website and look into a printer with a cis kit because ink cartridges get expensive fast if you use it a lot.

Ya buddy! I picked up an epson WF30 from cobra ink systems with the pigment based CISS and can't believe the cost savings in ink! I do a few heat transfers onto shirts so that's why I went for the pigment ink and the rest of the time its' just my printer. I try to keep it busy because the pigment ink will clog a little if it sets there too long. I kinda wish I would have went for the WF1100 that can do larger format prints. I am stuck with standard letter size with the WF30 and there have been a few times that I wanted to go bigger. Also the 1100 has a waste tank for head cleaning (I believe) and the WF30 just shoots it out into a sponge in the bottom of the tray and sooner or later that thing is going to be a problem because when you get a clogged head you go through quite a few cleaning cycles to get it back running clean. I haven't had any problem with mine yet but it worries me. The pigment ink is awesome, pretty much water proof once it dries.

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I had 3 WF1100's when they still made them but none of were as low maintenance as the 435 all in one I bough last year. But I'm starting to miss the ability to do 11x17 also.

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Ya buddy! I picked up an epson WF30 from cobra ink systems with the pigment based CISS and can't believe the cost savings in ink! I do a few heat transfers onto shirts so that's why I went for the pigment ink and the rest of the time its' just my printer. I try to keep it busy because the pigment ink will clog a little if it sets there too long. I kinda wish I would have went for the WF1100 that can do larger format prints. I am stuck with standard letter size with the WF30 and there have been a few times that I wanted to go bigger. Also the 1100 has a waste tank for head cleaning (I believe) and the WF30 just shoots it out into a sponge in the bottom of the tray and sooner or later that thing is going to be a problem because when you get a clogged head you go through quite a few cleaning cycles to get it back running clean. I haven't had any problem with mine yet but it worries me. The pigment ink is awesome, pretty much water proof once it dries.

Search YouTube and you'll find videos for how to install a waste tank... Will cost you <$10

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Search YouTube and you'll find videos for how to install a waste tank... Will cost you <$10

Cool, I'm going to check that out! Thanks OW

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Here's the Epson Outlet store on ebay - they sell manufacturer's refurbished printers with full manufacturer's warranty and a 14 day no worries return policy.  I got my 7520 from them via ebay and the only way you would know it was refurbished was by the big sticker on the box that said "REFURBISHED" - otherwise it looked, smelled and acted like a brand new printer.  All the packing materials were in place, all the manuals and CDs were bagged up like brand new, etc.  There was no dust, no scratches, nothing to indicate that it had ever left their warehouse... and it was $179.95 shipped... and I had it in just a few days.

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