dvddvd

Is there anyway to print at home cheaply?

Recommended Posts

Im just buying a cutter and learning about all the printing and cutting etc.

Trying to get my head round what i actually need to print on vinyl?

At present I have a epson normal desktop inkjet printer.

Can you buy vinyl that could be printed on with a inkjet?

If not what actually do I need? Thanks

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No.

Use an outsource vendor to print vinyl (and generally, laminate it for surface protection and UV resistance).

My go-to printing place is the Zoo.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks so what's the inkjet printable vinyl? 

Lots on Ebay in A4 sheets?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, dvddvd said:

Thanks do what's the inkjet printable vinyl? 

Lots on Ebay in A4 sheets?

not to sell it in an ethical way - solvent, latex or thermo resin are the only ones that truly get into the vinyl

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What about just for home? Not to sell. Just want a play about at the moment.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Out of latex, solvent and thermo resin which of them is the cheapest way into printing on vinyl.

 

Also which of the 3 is cheapest for inks? and suitable for been stood without been used for long periods? (No head clogging)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

latex for not having head clogging - solvent for long lasting and cheapest prints - thermo resin no head clogging but very expensive prints and I have heard that shading can be an issue but have no experience with that.  a friend in canada that does a LOT of installs all over the country liked putting up latex but bought a eco solvent for himself.  problem with eco solvent is if you don't have the business to keep it printing every couple of days it will cost you in heads over the long run - they are happiest when run constantly and even with them doing their own head cleanings 3-4 times a day they will still clog nozzles that almost never come back.  I have owned 3 roland eco solvent printers - first had aftermarket inks and was the worst by far.
best to find a friend in the business and go learn for a day - a salesman will always tell you what they want to get you to buy

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for all that, seems printing on vinyl is not really suitable for a hobbyist? When printers are thousands and inks £100 a bash ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, slice&dice said:

No.

Use an outsource vendor to print vinyl (and generally, laminate it for surface protection and UV resistance).

My go-to printing place is the Zoo.

So if your charging for a job are you making money on the design and cutting? If your paying someone else for the printing?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 minutes ago, dvddvd said:

So if your charging for a job are you making money on the design and cutting? If your paying someone else for the printing?

figure getting a good used unit and laminator for $8K or more - and maint of $1 K per year - how much do you have to sell at todays prices to break even doing it yourself.    I still do cut vinyl as there was more profit in it than the printing that so many buy and don't maintain - doing sub par work (in my way of looking at it) - I always got a premium because my fine work was spot on - the market is flooded with used printers and poor product and competing on price kills the possibility of future equipment upgrades and really proper upkeep.  Point is the big shops with several printers and buying ink and vinyl by the pallets are a better fit for most people.  Slice has the right idea and again I owned 3 sol printers  - I quit doing banners years ago when they started doing them for $1 ft - didn't make sense to try to compete with that

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok thanks. I'm doing it more for a hobby so will stick to vinyl and stencils etc

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I may just have a play with some of the inkjet printable vinyl to have a go at contour cuts etc

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, dvddvd said:

I may just have a play with some of the inkjet printable vinyl to have a go at contour cuts etc

this inkjet works fine for your own use - the usual break down is the vinyl is sprayed with a material that allows the ink to stick and dry - a friend in florida did a test and it always broke down from that sprayed material even when laminated - he got 8 months out of it - and we have a member here that has used UV stabilized pigment ink for customers but with my conscious I couldn't do it.  with solvent I had on my old truck 3-4 years with no lam and looked like new - in wear areas I always used lam - we just see so many people say doing it for hobby and sell it.   the cost per sq inch is much higher than solvent too  - you save in equipement to put out an inferior product

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My thought is, stand back, take a deep breath and get your cutter.

You are already talking about getting into a ton of money spent and have never cut anything.

Getting everything set up right and cutting is going to be a chore. Never mind contour cutting printed stuff.

Just my opinion.

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 minute ago, bikemike said:

My thought is, stand back, take a deep breath and get your cutter.

You are already talking about getting into a ton of money spent and have never cut anything.

Getting everything set up right and cutting is going to be a chore. Never mind contour cutting printed stuff.

Just my opinion.

 

agree and you still need clean graphics when printing I used vector where I could as I could scale up without quality loss - did a lot of printing for united way and golf scrambles and almost always redid the graphics sent.  

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You also need to figure out a niche' to sell in. With all of the inexpensive vinyl cutters out there anymore, there is a lot of competition. You have to stand out to sell anything. You don't want to be selling what everyone else is selling, or you will be just fighting on who is selling the lowest price.  And you will not make any money doing that.  I set my prices and I don't care what others are selling at.  Or making  6" "stickers" won't keep you in business. It takes more time to do that kind of work then to make big vinyl graphics. You have to find a niche' that works. 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Dont know how I got into all this! Never heard of a vinyl cutter 4 weeks ago!

 I make original art works.

 I use at present an art projector which I project my drawing/graphic onto a canvas and pencil the outline then hand paint it.

Then i have mdf letters cut and fixed to the canvas and finish with led neon normally on the letters.

I wanted a way how to make stencils to make each piece quicker to produce and then spray with my airbrush.

Did think of mylar stencils but you lose the small island detail which you can have with vinyl stencils.

So each design once designed, can be cut out, stuck on and sprayed and then removed. Design saved and recut for next one.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No matter what you do, you have to find a market for it.  People gotta want it.  And a price that people will pay. As well as you making a profit. 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

this time of year we see a lot of people go out and buy printers without research - and then see the outcome usually within a year or two because they didn't do research.   - because you bought it with tax money etc doesn't mean it didn't cost you anything and won't need replaced.   we also see several open brick and mortar stores - and find themselves working most of the month to "Break even" - the same point they would have been at watching tv all month - we are just saying to some research before you jump in the deep end  - your family will thank you later

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have a bit of a grudge about printers.

The cost of inks and heads etc. They are a money pit.

I sell a how to build a Teardrop caravan book online and decided to go round car boots sales selling the book on cds.

So i printed out all 1200 pages with a half page photo on each page so people could see what they were buying..the printer ate ink!

In the end I bought a epson eco tank printer (had tanks you filled up with bottled ink) which was a breath of fresh air in the world of printers.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

CIS kit from cobra ink in the USA. Best thing I did without having to pay for an eco tank epson.

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
12 minutes ago, dvddvd said:

I have a bit of a grudge about printers.

The cost of inks and heads etc. They are a money pit.

I sell a how to build a Teardrop caravan book online and decided to go round car boots sales selling the book on cds.

So i printed out all 1200 pages with a half page photo on each page so people could see what they were buying..the printer ate ink!

In the end I bought a epson eco tank printer (had tanks you filled up with bottled ink) which was a breath of fresh air in the world of printers.

solvent printer heads run $750 each (usually 2-6 heads per printer) up to $2600 per head  - - inks you will love at $70 each last I bought - 4-6 colors to buy.  if you run out of ink it sits not doing cleanings for a couple of days and you buy new heads so always keep spares on hand.   if you hated water based you will be entertained with solvent.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow....I felt ripped off paying £8.00 a cartridge!....think im put off buying a printer!

Thanks...you have all saved me a fortune...I'll try to be more artistic with my stencils and air brush

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

For home printing I gave up on inkjets several years ago. Switched to laser and have not looked back. Inkjets is superior for in home photo reproduction but for just standard printing laser wins out hands down.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now