Riso Comcolor

[JayDA]

Does anyone have any experience with the Riso ComColor line? We are considering the 9050 with the Kirk Rudy envelope feeder. The samples provided don't look THAT bad, and the ability to run full color envelopes in any kind of volume would be huge for me, as I'm currently an all digital shop. I already have a PSI system based around the Oki engine, but it's not reliable and the cost can be prohibitive. If anyone has any experience, especially with envelopes, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks....

 

[Craig]

Only thing I can say is that the output looks like a crappy inkjet at best.

 

[Bob Raus]

Craig: Can you elaborate on your exceptional use of descriptive adjectives above? I find it hard to gather any valuable informaiton from your comment. It's clear that you are judging (all?) printing technology based upon your target markets and applications - which is all anyone can ask for. What are you printing envelopes on today and what % profitability are you able to sell them at?

 

[Craig]

Bob, don't get all bunched up now. When you pull samples from a trade show (Graph Expo) and the samples have what looks like lines from clogged nozzles running through them and dot gain like that from a crappy inkjet, then I don't know how else to describe it. Our P4 Addressing machine prints better quality at 300 x 300 dpi. Don't give me the line about trade shows not having the machine set up, bla bla bla.... their there to show off the equipment, it better be performing better than it would in my shop.

I'm not slamming the Comcolor, but the regular duplicators print better. I love the concept, and I want it to work, but I can't see any of my customers accepting a job off that device. It's to bad too, cause I could sell the hell out of short run color envelopes.

Btw, our envelopes are all run on a 1250 with an envelope feeder.

 

[Keith]

Craig, I like your exceptional use of descriptive adjectives. It brings some humour to an industry going through some rough times.

I went to a trade show a couple of years ago to look at the Comcolor and I mentioned the deficiency of quality and the salesman got a little offended! So a couple of weeks later I went to his office in New Jersey for a demo and came out with mixed results. Using my files and my paper, some of them did look like crap and some of them turned out better then what I did on my Xante! It can do good quality work, just not at 150 ipm! I still have those samples. What turned me off was the lack of paper options (you want the good quality print you need to use some damn good paper, but that's probably true for any machine) and it's inability to do gloss, which to me, those two issues make it overpriced as well. All-in-all I think it's so damn close to replacing toner machines. The idea of no stupid drums, no stupid fusers and no stupid belts is something I dream about everyday.

 

[Craig]

You and I both have the same dream Keith... I'm actually thinking about a DI or a 4 color press and metal platemaker now???? Not fun having a $9,000.00 bill for click charges every month!.

Maybe the "crappyness" came from running the Comcolor too fast??? Maybe the sales team for Riso is trying to sell it for something it aint made to do, and get mad when you point out the flaws????

 

[Josh]

You and I both have the same dream Keith... I'm actually thinking about a DI or a 4 color press and metal platemaker now???? Not fun having a $9,000.00 bill for click charges every month!.

Maybe the "crappyness" came from running the Comcolor too fast??? Maybe the sales team for Riso is trying to sell it for something it aint made to do, and get mad when you point out the flaws????

I may be completely wrong but weren't you really against the idea of DIs (presstek?) a while back?

I remember there seemed to be quite a lot of discussion regarding them maybe 1-2 years ago with a chap called OffsetGuy(?)

Just interested to hear what your current thoughts are!!

 

[Craig]

It's one of the OPTIONS, not necessarily top of the list that's for sure. I still think the options are greater with a 4 color press and a platemaker.

 

[bompi]

We bought a comcolor 7050, we took to print the ampersand (letterhead, Blocks orders, receipts, envelopes), but with the right cards can also be used for other applications, printing is not as bright as other digital but the rest of the soy-based inks are a little fat and not remain on the surface, but it is always a matter of taste.
The printer now had a couple of updates, a new pickup that improves grip on heavy media (you get to 400 gr.), And new rollers, the largest paying closer crush the envelopes so that they can print heads lower for better quality.
We are very satisfied, only to find just the right media and the right settings to get good results.
In addition it is not a toner, not heat and does not stress the media, the paper comes out perfectly rolled out, and log duplex is perfect, do not forget to print 120 pages per minute.

 

[Bob Raus]

This is a good dialogue now. Every technology has its limitations and it is unwise to expect the same results from completely different technologies including toner vs. offset and toner vs. inkjet. In the end it is a matter of taste and price.

If you can make the same profit by charging 20% less for full color inkjet and also turn the job around in 1/2 the time as toner, will your customer accept the print quality then? Have you asked them? If so, then of course you should by the iGen or Indigo.

ComColor is not trying to be an iGen or Indigo, although it is 30 PPM faster and 1/10 the acquisition price. Can you compare a Bentley to a Camry? Both will get you to the store and the Camry is the best-selling vehicle in America. Should we bash the Camry for not being a Bentley?

 

[Craig]

It's not that I'm bashing, I just gave my opinion based on the output I saw at a trade show. To me it is not a sellable product to my customer base. In fact the regular duplicators print better than the ComColor.

 

[scubadunc]

We bought a comcolor 7050, we took to print the ampersand (letterhead, Blocks orders, receipts, envelopes), but with the right cards can also be used for other applications, printing is not as bright as other digital but the rest of the soy-based inks are a little fat and not remain on the surface, but it is always a matter of taste.
The printer now had a couple of updates, a new pickup that improves grip on heavy media (you get to 400 gr.), And new rollers, the largest paying closer crush the envelopes so that they can print heads lower for better quality.
We are very satisfied, only to find just the right media and the right settings to get good results.
In addition it is not a toner, not heat and does not stress the media, the paper comes out perfectly rolled out, and log duplex is perfect, do not forget to print 120 pages per minute.

What sort of print speeds do you get when running envelopes with variable data?