ended up with a risograph gr2750

[ondemandbindery]

Hi all. I went to an auction and ended up with a Risograph GR2750. I googled it and it seems like interesting technology. Old and antiquated I suppose but are these things still getting used? The run speed seems pretty good and to me it would be an excellent candidate for simple line work like NCR invoices and such. Someone chime in here and give me the scoop please......

Thanks all and take care,

John Weaver

 

[henderd]

I have 2 (plated as Savins 3450's). They are old, but they still work. They're good for simple black and white work where quality is not an issue, speed is.
Great for carbonless forms and envelopes (again, where quality is not an issue.)

 

[printmail]

Hey, as above I have one and mainly print Permit post indecia's and return addresses on envelopes, last year printed 443,000 envelopes with very little maintenance. Great little machines. Am now investigating the Colour Variable model.

 

[ondemandbindery]

We were laughing at this machine today. I literally plugged it in and just followed the instructions on the screen. Talk about dumbing down putting ink on paper. I tried different envelopes, NCR, card stock and it smoked it through there. I did notice the sheet has a decent amount of moisture content. What is the angle of people not using more of these? The print quality looks sellable to me and that is off the glass. I use to run TOK duplicators and I am sure the long run would win with my old heidelberg but for short run it would eat it up. A fun day in the shop for sure.

 

[printmail]

Glad you're having fun, and you're right it is easy sellable and you do get a better quality printing straight from the PC.

 

[msaeger]

I see customers that have digital duplicators that don't use them because they don't really know what they are. With color click charges dropping I have been seeing less and less of them.

 

[ondemandbindery]

This one only has half a million impressions. Going to hold on to it. I found a company locally that has experience with these older machines. I occasionally have to get some things done with packaging projects in print shops but this may cease that. Old school getting it done. For you guys running them good for you. Just a simple and well thought out machine.

 

[[email protected]]

Digital duplicators are great for certain things. I think it to be a travesty that they aren't pushed and sold as much anymore.

 

[ondemandbindery]

Yeah I have been amazed at what I was able to run through it. I guess it ended up being more of a mad science experiment than anything but they are used out in the Industry and in the right market I bet the ROI is insane. Extremely low maintenance, extremely low cost consumables and they flat out run. I actually have mine for sale now as I have closed my business but I have to say it is a neat machine....

 

[PrintTriks]

I Use the a GR3770, all the time you just have to know what it will and will not do. For me Volume single color stuff where quality is not key, lots of carbonless and a fair amount of envelopes. Also the quality is MUCH better with an interface.

 

[ondemandbindery]

I Use the a GR3770, all the time you just have to know what it will and will not do. For me Volume single color stuff where quality is not key, lots of carbonless and a fair amount of envelopes. Also the quality is MUCH better with an interface.

What I found is the interface made it easier to deal with files. If you have a clean copy I totally agree with youabout quality but a digital file is easier to deal with. You seem to be in the right market with it and have figured it out. I used it with Carbonless projects and the registration was more than acceptable.

 

[[email protected]]

I actually checked a few years ago into dealership opportunities for the Standard Horizon digital duplicators. My understanding is that they own the rights to the technology but have Ricoh in Japan make the duplicators for them and Ricoh/Savin/Gestetner/Lanier puts their own label on the lineup as well. As far as I know Riso is their own unique line and Duplo may be unique as well but they offered additional accessories that others didn't such as air-fed pile feeders.

I still see some print shops and churches with them and a few odd and end businesses and maybe a school here and there; usually with really low meters.

I picked up a Gestetner copyprinter (their name for them) a few years back for ten bucks with black, blue, and red ink. The cylinders need cleaned and rebuilt. I've found two companies that do that for about $375.

I think they were the cheaper alternative years ago when laser prints were really expensive but I don't think the creators of duplicators realized how much the cost of a laser print and the equipment was going to fall in price.

They are still so cool though. No heat or fuser. Great for envelopes of all sizes included with clasps. Like PrintTriks I prefer running NCR through them better than my laser. I'm rather picky what substrates touch my drums and fusers.

Just a final thought. Look at the two color duplicators in one pass and the auto duplex ones. The highlight toner devices I've seen are pretty pricey. If duplicators could do variable data; I think they'd make another stronger come back. Nothing beats their reliability and low run costs though. Nothing.

 

[ondemandbindery]

Something else I learned about the Duplicators is the ink. The "Riso" is a Soy base and the "Standard" ink is Petroleum. The Petroleum dries better than the Soy base in my opinion. I made a simple Transfer system and within a few minutes I can move the ink from Cartridge to Cartridge. I also played with UV coatings as well. I definitely think they are not marketed properly because of quality. Know your market and stay in it. Simple as that....