Older generation, low mainetence, Color printer suggestions.

[swaggen]

Im new to the industry. I print a lot of color postcards where the color registration and quality needs to be OK, but not great. Print about 200k-300k a month broken down to 8 on a 11 x 17 so under 100k images a month.

Im looking for suggestions on a workhorse, low consumables and imager costs. Speed not a huge factor.

Thanks ALL .

 

[AP90]

Let us all know where you find this Unicorn at please.

But in all seriousness, if you are dead set with a used machine, look at the older Xerox line. I wouldn't go older than a J or C75 but the 700's are out there for cheap. But parts are going to start getting scarce. Your lowest click rates are going to be on brand new machines. Thats a plus. but your volume is your biggest problem. Your going to be running a low end production machine to death with 200-300k/month with that volume. You'd be looking at a mid level machine going with something new from all the big box dealers. You can get anything out there used and cheap, but theres a reason people usually don't want to go with used digital machines.

 

[swaggen]

Thanks AP90,

My page count will be under 100k a month max.

I have a relative in the printer liquidation business. I have been getting low click older gen printers for not much cost other than consumables. Knock on wood working out so far. Time will tell however.

I have a KM 552, So far its working out well. Just looking out on the horizon for a back up.

 

[Craig]

Im new to the industry. I print a lot of color postcards where the color registration and quality needs to be OK, but not great. Print about 200k-300k a month broken down to 8 on a 11 x 17 so under 100k images a month.

Im looking for suggestions on a workhorse, low consumables and imager costs. Speed not a huge factor.

Thanks ALL .

Ugh, this is what I fight every day. Crappy cheap "printers" who invest as little as they can and don't take pride in what they produce! Newsprint quality at it's best is what you are asking for!

 

[AP90]

Ugh, this is what I fight every day. Crappy cheap "printers" who invest as little as they can and don't take pride in what they produce! Newsprint quality at it's best is what you are asking for!

If this is a problem for you, then you need to look into your own business model and figure out how to beat him, because honestly if you and your X1000 are threatened by a guy with a 10yr old KM, then you have problems. Not him. Honestly, all he's doing is what the rest of us do, which is try to cut cost as much as possible. He just sacrifices image quality to do so. Most of us do not.

Also, if your being sarcastic, it's been a rough week at the office already. I'm not very cheerful lol.

 

[swaggen]

Dear God Craig, go back in the hole you came form. I print for myself and business associates. Standard print quality it perfect for what we are sending. Text only, no pictures.

 

[msaeger]

Are you color on the postcards or do you mean printing on colored paper? When you say they only have text it makes me think you mean black and white?

 

[Craig]

If this is a problem for you, then you need to look into your own business model and figure out how to beat him, because honestly if you and your X1000 are threatened by a guy with a 10yr old KM, then you have problems. Not him. Honestly, all he's doing is what the rest of us do, which is try to cut cost as much as possible. He just sacrifices image quality to do so. Most of us do not.

Also, if your being sarcastic, it's been a rough week at the office already. I'm not very cheerful lol.

Honestly my business model is great with double digit growth since 2008. It's the stigma you get when you try to explain to someone that you are a digital printer. They act as if you are low quality budget paper pusher. On the contrary, we will hold our own with any offset shop. This is especially true when dealing with design houses who already think they are holier-than-thou.