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I just purchased an HP5000 42" inkjet and am thinking about a laminator. The majority of my work is outdoor and I sometimes feel I made a poor choice in the HP. Don't get me wrong it's a great printer but I may have had a Thermal like a Roland PC600 fit my uses better. Well anyway I have decided (at least for the next 10 seconds) to try to expand my product line to find work for the HP. I am thinking I can laminate my outdoor stuff and feel safe with a 2 year life. SO MY QUESTIONS ARE. Am I on the crack pipe to think I will be happy with the laminated decals and #2 PLEASE give me some input on laminators. I am a small volume shop and I fear I shot my wadd on the HP so input on lower cost would be great.
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Posts: 11 | From: Milo IA. USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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HP just brought out their UV ink conversion kit for the HP5000, and the kit is $2,500.
If you are planning on laminating dye based ink as a way of getting long color life, you are headed for a disappointment. You want to be very wary of any product that promises to give indoor inks outdoor durability.
You are going to have to bite the bullet and buy the UV kit, or sell your HP and get something that already runs UV inks.
I have the same printer and I am very happy with it. But I will buy the UV package before selling outdoor products. Vic G
------------------ Victor Georgiou Bob Loves Signs Inc Danville, CA email blssign@pacbell.net
Posts: 1746 | From: Danville, CA , USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Thanks Victor, I hear you on the UV thing ,thats why I thought by time I get that and a laminator I would be in the smame range as an thermal. Do you have experience with ink jet decals on vehicles and signs? If so I would sure appreciate your thoughts on them.
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Posts: 11 | From: Milo IA. USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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I have a couple Encad printers and I've tried several ways to make dye based inks uv resistant and still havn't found one. I've found a couple excellent ways to water proof the prints...lamination and pelucid. About the only thing I havn't tried yet is pigmented inks. Switching to pigmented inks is fairly expensive (inks, cartridges, paper, etc..) so I havn't ventured there but do intend to. I deffinately wouldn't sell any dye based prints until I've had time to test its uv stability. I tried it where I live and faced the prints straight up to catch the most sun. In little more than a month they had faded beyond the desirable point with the red especially turning pink and then dissappearing. So my next attempt will be using pigmented inks and if the prints look good enough with pigmented inks and can last outdoors it would be worth it.
------------------ When good things happen...that must be a sign!! Tony McDonald DBA-Ace Graphics & Printing P.O. Box 91 Camdenton, MO. USA (573) 346-6696 <daddyo@advertisnet.com> <tony@brownbeverage.com>
Posts: 1199 | From: Camdenton, MO. USA | Registered: Oct 1999
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We've got a 40" seal roll laminator. Runs on 220 and has it's own air compressor. I think they run around $9,000 and is a pretty big piece of machinery. It laminates as almost as wide as my 42" printer so it works well. I'm sure there are many other's that would be fine and cost less. I keep watching e-bay for a 25" roll laminator which would be about right for my croma 24" printer at home. You can buy one of these for around $1,000 (but I'm waiting for that...real deal) And we also have a commercial grade pouch laminator made by Jackson-Hirsch which is a dandy but only laminates up to 11x17 and uses pouches. I think it was about $500. So it depends on how large you need and how much you're going to use it. Hope this helps...
------------------ When good things happen...that must be a sign!! Tony McDonald DBA-Ace Graphics & Printing P.O. Box 91 Camdenton, MO. USA (573) 346-6696 <daddyo@advertisnet.com> <tony@brownbeverage.com>
Posts: 1199 | From: Camdenton, MO. USA | Registered: Oct 1999
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