Plotter Decision

My Designjet 500 is still lugging along. I use it to plot originals and check prints. However deliverable copies are done at the local UPS store. I don't do color but I am not paying anywhere close to what you are being charged. Is FedEx picking them up at your office and delivering them? Do the prints come framed??ÿ

Local print shops, around here, are about half of what the big chains charge, for color and Mylar.

You might look at leasing a plotter; that way you'll get a new one every couple years. Just make sure you fold the extra cost, into your hourly rate.

What I've observed about you. I'd recommend a cheap one.?

My town has a shop that fills empty inkjet cartridges at 1/2 the price HP sells them for. They usually work the same as originals. HP has a chip on the newer cartridges that won't let them work, but I just keep taking them back till I get one that works.

You can't give away old Plotters.

Ditto what others have said re: the local UPS Store.

Jim,

If you are looking to replace, the HP T520 seems to work well for me.?ÿ I rarely plot full size but the tabloid sheet feeder works great.?ÿ As I recall it cost about $1500.

If all you're really using it for is check prints I would get a larger all-in-one that will do half-size.?ÿ We have an Epson WF-7520 what will take 12"x18" sheets.?ÿ After that anything that needs plotted for a deliverable would get done in?ÿa print shop, the expense passed through at cost +10%.?ÿ

We have a full size Xerox 6204 Plotter that has been a serious workhorse.?ÿ I would recommend something like it although it won't do color.

I'll second the T520.?ÿ Reasonable price, small and so far dependable.?ÿ We bought it a few years ago when our HP 750C was incapacitated.

?ÿWe have a Staples across the street if quantity is needed.

We still have the HP 750C chugging along.?ÿ A few?ÿyou-tube videos and some parts and presto.?ÿ That unit was bought used 18 years.

After reading Jims post I?ÿlooked up replacement ink cartridges.?ÿ Nuts, you-tube won't fix that problem.

I got a HP7440 wireless tabloid sized scanner, printer, fax for $144 from Office Max. The ink cartridges are $208 a set which is color. You have to have an OP at windows 7 or above. My phone prints to it wirelessly. Print quality is quite good.

Jim:

?ÿ

I still have the cartridges I sent you a list of last August. The black shows an Expiration date of Nov.?ÿ 2017 and the colors are earlier. I assumed that you got the list, but weren't interested as I never heard back from you.?ÿ I've always had some luck with getting an out of date cartridge to work by wetting a paper towel and working with it to get it flowing again. I still have the list if you would like to nsee it again. Let me know.

I saw a pretty nice sales pitch for the HP Page Wide XL 4000. Impressive and fast, but likely overkill for your situation. Something to consider.

After starting my business a year ago, I began to realize that I needed to have a plotter in the office. I didn't have time to wait for Staples or the builders exchange to print check prints let alone drive to get them. Also being a small town, no one will print on mylar for recording even if I provided the mylar.

I went with the Canon IPF780. Love this machine. Quality and speed are great and price is affordable.?ÿ

If you're a glutton for punishment get an HP T120 - I've had mine for about 3 years and it's the most aggravating device I've ever owned.?ÿ Prints D sized landscape dwgs OK right off the 22" roll, autorotates perfectly.?ÿ Load a single D size sheet of mylar, won't rotate the dwg, prints 22/34ths on one end of sheet.?ÿ Have to print to pdf, rotate pdf 90?ø, then it will plot it.

IF you can get it to accept the single sheet and acknowledge that it is in fact 22.0" wide, and not 21.48" or some other nonsensical number.?ÿ?ÿ

I just came from my local UPS store where they charge $5/sf for color prints.?ÿ

I use Staples, generally walk in, full size B&W and 11x17 color, 1 each for a check print, deliverables are cost plus. I have a new 12x18 color plotter?ÿsitting in a very big box waiting for me to clear up some office space. it is just so much bigger than the 11x17 that crapped out.

I wanted an HP 8.5x14 B&W laser, but am very satisfied with the Brother I got instead.?ÿ

I am spoiled as I have 2 Staples within 3 miles of home, North or West and one is almost always on the way to the majority of my field work, so dropping in is no big deal.

Paul in PA

I find myself printing maybe 10 full D size sheets a month and the closest print shop was 30 miles away, so I ended up buying a Canon iPF 670 a little over a year ago and so far so good. No problems whatsoever, prints in color?ÿand the prints seems to be very good quality.

I replaced my 14 year old HP100 with a T120. I've had it almost 2 years.?ÿ

I'm pleased with the printer. Granted, I don't print very often.

I think it was around $675. I later purchased an extra roll spindle so I don't have to switch out for paper type.

A friend bought the comparable Canon printer and had major problems with it.

?ÿ

Jim,

My local Office Max/Office Depot charges about $5 for B/W, $7 for color on 24"x36"?ÿbond paper. They use ink jets.

They can print on photo paper and they charge fees in the range you mention.

I use a dedicated print shop for Mylar and I think the fees were about what your Kinkos is charging for paper.

Good luck with your choice.

JA, PLS SoCal

It looks like Office Depot might be the best deal available to me for service bureau printing.?ÿ I tried a local mom-and-pop shop, and they did a great job with B&W prints at only $1.25 a sheet for 24"x36", but they want $18 for color.?ÿ I haven't give up on the 450C yet, I have a line on some NOS cartridges (thanks, Charles!) that may allow me to limp along for awhile printing in-house.?ÿ It's hard to beat that for convenience.

I bought an HP500 in 2001 and I am still using it. I bought a continuous ink system for it. I just buy bulk ink and keep feeding it as the levels get low. I've had very few problems with it. Mainly the belt will wear out every 6-10 years. I've replaced it three times. Pretty simple fix.

With the continuous ink system the cost per print in minimal.