Want a A1 printer not just for myself.

J

Jackster

Suspended / Banned
Messages
23
Edit My Images
No
So I hope coming to this forum is a bit more encouraging than the others I have been to about this subject.

What I want to do is offer medium end quality photo paper prints for people and use the printer for myself.

I am looking to by a HP Designjet 130 off a auction site.

The one I have found is currently at £150 and has roll and new inks and some new print heads.

Looks like they have taken great care of it and hardly used.

What I want to do is use is Continuous Ink System with my own inks that I can get cheapish (They are good quality) from the market.

So I would be spending around £200 for the printer that includes about 100 high quality prints worth of ink.

When I need more ink I will get the CIS and some bottles of ink.


From the first looks it seams that I would be able make prints at about £1.50 a go using high quality photo paper and nice inks. That being one A1 sheet.

So I already have 2 orders of A1 photos that I took of some cats. (They are her cats and I took a snappy one day and she asked for prints... WIN!)

So do you lot think it is worth it and that if I market myself right I would be able to make a little something out of this?

I am college student and don't want to be stacking shelfs at super markets all my spare time so rather do something like this.

So yes no? Other ideas?

Would love some crits or anything to help.

Thank you!

Jack,
 
Sorry if I have read your post wrong, but if your buying an HP printer surely you'd get better prints buying HP ink cartridges aswell? Rather than ink from the market? :S

If it's the cost of ink that's putting you off, have you thought about offering smaller prints? Rather than ink eating A1 prints?
 
~*~ElmoHolz~*~ said:
Sorry if I have read your post wrong, but if your buying an HP printer surely you'd get better prints buying HP ink cartridges aswell? Rather than ink from the market? :S

If it's the cost of ink that's putting you off, have you thought about offering smaller prints? Rather than ink eating A1 prints?
Click to expand...

Would offer A4 to A1 prints on as may formats as I can.

So far all I have had is negative thoughts about getting one though so have stopped looking for one :/
 
Hi Jack,

The originals are expensive, but you know they are consistent and somewhat UV protected.
The same with cheap rolls of media. Unless you've been using the brand for a long time, you never know if they are going to fade/discolour after 6 months.

If you do use the cheap inks etc, then it'd be worth looking into using a protective spray/varnish on your prints to UV protect them. It'll stop them discolouring over time.
 
djs said:
Hi Jack,

The originals are expensive, but you know they are consistent and somewhat UV protected.
The same with cheap rolls of media. Unless you've been using the brand for a long time, you never know if they are going to fade/discolour after 6 months.

If you do use the cheap inks etc, then it'd be worth looking into using a protective spray/varnish on your prints to UV protect them. It'll stop them discolouring over time.
Click to expand...

I looked at liquid laminate for protection.

Some say "UV protection" on them..

Something I am still researching.
 
You could try the Hahnemuhle protective spray. That UV protects prints.
 
Thank you djs!

Trying to find the best cheap ink as well for pricing up running costs.

If anyone can recommend some for me please do!

[edit] Also on HP's site they show how much ink is used per per ft2(1) in CC's.

How can I got from that to ml?

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Jackster said:
Would offer A4 to A1 prints on as may formats as I can.

So far all I have had is negative thoughts about getting one though so have stopped looking for one :/
Click to expand...

I haven't printed as big as A1, but have used a epson printer capable of A2 and was very impressed with print quality.

Just wondered what kind of negative thoughts you've had?
 
~*~ElmoHolz~*~ said:
I haven't printed as big as A1, but have used a epson printer capable of A2 and was very impressed with print quality.

Just wondered what kind of negative thoughts you've had?
Click to expand...

I have not had any.

Others have.

Other tech forum says maintenance is hard.

Parent says it is not worth it.

Grandparent liked the idea until annoying uncle got involved (who knows everything...but really does not), his friend of a friend says that the ink costs a bomb making it not worth it. His friend is apparently all into it...


Doing research I think anyway a color print for A1 would be 4.5ml of ink.
1ml of ink costs 5 pence. (ink from Google search. 6x 100ml bottles costing £30 total)
Costing £0.25 per print of ink ~rounded up.
One A1 High-gloss Photo Paper sheet is £1
So per A1 color it would cost me £1.25

Went to two photo places in my town today.
One did a sheet for £10 and one did £20+VAT for A1.

First one had same setup as I would have using refillable ink cartridges.
Photos looked great.
Other place was a dedicated printer place.
Same quality. But they had 20 machines the first guy had the same thing as I wanted one of theses with a roll feeder:
Hp-Designjet-130.jpg


And they both only did poster paper, not photo paper.

So if I was to sell one A1 photo at £15. I would make £13.75 profit.
(Postage would be extra? I think that is fair)..

Lets say I can sell 1 a week. 50 over a year that would be £750 at a total profit of £687.5

Now lets say I need to replace the printer heads. (they do more than 50 a year so lets say 2 years).

Each print head costs ~£35 so would be £210.
Over 2 years if I was to print 50 a year that would be £1375 - £210 for print heads would be £1165 profit.

So now we can start to see something out of this.

Lets say I also need to service the machine. £100 a year? New belt new sliders type of thing?
Cost of printer is ~£300.
So in the first 2 years at 1 print a week I could end up being £500-700 in pocket and have quite a few nice prints of my own . (That includes £50 worth of wastage from bad prints to color defects.

What do you think?

I have the space for the machine.
I have time as I am only at college 3 days a week.
I build computers and servers and have services a deskjet before.


I don't see what the problem is with the people on the other forum..

I see it as a viable future.


How would I get noticed?
Well I would send 5 free samples out to 5 people I know and get their feedback to prove to people.

Would also send flyers to local businesses about what I am doing in a professional manner. (going into the building presenting myself nicely).


Hope that post made sense.

Would love to hear feedback on it.

Might have to do a write up and send it to parent and grandparents and see what they make of it.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top