Which A4 Printer for Sublimation?

[Flash]

Ok people, it looks like it's sublimation for me so I am going to need a printer to dedicate for this purpose.
I will be needing to get maximum efficiancy from this printer so will be hooking up a C.I.S.S system to it.
What is a current model best suited for this purpose in mind?
I'm tempted with the Ricoh GX5050n on Ebay talked about on these forums but those replacement cartridges are a little rich
Thanks in advance again for your kind help.

Phil

[bms]

Choice in the A4 market is the Epson D120 with the Easyflow system (500ml of ink in total) at around £295 +vat or the Ricoh GX5050 with 4 subli-jetR ink cartridges (240ml in total) at prices starting around £349 +vat. The new Epson B40W is also now supported (with the Easyflow system) but prices could be the same as the Ricoh.

[Paul]

you can get hold of old epson D88 (I use this one) it will cost you about £40 + cis

[Flash]

Thanks Martin,
I see the Epson D120 retails for £49.99 on the Epson UK website, probably get it cheaper if I hunt!
Can I not just hook-up a good empty C.I.S.S system to this and fill it with Dye-Sub Ink?

Phil

[JSR]

Thanks Martin,
I see the Epson D120 retails for £49.99 on the Epson UK website, probably get it cheaper if I hunt!
Can I not just hook-up a good empty C.I.S.S system to this and fill it with Dye-Sub Ink?

Phil

I think you generally find that an Easyflow system supplied with ink and "pre-primed" works out roughly the same as the cost of the Artanium ink that's in it. The actual CISS is not costing you all that much.

If you did it from separates, you'd need to get the ICC profile - which generally comes free with the CISS, but you may have to pay for if you don't buy the CISS.

That said, I wish they'd provide "low-volume" CISS for some of these printers. I'd like to get a backup printer (such as an A4) complete with Easyflow CISS but I can't put up the full cost of one filled with ink when I have half-full bottles of the stuff on my shelf. If someone sold a low-volume CISS (maybe just 40ml of each ink so that it's "ready to go" for a VAT-inclusive price of under £200, or under £150 for a 4-ink system) then they'd probably have more sales.

[Justin]

May be worth starting off with refillable cart's until you're doing more work. A bit fiddly to start with but cheaper than buying a CIS and also less prone to problems with air blockages in lines etc.
If you do this make sure you get decent carts though. My first lot split at the edges, luckily whilst out of the printer. The ones I'm using now are working perfectly, fingers crossed.

Justin

[bms]

Epson D120 retails for £49.99 on the Epson UK website

Epson should start selling hens teath - they are just as easy to source at the moment!

[AJLA]

Hen's teeth aahh..they're freat fried, if you can get hold of them that is..
Like Paul I have a D88, been an old faithful to me with very few problems.

[Flash]

May be worth starting off with refillable cart's until you're doing more work. A bit fiddly to start with but cheaper than buying a CIS and also less prone to problems with air blockages in lines etc.
If you do this make sure you get decent carts though. My first lot split at the edges, luckily whilst out of the printer. The ones I'm using now are working perfectly, fingers crossed.

Justin

Hi Justin,
I had a whole lot more problems with refillable carts than I have had with my C.I.S.S. My cartridges split too, when I threw them across my shop
The theory I came up with is that when you need to remove the carts to fool the printer that you have changed them(this is what I had to do with mine anyway!) when you put the carts back in you force air into the print head.
In theory, if you keep your C.I.S.S system topped up correctly air should never get in as it is a sealed system.
I have had a very embarrassing experience with a C.I.S.S system before, which was etirely my fault but I will save this yarn for another day

Phil

[Justin]

Now you have to tell us the tale......

Justin