DSF

I currently run a couple of Ricoh A4 Printers, one with Sawgrass and the other with anything I can lay my hands on. However I have decided to look at getting an A3 option for a couple of projects I have in mind.

So I am looking for the cheapest possible solution to the following...

Decent quality print
Can accept refillable ink

Ultimately if the project works then I will probably get the wide format from Sawgrass or something from Mags (he knows his stuff), but for now I want cheap to test the market with something decent. I don't mind having to run a print once a day to keep the heads clear and I don't mind getting a profile from Paul, so if anyone has real experience and can recommend something then let me know.

For A3, I went with the Epson 1500W. It's being discontinued so can be picked up cheap. CISS available for them too.

Cheers Gooner

Can you get refillable carts as well as CISS for them? Don't really understand CISS and would be worried that my cack handed efforts would screw it all up.

Epson 1500W hands down. And yes you can get refillable carts for it (I have some myself)

Tried CISS with my Canon Pixma ix6800 inkjet printer. It worked, but was more trouble than it was worth. Kept getting air bubbles in the lines after a few days. Refillable carts are much better, in my opinion.

Are you guys running a decent ink in them and how often do you need to run a print through to keep the heads clean?

Get a used GX7000 faultless can be turned off for months and turned back on and away you go, refillable carts and bottles of ink no problem and will print 13" x 19". I have 3 and a few SG3110DN's also.

Get a used GX7000

No thanks and not faultless. I have one here that will testify to that. Has a condensation problem which can not be fixed, have tried all the "tricks" to no avail. While appreciate that they are a fairly decent sublimation printer, unlike the SG3110 A4 printers they are stupidly expensive for no reason at all.

If they were a couple of hundred quid then I would go for one, but at £700 new I think I will look for something that prints better for a third of the price

got all mine between a fiver and 25 quide and not had any problems apart from running out of ink or paper :rolleyes:

I got a 1500w for £180 about 12 months ago. Came with a full set of cartridges, that I sold on ebay for £30.
Cost effective option ( once you have profiles sorted), that will work with Sublinova Smart ink, as well as 'own brand' inks from the usual suspects.

If you are going to use refillables then get two sets.The 1500w doesn't have the largest cartidges on the market, and having a spare set filled and ready will speed things up.
If you use a ciss, don't get it from City Ink Express. Nothing wrong with their product or ink, but the ciss tanks are too low and stubby for the 1500w. The top of the tank doesn't reach the bottom of the printhead, and I had problems with ink running back into the tank. I have had to stand mine on top of 2 Screwfix catalogues to raise it up enough...

I haven't noticed any problems with clogging - I mainly screenprint or use vinyl, so mine doesn't always get used every week.