Wide Format - Available Options

[Justin]

Interested to hear thoughts on what folk are using for large format. Really interested in options for 7+ colours so not ruling out 4880 etc. but probably looking more towards larger format.

Also interested in the 24" printers, obviously adhering to the Sawgrass stranglehold, sorry, I mean conditions Please don't discuss third party inks in conjunction with anything less than 44"

So....what have you?

[pisquee]

We have a 9600, so 7 colour 44" wide (111.8cm)
love it.
Started on a SP4400 (17" 4 colour) saw huge quality improvement from moving up from a 1400 with CISS, although we missed the 6 colours.
Then moved up to the 7600 (24" 7 colour) and having the extra three colours was another big improvement in quality.
Then we moved to the 9600 as our workflow and products would benefit from the extra width, and the cheaper roll paper options.

The only difference between the 7600 and 9600 is the width - otherwise they're exactly the same. There is also a 10600, which is still 44", drops the light black channel, and the resolution a bit, but ups the speed - it also has two paper spindles (which would be good for sublimation if you wanted a tacky and non tacky paper loaded up)
These are old machines, but, are workhorses, and sold a lot, so plenty of them on the used market.

[socialgiraffe]

Do not want to divert from this thread but I was of the understanding that the Sawgrass patent was for 17" and below or at a push 24"

Before my ex business partner scum nicked everything we had a 9600 and have to admit it was bullet proof. Or I should say bomb proof. The factory used to be based near the Buncefield oil refinery and our premises were flattened. Only computer type bit of kit that survived was the 9600. Everything else under 50 years old and not manufactured like the "good old days" was knackered.

[bms]

Do not want to divert from this thread but I was of the understanding that the Sawgrass patent was for 17" and below or at a push 24"

Before my ex business partner scum nicked everything we had a 9600 and have to admit it was bullet proof. Or I should say bomb proof. The factory used to be based near the Buncefield oil refinery and our premises were flattened. Only computer type bit of kit that survived was the 9600. Everything else under 50 years old and not manufactured like the "good old days" was knackered.

Patent applies to everything 44" or smaller. Wide format as defined by Sawgrass is 44" or above so we can supply litre inks for the 9600 (as other sublimation suppliers can also supply into this printer), but the 7600 for example can't
be supplied with other sublimation inks or litre volumes.

[pisquee]

Patent applies to everything 44" or smaller.

The patent itself makes no mention of printer carriage width.
There are Sawgrass dealers who seem to think that a 24" printer is good enough, and will supply Sawgrass' own wide format Sublim litres for those printers.

[Justin]

Appreciate the input on what is/isn't large format but can we keep this thread on course please? I think there are other threads this can be continued in, cheers

[bms]

The patent itself makes no mention of printer carriage width.
There are Sawgrass dealers who seem to think that a 24" printer is good enough, and will supply Sawgrass' own wide format Sublim litres for those printers.

Then those dealers may be having a conversation with Sawgrass in the future then. If we supply litre inks, Sawgrass want to know the printer, model and serial number and to purchase said ink the printer must be of the 44" carriage width or larger. That's pretty clear to me. If any Sawgrass dealer wishes to interpret that differently then that is at their peril!

Sawgrass are members here so perhaps they will make an explicit statement...