RICOH GXe3350N Can You Use it for Dye Sub?

[JSR]

forgive me if i am wrong but i thought once a printer had been used for normal gel inks it couldn't be used for Subli -r inks

It's my understanding that it isn't that you physically "can't" use dye-sub inks in the Ricoh after it's been used with normal inks (or vice versa) - but it's not advised because there's a long tube connecting each ink cartridge to the printhead that is full of the previous type of ink (a bit like hidden CISS tubes). You need to flush out those inks before the dye-sub ink will reach the paper - which leads to dumping/wasting the amount of ink that was previously in those tubes, plus a little bit more to ensure that dye-sub ink is flowing in all four colours.

If you were to swap back and forth several times, that would get expensive. In a practical sense it's do-able, but you'd be better off using different printers for different inksets. That's how I understood it anyway.

[bms]

It's my understanding that it isn't that you physically "can't" use dye-sub inks in the Ricoh after it's been used with normal inks (or vice versa) - but it's not advised because there's a long tube connecting each ink cartridge to the printhead that is full of the previous type of ink (a bit like hidden CISS tubes). You need to flush out those inks before the dye-sub ink will reach the paper - which leads to dumping/wasting the amount of ink that was previously in those tubes, plus a little bit more to ensure that dye-sub ink is flowing in all four colours.

If you were to swap back and forth several times, that would get expensive. In a practical sense it's do-able, but you'd be better off using different printers for different inksets. That's how I understood it anyway.

That's essentially it. You'd probably waste in excess of £100 worth of sublijet-R inks during the process of flushing the old ink out and getting all 4 tubes completely free of the other inks. So it can be done, but you'd need deep pockets to warrant doing this.:rolleyes:

[JSR]

That's essentially it. You'd probably waste in excess of £100 worth of sublijet-R inks during the process of flushing the old ink out and getting all 4 tubes completely free of the other inks. So it can be done, but you'd need deep pockets to warrant doing this.:rolleyes:

You wouldn't necessarily waste £100 of Sublijet ink if you're going from standard gel/dye to Sublijet, would you? (You'd just be wasting the original gel/dye ink.) Although you probably would if you were going the other way.

In either case, having separate printers is always the best option - not just for saving ink, but for having a backup on-site in case something goes wrong with one of them.

[MugMan]

I have two Gxe3300 printers. One for sublimation and the other for normal printing. I am near replacing the waste tray on one so thought about buying a gxe3350 just for spares plus it gives me another full set of starter ink for the normal printer.

[Daniel]

Hi,

It is almost an impossibility that Sawgrass will support the GXE3350N moving forward due to new Ricoh product in the pipeline for release next quarter.


Dan

[YorkPrint]

Im interested in running a Ricoh 3300 as above - IS it right all i do is buy the one from Ebay and them some Di sub inks and away you go - we have inhouse design so i dont think we would need the power driver (not even sure what it is.

What happens if you have a machine that has had normal ink and then put in Sublimation carts - surely it will eventually start to use the sub ink once the tubes have been filled with it.

Just getting into the sub game as Im sick of out sourcing mug and one of T's - any help advice accepted.

[MugMan]

Welcome YorkPrint. Don't even go down the route of buying a printer which has had normal inks in as this will be a very expensive option, just to get the old inks out and will waste loads of expensive sublimation inks. Your best bet is to look at purchasing from BMS with the sublimation inks. They will give you loads of support and advice.

[Paul]

as this will be a very expensive option, just to get the old inks out and will waste loads of expensive sublimation inks.

I dont get this to be honest... how comes you will waste all that sublimation ink???

[pisquee]

You won't be wasting the sub ink, you'll just be dumping the unwanted normal ink, which as you don't want or need isn't really a waste.

[MugMan]

There will be wastage of the ink in pushing the old ink through the lines. As the ink will mix with the old ink you will need to flush through more than if you were just installing from new. The only way to know that the ink is through is when you print and the colours are bright and not blotchy or faded.