Hi! I belong to a nonprofit organization and I normally do all the printing at home to cut back on costs. A couple of times a year, we produce an 8-1/2 x 11 bound Souvenir Program (we sell ad space, etc. to members and businesses for fundraising) that are between 50 to 100 pages each x 100-200 books. We've been taking these to professional printers over the years but the cost is really is quite prohibitive---I visited various printers in the LA/OC area over the last month and the cheapest estimate was over $2500 for B&W copies (which means we would have made just around $250 profit at the end). So I took them to Kinko's instead but the finished product is like---well, Kinko's...despite the really nice printouts I got from my cheapie Epson printer at home (I submitted a disk for them to make the copies with). Which made me wonder if any of those inkjet printers can take that much work so that I can just print everything on my photo quality Epson vs. taking them elsewhere. Unless anyone else has suggestions? TIA!
what is the best inkjet for huge volume of printing?
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alexandereci
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What is your printer type and what inks do you use?
I'm a flight simulator enthusiast (Falcon 4 Allied Force) as well as a Pen-and-Paper RPG game master and I print out a lot of manuals, ebooks, and odds-and-ends to handout to my players or supplement my games. I've printed out a 700-page manual, 3 or 4 400-page ebooks, a lot of small stuff --- basically enough for AT LEAST 6 reams of paper printed on both sides, so that's at least 6 reams x 500 sheets per ream x 2 prints per sheet --- 6,000 prints at least within the last 6-7 months.
And I'm using a Canon iP1000 that costs less than US$40. Higher-quality printers can take much more of a beating, my printer's starting to retire... but for less than US$40 and doing my own refill and with my print output, you can say I've done and tortured this printer and it delivered.
Hope that helps you some!
I'm a flight simulator enthusiast (Falcon 4 Allied Force) as well as a Pen-and-Paper RPG game master and I print out a lot of manuals, ebooks, and odds-and-ends to handout to my players or supplement my games. I've printed out a 700-page manual, 3 or 4 400-page ebooks, a lot of small stuff --- basically enough for AT LEAST 6 reams of paper printed on both sides, so that's at least 6 reams x 500 sheets per ream x 2 prints per sheet --- 6,000 prints at least within the last 6-7 months.
And I'm using a Canon iP1000 that costs less than US$40. Higher-quality printers can take much more of a beating, my printer's starting to retire... but for less than US$40 and doing my own refill and with my print output, you can say I've done and tortured this printer and it delivered.
Hope that helps you some!
First off I am assuming that you do your own ink refilling, otherwise this project would be too expensive using an ink jet. Your job as described is 5,000-20,000 pages of printing. Maybe just go out and get a new cheapie Epson that uses the same ink cartridges that you use now and start printing and see how long it lasts. Maybe it does the whole 20,000 pages maybe not, but it certainly should do thousands and thousands of pages and soon you will know your answer with little cash outlay and you will have some of your Programs done.
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Thank so much for the responses; it's time to do some experiments then. I don't refill my own but I'm sure I can check the rest of the forum for how-tos. I also have an Epson C-66 that quit on me because, I'm guessing, the ink heads got dry for non-use. Any chance it can be resurrected somehow? (I haven't used it much) Then it would be the perfect printer to do my test with. Again thank you!!!
alexandereci
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Scout around your area, see what printers are for sale, and which ones have a ready supply of refill/inks/compatible cartridges. You'll want to get one that allows you to "restock" your ink supply regularly. The general consensus here is that Canon and Epson printers are best and easiest to refill, and by doing your own refill, you'd save a lot of money.
My earlier post is an example of how you can save by doing your own refilling even with a cheapo "disposable" printer like the Canon iP1000. Most guys here use the heavy-duyt iP3000/4000 and other bigger Canon models, so you'll even get more mileage out of those big printers, but don't ignore the little guys, they can give you quite your money's worth with proper care and proper ink refills.
Search and read up on how to refill ink carts (depending on what printer you decide to go with and what cartridge type it uses) and how to maintain printers and printheads. Different carts require different refill procedures and techniques but all printers require a little printjob every now and again to prevent ink from drying up on the printhead and causing it to clog.
Hope that helps!
My earlier post is an example of how you can save by doing your own refilling even with a cheapo "disposable" printer like the Canon iP1000. Most guys here use the heavy-duyt iP3000/4000 and other bigger Canon models, so you'll even get more mileage out of those big printers, but don't ignore the little guys, they can give you quite your money's worth with proper care and proper ink refills.
Search and read up on how to refill ink carts (depending on what printer you decide to go with and what cartridge type it uses) and how to maintain printers and printheads. Different carts require different refill procedures and techniques but all printers require a little printjob every now and again to prevent ink from drying up on the printhead and causing it to clog.
Hope that helps!
AlienSteve
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For this much printing, you are going to spend a lot of time refilling.
I'd figure out which printer you are going to use, and install a bulk ink system into it. Put some research into it, all CIS's are not created equal. Most require you to keep topping the ink up to a specific level or you'll get problems- random banding, droplets of ink on the page, etc.
Speed is an issue.
If it were me, I think I'd consider having the nonprofit invest in a color laser printer.
I'd figure out which printer you are going to use, and install a bulk ink system into it. Put some research into it, all CIS's are not created equal. Most require you to keep topping the ink up to a specific level or you'll get problems- random banding, droplets of ink on the page, etc.
Speed is an issue.
If it were me, I think I'd consider having the nonprofit invest in a color laser printer.
hpnetserver
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Actually it is quite possible. But you will need to learn a lot about all the problems and solutions about inkjet refilling in order to succeed. You want to have at least two identical printers so that if one goes down and befores it's back up again your printing will not be completely shut down. If you use Canon printers the new ip4300 is a good candidate. It's cheap and fast. Don't use a CIS. The printer will be more likely short lived due to CIS's instability. Instead, use a few sets of refillable cartridges and use bulk ink. You will refill a lot of times but while your printer is printing you can do the refilling.
The secret of keeping thermo bubblejet printers long lived is to never let it print without feeding it with sufficient amount of ink. The print head needs sufficient amount of ink to print as well as to cool. Feeding it with sufficient amount of ink also keeps it from clogging. This is why CIS is not suitable for the job. You don't have time to keep fixing a CIS and if you miss just a few occurances of low ink flow situation you either will get clogs or you get your print head killed. Simple good quality refillable cartridges are more stable and easy to deal with at a cost of frequent refilling.
I know of an individual who owns a pair of i960 for a similar printing jobs. I believe he has printed more than 10,000 sheet of fliers. His printers are still cranking those fliers after two years. It will be a good challenge but it is quite feasible.
The secret of keeping thermo bubblejet printers long lived is to never let it print without feeding it with sufficient amount of ink. The print head needs sufficient amount of ink to print as well as to cool. Feeding it with sufficient amount of ink also keeps it from clogging. This is why CIS is not suitable for the job. You don't have time to keep fixing a CIS and if you miss just a few occurances of low ink flow situation you either will get clogs or you get your print head killed. Simple good quality refillable cartridges are more stable and easy to deal with at a cost of frequent refilling.
I know of an individual who owns a pair of i960 for a similar printing jobs. I believe he has printed more than 10,000 sheet of fliers. His printers are still cranking those fliers after two years. It will be a good challenge but it is quite feasible.
I somewhat disagree with AlienSteve,
When you are talking about costs and color----an inkjet is by in large the way to go---but thats an if and only if you refill.
But we are talking volume printing on I assume A-3 paper---taking mean figures---100-200 books---at 50-100 pages each yields a 150 times 75
or 11,250 pages---taking high figures---yields 20,000 pages.
I will also figure that paper will cost a half cent a page---so you are dealing with costs of $56.25 to $100.00 no matter how you do it yourself print.
Then you must figure if you want monochrome or some combination of monochrome black plus color.
With a used office quality monochrome laser---you could get OEM toner consumable costs as low as half a cent a page----so printed you are talking a range of $112.50 printed to $200.00 printed---with industrial quality lasers often dirt cheap on ebay.---you could get a really excellent one for under $100.00 shipped---but the printer costs must be added in.
With the new prosumer color lasers---those costing less than $500.00 new---you get about 1.5 cents per page in consumable monochrome Laser consumable costs---and figure about eight cents per page for mixed color for those prosumer lasers.
So paper plus color will run about $225.00 for the mean figure monochrome---and a whopping $956.25 for mixed color costs---to which you must
add the considerable costs of the printer.---the high figure of 20,000 pages weights in at $400.00 for monochrome vs. $1700.00 for mixed color.
And again add in the costs of printer.
Now take a Canon inkjet---using the non-chipped BCI-3&6 cartridges---or a more readily available printer---a Canon using the chipped CLI-5&8 cartridges---they will both come in with OEM cartridge ink consumable costs of three cents per page monochrome black and the same eight cents mixed color.----which then yields a printing costs of paper plus ink costs of $393.75 for monochrome mean price---and the same $956.25 for color----and $450.00 for monochrome and the same $1700.00 for color with the higher 20,000 page amount.---and figure a $85.00 to $150.00 printer new printer cost to add to that. If you get a older non-chipped Canon using the BCI-24 cartridges---figure twice the ink consumable costs.
Now examine what happens if you refill a non-chipped Canon ip4000 or a chipped Canon IP4200 or 4300.----22ml of ink will yield about 500 pages in monochrome---and $9.75 will buy 8 ounces of refill black monochrome ink at hobbicolors---so $9.75 will print about 5370 pages---.1814 cents per page---and your half cent paper or $76.66 to print 11,250 monochrome pages---and $136.28 to print 20,000 monochrome pages. Tou can also slash your color costs---by about a factor of 27---getting a mixed color page to about .3 cents ---and the .5 cents for paper---and you are dealing with .8 cents per page---or about 10% of prosumer laser costs.
But at .8 cents mixed color costs---you can print 11250 pages for $90.00 and 20000 pages for $160.00 ink and paper---and you have about $200.00 less in the printer compared to a color Laser.
You decide Lea----then read up on how us refillers are doing it every day at the nifty stuff forums. I won't argue on the CIS issue---you could do
about the same costs on your Epson--if you can get it going.
When you are talking about costs and color----an inkjet is by in large the way to go---but thats an if and only if you refill.
But we are talking volume printing on I assume A-3 paper---taking mean figures---100-200 books---at 50-100 pages each yields a 150 times 75
or 11,250 pages---taking high figures---yields 20,000 pages.
I will also figure that paper will cost a half cent a page---so you are dealing with costs of $56.25 to $100.00 no matter how you do it yourself print.
Then you must figure if you want monochrome or some combination of monochrome black plus color.
With a used office quality monochrome laser---you could get OEM toner consumable costs as low as half a cent a page----so printed you are talking a range of $112.50 printed to $200.00 printed---with industrial quality lasers often dirt cheap on ebay.---you could get a really excellent one for under $100.00 shipped---but the printer costs must be added in.
With the new prosumer color lasers---those costing less than $500.00 new---you get about 1.5 cents per page in consumable monochrome Laser consumable costs---and figure about eight cents per page for mixed color for those prosumer lasers.
So paper plus color will run about $225.00 for the mean figure monochrome---and a whopping $956.25 for mixed color costs---to which you must
add the considerable costs of the printer.---the high figure of 20,000 pages weights in at $400.00 for monochrome vs. $1700.00 for mixed color.
And again add in the costs of printer.
Now take a Canon inkjet---using the non-chipped BCI-3&6 cartridges---or a more readily available printer---a Canon using the chipped CLI-5&8 cartridges---they will both come in with OEM cartridge ink consumable costs of three cents per page monochrome black and the same eight cents mixed color.----which then yields a printing costs of paper plus ink costs of $393.75 for monochrome mean price---and the same $956.25 for color----and $450.00 for monochrome and the same $1700.00 for color with the higher 20,000 page amount.---and figure a $85.00 to $150.00 printer new printer cost to add to that. If you get a older non-chipped Canon using the BCI-24 cartridges---figure twice the ink consumable costs.
Now examine what happens if you refill a non-chipped Canon ip4000 or a chipped Canon IP4200 or 4300.----22ml of ink will yield about 500 pages in monochrome---and $9.75 will buy 8 ounces of refill black monochrome ink at hobbicolors---so $9.75 will print about 5370 pages---.1814 cents per page---and your half cent paper or $76.66 to print 11,250 monochrome pages---and $136.28 to print 20,000 monochrome pages. Tou can also slash your color costs---by about a factor of 27---getting a mixed color page to about .3 cents ---and the .5 cents for paper---and you are dealing with .8 cents per page---or about 10% of prosumer laser costs.
But at .8 cents mixed color costs---you can print 11250 pages for $90.00 and 20000 pages for $160.00 ink and paper---and you have about $200.00 less in the printer compared to a color Laser.
You decide Lea----then read up on how us refillers are doing it every day at the nifty stuff forums. I won't argue on the CIS issue---you could do
about the same costs on your Epson--if you can get it going.
