# Epson R1800 For Positives



## amp267 (Oct 11, 2006)

IM LOOKING TO BUY AN EPSON R1800 TO MAKE MY FILM POSITIVES FOR SCREEN PRINTING. I HAVE COME ACROSS A DEAL FROM SCREENPRINTERS.NET. HERES THE AD. 

The RIP Combo 1800 comes with the one program that has helped thousands of people save money on film positives for years. Includes FastRIP™ as well as an Epson R1800 Inkjet printer, some FastINK™ and 100 sheets of 13"x18" FastPOSITIVE™ Waterproof just to help get you started.
$1332.00

MY QUESTION IS DO I NEED FAST RIP AND FAST INK. OR CAN I USE PHOTOSHOP CS2 FOR MY RIP SOFTWARE. AND CAN I USE THE INK THE PRINTER COMES WITH. IM NEW TO PHOTOSHOP SO IM NOT TO SURE IF IT WOULD WORK. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER RIPS. ANY RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD HELP.

OR SHOULD I JUST PURCHASE THE COMBO ABOVE. IS IT A GOOD PRICE


----------



## tim209 (Feb 8, 2007)

Well im new here but i did some surfing in my area and found this one.
Seems to be pretty cheep, not sure what all it comes with.

*Epson stylus photo R1800 still in box paid $550 - $300*

Reply to: see below
Date: 2007-02-03, 3:39PM PST


5700x1440 optimized dpi 1.5 picoliter, 8 color epson ultra crome hi gloss inks, still in box with all manuals and accessories. call joe 916-643-3666. 



Location: sacramento ca
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID: 273000620


----------



## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

Yes you will need a rip software in order to print halftones. I purchased that same deal so I have a backup to my thermal imagesetters. I use fast rip, the waterproof ink and films form usscreen.


----------



## amp267 (Oct 11, 2006)

thanks for the helpful insight, i also want to thank you for all your help last august at the printwear show. i took your screen printing seminars, extremely helpful. of the rip programs which would you recomend. as far as ink can i use the pigmented ink in the r1800 with the rip, or should i switch it out with a different type ink to print on clear film. the reason i ask is because i would also like to use the printer for heat transfers, and they recomend pigment ink


----------



## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

amp267 said:


> DO I NEED FAST RIP AND FAST INK. OR CAN I USE PHOTOSHOP CS2 FOR MY RIP SOFTWARE. AND CAN I USE THE INK THE PRINTER COMES WITH.


You can buy refurbished EPSON R1800's from EPSON at the EPSONstore for $389. BuyDig.com, newegg.com and PCNation.com have prices that hover around $500 for this $549 list price printer.

You need a RIP to shape the halftones you use in a graphics program like Photoshop, Illustrator of CorelDRAW. They output in the Postscript language which EPSON printers don't understand.

EPSON printers are designed to print full color images like family snapshots. You need the RIP to form the halftone spots we need to make positives.

A RIP also increases the ink output so even the less opaque pigment inks used by EPSON since 2003 stop UV light. RIPs that compete with FastRIP are SoftRIP from Wasatch and PowerRIP from iProof Systems.


----------



## DanH (Oct 2, 2006)

Like has been said, you need a RIP to be able to do halftones. If you use that printer you also need to use the fastink and waterproof films if you want good positives.

I purchased that exact combo from usscreen and have been happy with it.


----------



## amp267 (Oct 11, 2006)

has anyone used power rip, they claim i can keep the pigment ink for my halftones. no need for any other type of ink


----------



## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

amp267 said:


> has anyone used power rip, they claim i can keep the pigment ink for my halftones. no need for any other type of ink


PowerRIP uses stock EPSON inks. If your printer uses UltraChrome inks, you can regularly print up to 100 line halftones at 3.2 UV density.

You can download a demo version at InkJet Printers - PowerRIP ImageSet for Epson, Canon, HP Inkjet Printers - Software Downloads

or the Ulano Edition that is pre-calibrated for Ulano Inkjet Films.

RIP Software Screen Making from iProof Systems and Ulano

** Disclosure ** I am the Product Manager for Ulano


----------



## 73eyes (Jan 22, 2010)

I'm looking for an affordable inkjet printer for positives... the epson r1800 shows up on ebay regularly for under $200... If I get some RIP software, this should work fine, correct? Are people still using the R1800?


----------



## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

Yes, but you can buy a new refurbished Epson 1400 for US$179 - Direct from Epson with the same one year warranty and free ground shipping.

Epson Stylus Photo 1400 - Refurbished, Warranty - Product Information - Epson America, Inc.


----------



## Greatzky (Jan 28, 2009)

If you can get to a staples by 3/13 you can get a brand new epson 1400 for $199. Recycle ANY printer with them and get another $50 off. 
I picked up my 1400 for $150 last week and so far I'm very happy. It is super crisp and makes better transparencies with stock ink than any other printer I've owned before. I will be upgrading to a bulk ink system at some point. I made the mistake of turning off my printer every night and I have lost a lot of ink so when it starts back up.

-Scott Lewis
Silk Screen Expressions
Hyzer Flip Disc Golf Apparel


----------



## 73eyes (Jan 22, 2010)

Thank you both! I'm picking one of those up today, and scratching one more thing off the list!


----------



## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

here is a good comparison between the 1400 & the 1800... 

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/Landing/Compare1400R1800.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes


looks like it is: (r1400 vs r1800)
dye ink vs pigment ink
6 color vs 8 color (but 1 is a clear gloss) 
sheets only vs roll support


----------



## money911 (Aug 28, 2008)

i got a 1400 direct from epson for $130, it was a refurb but if you google epson coupons i got a coupon code. also i bought a cis system off ebay for $35 it was a little bit of a paint to get installed so it didnt catch on anything but prints great transparencies couldnt be happier. Also not using any rip software just photoshop cs4. if you think about it the 1400 will print a 13x19 print which is huge, i use 20x24 screens and i cant really use a transparency much bigger if at all than that. 

i also bought a cis system for my old epson r320 because i was out of ink and a set of carts would have cost me 50-70 and i got the cis system for $32 shipped. 

PS epson was shipping for free a few weeks ago!


----------



## gadgetgirl (Feb 10, 2011)

Hi there. It has been a while since I did any screening and based on volume I need to get back into it. So, I purchased the upgraded versions of FastRIP and FastFilms and need some info/refresher:

1. Can I buy a bulk ink system for an Epson R1800?
2. If so where?
3. What is Fast Ink?
4. I've read about chip resetters has anyone had success with these and refilling cartridges?

Not positive I want to go with the Bulk Ink system as it was a hassle and didn't always work. So, I am looking for the easiest, most reliable, and cost effective route. I also have an R1400 I think I can use as well if that helps. Thanks!


----------



## LivingThread (Feb 25, 2008)

i bought that set up and i can tell you this.

#1 you can get the continuous ink system on ebay for $45

#2 you can get the films on ebay or fixxons for $70

#3 the print works great with out the rip fo rfilms.

#4 you should be using dye based inks in the ink jet not pigment based.

#5 the rip works great and is very easy to use. just make sur eyou have a use for it before spending money on it. i rarely do half tone work but if you do then maybe you will want it.

#6 the guys over at screenprinters.net are more than helpful and great. i used a lot of ink trying to unclog my printer when i got it. they sent me a refill no charge. the clog came right out after a few cycles.

If i had to do over again knowing what i know now, i would just buy a new/refurb (from a reputitable place) r1800, the ciss from ebay and be done with it. if i need halftones i would just out source the films. I havent used $500+ worth yet and im in a few years.

take what you want from this, but have no fears in them as a company and as a solid group of people.


----------

