# Epson wide format printer for sign and banner printing



## eojavlis (Jan 23, 2007)

Has anyone used an Epson wide format printer for making signs and banners? I understand you have to laminate the printer output for outdoor use. Does it last long enough as the other printer/cutter system like the versacamm which claims that theirs will last for 5 yrs.


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## badalou (Mar 19, 2006)

That is because they are vinyl. not a good idea to use wide format printer for banner unless it is indoors and you expect it to short term


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

damn....I hate to admit it, but I agree with badalou. a long banner with an inkjet and then laminated is not cheap... why not look at an inexpensive...less than $600 vinyl cutter if you want to do banners...or maybe outsource the banner...don't forget if it is to be hung outdoors you will need the metal eyelets..


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## JPD (Nov 8, 2006)

You should contract it out to someone with a Versacamm (or the like) printer to print it on vinyl banner material. Depending on the size of the banner and your market, there should be room for you to mark it up a dollar or so per square foot. Not bad for prepping the file, getting it to the printer and delivering the final product.

Eric


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## badalou (Mar 19, 2006)

charles95405 said:


> damn....I hate to admit it, but I agree with badalou. a long banner with an inkjet and then laminated is not cheap... why not look at an inexpensive...less than $600 vinyl cutter if you want to do banners...or maybe outsource the banner...don't forget if it is to be hung outdoors you will need the metal eyelets..


Charles you always agree with me... LOL.. you know I am always right.. Oh wait that's my wife..


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

Actually Eric is right on the money with the Versacamm and printing banners. There are also wide format printers that do outdoor banners with the correct inks. Not all of them are print and cut, some just print. Full color printed banners are the current method of banner production. You buy the banner material in rolls and cut to desired length. You can add grommets for hanging and use heat seal tape for the hems. I dont know a thing about Epson printers but I bet they make some sort of pro grade wide format production printer. I do banners with my vinyl cutter and sign vinyl but they will never compare to what can be done with a Versacamm.


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

Did you receive your versacamm already, lou?


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## karlking85 (Sep 26, 2007)

I would only suggest an Epson printer for banner printing for indoor use like Lou said. Go with the vinyl for outdoors, there's a reason why vinyl is pretty much the standard in outdoor signage. It has a much higher durability and weight, it just holds up to the elements much better.


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## eojavlis (Jan 23, 2007)

Thank you for all your input, it's really great to be a part of this forum, really informative and lots of sound advice. Actually I'm looking into this to complement my dtg printing when I find a store front. I'll just start out with a roland gx24 for now to feel my way in the sign and banner printing. Thanks again.....


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## kdw75 (May 9, 2010)

We have Epson 7600 and 9600 printers and we use them to print on vinyl banners all the time. I am not sure how long they will last but they have been out for a year that I know of and after 60 mph gusts of wind, sun, hail and rain they look just great. Not sure how long solvent printers last but most banners put up are only used for a few years or less. The inks don't fade at all and the material is much more durable than the vinyl most solvent printers run. We don't have to hem or fold over the corners and it doesn't fray.


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## kdw75 (May 9, 2010)

karlking85 said:


> I would only suggest an Epson printer for banner printing for indoor use like Lou said. Go with the vinyl for outdoors, there's a reason why vinyl is pretty much the standard in outdoor signage. It has a much higher durability and weight, it just holds up to the elements much better.


Why wouldn't you recommend the Epson for outdoor vinyl work? Seems to work fine for us.


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## bornover (Apr 10, 2008)

eojavlis said:


> Has anyone used an Epson wide format printer for making signs and banners? I understand you have to laminate the printer output for outdoor use. Does it last long enough as the other printer/cutter system like the versacamm which claims that theirs will last for 5 yrs.


You can print with an Epson Inkjet printer on vinyl coated to accept aqueous (water base) inks. The coated vinyl rolls are more expensive than the vinyl rolls for solvent inks though. From what I know, products printed on inkjets with aqueous inks will not last as long as products printed with solvent inks, but laminating will increase how long the product will last. Lamination also increases the product life of solvent ink products as well.


kdw75 said:


> We have Epson 7600 and 9600 printers and we use them to print on vinyl banners all the time. I am not sure how long they will last but they have been out for a year that I know of and after 60 mph gusts of wind, sun, hail and rain they look just great. Not sure how long solvent printers last but most banners put up are only used for a few years or less. The inks don't fade at all and the material is much more durable than the vinyl most solvent printers run. We don't have to hem or fold over the corners and it doesn't fray.


What brand and type of vinyl are you using?


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## kdw75 (May 9, 2010)

We us this IJ Technologies - Home :: Products By Name :: DuraGraphix™ :: DG Vinyl BannerJet

The solvent output I have seen doesn't look nearly as good as what we put out on our inkjet. This may just be the quality setting people use but to me it looks like most of them are about equivalent to our 360 dpi setting. We run our stuff at 720 or 1440 depending on what it is. We have had several people tell us that our output was the sharpest and most vibrant they had seen.

I wanted to add that we spray ours with Krylon in order to protect from abrasion. For the ones we know are going to be up for many years or get a lot of abuse we use a liquid laminate.


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## Marlon Mc Caulay (Jun 27, 2012)

Hey guys i have an epson stylus pro 7800 and i would like to do banners on it i use a cis inking system, so my question to you guys is what type of vinyl can i use can i use the normal comercial vinyls out there or do i have to use epson brand only


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## valleyboy_1 (Jan 23, 2010)

Trying to revive this thread, anybody seen the new epson surecolor T series printers? I wonder will those be suitable for doing banners. Vector file banners that is, any thoughts? looking at the 24" model


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## totalkent9 (Feb 8, 2014)

(Reviving this thread)

I run a epson 9600 and use a Vinyl cutter also.It has take'n me over ayear to get it all running how it is suppose to along with much $$$$ for supplies,OS X & adobe software. Whew! I'm Telling you...they dontmake this easy. Anyhow, I am printing on a non-gloss adhesive vinyl & I am looking for better result's. Anybody try Lexjet vinyl with the epson Ultrachrome Ink's yet? I am now looking into maybe changeing over my ink system to something differnt(better?) & a refillable setup. I had also tried to get Signcut to run on os x 10.5.8 and could NOT no matter what which has promted me to save for the graphtec plotter using adobe plugin's. I also hope to get a screening press for tee shirts and incorporate some airbrushing also.

Want to say Thank-you everyone for all of your post's & hope to help one of you all out if I ever can.

Thank's Ya'll!


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## totalkent9 (Feb 8, 2014)

Hey "kdw75"-----your post's intriged me. Think I'm running along the same lines as you. I also made a thinned down mix of poly to spray laminate.....I wil be testing this today to see if it helps to obtain the Gloss look I am seeking.


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