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Best plotter for the money?

6 replies [Last post]
Thu, 12/31/2009 - 12:37
schtoom
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Like most people, I have a decent printer that prints just fine on standard paper sizes. However, I'm interested in buying a plotter so that I can print larger pieces. I know that plotters, like regular printers, run the gambit as far as quality and cost are concerned. Can anyone suggest a good model that would handle jobs such as printing a 20"x20" picture for a board? In addition to this, where can I get paper (or even better, sticker paper) to fit something of this size?

I searched the site for "plotter" and a few other key words with no luck, so my apologies if this has already been covered elsewhere.

Thanks a lot!

Ben

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Thu, 12/31/2009 - 16:27
#1
InvisibleJon
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Try searching for something other than "plotter".

Howdy. I've been using a Canon S9000 for about 5 to 8 years now. Its maximum media size is 13" by 19". Since I was happy with it, I did some more research at Canon and found their Professional Large Format Inkjet Printers: http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ProductCatIndexAct&fcat...

Of those printers, the one that is least expensive but meets your 20" x 20" needs seems to be the imagePrograf ipf605. It takes rolls of media up to 24" wide. A little research ( http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=canon+imageprograf+i... ) indicates that you're looking at about $2,300 (plus shipping, extended warranty, and taxes) for a printer like that.

So, there's a place to start your search. Best of luck to you.

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Thu, 12/31/2009 - 17:36
#2
schtoom
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Ouch!

Thanks a lot for the information, InvisibleJon. I was really hoping to find something a bit cheaper (who isn't, right?). I ended up finding this HP wide format printer ( http://www.shopping.hp.com/product/printer/Designjet/1/storefronts/C7796... ) which is about as cheap as I could find. I wonder if an item like this would be safe to look for used. I suppose I'll have to talk to the wife and see how a printer in the $1000-$1200 range will fit into this year's stuff-my-husband-wants-that-makes-no-sense list.

In the meantime, I'll keep poking around and post anything else of interest I find.

Thanks!

Ben

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Thu, 12/31/2009 - 17:42
#3
schtoom
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Better option

This is an HP I found on the Staples site for $229.99. Does 13"x19" similar to yours. Not perfect, but if I'm making a board and want to print it then two printed pieces really aren't that much worse than one.

http://www.staples.com/HP-Officejet-7000-Wideformat-Printer/product_8051...

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Fri, 01/01/2010 - 23:51
#4
InvisibleJon
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Sticking together...

FWIW: I've made more than a few boards by printing two pieces and attaching them. I've found that a 13" x 19" printer works just fine - especially if it has a borderless printing mode. That makes it really easy to make 18" x 18" boards, which are a decent size.

Also, the printer I have has separate cartridges for each color, which has been nice.

And really, who has room for a huge $2,000 printer? =)

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Sat, 01/02/2010 - 00:50
#5
schtoom
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I agree. :) I'm mainly

I agree. :)

I'm mainly interested in being able to assemble my own prototype fom start to finish and have it end up with a very polished and finished look. I'm only working on my first game design at the moment and my regular printer has been enough to ge me through. However, I have more ideas and some of them require a larger board. This was what I was hoping to do myself.

I was poking aound at thegamecrafter.com earlier tonight and realized they have 10"x10" boards/cards. It'd be fairly easy for me to cut and mount those boards on chipboard or plywood, now that I think about it. It kind of flies in the face of my desire to do it myself, but from a time/cost perspective it might work out okay. I'll have to do some research.

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Sat, 01/02/2010 - 16:07
#6
Dralius
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Posterized

You can use a standard printer by posterizing the image and printing it in parts and stick them to a singe backing.

Ive done 20x20 quad fold boards this way and it works fine.

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