Printer Ponderings

[aadroma]

So, here's the Readers' Digest version: my work is pretty hard-up to get rid of our Epson Stylus Pro 7600, and I've thought of snagging it as I could get it for next to nothing.

THE PROS:

Dude! Wide printing!!

This would allow me to make my own prints and then who knows? Maybe sell them at bear runs or something.

It actually functions and would,

Comments

[randomcub]

Since when do you back away from anything huge? ;-)

[bigredpaul]

i think you should buy it and find a small room to rent to be your photographic print studio, install it there, and voila!

[bigredpaul]

you could then offer the printer for a modest fee to other photographer and graphic artists, too.

[andrew_jp_reyes]

Depending on the price I might buy it from you if you opted this route. Even though John and I have broken up he's wanted a wide printer for a long time, and it would make a nice xmas gift, if he could use it. Let me know.

[bigbear4xl]

I would say that unless you are going to go into business doing wide-format printing, the expenses of the supplies and maintenance alone will drive you to ruin. The ink cartridges alone, per cartridge, will run you around $70 each. Paper can be equally expensive. If this is strictly for the ooh-aah hobby printing factor, i would advise against it.

However, there *is* a market for wide format printing, and if you think you could tap into it, especially for the bear/chubby erotica market and/or doing posters, art prints, etc., it could be a good way to make money on the side for doing comparatively little.

I would do a bit of research on where and for how much you could get supplies and service and then try to decide if you could sell the service enough to warrant it. The printer would definitely make an awesome first piece of equipment if you were interested in going into business for yourself.

[sctmpls]

You took the words out of my mouth. I concur!

[aadroma]

Heheh, yeah, that's what I meant by "equipment" -- the inks are $67 at the very least per colour and large-size paper certainly isn't cheap ...

[dr_tectonic]

How much is "next to nothing"?

If it's little enough that you won't miss the wasted money if it sits in your living room for several months gathering dust before you conclude that it was a mistake and end up getting rid of it, then it's a no-brainer that you should grab it. Basically zero risk.

But if the cost of having it and not making good use of it would cause you significant regret, figure out how much money it will consome and do some budget analysis to figure out where that's going to come from before you decide...