So you want to buy a used Roland printer?
A used Roland printer can be a great way to start out on a budget, but if you buy the wrong printer, or one that needs too much repair work, the savings of “used” can quickly disappear. I have had calls from people who bought a used printer and then when they get it back to their shop, it doesn’t work. Unfortunately, this can be too late to get a refund and you might end up paying more than the printer is worth. Sounds unbelievable? Not in my experience.
So I’m writing the DOs of buying used. I will concentrate on EcoSol machines. UV machines should probably be only bought with the direct help of a tech.
DO: Make sure the printer you are considering has been continuously plugged in and is currently printing. DO NOT buy a machine with examples of “test prints” or videos of the machine printing … these are often taken months ago. I have seen too many purchases done this way with expensive repairs being the result. If you are buying from a distance – send your artwork to the seller and have them take a video of YOUR artwork printing with the video panning to the serial number. Also, tell the seller that you will not purchase the printer if the printer cannot print your file when you arrive. If the seller has excuses as to why they cannot do that – it usually means the machine has been mishandled in the past month and that is enough time to ruin a machine. Look elsewhere.
DO: Call your local Roland tech and ask if they have some leads on used equipment. I receive calls every few months from customers who are selling a machine. Dealers and techs will often suggest to customers when to upgrade. Often this suggestion is made while their current machine still has a value on the used market. The tech can often vouch for the regular service and care the machine has had. If the tech does NOT say the machine was well cared for – they are being careful and take it as a sign. Most dealers want new customers for old machines and they want new customers to be happy with their used purchase. [While some dealers sell used equipment, there is not much profit vs risk in doing so. If you are buying used from a dealer, make sure they are a listed Roland dealer and not some rogue reseller.]
DO: Get a Peck report and “Test Print” nozzle firing print from the machine and have a tech review it. A technician can get quite a bit of info regarding head condition from a test print. Seller can get the CoPeck tool from the Roland site and pull the report and save the file. A tech can read the file. The file will tell overall hours, ink usage, and whether third party inks have been used (see below.) Printers with high hours may have motors and pumps that are near end of life. Shot counts on the heads will also reveal if a new head is in your future or confirm that a head has been recently changed. Any serious operator of a Roland printer should be able to pull this report for you and print a test print (NOT a job print or the test print from VersaWorks – What you want is the print that shows the condition of the head nozzles.) If they cannot do this they should call their tech and get directions.
DO: Buy a machine with Roland OEM ink that is not expired (dates on cartridges are manufacturing dates – make sure they are not older than 18 months to 2 years). This is a bit controversial, as many will say third party inks are fine. My experience is that machines with third party inks usually reflect poorly on the care the machine has been subject to. Third party inks may be OK for large capacity shops, but risky for most small shops. In short, a seller using third party inks might at least invest in Roland OEM inks to be in the machine to sell (to hide their past practice.) The Peck report often will reveal this.
DO: Buy a machine that can handle the new VersaWorks 6. Older printers that cannot use the new RIP have limited repair parts available. Most techs will not want to dig into them because they may run into a quagmire of unavailable parts or cracking boards during the repair. No tech wants to be blamed for “ruining my printer.” You can search Roland’s site for VersaWorks 6 compatibility with their printers – rule of thumb is that printers older than SPi printers (“I” not “V”) cannot run using VersaWorks 6. VersaWorks 5 is harder to locate a copy of and the future support by Windows may be sketchy. Look for DX7 style machines (VS-540i, XR-640, etc), or the new Flexfire generation (VG-540, etc.)
DO: Reject the urge and leave old media and inks behind. I see piles of crap taken with the purchase of used printers and it is mostly just going to cost you money to discard. They are probably a lot older than the seller thinks and will deliver poor results. Media has a three year life span. Inks that are older than 2 years from manufacturing date are bad for your print head(s). If they have CL cartridges – keep those – they don’t age. Excess parts might come with the machine and may be valuable, but any used heads are junk.
DO: Learn how to properly pack the machine for transit. I have a post on this site outlining how we suggest to do this.
What machines should you look for (by head type) and why?
DX4 Machines (2 channel head)
SPi – The “i” is important. Avoid the “v” machines – too old and unsupported. The only EcoSol model with a DX4 head currently supported by VersaWorks 6 is SP-300i, SP-540i, and SP-640i. These are probably a good choice as the heads are about $1,500 to have changed out and there are only 2 heads. They are pretty simple machines. Usually the Black/Cyan #1 head will need changing, but the Magenta/Yellow #2 head will be fine. If you think you can do a repair yourself – this is the most easily DIY repairable machine.
DX7 Machines (8 channel head):
VSi machines – the “i” is crucial. The VS without the “i” will not be supported by VersaWorks 6. The VSi machine will have the inks inserted horizontally from the front, and are a light blue in color. VS machines have ink cartridges that stand vertically and do NOT work with VersaWorks 6. Be aware that a $3,000 head will probably be needed either right away or soon. Negotiate accordingly. DX7 Heads are a bit tricky to change and are often done by DIY owners incorrectly. As a $2000 plus parts cost – failure can be costly. Not recommended as a DIY machine.
XR SolJet – This is a dual head machine. These are production level machines and probably not the best first machine to buy. If the machine needs 2 heads it could cost $6,000+ to get printing correctly. These should be bought by people who know what they are doing or own one already. Definitely not a DIY machine.
Flexfire (TrueVis) Machines
VG – The VG line includes the 1, 2, & 3 models. The VG3 is the current model. These machines are a bit more delicate to operate, have a bunch of ink type choices, and are more susceptible to problems when used lightly. Read up on how to move them, because they have a wiper tray with solvent in it – that can splash if not emptied. Heads are bit more expensive than DX4 heads, but not by much – use $1,800/head for negotiation. These machines have a locked Service Mode, so DIY is often not possible.
With any machine you buy you should allot for a Preventive Maintenance by a certified tech after you move it into place. Not only will the tech change consumable parts, but will calibrate the machine – which can go out of calibration when moved. Most techs will give you a bit of instruction as part of the PM and help with VersaWorks set up.. The PM will cost about $600 depending on travel costs from the dealer’s location.
In conclusion: I suggest that you do NOT buy a used Roland printer without some guidance from a dealer tech. As a tech, getting a call “out of the blue” from a new customer who just bought a used machine can be disheartening. I do not like being the bearer of bad news. I’d rather have the talk before you buy the machine and give you some solid guidance. Remember, I’m seeing it as adding a customer. I see it as part of my job.
AND – Support your dealer. A good dealer is there to help your business thrive. A good dealer will answer the phone and give expert advice on materials, and proper application. A good dealer will be there to keep your printer running at its best.