Thinking about Epson 4900

[walter.sk]

After a disastrous attempt at fixing my Z3100 I'm thinking about getting an Epson 4900 and selling my Z3100 up for pickup in the NYC area as a "handyman's special."

I have printed very few images over 16x24, and at the price of the discounted 4900 it would do just fine for me.

What have people here done for a table/stand for the 4900, and how stable is your printer on it?

[Mark D Segal]

A good solid vibration free table/stand turns out to be a bit of a challenge. I bought a piece of furniture at IKEA - the most stable item they had in their whole huge outfit here in Toronto and I still ended-up having to reinforce it in several ways, to cut-out movement/vibration. This printer is heavy and the movement of the mechanism back and forth depends on a very solid footing to dampen vibration.Other than IKEA, at least here I found one is into the office furniture market, which tends to be very pricey, but may be the best way. Something like a chest-style steel filing cabinet constructed with a very very robust frame would be OK. I've also seen a heavy steel chest with numerous thin drawers for storing prints and drawings doing a good job as well. These items are expensive however - at least the good ones, and that's what this printer needs.

[neile]

We've had a couple of threads on this in the past. Ikea is by far the most recommended option, using variations of their kitchen furniture or cabinets. Here are some threads:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=45223.0
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=31145.0
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=56230.0 (look towards the end of this thread)
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=50175.0

Here's a link to what my studio looks like, all done using Ikea kitchen cabinets: http://www.danecreek.com/blog/2011/07/30/a-tour-through-the-print-studio-2.html. When I just had the ipf5100 as the printer, I used two pieces of kitchen cabinets (30" and 18" IIRC) with a top. It was perfect.

Neil

[Mark D Segal]

Kitchen cabinets are fine if you have the kind of layout for them, as your set-up clearly does - and very nice BTW. For my office environment, and I suspect that for others too, unfortunately that just wouldn't work. But great when the space and layout possibilities allow.

[neile]

You don't actually need to do a whole run of them. The floor models are free-standing, just like any set of drawers or cabinets you'd buy from an office supply place, and come in widths you can easily mix and match to get just wide enough to support your printer. Two pieces with a counter on top are exactly the right size for an ipf5100, for example, have tons of storage, and tuck nicely into the corner of a room.

Neil

[K.C.]

Based on the labor practices of IKEA in their U.S. plant I no longer buy their products.

I'd highly recommend Anthro. They're employee owned and pretty much the antithesis of IKEA in every sense, including the quality of their products. I have an Anthro cart waiting for my new 4900 when it gets here.

http://anthro.com

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/10/business/la-fi-ikea-union-20110410

[Alan Goldhammer]

Based on the labor practices of IKEA in their U.S. plant I no longer buy their products.

The workers just voted to unionize the Virginia facility so your concerns are ameliorated.

[Dano Steinhardt]

My home office, where I do often do offsite beta testing, is very tight on space.

I found this inexpensive coffee table at Target that "just fits" both my office and the footprint of the 4900.

The style is more home decor than industrial, but is sturdy enough to support the weight of the 4900.

The drawer is not much but is large enough for the manual and the core adapters.

http://www.target.com/Avington-Coffee-Table-Dark-Tobacco/dp/B000W8Q2S4/ref=br_1_2?ie=UTF8&id=Avington%20Coffee%20Table%20Dark%20Tobacco&node=3527871&searchSize=30&searchView=list&searchPage=1&sr=1-2&qid=1312901182&rh=&searchBinNameList=finish_types-bin%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Citem_shape%2Cprice%2Ccollection_name-bin&searchRank=pmrank&frombrowse=1

Dan (Dano) Steinhardt
Marketing Manager, Professional Imaging
Epson America, Inc.

[neile]

Unfortunately it doesn't look like I took a photo of the cabinets with the printer on it, attached is the base setup I used when I just had the ipf5100. It's two Ikea kitchen bases with a standard size top on it. No cutting needed, which was nice.

Neil

[stefano]

I have mine sitting atop a steel filing cabinet just wide enough for it, with a piece of 1/2" MDF board on top to extend the top surface by a couple of inches in order to provide a comfortable fit for the printer's feet. Solid as a rock, and gives me room to store supplies under it (my office/studio is pretty full, and about to become fuller with the arrival of a 9900).

Nothing but good to say about the printer, awesome quality and a true work horse! Ink usage has been less than my expectation, with the possible exception of the lit black, that I seem to use at almost double the rate of the other inks. The 9900 is not a replacement for the 4900, but an addition to support mainly my go lee customers that need larger prints.

Enjoy your new printer!

[walter.sk]

Well, thanks all for the ideas.  I think I like the idea of the 2 Ikea units, as it is also within my already crimped budget.  My first thought was an anthro cart, but that is way over the head of my piggy bank.

I will also check out some tag sales in the neighborhood for a sturdy old dining table or office unit.

Another thought?  Since I am getting rid of my HP Z3100, would the stand that comes with that printer, coupled to a board of the proper size, be stable enough?

[walter.sk]

I just checked out your link, and the dimensions seem too small for the 4900.  B&H lists the 4900 as 34" wide and 30" deep.

[Tim Gray]

Not sure which link you're referring to, but although the printer is 35" wide, the "feet" that would sit on a surface are considerably closer.

[Schewe]

I just checked out your link, and the dimensions seem too small for the 4900.  B&H lists the 4900 as 34" wide and 30" deep.

That's the overall dimensions...the four rubber feet at the bottom of the printer (which must be on a level secure surface) is about 21" wide and 20" deep...so that would be the minimum table top size–course the rest of the printer will be hanging over the edge. But it hasn't been a problem for my 4900 which is on a 24" wide, 22" deep Anthro cart–east to move around and the printer is very secure because it weighs so darn much :~)

[pjn]

The question of which or what kind of table to put the huge Epson 4900 seems to come up quite often.  I faced the same problem last April when I decided to jump off the deep end, sell my little-used R1800 and get the 4900.  It is not just a question of the size of the 4900 but its hernia inducing weight.  I found a solution that works very well and cost $69.95.  It is a 32" TV stand sold at Sears and made for a tube tv.  It holds 135lbs and comes in maple or cherry finish.  The link is:

http://www.sears.ca/product/32-tv-stand/601-000222711-47837GMY

If the link doesn't work, go to sears.ca and type the item number 01301596910 in the search.

I got the idea of what support to install it on from watching Jim Richardson's Youtube video on the 4900.  I really liked how low that big printer was in his studio, making it easy to change rolls and watching the show as it prints.  This table fits the 4900 feet perfectly and overall is slightly narrower.  I do NOT use the wheels, the table sits directly on the carpet with the top of the 4900 level with my computer table.  Unlike Jim's studio, mine is the size of a small walk-in closet with a 7.5 ft ceiling.  I use the bottom shelf for all the office cabling, internet, router, etc.

Another question that comes up is what kind of cover to put over the 4900 as I also have a cat hair problem.  My solution for this cost $14.95 at Princess Auto and it is their 'Power Fist' brand Air Conditioner Cover, item number 8262842. It measures 30*34*30", 600 denier with PVC coating.  Even comes with a drawstring.

This is my very first post guys.  I've gotten a lot from reading this forum over the past number of months, time to contribute.  As to my name, it's actually Pierre, but when I registered I was told I was spam! Hence my initials.

[Mark D Segal]

Furniture on wheels can't necessarily be counted on to be steady enough to contain the vibration of the carriage moving back and forth. Dano's solution is robust.

[Schewe]

Furniture on wheels can't necessarily be counted on to be steady enough to contain the vibration of the carriage moving back and forth. Dano's solution is robust.

Depends on the cart & wheels. Really, I've been printing with the 4900 on the Anthro cart (not a really cheap solution I admit) with zero problems. Also not the Epson stand for the older 4800 had wheels as does my 9900. I don't think it's a function of having wheels or not but the overall construction and sturdiness that matters...oh, and the printer isn't on carpet either.

[Mark D Segal]

Agreed. That's why I said "can't necessarily be counted on" - it's a risk - not a certainty.

[Alan Goldhammer]

Furniture on wheels can't necessarily be counted on to be steady enough to contain the vibration of the carriage moving back and forth. Dano's solution is robust.

If the cart is on a carpeted surface, it mitigates this problem since the wheels really don't move at all because they sink into the carpet fibers.  You can still move the cart if need be.

[Mark D Segal]

I know - except for the fact that sometimes the connectors between the wheels and the legs can be flimsy, hence at risk to transmit vibration as the carriage moves back and forth. Don't know whether you've studied a 4900 in operation, but the carriage movement is quite hefty.