Canon ipf8300 for Banners

[Kanvas Keepsakes]

Quick question for those printing with a Canon ipf8300.  Can I print banners on that real think vinyl shiny material you see outside of events?  They usually also have holes with brass holes for rope to hang them somewhere.  I have a bunch of people asking me to do banners for them mostly just text.  Is it worth using this printer for this ?  Is it worth my ink in other words.  I've been to the Canon website with the available banner material but all those abbreviations and weights without any actual sample in front of me is hard to pick.  Can someone tell me what kind of banner vinyl they're using?  Thanks

[Randy Carone]

Most banner stock for pigment ink is matte banner, unless you clear coat it with gloss coating after printing. Banner that is not clear coated should last about 3 months outside with increased longevity if it is clear coated. Glossy banners are generally printed on solvent printers (Epson GS6000) at a much lower cost with better outdoor properties. The most common banner stock for your iPF8300 is 15 mil and can hemmed with banner tape and grommetted. The hem gives a more finished look and allows for the grommets to be applied to the double thickness of the hem for added strength. Let me know if you need additional information.

[Kanvas Keepsakes]

Randy, a friend of mine was looking for a banner and went to a local sign shop.  They would do a 3ft x 5ft banner of vinyl i believe with basic lettering for $30!!  That's dirt cheap.  It isn't worth me trying to compete with those prices, right?  Maybe on canvas with timeless?  Just mark up price WAY more than $30?

[explorerhv]

I've been using Lexjet's Toughcoat Thrifty Banner material, 16 mil I think, their tape, and their sunset glossy coating, then apply grommets

banners printed held up well in eastern NC sun for 6 months already

way too much labor / cost, though,  to compete with sign companies using solvent ink, which is cheaper and better suited

and text only makes ratio even worse to compete, full color with a nice graphic background, that's what I've been doing, and only for nonprofits where I've been only getting my cost back

offtopic a bit, Lexjet's satin cloth is great for trade show banners and we have done a few of those with nice results

[abiggs]

Just as an aside note, I haven't been happy with the Canon Scrim Banner Vinyl on my 8300. I cannot find a profile, and all profiles I have created haven't turned out well. Stumped, and wouldn't recommend it at this time.

[Randy Carone]

pimp,

Impossible to compete with $2 a square foot!! Insane. Definitely done on a solvent printer but the price is crazy. Though the printer can buy banner stock for $.25/square foot he/she is ruining local pricing on their way out of business. just sayin...

[Kanvas Keepsakes]

Randy, at $2 a sq/ft how in the world do you make back $25,000 you spend on a solvent printer??

[Randy Carone]

Uh, print a lot of banners, very quickly. Seriously, it may have been a quick job during a lull in printing. There are many high profit jobs that can be printed on solvent machines such as vehicle wraps, perforated window signage, trade show graphics, retail graphics, etc. Most shops don't exclusively print banners, but if it is a busy shop, they may be able to fit a quick banner job into the mix for little money. Incremental profit and all that.