Large format printing in the bay area - how to make it possible to own a printer

[AndrewMcD]

So...I print large photos - as big as I can. Especially portraits, but pretty much everything. For a long while, I rented time on the Rayko 11880, which was great for a number of reasons.

Obviously, not having the up front cash outlay for the printer, ongoing cost of ink and studio space made it completely possible for me to print. Sorta like renting darkroom time.

Now that Rayko is gone, I'm trying to figure out an alternative that will still make sense.

I've thought about buying my own P20000 and renting time to others. That would solve things like running enough ink through the nozzles to prevent clogs, and would defray the cost of ink. Still a huge initial cash outlay, and, I still have no place to put it, and I'd have to maintain it along with a Mac to drive it. The biggest issue is finding a space to put the printer.

Ideally, some kind of co-op situation is where I'm going with this, but, I can see all of the possible obstacles to this. I'm looking for suggestions, and especially a conversation with other bay area photographers that might be interested in having access to a large format printer.

 

[langier]

Find a second-hand printer in good shape.

My last three were "found" prints...the first, a 24 inch more than a dozen years ago when I decided the 17 inch printer wasn't large enough which I found on-line in the Bay Area by a hobbyist upgrading. Decided to do canvas after watching Bill Akinson at an ASMP meeting within a couple of years and found a 44 inch printer just off the service contract, also on-line. A little bit longer drive and it went to work. Both printers paid for themselves within months with the projects that came through the door.

The last one, my 9900, was on eBay and Craig's list for months as I was negotiating a large project. Jumped the gun to drive over the Sierra to get it and got the text the job was a go. It, too, paid for itself within a few months and still pays its way today.

Sure, it's big, drinks lots of ink and has to have paper run through it regularly, but it's still going strong a decade after it was new and now working at it's second home.

Rayko was a loss to the SF photo community, much like the labs I once used weekly in Sacto and now part of history, but I bit the bullet, took the leap and have few regrets of going on my own with large-format printers.

If I had more room and work, I may have even gone larger to a 60-inch printer, but 44 is more than enough for 99.99 percent of my work. If I need larger, I have great supplier an hour away, but in all my years, I've sold but one print larger than I can produce.

Search around, find a good, used maybe generation-back printer and take the plunge. Then print up a storm and enjoy yourself!