[LoveLeothena]

Is there a cost difference (besides initial purchase price) to use SG400/800 vs Epson printer?

I know there are 100 different debates about which printer to buy, but I'm now just interested in the actual $$ to run them. Because if one is cheaper to run, it makes more sense to buy that one. But if it's a wash then it makes more sense to buy the cheaper printer to me.

(perhaps i'm oversimplifying this, but I've been searching for over a month for a printer ,decide to go one route but before i purchase something changes my mind setting back to square one. I just want the best value of my money. Hey I'm thrifty, what can i say.
When starting my search, i shyed away from epson and wanted to go with a "true" sublimation machine b/c of issues with the poor engineering of the Silhouette Curio's lg board. Tons of time changing cut settings, even when using the same medium & vector. However, it seems the only real problem with the Epsons is the ink drying, which from what i've read if you just print everyday then you shouldn't have issues. So here i sit still trying to decide where to throw my money at. If the darn SG800 was overpriced, i would have just bought it and probably would be selling stuff by now.)

Ink cost is the only thing that is different right? Or is there something else that comes into factor?

I understand with epson you have a larger print area, so that in and of itself could lead you to use more ink because you can actually print larger so let's pretend that we're comparing the same print size.

I'm open to any input, even if it's just about the machines themself and not cost.

 

[mgparrish]

Is there a cost difference (besides initial purchase price) to use SG400/800 vs Epson printer?

I know there are 100 different debates about which printer to buy, but I'm now just interested in the actual $$ to run them. Because if one is cheaper to run, it makes more sense to buy that one. But if it's a wash then it makes more sense to buy the cheaper printer to me.

(perhaps i'm oversimplifying this, but I've been searching for over a month for a printer ,decide to go one route but before i purchase something changes my mind setting back to square one. I just want the best value of my money. Hey I'm thrifty, what can i say.
When starting my search, i shyed away from epson and wanted to go with a "true" sublimation machine b/c of issues with the poor engineering of the Silhouette Curio's lg board. Tons of time changing cut settings, even when using the same medium & vector. However, it seems the only real problem with the Epsons is the ink drying, which from what i've read if you just print everyday then you shouldn't have issues. So here i sit still trying to decide where to throw my money at. If the darn SG800 was overpriced, i would have just bought it and probably would be selling stuff by now.)

Ink cost is the only thing that is different right? Or is there something else that comes into factor?

I understand with epson you have a larger print area, so that in and of itself could lead you to use more ink because you can actually print larger so let's pretend that we're comparing the same print size.

I'm open to any input, even if it's just about the machines themself and not cost.

The Ricoh printers previously sold by SG and SG's private label offering of the Ricoh (SG400/800) are not "true sublimation" printers. They are designed for pigment and SG has retro-fitted these printers with sublimation inks and software. The SG400/800 is just a more well concealed retro-fit. This is a huge mis-conception propagated on this forum and others that the Ricoh was designed for sublimation.

The Ricohs have a feature that Epson doesn't offer on the desktop, the printer as designed in the firmware to do an occasional ink and very small "ink purge" at certain intervals automatically. This will keep fresh inks in the print head. It has the same effect as printing often which you would need to do manually with an Epson, either by actual printing or by an occasional nozzle check every couple of days or so. You can use 3rd software to do this function for you automatically on Epson if for some reason you cannot print often.

The SG Ricohs are also using a factory produced sealed cart whereas desktop Epson sublimation printers you use a CIS (which I don't recommend) or buy refillable carts.

Most people that report problems with Epson's "clogging" are using CIS, or don't prime the refillable carts properly, or don't print often.

Any Epson maintained properly can print reliable with refillable carts if you understand how to prime and you keep fresh ink in the print heads by printing often or using software that can automate printing at frequent times.

SG is more friendly in the initial setup, and with ink replacement, but the ink costs are obscene (about 500% higher than others) and if you print large items like t-shirts or a lot of volume of items larger than 6 x 8 it will effect your bottom line.

 

[Grant Hill]

The difference is only the size of paper you can print on.
SG400 Maximum Media Size: 11" x 17;" Up to 13” x 19” with Optional Bypass Tray.
SG800 Maximum Media Size: 8.5" x 14;" Up to 8.5" x 51" with Optional Bypass Tray.

Print speed is higher on the SG400.Both use the same ink cartridges. There is a large price jump from one model to the other, but it will depend on what size prints you will need to print.