what are you using as a POS printer?

GUMBY GCF

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
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I was Wondering what everyone was using as a pos printer with their framing POS software. How often do you seem to be replacing them?
 
Gosh James - I hope you read the last thread, "Hewlett Packard - Good, Bad & the Ugly". Many have shared their printer experience(s). Like I wrote, my HP was great - until a part broke 2 weeks ago - when it was just 2 1/2 years old. The company doesn't make replacement parts so now it's trash......$552.00 to the trash can (that's $220.80/year plus ink cartridges).

I've been told that Brother is excellent and they DO make replacement parts.

I don't know for sure what I'm going to get to replace it, but for sure, it will be laser & it WILL have replacement parts.
 
I am still using an old HP 855C Deskjet after almost 5 yrs. using it in my shop and regular use at home since Spring of '05. It still prints clearly and evenly B/W only but I only needed B/W for my POS and I print out mostly documentation and letters at home. It has a color cart. but I rarely use it and don't know if it even works anymore. It may have dried up from sitting in there!

I bought a cartridge refill kit last year and have been using them since with good results. I had a bunch of old cartridges lying around and I found 4 that were still useable so I refill them as needed and go on with things.

I must be a really lucky guy to have an inkjet last this long! It's kinda like the little pink bunny of the printer world, it just keeps going and going and going .................

Framerguy
 
At the front counter we have:

-Networked Star TSP 700 series high speed thermal printer (small continuous roll) TSP743U. We have had it for about 5 months. This printer handles debit and credit card slips, quicksale slips, framing order slips, and payment receipts for pick-ups. Previously, all that went to the Brother (below) It has no warm-up time and we love it.

-Networked Brother MFC-8500 (Laser printer, scanner, fax, copier). This brother model has been discontinued but replaced by the MFC-8220 - virtually identical. We have had it for 4 1/2 years. This unit handles daily reports, monthly reports, corporate billing for multi piece orders, workorders (back room framing instructions), and all of our incoming faxes.

-Networked Dymo Turbo label printer, which LifeSaver uses to print barcode labels for mats, mouldings, art items, and gift items.


In the back room: (Wizard CMC PC)

-Networked HP LaserJet 6L (old) which serves as a "backup plan" in case the brother ever decides to fail. (it never has) We used to print postcards on that printer, until we got the color laser. This machine was beat up in a corporate office environment until the rollers wore out. A client was tossing it out, so I took it home and cleaned it up (new rollers) and it works like new.


At the office in our home, the shop has a:

-Dell 3100CN color laser which we got from one of the Dell Deals for $299 or so. (cheaper than what the 4 toner carts cost). This one is huge and we use it to print full color postcards. It pays for itself with every mailing and is still on the original toner carts. We got this about a year ago. The only negative thing I can say is that its large and needs its own table.

All of the above have been INCREDIBLY reliable.

Mike
 
Our cash register receipt printer is a very noisy dot matrix Epson TMU 210B. We have never changed the ribbon on this machine; it looks like it might go on forever.

The real workhorse is the HP 1010 mono laser, used for Invoices, framing dockets, and general correspondence. The original cartridge has lasted 2 years constant daily use but recently started to show lighter vertical bands indicating that it is nearly done. A vigorous shake has restored printing quality and perhaps extended its life by a few months. A replacement cartridge is approximately 75% of the cost of a new printer.

For printing photographs and CDs our Epson R220 is a big improvement on the R200 that it replaced. This printer, complete with ink, appears to sell for approximately the same price as a full set of Epson branded ink cartridges, so we will probably buy a new printer when the ink runs out, as we have never had any luck with refills or cheaper substitutes.
 
Originally posted by Mike Labbe @ GTP:
-Dell 3100CN color laser which we got from one of the Dell Deals for $299 or so. (cheaper than what the 4 toner carts cost). This one is huge and we use it to print full color postcards. It pays for itself with every mailing and is still on the original toner carts. We got this about a year ago. The only negative thing I can say is that its large and needs its own table.

All of the above have been INCREDIBLY reliable.

Mike
Mike:

This particular color laser is one incredible deal! It always gets great reviews and you cannot beat the price.

It might be my next purchase to use with IF, PIF or whatever.
 
James,

With Specialty Soft set up at three terminals on the floor of our shop, we divert all work tickets and Invoices to an older HP1100 (circa 1999).

All receipts automatically go to one of three Star Receipt Printers.

I'll upgrade the HP 1100 next year sometime to a model with a larger paper capacity.

Regards,

John
 
I just LOVE it when framer's need to upgrade their printers to "large paper capacity" - it can only mean they are in need of printing LARGER ORDERS!!

You GO JOHN!!
beer.gif
 
We just installed a 3100CN - with the express purpose of bringing all mailings in-house - postcards, color newsletters, work orders, etc. Not to mention paying $50 for ink to feed the old inkjet printer that cost around $40.

Only had it a few weeks and I'm glad to hear it's been so reliable.

BTW Dell Small Business is THE way to outfit a frame shop POS, printers, etc. Cheap, reliable and great prices (better than regular Dell site)
Tony
 
POS printing... Brother 1440 mono laser with settings downgraded to 300dpi and 25% toner. We don't need high quality for our inhouse work tickets and toner cartridges last forever.

Color printing... Dell 3100cn same time as Mike and still on original cartridges too. Shipping weight was >70 pounds. It paid for itself on the first print job.
 
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