Stencil printer (what do you use?)

Misfit · 11 Feb 2021

Hey everyone
So i've been thinking of getting a (cheap) stencil printer and have been looking at what options i have.
So far i've seen:
- fax machine = 5€
- that one from aliexpress/ebay/amazon, no brand = around 120€
- Brother PocketJet = 170€ or so for the cheapest used one on ebay right now
- Epson Ecotank = 150€ used, probably the most expensive the maintain i guess, since the ink itself is expensive

I bought an old fax a while ago that i used a couple of times, not user friendly at all but it worked ok. It died yesterday though, after the stencil paper got jammed.
I'm a bit skeptical of the brandless stencil printer, but the pocketjet's price is a bit steep for me, for now
Is there any other cheap option i'm missing? Does anyone here use the brandless one?

gadsden1776 · 11 Feb 2021

In need of a printer, and not trying to go bankrupt

The last piece to my Tattoo puzzle is currently the Printer for my Stencils. Hell I don't even own a regular printer. What is an easy to recommend printer for stencils so I can get set up and running. I have a light table, so if it's just a normal printer, I'll take those recommendations...

helpmetattoo.com

79josh81 · 11 Feb 2021

Buy one of the thermocopier cheapies off Amazon or eBay. The shop I’m apprenticing at has a really expensive one and the cheap one and they prefer the cheap one.

Cyberthrasher · 12 Feb 2021

79josh81 said:
Buy one of the thermocopier cheapies off Amazon or eBay. The shop I’m apprenticing at has a really expensive one and the cheap one and they prefer the cheap one.

Ditto here. We have an ancient 3M thermal that I couldn't even tell you how to turn on, an Epson Eco tank, and a cheap thermal printer from Worldwide Tattoo - same thing as all the others just with their logo slapped on it. Guess which is the only one I've ever seen used.

I think a few of the cheap ones might be slightly different in parts and may have varying degrees of longevity (6 months, year, 2 years), but when you consider the price vs. how much money you make off of it they're really not bad. Even if you have to replace it a couple times a year it's still worth it in time saved.

gadsden1776 · 12 Feb 2021

Cyberthrasher706 said:
but when you consider the price vs. how much money you make off of it they're really not bad. Even if you have to replace it a couple times a year it's still worth it in time saved.

& this is one of the main reasons I loath "best cheap xyz" questions.

invest in yourself & your craft.

DKJ · 12 Feb 2021

I use the amazon thermal copier (120$ or so), and i only do lines, no realism or gradients.
Fits me quite well, had to press the deepness #2 button to get solid stencils, and get used to hold the yellow paper while it was transfering, but i love it!

My only experience, though.

Peace,

DKJ

Big Pete · 13 Sep 2021

I use one identical to this...was bought on eBay from a chinese seller, has so far lasted me 4years, not bad value for $160 Australian Dollars.
Before that I used a Dot Matrix printer, that worked well but needed to be connected to my computer, had to replace my computer and the Dot Matrix wasn't compatible with it, so bought the thermal printer.

DKJ · 14 Sep 2021

So i have the Big Pete one and tonight i'm quite pissed as i used my thinnest micron pen (005) to get the finest lines and use my 3rl needles.
But hey look at the original Vs stencil... How do you get finer lines? Printers with eco tank?

This is with the deepness 1 mode. Deepness 2 was way bigger.

Any clue?

Peace,

DKJ

Cyberthrasher · 14 Sep 2021

DKJ said:
How do you get finer lines? Printers with eco tank?

Well, My S8 does it pretty dam easy every time. I'm so glad I didn't waste my time with one of those crappy thermal copiers.

Big Pete · 14 Sep 2021

DKJ said:
So i have the Big Pete one and tonight i'm quite pissed as i used my thinnest micron pen (005) to get the finest lines and use my 3rl needles.
But hey look at the original Vs stencil... How do you get finer lines? Printers with eco tank?
View attachment 27105
View attachment 27106
This is with the deepness 1 mode. Deepness 2 was way bigger.

Any clue?

Peace,

DKJ

Mine prints out pretty much exactly how it is in the original drawing I use....I have mine set for Normal, Deepness II. What type of stencil paper do you use, I use Spirit Classic Thermal, ensuring it is the USA made product, not the Chinese Knock Off

DKJ · 15 Sep 2021

Big Pete said:
Mine prints out pretty much exactly how it is in the original drawing I use....I have mine set for Normal, Deepness II. What type of stencil paper do you use, I use Spirit Classic Thermal, ensuring it is the USA made product, not the Chinese Knock Off

I'm clear on everything you asked, except the "normal" thingy... Do you mean it's not "mirror", because i just have those buttons :

Peace,

DKJ

Big Pete · 15 Sep 2021

DKJ said:
I'm clear on everything you asked, except the "normal" thingy... Do you mean it's not "mirror", because i just have those buttons :
View attachment 27112

Peace,

DKJ

Where yours says Photo, mine says Normal

Big Pete · 15 Sep 2021

like this

DKJ · 15 Sep 2021

Maybe i should do some cleaning inside to make it work like new.
I'm pretty sure it dirt can get it to be more raw, less precise.

Peace,

DKJ

DKJ · 15 Sep 2021

Cyberthrasher said:
Well, My S8 does it pretty dam easy every time. I'm so glad I didn't waste my time with one of those crappy thermal copiers.

Good thing to know, i need to put some money on the side...

Peace,

DKJ

DKJ · 15 Sep 2021

So, just to share, i did a reset, cleaned lamp, rollers and heater, and got a better result, lines are now very close to the original width.

Thanks Pete!

Peace,

DKJ

marked 4 life · 15 Sep 2021

Ive got one of those cheap crappy thermal copiers, it has had years of use in the shop and still going strong, when it fails I shall have the same model again, only thing I’ve done is maintenance when it started producing tram lines on the stencil, I wrote this breakdown for another group.

JBlazican · 16 Sep 2021

Misfit said:
Hey everyone
So i've been thinking of getting a (cheap) stencil printer and have been looking at what options i have.
So far i've seen:
- fax machine = 5€
- that one from aliexpress/ebay/amazon, no brand = around 120€
- Brother PocketJet = 170€ or so for the cheapest used one on ebay right now
- Epson Ecotank = 150€ used, probably the most expensive the maintain i guess, since the ink itself is expensive

I bought an old fax a while ago that i used a couple of times, not user friendly at all but it worked ok. It died yesterday though, after the stencil paper got jammed.
I'm a bit skeptical of the brandless stencil printer, but the pocketjet's price is a bit steep for me, for now
Is there any other cheap option i'm missing? Does anyone here use the brandless one?

Honestly man after awhile the cheap Amazon thermal printers are just and it doesn’t take long. The paper will get stuck in the roller even when you apply even pressure pulling it up. I have an eco tank and I love it. Get the Epson ecotank m-1120 it’s a monochrome printer so only black and white which is all you need. I found a new one for $130. I went on eBay and grabbed wk irons stencil ink which is half the price of the inkjet brand and just as good if not better. The detail these printers are printing is insane. Be ready for giant blobs of purple with a thermal printer or downloading 4 apps to get the image proper for printing. The eco tanks you can put anything on it and print book a beautiful stencil. Just YouTube it man you’ll see for yourself which one to buy

DKJ · 16 Sep 2021

JBlazican said:
Honestly man after awhile the cheap Amazon thermal printers are just and it doesn’t take long. The paper will get stuck in the roller even when you apply even pressure pulling it up. I have an eco tank and I love it. Get the Epson ecotank m-1120 it’s a monochrome printer so only black and white which is all you need. I found a new one for $130. I went on eBay and grabbed wk irons stencil ink which is half the price of the inkjet brand and just as good if not better. The detail these printers are printing is insane. Be ready for giant blobs of purple with a thermal printer or downloading 4 apps to get the image proper for printing. The eco tanks you can put anything on it and print book a beautiful stencil. Just YouTube it man you’ll see for yourself which one to buy

And what about the ink drying? Do you have to use your printer often or is it well sealed?

Peace,

DKJ

Cyberthrasher · 16 Sep 2021

JBlazican said:
Be ready for giant blobs of purple with a thermal printer or downloading 4 apps to get the image proper for printing. The eco tanks you can put anything on it and print book a beautiful stencil. Just YouTube it man you’ll see for yourself which one to buy

I'm not sure which one you were using, but the S8 was actually upgraded specifically for the purpose of running stencil paper and it only takes 1 app to run once you have your image ready. I create my stencil in Procreate and run it through the Brother app to print perfect precise lines. No need to buy ink or anything. Just the stencil paper I'm already buying.

Stencil printer (what do you use?)

Misfit

gadsden1776

In need of a printer, and not trying to go bankrupt

79josh81

Cyberthrasher

gadsden1776

DKJ

Big Pete

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DKJ

Cyberthrasher

Big Pete

DKJ

Big Pete

Big Pete

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DKJ

DKJ

DKJ

marked 4 life

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JBlazican

DKJ

Cyberthrasher

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