Always wondered this

[rjphotograph]

I want to be able to offer printing to my customers, I do flyers Is there any maching I could buy home based to produce flyers, if so price approximate???
And the name of company that provides them


http://www.rjphotograph.com/images/introbanner_copy.jpg

[D-Zine]

What quantity are you talking about for the flyers? Like 200 or 2,000?

Your best bet it to probobly use a local printer and include the printing price in your total price that you give the client. That way you provide the printing for them in your services but don't have to pay for the equipment and up keep. It can get expensive.

That's just another suggestion for offering printing to your clients, other than purchasing the equipment yourself.

http://coastalcarousel.com/GDF/metatag3.jpg

[rjphotograph]

like 2000 or 5000 like a regular quantity

http://www.rjphotograph.com/images/introbanner_copy.jpg

[D-Zine]

If it were me...I would take the job somewhere to have it printed....and take the cost of the printing and bump it up a little and add that to your design cost. Either way you are still giving them the service of having their flyers designed AND printed, and still making a profit. I'm not sure of the equipment cost tho if you were to do it yourself...tomorrow I am sure that Keyare or Kool or someone will chime in and be able to help you with that part and give some advice :o)

http://coastalcarousel.com/GDF/metatag3.jpg

[Keyare]

RISOGRAPH. Starts at $20,000. Horrible quality. One colour at a time. Super cheap to run. Can't do full colour - Not in your dreams. 15 minute learning curve. 150 copies a minute.

Little AB Dick Offsett press. Used start at $1000 (Don't even think about it) Newish $15,000. Quality - everything from crap to beautiful depending on your skill and how you make your plates. One colour at a time. Or two if you get a t-head. Lot of mechanical tinkering. Lots of additional supplies required. 2 year learning curve - seriously. Cheap to run - once you're set up. 20-150 copies a minute.

4 colour Offset press. Used starts at $30,000 New - anywhere up to $500,000. 4 colours at a time. Quality awesome. Lots of mechanical tinkering. 2 year learning curve. Lots of additional supplies. Cheap to run once you're set up. 30-300 copies a minute.

Heidelberg GTO DI. Starts at $100,000 used. 1 month learning curve. 4 colours at a time. Plates and service contract are expensive but fairly cheap to run. 30-100 copies a minute.

Xerox colour Laser printer. Starts at $800. Bigger/faster/newer - $20,000. 1 day learning curve. Full colour. May only do 8½x11' unless you get a 11x17' Screaming expensive to run. Quality great. 2-20 copies a minute.

Xerox colour copier. Starts at $20,000. 2 day learning curve. Quality...depends on model. Full colour. Expensive to run.


Get a colour laser for proofs or under 250 runs only - cost per full colour flyer may exceed 60 cents if you have heavy coverage - plus they're slow.

Your best bet is to find someone with a D.I. press and mark it up unless you have a rich uncle who can drop $250,000 on a printing press for ya. And it probably won't fit in your garage.

[D-Frag]

Yeah man bid those jobs out, I have a handful of printers I work with on a regular basis, and they all compete for my business its great, I can keep dropping the prices if I keep getting lower quotes. Anyways I tack on a 10% charge to the final bill in most cases, and never more then $500.00 extra...EVER, unless in some extreme case, but usually I only make like 200-400 off of printing charges for flyers and brochures.




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[PrintDriver]

D-frag be careful of getting your print guys to underbid each other. You can only do that so much before quality suffers or they get pissed at you.

PrintDriver is a large format digital print dude. His advice/opinions may not apply to the 4color/offset/web world of printing

[D-Zine]

Nice breakdown Keyare...I knew you would come through ;o)

Now..look at those prices and headaches RJ?!?!?! OYE!! S, not only do you have to print the stuff yourself but you have to understand printing (which I strongly feel EVERY designer should understand!!), understand the equipment, learn to use it all, and maintain it at all times...so you gotta have some monies!!! Lotsa monies! hehe! ;o)

I would still go with a local printer. Good luck!

http://coastalcarousel.com/GDF/metatag3.jpg

[rjphotograph]

GEsh never mind, i Would rather have someone do it, i got a headache just reading all the prices and information thanks for answering my question, I have a printer right now that I work with I just didnt know , Im always trying to save money and earn more.!!!!!

http://www.rjphotograph.com/images/introbanner_copy.jpg

[D-Frag]

hehe, print, i know man, ive never had em actually compete, but sometimes you get clients who do it for you...you know. kinda like my vent in the jerk my chain post. i would never have my printers actually bid each other out, that is rude, i guess i should have clarified a little more clearly. I love my main printer, they get the majority of my work, and they take care of me, and I take care of them, then I have other printers who actually call me and constantly ask me about new jobs, so I throw them a bone and say 'Hey I got so and so price over here, if you can match it ill give ya the job' and so random jobs will go out at a matching bid to my main printer. sorry, didnt want to sound like an ass.




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[rjphotograph]

Damn I cant wait till i get like that were I can have printing companies bid on my work

http://www.rjphotograph.com/images/introbanner_copy.jpg