Colour Lasers

[Gummo]

I've been using a friend's OKI C5300 colour laser to print wedding
invitations, booklets etc. for friends and family.

I'm being persuaded to do this professionally but I need advice in terms of
the cost of printing and, consequently, I have no idea how to charge?

Help!

 

[Gummo]

When it comes to color lasers you need to make sure you can absorb the
cost of replacement cartridges. They are exorbitant. I bet it is cheaper
to send them out and have them printed in bulk than doing it with a
personal use color laser printer. IMO, the only exception would be if you
are only printing a handful for your clients.

I'd imagine no more than a few hundred A4 pages at a time. I really need to
know the average cost per full coloured A4 page.

Gummo

 

[DevilsPGD]

In message <[email protected]> Michael

When it comes to color lasers you need to make sure you can absorb the
cost of replacement cartridges. They are exorbitant. I bet it is
cheaper to send them out and have them printed in bulk than doing it
with a personal use color laser printer. IMO, the only exception would
be if you are only printing a handful for your clients.

That depends on how you define "handful", the last time we priced
anything out locally, for the amount a few local print shops wanted for
a couple thousand pages, we bought a duplexing colour laser (HP
2600dnxi), all of the supplies, plus a full round of new toner.

When it was all said and done, we were down to 25% of the original toner
in one colour, the rest were above 50%, plus we had a full round of new
toner cartridges to spare.

 

[Gummo]

I imagine it also depends on page coverage too. Full color sheets reduce
yield substantially from what the manufacturers estimate.

Major food for thought since most of my work will be full page JPGs

Gummo

 

[Gummo]

Of course, there will be variations in suppliers, in
typical useage, in The What?, The Where?. The Why?
and The How? ..but I trust the above has some value..

..and, perhaps, gives an an approximate insight into
the 'real-time' per page costs that might be expected
when running a typical colour laser printer...

hh.. )

Load to think about - many thanks Bill.

Gummo