Need recommendations for an A3 printer for Planning drawings

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Carlow52

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Just wonder if anyone has any insights/experience in this area please.
Laser would be preferable.
Thanks
 
I once had an Epson, part of the Stylus Photo range. Can't remember the model number. It would be obsolete now, anyway. Inkjet rather than laser, but the output was superb.
S
 
My only insight is that you can take your disc or drawing to the right graphics specialist and they will run off prints very cheaply. Fold them as well! Max size (A0, A1 etc) depending on the machine.
Also a lot of non specialists (e.g. my local post office) do A3 very cheaply.
For bigger sizes it's John E Wright, Derby or Nottingham, for me.
 
I have an HP cp 1700. It's a colour inkjet and does A4 & A3 (it's a printer only, not a fax & scanner as well). It's not bad.
Only thing, it's pretty old now and I'm not sure if this particular model is still made. But I can still get cartridges for it (and print heads too - it's old enough that it needs separate print heads but they do last a long time).
I would have thought a trip to the HP website (hp.com?) or a Google search for A4 printers (not plotters) would throw something up - they're not exactly common (well not here in Switzerland anyway) but they are made.

AES
 
Carlow52":3tczsejq said:
Just wonder if anyone has any insights/experience in this area please.
Laser would be preferable.
Thanks

Even A3 isn't big enough for 1:1 on many projects, so I'm not sure of the benefit. A3 is rare enough that A3 carries a HEFTY price premium over the mass market A4's.

BugBear
 
A3 is generally only used for a scaled down folio - easy to carry around for quick reference.
Plans are normally produced at A0 or A1 on plotters.
Most copying firms will be able to upscale?

Rod
 
It depends what you want A3 for. For example, in my case I often need hard copies of an airliner's "LOPA" (Layout Of Passenger Acommodation). Just as already said, the original drawings are pretty detailed (showing position of every portable fire extinguisher, defibrilator, first aid kit, portable oxygen set, etc, as well as seats, cupboards, loos and galleys, etc, etc). Being so detailed the originals are normally produced in A0 or A1 and I normally receive them in .pdf files. Printed out onto A4 there's just too much detail to be useful/clearly visible, but A3 works fine.

That's just one example, and I guess it's much the same with architect's plans, builder's drawings, etc.

BTW, my cp 1700 was not all that expensive (compared to a normal A4 colour ink jet printer) but as said, that was a long time ago - at least 10 years ago I guess.

AES
 
If you're not printing many or often or it's for big plans then as has been suggested a specialist printer is the way to go.
If it's just house plans, for a conversion or extension perhaps then A3 is fine - we often get plans that size in our parish council planning meetings but again unless you print lots find someone to print it for you.
 
I got a very ancient Epson 1270 A3 printer off Freecycle two or three years ago, and it's been in use pretty much every day since. The colour cartridge is a special, only used in this Epson and one other, but still seems easy and relatively cheap to get.
Don't know where you are, but if it's any help, would be happy to print off files and post to you.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions and offers to print.
I guess AES doesn't work for Ryanair
(showing position of every portable fire extinguisher, defibrilator, first aid kit, portable oxygen set, etc, as well as seats, cupboards, loos and galleys, etc, etc)
Will go down the 'get it printed' route.
 
I most certainly do NOT work for Ryanair!!!!! - but as per strictly applied regs, all the "junk" mentioned will be on their aeroplanes too.

Good luck with the printing

AES
 
AES":1y1icess said:
I most certainly do NOT work for Ryanair!!!!! - but as per strictly applied regs, all the "junk" mentioned will be on their aeroplanes too.

Good luck with the printing

AES

Presumably there is a charge on Ryanair for both sitting next to said junk, and a similar charge for choosing not to...?
 
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