Printer for blueprints

[Moore Power]

Hello, I'm almost 2 years into running my electrical contracting business and I'm getting sick of looking at plans on the computer. I don't need full size plans, but obviously a standard printer will not do the trick. Most of the work we are going after is 2,000-5,000 sqft range. Mostly T.I. and shell build outs. I am looking for advice on printers and options for keeping the scale accurate I do have blue beam so that may help with the scaling issue. Thanks in advance.

 

[jim dungar]

Hello, I'm almost 2 years into running my electrical contracting business and I'm getting sick of looking at plans on the computer. I don't need full size plans, but obviously a standard printer will not do the trick. Most of the work we are going after is 2,000-5,000 sqft range. Mostly T.I. and shell build outs. I am looking for advice on printers and options for keeping the scale accurate I do have blue beam so that may help with the scaling issue. Thanks in advance.

I used to go to FEDex and print them. In the long run it was cheaper than owning and fixing a large printer.

 

[PaulMmn]

I bought a Brother MFC-J6935DW printer. It handles 11x17 paper. I don't know if that's large enough to be useful to you or not, but that model is supposed to be economical with ink (4 separate cartridges). I don't use it enough to get a feel for economical or not.
It has 2 up-front trays-- I keep 11x17 and Letter in them-- plus a rear auxiliary feed I keep Legal in.
It's not just a printer, it's also a scanner and copier. Although you can hard-wire it, in my situation I use the WIFI connection to print.

 

[cadpoint]

Those new larger screens are fairly inexpensive. If you need to use a wheel pen I understand.

This is how I learned paper size Architectural paper sizes,
and in general the desired paper out put size from modern printers or even plotters are these
and very close to the APS diagram.

What you have to remember is that getting the product back to Scale. I'm not talking about the real "PDF" viewer, I'm talking about
the other programs that can be used to view PDF's and print as well. Then there is the term printable space inside the edges that
most larger plotters have.

 

[curt swartz]

I have the same printer as Paul and will print to 11X17 if readable. If I need full size I go to FedEx or send to a local ARC Document Solutions.
If its a multi page print ARC will bind them if requested.

 

[Moore Power]

Thank you all for your responses. I think 11x17 will do the trick. I mostly want to mark up plans for conduit routing and such for the guys in the field. The GC always has a full size set on site if we have to get detailed with scaling something off. Great idea about a jumbo computer monitor.

 

[tom baker]

Epson makes 2 ecotank printers that will print @ 11x17 which is good size for the field. I have two eco tank printers, I print a lot, the ink is inexpensive, comes in bottles and is easy to refill. Staples has them and you can compare. Each are $549. An 11x17 printed at staples is .50 plus your time and mileage

 

[Moore Power]

Thanks Tom that is in the price range I was hoping for.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I have an HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 wide format printer at home that I sometimes print 11x17 drawings on.
I find that a good size for field use and most of the time you can read everything, but sometimes the fonts used by the designer can be too small to read on an ink jet printed drawing. If the drawings you want to print use a small font, you might have to look to a more expensive laser printer

 

[James L]

I used to go to FEDex and print them. In the long run it was cheaper than owning and fixing a large printer.

Yup. There's a print shop really close to my house. I upload an image on their website, and swing by when it's convenient. Fast, cheap and easy

 

[tom baker]

Another advantage of your own printer is it will have a scanner, you can mark up your drawings, save a a PDF and email for review or to your tablet

 

[tom baker]

I have had canon and HP printers. They are now offering tank printers to compete with Eco Tank from Epson. Tanks levels on Epson are in front, easy to see, refill is fast and no mess

 

[jim dungar]

Yup. There's a print shop really close to my house. I upload an image on their website, and swing by when it's convenient. Fast, cheap and easy

Yeah.
I don't think of 11X17 as being large when talking about blueprints or scaled drawings. I used to have a plotter for detailed C and D drawings but then I switched to using FedEx.

 

[petersonra]

Another advantage of your own printer is it will have a scanner, you can mark up your drawings, save a a PDF and email for review or to your tablet

I usually do not bother to scan them. I just take a picture of the markups with my cell phone. The resolution is more than adequate for markups on d size drawings

 

[Moore Power]

Thanks for all the information, I think 11x17 will suit my needs, good to know about the tank style printers. I still don't know what a plotter is, but I think I will go with an ecotank epson.

 

[LarryFine]

I still don't know what a plotter is . . .

It's a large-format printer.

 

[qcroanoke]

I still don't know what a plotter is,

Old technology. For us anyway.
We haven't used one in years. All our stuff is on 11X17.

 

[gadfly56]

I bought a Brother MFC-J6935DW printer. It handles 11x17 paper. I don't know if that's large enough to be useful to you or not, but that model is supposed to be economical with ink (4 separate cartridges). I don't use it enough to get a feel for economical or not.
It has 2 up-front trays-- I keep 11x17 and Letter in them-- plus a rear auxiliary feed I keep Legal in.
It's not just a printer, it's also a scanner and copier. Although you can hard-wire it, in my situation I use the WIFI connection to print.

Frankly, I don't find 11 x 17 all that useful for takeoffs or field prints. Usually, 24x36 is the minimum size you want. Run the numbers to see if you do enough prints to justify a plotter, otherwise you are better off with going down to Staples or whomever to have them print the 3 or 4 per week you might need.

 

[petersonra]

24x36 is kind of hard to work with out in the field. Not many places to lay down prints of that size. Ok for office pukes who have a nice clean table to work from.

 

[ActionDave]

24x36 is kind of hard to work with out in the field. Not many places to lay down prints of that size. Ok for office pukes who have a nice clean table to work from.

I disagree. I hate 11x17 prints and so does everyone I work with. There is no shortage of places to view full size prints - plan tables with casters, nail or thumb tack on the wall or bulletin board, magnets for steel studs, top of a gang box, lower level of a baker scaffold and so on. I personally have a four foot folding table that I keep around that's quite handy for plans and doubles as a nice spot for eating lunch.

It's the office workers that have the nice big, double monitors, easy access to blue beam, are able to skip to another page with a clic, and can cut and paste with ease. What do they need prints for?