Full Version: Millenium Thermal badge machine
From: Peter [#1]
13 Apr 2005
To: ALL
Hi Gang,
Has anyone here used the Millenium Thermal Badge machine, or does anyone own one ?
What are the pros and cons?
regards
Peter
From: Birdman (TBIRD1957) [#2]
13 Apr 2005
To: ALL
I do not have Millenium Thermal Badge, but I have a Magicard Turbo.
It is a fantastic machine. I do name tags, luggage, pet tags, Picture ID tags. I have been very succesful with it. Picture ID badges are easy to make and many more companies are demanding them nowdays. It's a very easy process and hooks up just like a printer. For the price you and pick up a used machine (Fargo, Magicard, Millenium, Data Card and Others I wouldn't be without one. Just set up you badge in Corel and print it. I sell about a 500 tags a month. I use the .030 white PVC. If you want special shape, just cut it out on your engraver. I was sure hoping to use my laser, but the cards are made of PVC. If you need help, let me know.
From: Peter [#3]
13 Apr 2005
To: Birdman (TBIRD1957) [#2] 14 Apr 2005
The Australian suppliers of the Millenium tell us we can only use the blanks they sell, maximum size of blanks iss 55 mm or approx 2 & 1/4 "
by 280 mm or approx 12".
the badges come in single blanks or you can cut the credit card size blanks after they are printed.
Problem is the cost of blanks and print equal about 90 c before you do aything else .
Whats your experience with this situation ?
regards
Peter
From: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#4]
13 Apr 2005
To: Peter [#3] 13 Apr 2005
I considered it for our badge production , way too expensive and very limited IMHO. I wasnt particularily impressed with some of it's output either - I found some stuff distinctly blurry - especially very fine text.
There arent too many where I live and was worried about servicing and consumables as well. We were using a roland PC60 to do the thermal printing and applying it to substrates and it worked out far far better to continue doing it that way.
We now use a Roland print and cut machine to do it.
A credit card sized decal costs us about 4 p to print , including premium vinyl.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#5]
13 Apr 2005
To: Peter [#1] 13 Apr 2005
Peter,
Some people swear by the Millenium machines; others swear at them :-)
I don't know the cost of the ribbons, but I hear they're expensive, in comparison to their yield.
I use ink jet sublimation on metal plates (white, gold,silver) for namebadges. No complaints, from myself, or my customers.
David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri
DGL Engraving
Port Hueneme, CA
From: Jim (PUZZLEHEAD) [#6]
13 Apr 2005
To: Peter [#1] 13 Apr 2005
I don't own a card printer, but I really like the product they make. One possible cause for concern about the Millenium is the warranty on the print head. I don't remember how long it is, but when I looked at them, the Magicard had a much better warranty. the Millenium seems to have a better distributor network and more people seem to own them than the Magicard, but Johnson Pastics told me that they sell about the same amount of blanks and ribbons for the Millenium as they do the Magicard.
In the US, I think the cost for a finished printed card is around $.50 I job out some of these badges and I resell them for $8 - $10 each. I can live with that margin.
Jim
From: Birdman (TBIRD1957) [#7]
14 Apr 2005
To: ALL
Like I said I use a Magicard Turbo. I purchased it from Ultra Electronics. It was reconditioned. I think I paid about $1000. for it shipped to me. I've had this one about 3 years. Ribbon run around $90.00. You get 250 imprints from one ribbon. I purchase the CR80 cards by the 1000's. I think around $20. - $25.00, I'd have to look it up to be sure. I print cards daily. Some are very detailed, some are very simple. With a magnetic back I get $12.50, with a pin, clutch, or strap clip I get $9.50.
Setup is from 0.000 - $25.00 depends on how much work. I think the profit is great. I wish I could get this % of profit on everything I sell. Best of all, once the tag is setup anyone in the shop can print the tags.I get great detail and customers see to really like them. See attachment for a name
tag that I did for my dentist.
From: cindy (ROBERTM) [#8]
14 Apr 2005
To: Birdman (TBIRD1957) [#7] 14 Apr 2005
Hi Gang,
Are these the type of tags used for instance at schools and hospitals.
They have a picture of the person and some type of bar code to get access into a building.
I would love to be able to get into that market. All I own now is a univeral 25 watt laser.
Let me know what I would need to get set up and what the cost would be.
Thanks Cindy Murray
Laser Stamp and Engraving
From: Birdman (TBIRD1957) [#9]
14 Apr 2005
To: ALL
Hi Cindy,
You can get into the printed cards very reasonably.
You will need a computer with Corel (since you have a laser you probably already have one).
You will need a card printer. They hook up to your computer just like a printer, some are USB, some serial or parallel. I have the Magicard, it
is a parallel printer. It only prints one size of tag (CR80 - 2 1/8 x3 3/8), but that seems to work for me. Smaller tags can be sheared.
Look on Ebay, they usually have a couple of Magicards very inexpensive.
Also look at the Fargo, Mellenium, Datat card and probably other. Do a search on google and call the different for some information on their machines.
You should be able to get a good used machine, and enough supplies to get you started for $500.00.
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#10]
14 Apr 2005
To: Birdman (TBIRD1957) [#9] 14 Apr 2005
TJ,
Could you post that image in a more operating system friendly format such as jpg? My issue is not that I own a Mac, it's because I only have CorelDraw 10. Couldn't open it with my version.
Thanks!
EDITED: 14 Apr 2005 by DATAKES
From: cindy (ROBERTM) [#11]
14 Apr 2005
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#10] 14 Apr 2005
Hi Gang,
Need some expert opinions. Like I mentioned earlier I own a 25 watt universal laser, I have a home based business.
Right now my target customers are other business.
I do small label engraving, some photo engraving, rubber stamps, name badges and plaques. Doing ok but not good enough. I was interested in the badges for schools, hospitals and such. Question is would I do better investing in Sublimation or just a machine to do badges only?
With sublimation I could get into shirts, mouse pads and other items, just don't know with the cost difference.
Advice...........
Thanks Cindy
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#12]
14 Apr 2005
To: cindy (ROBERTM) [#11] 14 Apr 2005
Cindy,
Along with increased versatility, you'll find ink jet sublimation to be the ultimate process of variables. The learning curve can be arduous.
The card printer will require much less patience.
Not trying to discourage you. Ink jet sublimation makes up about 30% of my business mix.
David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri
DGL Engraving
Port Hueneme, CA
From: trophyman (MIKEBERGER) [#13]
14 Apr 2005
To: cindy (ROBERTM) [#11] 14 Apr 2005
We were able to pick up a fargo printer on ebay for $250.
Print ribbons list for $120 for a 250 print ribbon but they are available on ebay for as low as $60. Cards for about $15 per 100.
The software sells for anywhere from $20 to over $800. You'll also need a digital camera for the photo ID cards.
Mike Berger
From: cindy (ROBERTM) [#14]
14 Apr 2005
To: trophyman (MIKEBERGER) [#13] 15 Apr 2005
One of my neighbors is a teacher in our local school here and I noticed she had one of the badges with her picture and some type of bar code on it. I asked her where they purchased their badges and was told they get from the county school board and they make their own.
Now I'm wondering if maybe all schools and hospitals and such can just make their own.
Do ya'll find this happing in your area of the country?
I know if I bought the sublimation equipment, there are other things I could do with it, but being home based and wanting to market mostly to other business do you think it would worth investing in.
Thanks Cindy
From: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#15]
14 Apr 2005
To: ALL
You will only be able to do fairly simple one colour badges with a laser unless you fill the engraving which is a total mission.
Heres a way of geting into badges REAL cheap
Ideally you want a full colour graphic on a hard substrate and you want to dome it.
So you need something to cut or punch the substrate and here the laser can cut various materials or you can saw cut , guillotine or just buy blanks.
All you need is a cheap desktop inkjet printer if you have a laser
If you dont have a laser , you need the printer and a thing called a craft robo (from graphtec I believe) , its a cheap cutter (about $400) that reads printed registration marks and cuts using those as aligning marks)
http://www.graphteccorp.com/craftrobo/about.html
So all you do is get inkjet vinyl (most are NOT pvc but polyester based) and print , either use your laser to kiss cut it or the Craft robo to do the same , apply it to the hard substrate , dome it using epoxy or the like and put on a back. the quality of these badges will be stunning and whatever can be printed is able to be put on the badge.
You get the inkjet vinyls in clear and white , so for example you wanted a gold background for the badge , use gold rowmark as the substrate and print on clear.
http://www.papilio.com/ for various inkjet papers , vinyls etc.
From: Myyk [#16]
14 Apr 2005
To: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#15] 14 Apr 2005
I have tried doming badges printed on inkjet vinyl or Roland color camm, but find it too difficult. Handling was the major headache, with any stroking to remove stubborn bubbles resulting in marks on the ink which seems to be softened by the resin.
My solution is to use the Print n Seal sysyem. Their inkjet vinyl gives sharp lettering and vibrant colours printing from my C80 and after overlaminating is exceptionally easy to handle.
I also use sublimation on silver or gold badges, but never white as the colours and sharpness appear very inferior to the Print n Seal ones.
Formerly, I used OHP film printed in reverse and overlayed with white signwriters vinyl. Looked great, but colours were prone to bleeding over time.
From: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#17]
14 Apr 2005
To: Myyk [#16] 14 Apr 2005
the urethane doming guns should be a little more effective. We never had a bleed problem , but that depends on the epoxy and the substrate - we used inkjet vinyl from the Daito co in Japan on an epson 870
Dunno the print and seal system at all - is there a website?
I dabbled in sublimation , had some success , but currently use a direct to substrate printer now which uses solvent based inks - a marvelous machine.
I think the sub market sucks at present , not the market per se , but all the stuff that ink suppliers are doing - like going after end users using aftermarket sub inks and raising ink prices to gouge type levels.
Most desktop printers use water based inks , for durability and resistance to water and abraision , you need light or full solvent based inks - you can convert a desktop to use these , but its a mission.
Regards
Rodney
From: Myyk [#18]
14 Apr 2005
To: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#17] 15 Apr 2005
The Epson C80 I use has the "durabrite" archival inks. Interestingly enough, I have tried using my Canon S530D which gives even brighter colours, but ink bleeding was a major problem!
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#19]
15 Apr 2005
To: cindy (ROBERTM) [#14] 15 Apr 2005
Cindy,
I am sure that the manufacturers of the badge printing systems are marketing to our end user, as are laser manufacturers, computerized mechanical engraving companies, etc. It is usually the volume users that end up buying the equipment and doing it in-house. Unfortunately, those are our best customers, leaving the smaller orders to us.
I produced all of our school district name badges. This year, for security reasons, they required staff and volunteers to have a photo badge. To make a long story short, it was more cost-effective and convenient for them to do this in house. I hated to lose this business, but I like the fact that they are being good stewards of our tax dollars. This was a sound financial decision.
I don't disagree with the manufacturer's practice of selling to the high-volume end users. After all, someone is going to sell equipment to this market, they all may as well throw their hat in the ring.
There is plenty of business to go around.
EDITED: 15 Apr 2005 by DATAKES
From: Ken D. (KDEVORY) [#20]
15 Apr 2005
To: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#15] 15 Apr 2005
I got some of the inkjet photo glossy film, white polyester with adhesive on back, from http://www.papilio.com/. (Got the link from Rodney in a previous thread.) Part PGF8511.(PGF= Photo Glossy Film, 8511=8.5"x11")
I'm printing to it using my HP officejet 7140, then doming. I'm using the UV resin sold by Ultradome and CGS, #7155 & #7156 www.deco-coat.com.
The rigid epoxy does not adhere very well. The flexible one seems to work OK. If you try to see how much you can bend the flexible dome, try folding it, the film will wrinkle. If kept submersed under water the dome will loose its grip, working its way in from the edges. (Not typical use.)
On the first pieces I domed, I saw a faint 'haze' showing the path I used to apply the epoxy. Testing showed this was due to the ink not being fully cured. Use heat and/or more time.
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