Printer... Laser v Inkjet... Thoughts/Experience...

[Zogbert Splod]

For a variety of reasons I am looking to buy a new printer.  I intend to use it to print things like 'brick paper' and other modeling papers.  I have a reasonably good inkjet machine right now but it struggles with brick paper which tends to come out as what I can only call a spotty brown blur.  Other things, including photographs, print well.  When I add consideration for the fading effect I am thinking that the laser route may be the way to go.
The last few days has seen me looking at online reviews and comparisons and I can't say that that has helped.  They seem to all be from a business users point of view.
Can I ask that, those of you who are current users of laser printers, please add a post to this thread and comment on output quality and anything else you feel relevant on laser prints/printers for this type of use?  Obviously I would be interested in knowing the actual model that you are taking about.
Damn, those bricks are small at 'n' scale ain't they!

Thanks folks.....

[Yet_Another]

I've had two colour laser printers: the first was a Konica-Minolta Magicolor something-or-other, bought around 2003 for around £500, used for printing newsletters. It had two resolutions, and was not miserable at photos on the high setting. It broke down twice, cost about £150 to repair the first time, didn't bother the second time. Toner was about £100 a pop (that's for each colour), if you went for the high capacity cartridges.

Currently, I have a little Samsung one, which cost £150. Much more basic settings, terrible at photos, the toner costs about £80 for each colour. It may be that I abuse them, but I always end up with stripy output, where the toner isn't evenly distributed. This may just be down to the length of time it takes me to get through the cartridge, and the toner settling while not used.

Bottom line: I love the fact that the output is fixed and waterproof, but inkjets are better at images unless you spend quite a lot of money. Well, even then, you could spend the same amount and get a truly whizzy inkjet.

[ntpntpntp]

We have a selection of printers scattered around the house.  We've found we definitely prefer laser printers over inkjet for general use, and these are networked to be available from any of our PCs or laptops. SWMBO teaches, so often needs to run off a bunch of prints or copies which would take ages on an inkjet.

We're on our 2nd Samsung mono laser, an SCX4600. (The first little Samsung was brilliant, we had it for years and basically wore it out).  We also have an HP MFP277DW multifunction colour laser which is great for business graphics, actually pretty good at photos, and is also used for scanning.

We have a Brother A3-capable inkjet, the larger format was useful for my lad's DT schoolwork etc. but it has always been rather fussy and liable to paper jams.  There's an older Canon Pixma 4000 which produces lovely photos when needed, though to be honest we hardly ever print photos these days.

I've still got an ancient Citizen Printiva (Alps Microdry technology) which I use for creating decals.

Bottom line would be pretty much the same as for @Yet_Another, ie. laser preferred though inkjet still best for photo-quality on the rare occasions we need it.

[Bob G]

i have destroyed many inkjets in my time.
Don't like Canon/Brother/Epson.
I'm an HP man. If you buy a good one.

For my home office I use an A3 inkjet HO Officejet 7612 and an A4 Laserjet Pro MFP M281FDW.
Inks cost around £100/high capacity toner (x4), but this printer is built like a brick whatsit. Takes two people to lift it (almost a lie but it is heavy and feels like it would win in a fight)
Cost me about £180 after Curry's multiple discounts. in fact the man in the shop had to do a manual input of the price as it was lower than Curry's paid for it. They are about £250 without discounts.
Seems to me like buying brickpaper would be cheaper, but...

Bob

[Bealman]

I agree.

Buy brick paper, problem solved 

[trkilliman]

I imagine I am like a number of people in their 60s and above who do not have an afinity to printers.

I have read a fair bit about having a highish end printer and downloading /printing brick and stone papers etc. When you factor in the cost of a good printer, the inks, quality paper and the one off download price, it all seems a heck of a lot of faffing around when some very good papers/textured vinyl versions can be had, ready to use. Redutex is an example.

But of course if I was more "tech minded" and had grown up with printers and their temperamental nature, then I might look at things differently.

[Dorsetmike]

Laser for me every time; I use an OKI 511 A4 colour laser, as Yet Another mentioned, the print is waterproof so no need to varnish, but biggest for me is cost per page is way lower than inkjet. The cost of a set of toner cartridges may look high, but will print around 5,000 pages. Another advantage of the OKI is that it can print to banner paper up to 1320mm, about 4'4", ideal for back scenes - less joins. It will also print on thin card up to 220gsm weight.

Before I retired I used to service & repair printers, most ink jets need frequent use else the jets get clogged (usually before the gaurantee runs out) HP are not quite as bad due to the jets being part of the ink cartridge thus easy to fix.

https://www.printerland.co.uk/OKI-C511dn-P122973.aspx

[PLD]

Horses for Courses...

Laser is the better for text and much faster. For Photos (especially on glossy paper), I have an Epson Stylus - over 15 years old now and ink cartridges aren't so easy to find, but still not found better...

[Malc]

I too am an OKI  511 user. I looked at many different printers before stumbling upon the OKI. Thanks to @Dorsetmike for his heads up. Good quality photos as well as being able to use banner paper for a back scene and print costs were what swung it.

[austinbob]

I too am an OKI  511 user. I looked at many different printers before stumbling upon the OKI. Thanks to @austinbob  for his heads up. Good quality photos as well as being able to use banner paper for a back scene and print costs were what swung it.

Think you may have given the honours to the wrong chap Malc???

[Malc]

Sorry Bob, Don't know why you were on my mind?🤪

[Zogbert Splod]

Thanks folks, I have a bit to think about now.  I'll report on my decision before too long.  I've been working on some drawings for a couple of buildings and I want to get on with putting them together so I need to decide which way to go.

   

[kirky]

@Zogbert Splod
I dont suppose this will be your problem, but just for reference, Ive used and printed downloadable brick papers from two diffeent suppliers. The original pdfs gave remarkably different results. The offerings from the brilliant scale scenes were really good, sharp and clear. The prints outs from smart models ended up as poor, splodgy messy brown paper. Same printer, same paper.
Just my experience.

Cheers
Kirky

[woodbury22uk]

@Zogbert Splod
I dont suppose this will be your problem, but just for reference, Ive used and printed downloadable brick papers from two diffeent suppliers. The original pdfs gave remarkably different results. The offerings from the brilliant scale scenes were really good, sharp and clear. The prints outs from smart models ended up as poor, splodgy messy brown paper. Same printer, same paper.
Just my experience.

Cheers
Kirky

One thing I found with my Samsung laser printer was that I could get a slightly textured finish by making the mortar lines white (so no toner) and printing on pale grey paper.

[ntpntpntp]

One thing I found with my Samsung laser printer was that I could get a slightly textured finish by making the mortar lines white (so no toner) and printing on pale grey paper.

I tend to print things like brickwork or cobbles on cream or light grey card stock or "posh" textured paper rather than plain white.