So here's the overview of the project:

Mutoh Falcon Outdoor 48

It needs some TLC.

Currently, I'm looking at a kit from CMYKParts.com which will basically let me refurb the printer. New capping station, 2 heads, 6 ink dampers, 2 head wipers, and a pump.

I need to procure cleaning solution for dissolving the solvent. I'm thinking a bulk ink cartridge that I can refill with solvent a few times, since I'll be using it a lot. Need to pull ink through the lines and into the head, all the ink feed system too.

There are several places that sell the inks, both bulk and original style cartridges, so that shouldn't be an issue. It also appears that they use standard ValueJET cartridges just fine, and those are still very much in production. Looking at the cartridges it has in it, it's already had the EcoSOL Ultra run through it, so I don't need to do any sort of conversion on it.

Hoping the ink lines do not need to be replaced, and that they can just be flushed with solvent enough to get the ink out. I'm thinking I'll take the dampers off and just force solvent back and forth through the lines to work out the ink.

Need to check the bearings and lubricate, make sure the head runs and all. It seems like the head check and such works, it attempts to clean and print a nozzle check correctly so I believe that the mechanics and electronics are working. I'm not sure about the rear heater; I don't feel any heat coming from the back metal area, so I'm not sure where the heater is, but I need to read up more on it. Checked up on this. While it's labelled "Rear" on the control panel, the LCD lists it as the "Fixer", which I believe means the platen, and that heats up really quick, which I can both feel on the platen and see on the LCD, and the "Front" (dryer) heater takes longer, which I can also see and feel. Looks like this part is working!

Only after all that is done, can I buy a couple sets of inks and fire it up, load some media into it and see it print. I've been contemplating working with a couple websites I'm on to see if I can do a freebie sticker of the week or day to kinda bring some business in, and at the same time keep it running once a day or so to make sure the heads and such don't clog again.

There won't be another post for awhile, as I have to get the money for the refurb kit together, and seeing as how I'm buying another CNC, it'll be on hold for a bit.

Well, this is it.

I've been wanting to get into digital vinyl printing for awhile; I have plenty of experience with cutting and such, using plotters, but I really wanted to be able to get the jobs that I had to turn away or send to someone else done myself.
So, after keeping a watchful eye on Craigslist for a long time, I found the perfect printer: a Mutoh Falcon Outdoor 48".

Sure, some may say it's not the best printer, that it's rife with issues and is old technology, that much newer things are better, but the real issue is that new printers are very expensive ($15,000). I wanted something somewhat inexpensive that I could work on and get parts for. (Roland ColorCAMMs are TOO old)

So, I'm now the proud owner of a partially-working Mutoh Falcon!
Here's a little about the machine:

• It can do 1440x1440dpi color prints onto vinyl using eco-solvent inks, which are good outdoor for a year or two. More if you put overlaminate on them.
• It can print up to 46" wide!
• It has a take up roller, front and rear heaters, and huge ink tanks!
• The person who sold it to me was really awesome and gave me his old copy of Flexi 7.6, which is a RIP used to rasterize graphics into a format the printer can read.

However, things are not all roses:

• The machine has been sitting for about 3 years without being run. Most of the time I've read that machines sitting even six months will need new heads, but I'm going to try and revive these, I think it may be a lost cause though.
• I'm going to need all new supplies for this system. Vinyl, inks, etc, which are not cheap.
• The printer will need to be run, at the minimum, through a cleaning cycle every couple days to keep the ink from solidifying in the heads and elsewhere. 
• I'm going to want a larger plotter, with optical registration to be able to contour-cut the stickers I plan on printing. 

However, I think I'm up to the challenge. I have a good working knowledge of inkjet technologies and printer mechanics, and with a relatively small investment (~$1500) I hope to have this machine up and running. I'll be posting photos, my victories and my defeats, in the hopes that someone else who is looking to do this can get some useful information.