How you handle manufacturing-defective canvas

[darlingm]

Just finished printing a 44x55" canvas print, and when I feed the canvas out to cut it, I see there's a run it in about four inches in from the edge.

Well, that's $27 for the canvas and $6.50 for the ink, so $33.50 down the toilet.

On the same roll yesterday, had to scrap a 22x32" canvas print due to a "crater" in the gloss layer, that left a very noticeable ridge.

That's 17% of the 40' (expensive high end) roll in the garbage.  Not sure what's coming later on the roll, either.

Remember that if you're selling your own work to consumers, that a printer (such as myself) is splitting that profit with my customer (the artist or photographer.) I'm selling a bit under what I could find elsewhere online.  Still a margin there, but still pisses me off.


Do you guys hold the manufacturers to some type of compensation?

Do you complain but know they won't do anything?

Or is defective canvas part of doing business?  (Not talking about damaging it, having ink flake off, having dust on it falling off with the ink, etc.  Talking about true manufacturing defect.)


IF you say part of doing business, where would you draw the line?

[darlingm]

Have had two massively bad canvas rolls in the past, different manufacturers.  One overnights a new 44" roll at their cost (and they send a 40' roll when I only purchased a 10', and they knowingly did this - wasn't a mistake on their part.)  The other tells me I purchased the roll more than 3 months ago, and I should have checked the entire roll before then, because they expect customers to use their product within a 3 month timeframe.  (Don't want to use company names here...)

[jferrari]

If you've paid full-price, big-bucks for brand name canvas I would expect full dealer support. If you are using cheapie-import bargain-basement canvas it's the cost of doing business.

[Jeff Magidson]

(Don't want to use company names here...)

If I receive defective goods, I always contact the manufacturer or the supplier because (1) I want to get reimbursed, (2) I want to alert them to QC problems in hopes of them correcting the problem.

Why not tell us the company names? Its good information to share.

[rmyers]

I always check the canvas piece I am about to print for runs and flaws before I feed it into the printer.  I have had two rolls of BC Lyve that had runs in the middle of the roll that cost a print's worth of canvas.  I called and told them about it when I noticed it.  I didn't check the entire roll when I got it.  That's really not reasonable, in my opinion.  Both times they noted my account to move my next order to one better quantity bracket than the order warranted.  Both times this more than paid for the one or two sheets I lost.  I have had complete satisfaction from their customer service on the very few problems I have had.

[KenBabcock]

Over the years I've had the opportunity to print on many canvases and at some point most, if not all, have had this problem.  I've learned to pull out my canvas and check it first before feeding it into the printer, especially with a large print like yours.

When I do find a defect I simply cut the inch or two out and continue on.  The expensive brand-name canvases usually don't have much of a problem.  The cheap imports is another story and not worth the time or hassle to save a few bucks.

Although it's not reasonable to check the entire 40' roll upon arrival, you should be checking your printable area for defects before beginning the print.  You would have saved yourself $33 and the aggravation of contacting the manufacturer.

[darlingm]

If you've paid full-price, big-bucks for brand name canvas I would expect full dealer support. If you are using cheapie-import bargain-basement canvas it's the cost of doing business.

Good point.  It's big bucks name brand.  Have looked at cheapie-imports, but haven't tried any yet.  Don't see the point.

If I receive defective goods, I always contact the manufacturer or the supplier because (1) I want to get reimbursed, (2) I want to alert them to QC problems in hopes of them correcting the problem.

Why not tell us the company names? Its good information to share.

Ehh, I was torn there.  Part of me wanted to share so you guys would have more information for your own purchases.  Part of me was worried about negatively affecting their image, or that they'd see my calling them out and be less likely to help.  Went on the safe side.

I always check the canvas piece I am about to print for runs and flaws before I feed it into the printer.  I have had two rolls of BC Lyve that had runs in the middle of the roll that cost a print's worth of canvas.  I called and told them about it when I noticed it.  I didn't check the entire roll when I got it.  That's really not reasonable, in my opinion.  Both times they noted my account to move my next order to one better quantity bracket than the order warranted.  Both times this more than paid for the one or two sheets I lost.  I have had complete satisfaction from their customer service on the very few problems I have had.

Over the years I've had the opportunity to print on many canvases and at some point most, if not all, have had this problem.  I've learned to pull out my canvas and check it first before feeding it into the printer, especially with a large print like yours.

When I do find a defect I simply cut the inch or two out and continue on.  The expensive brand-name canvases usually don't have much of a problem.  The cheap imports is another story and not worth the time or hassle to save a few bucks.

Although it's not reasonable to check the entire 40' roll upon arrival, you should be checking your printable area for defects before beginning the print.  You would have saved yourself $33 and the aggravation of contacting the manufacturer.

I'd love to check the canvas that will be printed on beforehand, but it's quite common for me to use my take-up reel and print a substantial amount of the roll or the whole roll at once.  Volume isn't constantly that high (working on that...), but it happens in spurts.  Would increase printing time substantially to have to check that amount of canvas, BUT it would certainly save the materials & aggravation.  Going to have to think through this.  Maybe I need to do a reel-to-reel type system and back when I get a roll.

[PeterAit]

I've never had to deal with this problem, but I think the way to deal with it is in a strictly business-like way. You sold me a faulty product, I get a refund, period. Save te patches of flawed canvas just in case. Be polite and compete in your emails. As a last resort, report the bad charge to your credit card company. But, don't expect a refund beyond the canvas cost. Your ink and time are lost causes, I think.

[K P]

I had some problems with the Epson Exhibition Canvas maybe 6 months ago.  There were actual fibres stuck to the top of the canvas... almost like wood fibres and it ran for quite a few feet.  My dealier was ItSupplies/Atlex and I called them up.  They sent me a new roll and a label to ship the old canvas back.  So I think this worked out pretty well and I was happy with the service.

I think the line about having to use it up within 3 months is bull.  I like to keep stock on hand, but sometimes it might not be used for a few months when printing slows down.  In my case since I am always ordering from one supplier they can see that I am a constant customer so it helps.  Also in my case the defect was somethings that doesn't sometimes happen because stuff was stuck to the canvas, not just a case of the coating running or a blob or coating or cotton seeds embedded.

I am too scared to roll out the canvas to check.  I print 6 foot canvases sometimes, and by feeding this much and then feeding it back, I am scared that a hair might drop on the canvas and then you have a bigger problem to deal with.  Perhaps if I already had a problem with that roll then I would be extra careful, but if I had to keep checking each roll, I would switch brands.