Choosing a printer for digi-negs

[Neal Wilson <wilsonneal@hotmail.com>]

I am mostly a lurker but hope a few have an opinion that can help guide me 
on choosing an inkjet printer.

I print Palladium with Na2 and experimenting with Kallitype. I have been 
using traditional 8x10 negs for about a year, using an Amergraph 
plateburner. I am interested in experimenting with a hybrid process, and 
using digitally created negs.

I'd like to find a printer in the $200-$300 range.  I don't really want to 
invest a heck of lot of $$ before I know that I like this workflow. I see 
that at one time the Epson 1280 was recommended.  I can buy one of these 
refurbished for $225.  The other recommended printers seem to be more 
expensive.  Is there anything besides a refurb'd 1280 that I should consider 
in the under $300 range?

Thanks for any guidance,
Neal Wilson