Press and Flash Dryer info

Hello, I'm looking for an entry-level affordable 4-1 press and flash dryer.

I've heard some feedback from several people while talking with them and been advised to go minimum 2 platen, also try to remain flexible for a 6 color press.

So my question is for folks with experience, can you recommend an affordable press to me? Anything to absolutely stay away from? Same questions for a flash dryer.

Thanks for any advice!

Evo wrote:
"Affordable" is a relative term. Do you have a max budget?

Well, entry level which would put me below $1200.

The press is just one tiny part. Sure for a hobby you could screw a hinge to a screen and print on anything, but to be remotely, commercial for basic machine, squeegees, ink stocks, drier etc you would need a budget of maybe closer to $10k minimum or you are likely wasting your time IMHO. If you haven't got that then I would recommend you farm out and contract a company to print for you, they will do it cheaper, better, faster, less seconds, etc with all the proper gear. Not only that, printing regularly they will have better rhythm and technique to produce better quality for you also.

Even then I think $20k is closer to the capital for entry level setup....

Printwizard wrote:
The press is just one tiny part. Sure for a hobby you could screw a hinge to a screen and print on anything, but to be remotely, commercial for basic machine, squeegees, ink stocks, drier etc you would need a budget of maybe closer to $10k minimum or you are likely wasting your time IMHO. If you haven't got that then I would recommend you farm out and contract a company to print for you, they will do it cheaper, better, faster, less seconds, etc with all the proper gear. Not only that, printing regularly they will have better rhythm and technique to produce better quality for you also.

Even then I think $20k is closer to the capital for entry level setup....

I appreciate the feedback, but realistically that isn't an option. Like buying a first car for a teenager, no plans to go with a Porche. I was hoping to get some feedback from some hobbyist who have had experience with the low end manual presses like what I linked to above. It's not intended for customer demand, I may be on the wrong site with this question. Thanks anyways.

Prosperi-Tees's picture

For a start up shop yes 20K is about where you will be to have quality equipment to work with. If you just want to dabble in printing your own shirts get a $999 Ryonet kit and have at it but realize that this equipment will only allow you to do so much and will actually be harder to work with than quality equipment.

Prosperi-Tees's picture

http://www.silkscreeningsupplies.com/product/1008

One upgrade I would suggest is the exposure unit upgrade. It will work much better than the halogen light. The other thing to think about is how are you going to design? CorelDraw is the least expensive and will do what you need. Also how will you print films? Epson 1100 will work but you will want to get refillable cartridges because film printing takes quite a bit of ink and genuine Epson carts are expensive.

So all in you are looking at closer to 2K

If you want to take it further than dabbling then do your research alot more before investing alot of money. Fell free to contact me before spending money for an honest review.

I have both Illustrator and Photoshop for the design and separation. I'll for sure take you up on the review! Thanks again!

I'd also say you could cut that 10k in half if you go used on press, exposure, dryer, flash and be set up really nicely.

I paid $1500 for an Antec Legend 6/4 with every platen attachment you could want (adult, youth, sleeve, pants) a few squeegees, screens and more importantly came with Antec's top of the line flash (forced air and rotating base).

Then I picked up a Chaparrel 12' long 24" wide dryer for $1300 bucks.

That's under 3k for a very nice setup, this doesn't include an exposure unit but you could get away with a few hundred bucks for that as well. Also need a few odds and ends and a place to wash out screens and such (can be built for under $100 if resourceful).

But also realize that Printwizard wasn't talking about a porche. You should more so equate it to transportation in general.

You are looking at bicycles, what I am talking about is a slightly used Civic. It is at least a car and you can get stuff done. With the bike you will constantly peddling uphill and not really talking about "serious" transportation. ;)

The Porche would be more like getting an Automatic screen press. At that point you are looking at spending a MINIMUM of about 50k. And really that only gets you a BMW.

Honestly, you could almost translate this transportation metaphor DIRECTLY even when comparing to money.

What kind of transportation could you buy for $300 bucks? What could you get for $1k (not that rare find, but on any given day... rare finds will happen in this business too but that's not what you are looking at online, that stuff is also new!) So what could you get NEW for those prices? Now what could you get for $5k? A decent used car. Now for 10k you could get a kia rio brand new and it would be good. If you want something nicer NEW you would be at about 20k.

Ironic how that actually almost translates dollar for dollar... glad we had this post. ;)

"you don't need a hook for the worms to dance."

Gilligan wrote:
I'd also say you could cut that 10k in half if you go used on press, exposure, dryer, flash and be set up really nicely.

I paid $1500 for an Antec Legend 6/4 with every platen attachment you could want (adult, youth, sleeve, pants) a few squeegees, screens and more importantly came with Antec's top of the line flash (forced air and rotating base).

Then I picked up a Chaparrel 12' long 24" wide dryer for $1300 bucks.

That's under 3k for a very nice setup, this doesn't include an exposure unit but you could get away with a few hundred bucks for that as well. Also need a few odds and ends and a place to wash out screens and such (can be built for under $100 if resourceful).

But also realize that Printwizard wasn't talking about a porche. You should more so equate it to transportation in general.

You are looking at bicycles, what I am talking about is a slightly used Civic. It is at least a car and you can get stuff done. With the bike you will constantly peddling uphill and not really talking about "serious" transportation. ;)

The Porche would be more like getting an Automatic screen press. At that point you are looking at spending a MINIMUM of about 50k. And really that only gets you a BMW.

Honestly, you could almost translate this transportation metaphor DIRECTLY even when comparing to money.

What kind of transportation could you buy for $300 bucks? What could you get for $1k (not that rare find, but on any given day... rare finds will happen in this business too but that's not what you are looking at online, that stuff is also new!) So what could you get NEW for those prices? Now what could you get for $5k? A decent used car. Now for 10k you could get a kia rio brand new and it would be good. If you want something nicer NEW you would be at about 20k.

Ironic how that actually almost translates dollar for dollar... glad we had this post. ;)

LOL! That's a lot of food for thought! Thanks for the excellent analogy!

firesurfer wrote:
LOL! That's a lot of food for thought! Thanks for the excellent analogy!

No, thank you... it was yours, I just recognized the parallels. :)

"you don't need a hook for the worms to dance."

I started under a house with a $7500 second hand gear, and didn't take a cent out for the next four years, not a wage, worked 60 plus hours every week after a full time job, and every cent plowed back in. There is always an upgrade, something faster, more commercial, things that make life easier and quicker. In hindsight I would have been much better off saving and working overtime for longer and going into business with more capital. It's not the big items, but the spray glue, squeegees, spotting gun, heat gun, heat press, fan, heater, ink, emulsion, stripper, degreaser, screen frames, light, buying shirts, wasting shirts, washup, tape, tools, water blaster, washout, shelving, smoke alarm..........

20k I still maintain would be commercial enough to generate a wage from.

Then again, you could go the way of a vacuum table, heat gun, guillotine, transfer paper, crystals and heat press. Print transfers that you apply to garments as you need rather than direct printing.

Binkspot's picture

If you are making shirts for yourself and you don't mind fighting with reg problems and inconstant results one of those setups would get you by. If your looking to move the product invest in some good equipment. Pay me now or pay me later.

Buy cheap equipment now and Ill almost promise you it will be a mistake. You'll have it up for sale in less then a year and fetch a fraction of what you paid for it. Then you have to invest in better equipment.

If you purchase a cheap set up you will get frustrated with poor results and think your doing something wrong when more then likely it will be the equipment.

Take your time, there are always good deals on start up kits. IMO here is what I would be looking at, minim, just some suggestions. Believe it or not the equipment if just a small part of the investment. You still need inks, emulsion, screen cleaning chemicals, new electric bill, spray tac, etc
4/4 press M&R Sidewinder (side clamp), Vastex 2000, Workhorse, Antec, Anatol
Flash 18"x 18" with auto rotate Acoma, Vastex, Black Body
Exposure Unit (23"x 31" min, tube type) M&R First Light, Vastex, Atlas
Dryer, electric M&R Economax, Vastex Econo Red I or II
Frames, static are fine but look at the Newman
Output printer and Rip Acuarip with the Epson 1400

Owner/Operator of Middletownink

Binkspot wrote:
If you are making shirts for yourself and you don't mind fighting with reg problems and inconstant results one of those setups would get you by. If your looking to move the product invest in some good equipment. Pay me now or pay me later.

Buy cheap equipment now and Ill almost promise you it will be a mistake. You'll have it up for sale in less then a year and fetch a fraction of what you paid for it. Then you have to invest in better equipment.

If you purchase a cheap set up you will get frustrated with poor results and think your doing something wrong when more then likely it will be the equipment.

Take your time, there are always good deals on start up kits. IMO here is what I would be looking at, minim, just some suggestions. Believe it or not the equipment if just a small part of the investment. You still need inks, emulsion, screen cleaning chemicals, new electric bill, spray tac, etc
4/4 press M&R Sidewinder (side clamp), Vastex 2000, Workhorse, Antec, Anatol
Flash 18"x 18" with auto rotate Acoma, Vastex, Black Body
Exposure Unit (23"x 31" min, tube type) M&R First Light, Vastex, Atlas
Dryer, electric M&R Economax, Vastex Econo Red I or II
Frames, static are fine but look at the Newman
Output printer and Rip Acuarip with the Epson 1400

Yup, and that is bare minimum. This gear would also be more salable if things didn't work out. IMHO I wouldn't look at anything under a six colour four station carousel as its too future limiting a four colour (white and three spots).
Some of the equipment you could grab second hand, but things like the screens best to buy new. Start adding up shirts to practice on, working capital, insurance, bank, accountant, business cards, stationery, and a super hot girl as a sales rep....

20k:eek:

To add to what Brian said about frames.

If you are serious about printing, it didn't take me long before I did the math and realized that Statics will cost you MUCH more money then those "expensive" newmans.

Again, something that if you take your time you can find a good deal on and pick up newmans for almost the cost of statics... not only will you be getting a much better screen, the first time you have to remesh due to loss of tension and you would have spent more money on the statics.

But in the grand scheme of things, you probably should get a few statics to start with so you have less variables to f' with when learning all that you have to learn to begin with.

This is also one more reason to get "quality" equipment... like Brian said, you don't want to be fighting the equipment and not know why "you" can't print. ;)

"you don't need a hook for the worms to dance."

Also you could get the Epson WF1100 for a printer and save a few dollars.

Inkjetcarts.us has a CISS system for it that would save you even more money.

But it all adds up... you will most likely need a RIP if you want halftones. I tried going the ghostscript "free" way and fought it over and over. Some people can do it, but this computer consultant gave up!

"you don't need a hook for the worms to dance."

Prosperi-Tees's picture

So with all that said, you have to ask yourself what do you want to do in screen printing?
Do you want to do it as a hobby? If so there are many ways to save money.
Do you want to make money and grow into something that you can live on? Then you have ALOT more research to do.
Either way ask ask , and ask questions BEFORE you buy anything. That is my biggest piece of advice for anyone that has never pulled or pushed a squeegee.

Prosperi-Tees wrote:
So with all that said, you have to ask yourself what do you want to do in screen printing?
Do you want to do it as a hobby? If so there are many ways to save money.
Do you want to make money and grow into something that you can live on? Then you have ALOT more research to do.
Either way ask ask , and ask questions BEFORE you buy anything. That is my biggest piece of advice for anyone that has never pulled or pushed a squeegee.

Well like anything else in life, to earn money from your hobby is always a goal, but as of now it is a hobby. I have a full time career, and yes I agree about the research! For now, I'm going to enjoy the research and going forth. I will surely ask questions as long as you guys keep answering them with that great knowledge!! :D Thanks again

If that is the case you might want to just look at making a DIY single color station with hinge clamps. You can TECHNICALLY do multicolor stuff if you figure it right... but it's not worth the hassle. You also get to learn the art of this business without much commitment and you have a piece of gear that you can always use later if you really wanted.

"you don't need a hook for the worms to dance."