What manual do i buy? Please help

SALEM, OH, United States

Purchasing a new manual printer which one is the best

anatol thunder
vastex 2000
mach workhorse

There are 12 Comments

Prosperi-Tees's picture

Out of the 3 Vastex, although there is also the argument that if you are planning on upgrading to an automatic than get one that interchanges pallets which would be the other two on your list. I for one dont believe in that argument.

jaquette wrote:
Purchasing a new manual printer which one is the best

anatol thunder
vastex 2000
mach workhorse

I have a workhorse, nice machine. Whatever you do BUY USED!! Don't buy new!!

Prosperi-Tees's picture

That Workhorse press looks good that Spot Color linked too. Honestly any of them will do you just fine. Although I may stay away from Anatol, heard horror stories about them and their service and build quality, even on the manuals

DKgrafix's picture

Find used Antec Legend (Or new if you have money)
Mine is 20 years old and hold perfect registration for a looooooooooooooooong time.
Easiest to work with too, very easy to turn. That comes handy when you print for 5-6 hours straight.

Dennis
dkgrafix.com

DKgrafix wrote:
Find used Antec Legend (Or new if you have money)
Mine is 20 years old and hold perfect registration for a looooooooooooooooong time.
Easiest to work with too, very easy to turn. That comes handy when you print for 5-6 hours straight.

YES Antec all the way

We went with the vastex for a number of reasons. We like side clamps at our shop, which is an option with vastex. They also offer back clamps. We DONT like the nylon registration nuts that the workhorse, BWM hopkins, riley hopkins and others have. Roller and pin registration is the way to go. With the nylon nuts your press WILL go out of registration over time and you WILL break those nuts from time to time. We like the gas struts that the vastex has as apposed to springs. We love the tool-less off contact, screen tilt and warp adjustments. With Hopkins you have to use a wrench. 25 year warranty. You can go with Big Blue (M&R) but in reality, do you want to be making payments on a press and not making a lot of money printing or buy a little less expensive press and make a lot more money printing. We own every piece of equipment in our shop and that makes every shirt that goes out the door more profitable. EVERY press has its quirks. The vastex is not perfect, there are a lot of off contact adjustments that just are not that necessary. I dont love the rubber topped pallets. But my guys like it, it holds registration, and my guys like working on it. I would buy our press again.

sidewinder with air clamps! then like previously mentioned interchangeable platens from manual to auto! that is the way I went and I personally wouldn't have it any other way.