Press and Flash Dryer info

Prosperi-Tees

No problem.

Gilligan

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.

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

firesurfer

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

Gilligan

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

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

Printwizard

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.

Printwizard

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

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

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Owner/Operator of Middletownink

Gilligan

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.

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

Printwizard

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

Gilligan

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!

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