Start Up Equipment-Please help!

ssgreen · January 24th, 2010, 06:56 PM

Im a looking to start a screen printing business and need some advice. What will I need for starters and what equipment is inexpensive yet high quality? How much should I spend in start up costs?

sgsellsit · January 29th, 2010, 06:25 PM

Right now is a bitter sweet time to get into screen printing. Bitter in the fact of the time of year and with the economy, there are shops going out all over. However if you plan to stay small or even just as a sideline it could be a good thing eventually. One of the pros coming out of these times is the surplus equipment available. There is some good name brand equipment in great condition out there at a fraction of the cost of new.
The first choice of most printers is of course M&R, pricey but worth it. Check out the used equipment here at digitsmith there are quite a few M&R manual shops available. The names you are looking for are Sidewinder, Chameleon, Blue Max these are the M&R manuals. Other good equipment is: Workhorse, Chapparal, Hopkins and the CAPS machines aren't bad. Steer clear of Lawson, Vastex, Brown National etc. Especially Lawson and Vastex they have the worst shirt pallet bracket design and they are clunky. As far a dryers M&R Economax for a small shop is good, Hix has great dryers, Ray Pauls are pretty good. As a whole as long as they have good belts and heat units they are pretty much generic. Flashes are a must you can't print dark or good multi-color design without them. BBC flashes are best but others are good as long as the panels are ok. There are probably very few heat panel manufacturers. You may want to think about at least a 16-18 inch wide by 18-20 inch long to get a full coverage. Exposure tables are fairly generic in the flourecent/ultraviolet realm. You do however want a vacuum pump and a good blanket. GOOD ART , STRAIGHT TIGHT SCREENS, GOOD EMULSION , GOOD BURN, GOOD SQUEEGEES, GOOD INK AND A LITTLE COMMON SENSE IS THE KEY TO A GOOD PRINT. After all you could print with a table and hinge and get an ok product, I've done it but I don't suggest it. I hope this has been a little bit of help to you. I have been dong this for 20 years and one thing I know is one screenprinter can't do every order out there.
Good Luck
Everett Chandler
Specialized Graphics
Florence, AL
"The Biggest Little Screen Print Shop in North Alabama"

aksavarna · February 4th, 2010, 01:03 AM

Hi sgsellsit

Thanks for your valuable comments.
Will it be safe to start a new business with used equipments?
Thanks