Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
My sister and I just started into the heat pressing business about 3 months ago. We use a HIX HT400 for our t-shirts and a no named brand for our mugs. We bought the mug press on ebay. This has worked very well for us!
We work out of our homes. The problem is... We live about 60 miles apart and only have 1 heat and 1 mug press.
We're trying to stay more toward doing ceramic tiles, mugs, coasters, mousepads, plates, etc. However, we need 3 types of presses.
I was looking into the multifunction Black Magic press. Does anyone have any suggestions on the Black Magic brand or recommend another inexpensive multifunction press? Please let me know where I can purchase one also. We're looking to stay under $1000.
Some issues folks have with multi function presses are:
* If the press breaks down... you are completely down and can't produce "anything".
* There is a wait time when going from one attachment to another (cooling period). This info I read here. I don't have one. Just passing that along, so a verify from other users may be in order.
* You can only be working one product at a time.
Owning multiple presses for *individual processes* means you can make mugs and t-shirts at the same time. It means if you t-shirt press goes down for a day, you can still produce mug after mug, etc. and only one item gets backlogged.
If you search the name Black Magic, you'll find the feedback from other owners. Here is a link to one thread that has a discussion on them: New "Cheap" Heat Press Arriving Today
__________________ Please ask Q's in the threads as I may not see your PM. A many wonderful folk will be willing to help you. Apologies to those not answered, as I sign on sporadically these days. Thx 4 undrstnding. Have a great day.
I am not a big fan of multifunction devices, in fact I don't like them at all. A multifunction device never excel at anything it does. It is just a compromise between price and space. As Kelly said you can only do one thing at the time.
If you can, avoid it. Just my opinion.
I am not a big fan of multifunction devices, in fact I don't like them at all. A multifunction device never excel at anything it does. It is just a compromise between price and space. As Kelly said you can only do one thing at the time.
If you can, avoid it. Just my opinion.
I agree the multi use press' are not great. I suggest buying a used press and then build from there. .... JB
Thanks for the info! These are things I never considered, but make sense. Some reasons given are why I want buy a tv/dvd combo or washer/dryer combo.... I never considered some of the reasons to avoid multifunction presses. Thank you all very much for the helpful info! I greatly appreciate it.
Multifunction products are not all bad! If they were, they wouldn't have stayed in the market as long as they have for the ones that do work well. Allow me to mention a few things:
My Canon PIXMA printer is multifunction and the scan, general print and photo print quality all look great to me.
Do you know the vast number of companies using multifunction Blackberries for their business needs? It does voice, data, SMS/MMS/Video Messaging, Video Recording, WIFI and GPS. Companies are still buying them.
There are members of TSF who have invested $20,000 into the popular Roland VersaCAMMs, which are multifunction printers-and-cutters-in-one. I don't hear much about returns on those units nor have read anyone saying, 'take it back because it's multifunction!' Come to think, more people are wanting VersaCAMMs from the many threads I've read here and more are saying, buy it.
But back to your question butlerjany - I read about the Black Magic multifunction press product you've mentioned.
The primary concern I have with that particular press product is that it appears it's not built in the US, and a top notch US press distributor is not offering it. There is not a lot of market competition with 7-8 companies making this press type and there does not appear to be outlets, like Printwear, SGIA and other tradeshows, to demo them. The companies making this product are ones that many of us have not heard of (meaning, not a Stahls'/Hotronix, Hix, Geo Knight, Insta, iDek and others).
For those reasons, I say not to take a gamble with it. This is not unless you are able to evaluate it for a period of time and return it for a full refund if it does not work for you.
Personally, I've never pressed two t-shirts at once on my Hix, so to say that you can only produce one product at a time on a multifunction is a moot point. For those who use a variety of inkjet/laser heat transfers and other materials, there are constant heat, time and pressure adjustments being made on a press to apply those materials, especially if you're using them all in a day. I have to wait for my press to cool down to a lower temp after applying a JPSS heat transfer before I could press a ThermoFlex Plus design. This would not be much different in waiting for a temp change from a mug press to a t-shirt press.
With this product, you can press T-shirts, Ceramic Tiles, Mouse Pads, Tote Bags, Jigsaw Puzzles, Lettering, Wood / Metals, and other misc. fabrics and materials. It has additional attachments that allow you to press on Caps, Ceramic Plates, Mugs, and Paper Memo Cubes. You would by the basic press (manual or auto), then buy the additional attachments needed to make the other products.
Make sure to purchase thermal heat gloves for interchanging hot heat platens.
That is an excellent point Ms. Blue.
But the multifunction devices you've mentioned are backed for well known companies, you can have review of them everywhere, so when you are buying them, you, more or less, know what you are buying.
As you pointed, this multifunction device is made by a very well unknown company. Where do you go in the event it fails?
And if I am spending $20,000, well, even if it is a multifunction printer-cutter-coffee maker-answer-machine, I would expect it will do it all very well !!
One of the examples I like to mention is, my digital cameras, most of them always were capable of video too, however I never liked them, because as video cameras they all (at least as far as I know) are mediocre.
The last feature I would look for in a digital camera is video capabilities.
Same with digital video cameras. They take mediocre snap shots (called photo capture capabilities).
Conclusion: is you want a good digital camera AND a video camera, buy them separately !!
Just my (might be limited) view
That is an excellent point Ms. Blue.
But the multifunction devices you've mentioned are backed for well known companies, you can have review of them everywhere, so when you are buying them, you, more or less, know what you are buying.
As you pointed, this multifunction device is made by a very well unknown company. Where do you go in the event it fails?
And if I am spending $20,000, well, even if it is a multifunction printer-cutter-coffee maker-answer-machine, I would expect it will do it all very well !!
One of the examples I like to mention is, my digital cameras, most of them always were capable of video too, however I never liked them, because as video cameras they all (at least as far as I know) are mediocre.
The last feature I would look for in a digital camera is video capabilities.
Same with digital video cameras. They take mediocre snap shots (called photo capture capabilities).
Conclusion: is you want a good digital camera AND a video camera, buy them separately !!
Just my (might be limited) view
Aww thanks! I respect your opinion.
I just did not want butlerjany to disregard a multifunction press only because it's multifunction. I felt there were other things to consider. Wow, I really got up high on my soapbox!
Can someone point me in the right direction for printing ceramic tiles as butlerjany mentioned? This is peaking my interest somewhat, and I cannot get a response from her. Thanks!
Can someone point me in the right direction for printing ceramic tiles as butlerjany mentioned? This is peaking my interest somewhat, and I cannot get a response from her. Thanks!
Yes. Jack at Alpha Supply Company can help you, and they are a TSF vendor. They offer the Geo Knight presses that are good for this as well as the sublimation inks. Hix presses also work well for tiles too which Alpha sells.
Multifunction heat press 
For those who use a variety of inkjet/laser heat transfers and other materials, there are constant heat, time and pressure adjustments being made on a press to apply those materials, especially if you're using them all in a day. I have to wait for my press to cool down to a lower temp after applying a JPSS heat transfer before I could press a ThermoFlex Plus design. This would not be much different in waiting for a temp change from a mug press to a t-shirt press.
