Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
I'm hoping to get some opinions here. I might have the opportunity to buy a 2nd hand Hix HT 400 (16 x20) for under $300 and I did read the helpful thread abut what questions to ask to seller (age, etc) but haven't had the chance yet.
My quandary is whether this is actually too much machine for me. Hix site weighs it at 85 lbs and I don't have a dedicated room to work in so that means moving it around and picking it up myself to work on the dining room table. Or trying to hide it in a corner on its own little table :P (small apt.)
Looking at the photos, it appears , well, not new... it's blue and I amd pretty sure analogue. Digital is nice but how much does this really matter for someone who does not do mass quantities (esp at this price)?
Due to budget restraints I had assumed I'd be getting a small press like a Presto, but this is more for less (or is it?)
Thanks in advance for your insights!!!
Last edited by jrotem; February 28th, 2009 at 04:29 PM.
Reason: speeling ;)
I'd worry about the same thing you are. It might be a great deal on a nice size press, if it functions well.
If you can set it down on a table and forget it... I'd say (as long as it works well) it's a good deal.
There's no real problem going larger, it can help having the extra room. Sometimes you can gang things on there and press a few things at once. I do some little dolly clothes sometimes, and can fit three on at once. I have an 11x15. Sometimes, if doing mouse pads, it can handle more than one, things like that....
But... if you have to move this thing around... that's some heavy weight. I couldn't do it on a regular basis. I honestly probably couldn't pick up an 85 lb press even once.
Is there a way to put it on a sturdy table that you can *roll* it out of the way? That would help.
If you can't do that, or manage the weight, it might not be the best choice - even tho it can be a steal. So I'd have the same concerns you do.
I have a Mighty Press Lite for the portability factor. Honestly, it weighs 36 lbs, and I don't want to be bothered moving *that* one!!
Digital doesn't matter to the function of the press itself. It's a bell or whistle. A heat press is for heat and pressure. If those work fine, the press will do the job.
I hope you find something you like, and that works well for you. Nice to see you, again.
Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, my initial excitement is waning and I think I'd be better off with a smaller, more portable and store-able (is that a word?) press. I just had a chat with Rodney and I realize now that the electricity needs for an industrial press might be an issue to consider too. Never even thought about electricity in a 1956-era apartment building.
I don't plan on doing huge quantities either. I think I might go back to plan A -- looking for a good deal on a smaller press.
Still deciding. Is 15 years too old for such a machine? The demo worked fine. It doesn't seem to be 80 pounds but certainly I'd have to keep it in one place -- this was not in my interior decor plans
One thing I just read about the Geo-Knight JP-12 was that does NOT supply enough pressure for pre-printed transfers. I want to be able to use silk screen transfers -- are most comparable light-duty machines the same -- able only to press transfers I make myself?
Still deciding. Is 15 years too old for such a machine? The demo worked fine. It doesn't seem to be 80 pounds but certainly I'd have to keep it in one place -- this was not in my interior decor plans
Lol, yeah, not the prettiest machines to decorate a room with.
It's such a hard call to make on a machine of 15 yrs... I really don't know. Maybe if I knew the original cost, but I have seen 16x20's go thru the forum that were only a few years (2-3) and they went for around $250-350. So, not sure.
There are machines in use that are that old, some folks say they have their machines a longgg time, but I don't know what to say about this, so I'll leave it here for now...
Quote:
One thing I just read about the Geo-Knight JP-12 was that does NOT supply enough pressure for pre-printed transfers. I want to be able to use silk screen transfers -- are most comparable light-duty machines the same -- able only to press transfers I make myself?
Now here's somewhere that I have a little experience. I went thru the same thing when I was deciding on a smaller, new press. I wanted enough power to have the flexibility to press any kind of transfer. I did read about the press (I guess it is the GK, then) that couldn't do stock transfers. I thought, "That's not for me." To date, I've done just a few stock transefers, but I didn't want to limit myself.
I ended up with the Mighty Press Lite. It was a bit bigger than the other entry models at 11x15. From my research, I found it had more power than the others in it's class. It came with the *lifetime* warranty on the heating element. I was able to get a discount using Specialty Graphics, who also tossed in two teflon sheets, free shipping came with.
I basically invested around $80 more in the end to move up to this size and power, and I have not regretted it one bit. It does weigh only 36 lbs, so if you are able to manage that big guy, this one should be a breeze for you.
I've pressed shirts up to XXL, and the design was not too large for the platen. One other bonus for me is, the upper platen raises almost straight up when open. There's a wide open work area, keeps the burns down and working under and hot platen to a min. In fact, I never feel the heat of the platen when I am adjusting stuff under there.
The platen is orientated sideways. When the top is closed (not locked down, just lowered to take less room) the height of the press - from the plywood it is mounted on, to the top of the handle is about 13".
If you had a nice table to put it on to press on (one that fit in the decor) that had a clearance of 14"+ below, you could actually store the press below the table when not in use.
I have mine on a TV stand built to hold a 32" tube style TV. It has a cabinet below, and I now see that if my plywood base was a little bit smaller, I could store the press in the cabinet below the TV stand. Hm. I don't need to, as it stays out where it is (and I store supplies in the cabinet below) but it could be done.
I hope this helps you out some, Jean. I know it's not a truly easy decision, but if you don't need that size platen (16x20) - these Mighty Press Lites are really worth checking out. I like having just that extra bit of room on the platen over the 9x12 sizes. Good luck, Jean!!
Well, you've certainly got me interested in the Mighty Press Lite. Will its pressure accommodate silk screen/plastisol hot split transfers?
End of this long story is that the I decided not to get this monster -- too much machine for my needs. When I called the seller she said she had decided to keep it -- lol. I had spent hours - hours! - researching the machine, its value, transfers, and so on. But its all good -- it was just not meant to be and in the meantime I learned a lot. Now i know there's a better machine for me out there... somewhere. And hopefully it won't have to be a permanent fixture in the dining room.
Well, you've certainly got me interested in the Mighty Press Lite. Will its pressure accommodate silk screen/plastisol hot split transfers?
End of this long story is that the I decided not to get this monster -- too much machine for my needs. When I called the seller she said she had decided to keep it -- lol. I had spent hours - hours! - researching the machine, its value, transfers, and so on. But its all good -- it was just not meant to be and in the meantime I learned a lot. Now i know there's a better machine for me out there... somewhere. And hopefully it won't have to be a permanent fixture in the dining room.
Thanks again for all the info!
For plastisol transfers if you can close the press and lock it down with just a bit of effort you have enough pressure.
Part of my research was to make sure that I could transfer any type of transfer that would fit on my platen, so from what I remember, yes, it will do plastisols, etc. I did the TSF logo on our shirts for dinner in LB with the MP, and those were hot splits.
To be extra sure, maybe look on Specialty Graphics site, or ask them, or another supplier that carries it, just to be sure. I have done them, but that's not what I focus on, so my experience with them and this machine is limited. Even still, I will say with near certainty, it will handle any stock transfers out there... just not with 100% certainty.
I hope that helps a little more. I agree with you... it was probably for the best with the big monster one. If you really were in the market for that one, you would have been jumping up and down with joy over finding it available. You never sounded that enthused about it.
Now the Mighty Press I have, I love it!!! And that's how it makes me feel. I hope what you get makes you feel the same way, Jean! =)
I went over to Alpha (check them, too if you are looking for a press) and they definitely had the following info on there about the GK press, so outside of that one, I think you will be fine. There is another press, that is a little larger, not brand name, but folks who own them are having success.
It might be something in between the 11x15 and 16x20 for you to consider. It is a 15x15 size press. I am not sure how much it weighs, but it should be less than the 16x20. It's the Sunie press. Here is a link to a thread with feedback from the owners:
Here's that info on the 12" GK press, is this what you saw about the plastisols not being able to be pressed?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpha Supply Website
The JP12 is our least expensive press. It is suitable for occasional, light use and hobbyists, printing their own heat transfers. It will not work for preprinted transfers as it does not develop enough pressure.
Right -- Alpha was where I saw that and realized it was something I need to check out before buying. They have a lot of good product information.
Rodney mentioned Sunie to me but I read some conflicting reports here. I'll look some more though! However, when I checked prices online I got the impression they were priced around the same as the known brands.
Thanks, Kelly and David -- one more thing -- what do you mean by "a little effort"? To hold it down with pressure? Don't the presses lock down by themselves?
Right -- Alpha was where I saw that and realized it was something I need to check out before buying. They have a lot of good product information.
Rodney mentioned Sunie to me but I read some conflicting reports here. I'll look some more though! However, when I checked prices online I got the impression they were priced around the same as the known brands.
Thanks, Kelly and David -- one more thing -- what do you mean by "a little effort"? To hold it down with pressure? Don't the presses lock down by themselves?
A manual press closes and locks down by your effort.
Sudden Opp for 2nd-hand Hix HT 400 -- Advice? 
that's some heavy weight. I couldn't do it on a regular basis. I honestly probably couldn't pick up an 85 lb press even once. 
But its all good -- it was just not meant to be and in the meantime I learned a lot. Now i know there's a better machine for me out there... somewhere. And hopefully it won't have to be a permanent fixture in the dining room. 
