Discuss the different types of equipment needed for screen printing. Topics include manual screen printing presses, automatic presses, dryers, folding machines, starter kits and high end machines.
Hi All Am looking for plastisol transfer machine dont know what it is called or even if i have the right thing i use a vinyl plotter but i am looking for a machine that does transfers is there a specific machine or is it just screen printitng equipment
Plastisol is a screen printing ink that can either be screen printed directly on the garment or screen printing on a carrier sheet then transferred to the garment using a heat press machine.
Hi thanks for getting back to me so quick we have never done screen printing before any suggestions on the equipment we would need to do this it would be really helpful
Hi thanks for getting back to me so quick we have never done screen printing before any suggestions on the equipment we would need to do this it would be really helpful
Thanks
check out this website, there is a lot of useful info and videos.
A vacuum platen instead of a regular platen, if you are doing multi-colors you will still need the screen carousel is that not correct?
No, it's not correct. That is, you could do it that way, but I doubt any large company does (I know it's not how related industries work).
Plastisol transfers are usually done on large sheets and cut down to size (or at least, manufacturers who have talked about their process do it this way).
Those sheets would be printed on a large vacuum table (maybe automatic feed, maybe manual - depends on who's printing them).
When I say large I mean like 4'x6'.
Printing transfers on a carousel would be ridiculously labour intensive, which isn't very cost effective.
No, it's not correct. That is, you could do it that way, but I doubt any large company does (I know it's not how related industries work).
Come on now that is overkill Do you really think the original poster is a large company? That is most likely not even an option for a start up shop. (Or many here for that matter)
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Plastisol transfers are usually done on large sheets and cut down to size (or at least, manufacturers who have talked about their process do it this way)
Hix makes an 18 x 22 vacuum platen that attaches to your press and you can buy hot split, cold peel, or T-75, soft trans in sheets of 11 x 13 all day!
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printing transfers on a carousel would be ridiculously labour intensive, which isn't very cost effective.
I have to disagree with you. I just printed 40 three color transfers for a local festival next week and I only had to run the sheets through the dryer once because the colors didn't touch. It would have taken the same amount of time to print that design on a t-shirt.
Not really. Vacuum tables cost less than carousels.
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Originally Posted by veedub3
Do you really think the original poster is a large company? That is most likely not even an option for a start up shop. (Or many here for that matter)
So buy a smaller vacuum table. Or for that matter, don't - if the US is anything like here (and I suspect it is), then picking up a large industrial press from a company shutting down is dead easy. They're practically giving them away. Wide format printing is killing off significant portions of the screenprinting industry, but it does provide plenty of equipment opportunity.
I wasn't providing a specific equipment recommendation, because I don't think the poster is genuinely looking for one. But if you were looking for "a machine that does transfers" then you are not looking for a carousel.
Plastisol transfers are not textile printing. T-shirt printers can kludge together a solution using the equipment they have, and that will work. But if you want to be organised, save yourself effort, and do it efficiently - then use the right equipment.
Problem is a lot of t-shirt printers are basement taught, and they don't know more than printing t-shirts on a carousel. That's not always the right way of doing things. It's not a problem when you stick with what you know, but sometimes it's better to actually know what you're doing or to outsource.
So buy a smaller vacuum table. Or for that matter, don't - if the US is anything like here (and I suspect it is), then picking up a large industrial press from a company shutting down is dead easy. They're practically giving them away. Wide format printing is killing off significant portions of the screenprinting industry, but it does provide plenty of equipment opportunity.
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Do you know of a good place to look for company's selling of there screen printing presses here in Australia? The only places I have found second hand gear is on eBay and there is a little bit on the GJS website from time to time. Is there some kind of industry classifieds?
Plastisol Transfer Machine 
