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.
I'm an embroidery shop looking to bring my Screen Printing in House. Been looking at a manual press 6c/6s Antex, MR, Vastex and will be doing around 2000 shirts per month. Other than being the middle man I have no experience, have a Budget of $15000.00 I need help figuring out witch way to go
Last edited by TandT; April 11th, 2009 at 03:42 PM.
Take your time. Take your time. Take your time. I can't say that enough. Trust me on this.
If at all possible, visit some operations and see for yourself. You want to see the machines up and running. Talk to the owners. Talk to the printers (if the owners will let you).
I loved my Antex when I was using it, but a printer we hired didn't. I've always heard good things about M&R, but my brother doesn't like them. See what I'm getting at?
You need to take your time and visit some shops and talk with the owners and the operators. This will help you make a decision about what's the right equipment for your shop.
With no experience who is going to be getting the artwork ready, coat screens, burning screens, mixing inks, setting up, printing, tearing down and reclaiming the screens, you?
Will you have time to do this? Will your embroidery suffer while you learn a new trade?
Will you have time to learn from your mistakes?
Do you have room for a 6/6 press? What about a dryer, washout booth, burn unit/vac, uv light safe screen room?
If you hire someone or two with experience to print 2000 shirts a month then your crew and equipment will be idle for 3 weeks every month. 2000 shirts is less then a week work.
Keep sourcing out your screen printing, you will make more money.
When you hit 15,000+ shirts a month then start thinking about in-house.
Just skip the manual and get a auto.
Are you familiar with this magazine? You might be, if you're in the embroidery business. If not, you should check it out. There are lots contacts, advertisements and classifieds in it. And, lots of articles about screen printing in general. I would read several of these before putting together a shop. You might see some things you haven't considered, yet.
(1) Antec Legend L/6/6/S Legend 6 Color - 6 Station 6,445.00
includes six 14"x14" aluminum platens
(1) Patent #1 Dual Index AAD Patent
(1) Patent #2 Linear Locking Micro
(1) SIV1616 16"x16" Automatic IR Flash with Forced Air 2,155.00
(1) Halux 28"x46" Metal Halide Exposure Unit 3,450.00
(1) KDL Washout Booth 475.00
(1) Supply 6 Color Supply Package 1,155.00
(1) TG300 Spot Cleaning Gun 175.00
(1) DVD DVD Training Videos 110.00
(1) Crating (Included)
Reference Retail $ 15,545.00
Direct Discount (1,580.00)
Total 13,965.00
Shipping 735.00
Investment Total $ 14,700.00_________________________________________ ___________________________
The press is good. I'm not familiar with that make of exposure unit, but the price is good for a metal halide (I paid about the same for an AmerGraph 150). I think the flash is overpriced, as is the spot cleaning gun. You really need a larger flash, and it doesn't have to be an automatic. Vastex makes a great one for half the price. Additionally, you will need a conveyor dryer, and you can expect to spend $3000 or more for a decent one. If you (or someone you know) is handy, you can make a washout sink for a lot less. Depending on what is in the "6 Color Supply Package" will make it worth the cost or not.
My washout sink set me back $150 - $175, not counting the pressure washer, which you'll also need. Bought a double laundry sink at Home Depot, cut out the partition, built a surround with 2x4s and installed those corrugated translucent panels around the top to keep the mess in, with a fluorescent lamp in the back to examine screens during washout.
All that said, there is a learning curve to printing, in spite of the fact that it looks easy in videos with some stoner pulling a squeegie. I've been doing it for 5 years, part time up until last September, and I'm still learning.
You may want to shop around a little. You can get an excellent set up, new, with a budget of $15,000. In addition to Antec, Vastex and M&R also make excellent machines at around that price. You wouldn't go wrong with any of them. I'm always a little leery of package deals, because I think you end up getting some stuff you may never use, or that you can get a better deal on from another manufacturer. Alternately, you may find a great deal in used equipment, as shops are going out of business in this current market.
Last edited by tpitman; April 12th, 2009 at 12:40 PM.
Thanks for taking the time to help, You bring up some good points. I know there is going to be a large learning curve. Had the same when we started our Embroidery shop. Reading this forum has opened my eyes to some of the key items …..……..Buy the best equipment you can afford.
Definitely take your time when choosing equipment. Its the investment that will help or hinder your endeavor. Not only look at the different presses but check out who you are buying them from. Will they be there if you have questions or issues? That is important also. That way you know they care about your investmetn as much as you do.
I agree with "taking your time". Educate yourself as much as you possibly can. Packages can be good and bad. Sometimes you get things you might not need, other times you get little convenience items you would have otherwise not known about. The Spot cleaning gun, for example. Those things are life savers! The one you were quoted does look awefully high in price though. Also, forced air flash dryers are excellent for water based and discharge inks. Discharge and waterbased are used a lot for all-over prints. If you're spending the extra money on a forced air flash, don't limit your self with a 16x16. Spend a little extra and go with an 18x18 or an 18x24". You might take a list of several packages and use them as reference guides to build your own. Make your own check list. You might consider going to www.screenprintingvideo.com or www.Youtube.com and watching as many videos as possible. Purchase your instructional DVD's ahead of time. Maybe even take a class. I think Ryonet offers monthly classes in WA and the LA area which isn't too far from Redding. They have M&R and Riley Hopkins eqiupment set up at the WA location. I'm not sure about CA. Good Luck.
I sure did i spoke with and got quotes from:
Antex
Workhorse
M&R
Ryonet
Rototex Also looked at lots of used equipment some of them were lease repo's. That’s were I started talking with Mark at Vastex on a used V2000 he was very help full with the used equipment i was looking at, lots of info about the press I was looking at and told me that there would be no problem getting tech support on used equipment in the end there was only about 2000 dollars between used vs. new I decided to go with the new package.
Vastex gave me a great deal on a package and I feel they will be their for me after the sale
Jumping in and NEED HELP 
