Hi Everyone
I am new to this forum. So much information! I am a graphic designer considering getting into screen printed tees. I know of sombody that is selling a screen printing system. The Screen A Print. Anyone familiar with it? Here is my question the person is selling it for what she paid about 6,300. It comes with all the accessories: paint, screens, etc. She only used it once and it's been sitting in her home for about a year. Is this a good machine to use for screen printed tees? How much should I offer?
I would like to hear from the forum about this machine, or what machine to do you reccomend? Any/all comments welcome!
This looks like a very small unit and very time consuming. The foremost reason for that would be, how do you register this thing when you are constantly taking a new screen off a rack and just placing it in a slot to print each color. Looks like it would never be fully registered and each print would be off. This might be a neat little machine for say a dozen or maybe 24 single colors shirts. It doesn't flash either. So you would have to I guess flash it using the dryer i'm guessing. It also says it comes with 4 wooden screens but the photos of the product show aluminum.
In my final statements about this unit. I don't see this thing being very user friendly to registering. Dry times are about 2 minutes. I'm guessing 30 seconds for a flash.
So say you were printing a 4 color front with a white underplate. You would print white, then put the dryer on it for 30 seconds. Then unclamp the underbase, then grab the white plate and clamp that into place register it. Then screenprint and unclamp, grab the next color, register it, clamp it back down and repeat....
Then do a final dry for 2 minutes.. I say it would take you 15 minutes to screenprint a nice print on this thing if it's even possible to do that.
Final Decision. Time consuming and definately not worth 6000 dollars.
I friend of mine had this and got rid of it after 4 months. It is just way too time consuming to print one shirt for you to be profitable. If you don't have the space for a start-up manual press, outsource the work. Although this may get you started in the business, I think you will regret paying that amount of money for it. Look into a small start-up package by any of these companies:
- Vastex International (http://www.vastex.com/index2.html)
- Workhorse Products (http://www.workhorseproducts.com)
- CAPS
- Antec
- Brown Mfg.
- Ranar
A lot of the companies on the list above are people that I have known for years. Each press has some good qualities, so you are going to need to contact the manufacturers and ask if they have anyone in your area that you can talk to and visit with to see the press. It is well worth your time to visit shops with the presses you are interested in. Otherwise, go to a show. However, it is not the same as seeing it in a real shop. Good Luck.
i just bought a machine like this one for 50 bucks off ebay it came with alot of different inks, 4 alum. screens a bunch of squeegees a few other things, cant wait to get started. fits in my laundry room perfect
Unless you're getting it for next to nothing, I would steer clear of those all-in-one types. The only reason to buy one at all is if you're printing in a closet.
Look for GOOD used equipment. I just saw a listing on craigslist near Orlando for a 1-year old Antec Legend 6/6, for $3900. If I were in the market to start screenprinting, I'd be over there with cash in hand today. That is a great deal. Frankly, I was tempted to buy it anyway, except I've got an 8/4 Vastex that is a great press.
SHOP AROUND. ASK QUESTIONS. Search this forum. There is a lot of advice on what presses to buy, and which to stay away from.
Info on Screen-A-Print-System 
