Table(line) Print Press

39377 Views 46 Replies 16 Participants Last post by blessi17, Dec 13, 2014

uateva

Discussion Starter · Aug 3, 2010

Jus had a look at some of the setups of printers in the Philippines and they had some pretty neat setups. It looked like long tables with shirts lined up and a person went down the line moving the screen with him, and printing each one. Anybody in the states know if this set up is DIY friendly? I know it might not be the ideal set up compared to automatic presses, but I'm poor and still wanna hustle. Any help would be appreciated!

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jsf

· #2 · Aug 3, 2010

uateva said:
Jus had a look at some of the setups of printers in the Philippines and they had some pretty neat setups. It looked like long tables with shirts lined up and a person went down the line moving the screen with him, and printing each one. Anybody in the states know if this set up is DIY friendly? I know it might not be the ideal set up compared to automatic presses, but I'm poor and still wanna hustle. Any help would be appreciated!

Here's a thread from bobbob, he eventually made his own line table setup likened from our setup here in the Philippines.

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing/t120878.html

The only thing that worries him are his MDF platens which are not fully laminated and had to warp because of the flashing.

Better ask him more about it... Goodluck!

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Solmu

· #3 · Aug 3, 2010

I think it would be a pretty easy build if you had fabrication experience. Like most things, it's easier to make if you already understand how it works. Still, if you're logical and methodical... should be easy enough.

Screenprinting is actually a pretty simple process when you get right down to it. A lot of the complexities are in screen prep and exposure, and curing ink. The printing itself is the easiest part of the process.

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BroJames

· #4 · Aug 14, 2010

Fabrication experience would be nice but here, a decent welder can do the job well. Actually, any regular DIYer with a drill, saw and hammer can also make his own line table or line platen.

Yes, the screen printing, aside from squeegee pressure and angle, is really a simple process. Printers have come up with very decent prints with only a simple square plywood as platen. The line table and its 3 point registration system is one of the simplest printing system around. Its pure simplicity at its best.

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BroJames

· #5 · Aug 22, 2010

I have been trying to add details to convert my line table setup illustration into a line table plan but it is taking up more time than I expected. Anyway, here is i good LINE TABLE PLAN BY SANOSHIRTS

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colorfinger

· #6 · Jul 11, 2011

My line printer based upon these plans...

Bob ?;O)

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imonurbk

· #7 · Jul 11, 2011

stand still and spin is great! sliding type good for screen printing numbers

colorfinger

· #8 · Jul 11, 2011

imonurbk said:
stand still and spin is great! sliding type good for screen printing numbers

I think I can speak for most printers and printing numbers is preferred!

Bob ?;O)

PhilR

· #9 · Jul 12, 2011

I knocked up a design for a rotary carousel which would use the line table registration system. Mainly because I only have a small room to work in and this would be best, and allow me to leave my flash dryer set up in one place.

It's not quite finished, but you get the idea.

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colorfinger

· #10 · Jul 12, 2011

That's a real good idea!

Bob ?;O)

jsf

· #11 · Jul 13, 2011

PhilR said:
I knocked up a design for a rotary carousel which would use the line table registration system. Mainly because I only have a small room to work in and this would be best, and allow me to leave my flash dryer set up in one place.

It's not quite finished, but you get the idea.

The idea is already here, made by one of our colleague...

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing-equipment/t143322.html

colorfinger

· #12 · Jul 13, 2011

I like that one... Not everyone is a welder. I give this one a thumbs up for being made of wood... Good DIYer!

Bob ?;O)

orion001

· #13 · Jul 13, 2011

hello just to add one if your gonna make a rotating line table press you should put a detent assembly or a stopper to the station where you'll print it. i was the one who made that diy rotary/line table press that sir JSF posted a link here. and for me i just use a bolt under the platen arm to act as a stopper. and after some initial use i think that i still would prefer the traditional line table press over it. for me i think that i can print faster using the line table press instead of it. just sharing some of my experience.

BroJames

· #14 · Jul 13, 2011

colorfinger said:
My line printer based upon these plans...

Bob ?;O)

can you post a close up of the registration rail?

PhilR

· #15 · Jul 13, 2011

jsf said:
The idea is already here, made by one of our colleague...

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing-equipment/t143322.html

I know, I based it on his.

BroJames

· #16 · Jul 13, 2011 (Edited)

2

colorfinger said:
I like that one... Not everyone is a welder. I give this one a thumbs up for being made of wood... Good DIYer!

Bob ?;O)

Metal is not exclusively for welders anymore.

cross section of how the platen arms are laid out.The green is the platen arm. The red is the 1ft platen arm base. It is attached to the main platen arm by 2 screws. The red portion, the platen base, is then bolted to the table.

I have tested and actually used the platen arm illustrated here but on a desktop version. I am not sure if the 2 ft horizontal leg bottom would be enough and am thinking that 3ft would be better.

The edges of the slotted angular, unless grinded, can be pretty sharp. Plastic covers are available for the cut ends to cover the edges. If not, and I actually prefer this for the legs(horizontal part on the floor), I would place place a 2x2" wood over the horizontal leg to cover the sharp angles.

PhilR said:
I knocked up a design for a rotary carousel which would use the line table registration system. Mainly because I only have a small room to work in and this would be best, and allow me to leave my flash dryer set up in one place.

It's not quite finished, but you get the idea.

If space layout permits, for a 4-20 platen setup, I prefer a setup where singular lined platens form a "U" around the printer. The dryer can be set up at the open end. This minimizes movement as the printer does not have to rotate around the line table press.

The "U" setup would also require a slightly larger space. But a stationary flash would require a carousel type press.

Note: I have not checked the bill of materials and they are included only for illustration purposes.

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colorfinger

· #17 · Jul 13, 2011

Angel, So this would be bolted together? I'm guessing this is what you mean. Nice design.

Bob ?;O)

jsf

· #18 · Jul 13, 2011

Actually the illustration given by BroJames is just an illustration and not an actual standing printing equipment but the materials and measurement is there to give you an idea of how a line table will be built. And with regards with the illustration you will find that it is lacking some important parts.

colorfinger

· #19 · Jul 13, 2011

My wood one will work fine... Very sturdy and cheaper than metal...

Bob ?;O)

BroJames

· #20 · Jul 14, 2011

Yes, the slotted angular bars are to be bolted together. With corner brackets where necessary. I would also add some epoxy if the joint are meant to be permanent.

But do note that that this is an illustration based on the slotted angular press I've used for a while. It is not a plan. I uploaded the illustration because some people are interested in metal presses but do not have access to a good welder. This should give them something to explore.

As to the press I am currently and have been, one is a single platen press and the other is a 3 platen press. Excluding the nails, bolts and nuts, and the registration rail, both are desktop models and made of wood.

I discarded the slotted metal solely for the reason that metals, especially ones with corners, does not lend itself to moving around in tight spaces. My presses are often tacked away and setup on the table for printing. Even with my wood press, the metal registration rail punctured my skin on 2 occasion.

The slotted angular press in the illustration is based on the one I've used for about 1-1/2 to 2 months and this is the main mechanism.
.

An inverted 6" slotted angular bar (the platen arm base and red "L" above) is attached to the center of the 3ft slotted angular bar (the platen arm and green "L" above). They are bolted together by 2 pcs bolt and nut. The inverted platen arm base allows the platen arm to be attached to the press table. The same principle applies to the registration rail support (aqua and blue in the above illustration). The 2 slotted angular bars, allows the inverted bar to be attached to the table and the one above for the registration rail to rest and be bolted to.

As to the legs in the illustration, an additional leg at the middle may make the press more stable. A 3ft horizontal leg may also be better than the 2ft leg in the illustration. I made the illustration a while back while toying with inkscape and has never paid much attention to the legs.

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