[brungeman]

Agreed. Eventually I want a single point unit for better halftone stuff.

the shop I moonlight at, just got one about 2 years ago, and like it. it's huge, and I think it can burn 2 of their 23x31 newman frames at a time! (what a time savings that would be)

Hmm..I will take a look at that. I just switched from Chromaline to Ulano 925WR water resistant and I am quite pleased with it. That's what I used years ago when I worked for a shop.

I am not sure the "chromaBlue" will work for the waterbased ink, but at the price etc, it is worth a look! The 925WR is what a bunch of (home)printer friends of mine use when doing flatstock. They only use housepaint so they need the water proof capabilities.

110 makes pushing that goop way easier too.

you aren't kidding... I have a black plastisol that pushes through a screen on the first hit everytime. I don't need to flood or anything, even with some of my tighter meshes (mid 200's)! that white ink though... is hell! I have a sample of some other ink that is on its way, I am hoping it is better than this Union White I have... The prints look great, but the printing gives my elbows and shoulders fits!

Another tip for Tame Ape here: get some Nazdar water based ink and some of their catalyst. You can say to hell with the laundry mat.

You have to mix the ink in small amounts though, once the catalyst is mixed in the ink has about an 8 hour shelf life before it gels. It allows you to hang the prints and air dry them. In about 72 hours the ink is washable.

I haven't used their WB stuff, one of my suppliers sent me some WB Union stuff by accident, but I never really tried it, and couldn't mix it with what I had. 2 quarts of waterbased with a cabinet full of plastisols does me no good.

As you can see there isn't anything special about the set up, but the kids do learn a lot about how most of the local shops print! I have several present and ex-students that have gotten jobs straight out of here for printing etc. I dig that! the kid in the photo's is one who can just see how the design will look on the shirt etc. before he does it! he is great, and the most polite kid on the face of the earth!

 

[brungeman]

One more tip:

Avoid Union Ink's water based opaque white. Like the plague. It dries in the screen faster than you can print. I lost three screens because of it. Only thing that got the ink out was reclaiming the stencil and then generous amounts of de-hazing solution. Total super crap.

home printin one night doing some posters for a show, and we ran up to the door to get the pizza we had delivered. Ran back down with pizza in hand only to find that the housepaint we were using locked up in the screen... we were gone no more than 3 minutes

we had to wash up and start over

 

[Dirt Merchant]

" I am hoping it is better than this Union White I have... "

Try "Sta-True Phoenix White" by Triangle Ink. Best White plastisol eva!
I've printed, by hand, at least a million shirts. No lie.

 

[Tame Ape]

I'm always game for a better waterbase white ink! Opacity seems to always equal accelerated drying.

 

[brungeman]

Great, now I have to take pics of my shop so I can be all cool like you guys.

Beat you to it!

is that your shop?

nice set up, what printer is that? how many stations, how many heads?

I have not printed a million, but some days it feels as though I have

the shop I moonlight at, has me print a bunch by hand while they run the auto! we can get a bunch of stuff done pretty quick that way... I like bailing them out, they are great guys and were very helpful when I completely changed everything that was being tought in my classroom, and how I was goin to teach it. I went into their shop one day, and I was just asking them for some pointers, they showed me a bunch of new tech. (not much had changed since I printed for a shop straight out of HS, but at the same time a lot had changed! ) As I hung out there more I would help when I would go in, and then they started calling me for help from time to time! I never mind helping them because of how good they have been to me! I don't get paid, but I know they appreciate it bunches!

 

[DNA]

I don't get paid, but I know they appreciate it bunches!

Speaking of helping out, thanks for your help with cutting that acrylic. I am waiting to get a poster printed to fill the back of the case and I will shoot a pic for you.

 

[H8R]

I worked for these guys when they had less than 15 employees:

http://cinderblock.com/

Now they are a merch leviathan.


I used to run their TAS press at full speed all day. As fast as you could put on a shirt, and then faster. Ugh.

 

[brungeman]

I worked for these guys when they had less than 15 employees:

http://cinderblock.com/

Now they are a merch leviathan.


I used to run their TAS press at full speed all day. As fast as you could put on a shirt, and then faster. Ugh.

that is awesome... I remember one of the guys I worked with straight out'a HS... he was the unloader on the auto press (I think the thing was a 10 color 12 station or something like that! the guy used to buy a bottle of Jack on our lunch break every Friday... he had a few crappy ass ghetto tattoos and was a funny dumb guy... don't know why I remember him so well, but he was a goofy bastid! we would run that press all out all day long... I remember them sending me to run around the press and shift the ink that had squished out the sides of the image area back into the center of squeege. what stupid funny memories I have about that time of my life!

Speaking of helping out, thanks for your help with cutting that acrylic. I am waiting to get a poster printed to fill the back of the case and I will shoot a pic for you.

great, how did you end up cutting it? with the score and break or with a blade? I don't know how much I helped, but you are welcome for the feedback

 

[DNA]

great, how did you end up cutting it? with the score and break or with a blade? I don't know how much I helped, but you are welcome for the feedback

Score and break and then hitting it with the orbital sander to clean up any unevenness on the break (there always seemed to be a little).

Some of my concerns about the edges not being perfect didn't matter as you can't see the problems areas once the shelves were in the display case. Don't worry, that'll make more sense once I get you a picture.

 

[brungeman]

Score and break and then hitting it with the orbital sander to clean up any unevenness on the break (there always seemed to be a little).

Some of my concerns about the edges not being perfect didn't matter as you can't see the problems areas once the shelves were in the display case. Don't worry, that'll make more sense once I get you a picture.

sweet, good to hear! I would like to see the pics...

 

[Dirt Merchant]

is that your shop?nice set up, what printer is that? how many stations, how many heads?

Yes, this is my basement. I've been on my own for 14 years now.
It's only a HIX 4 station- 4 color, but that's all I need. The majority
of my jobs are one-color chest prints...

 

[brungeman]

is that your shop?nice set up, what printer is that? how many stations, how many heads?

Yes, this is my basement. I've been on my own for 14 years now.
It's only a HIX 4 station- 4 color, but that's all I need. The majority
of my jobs are one-color chest prints...

right on... that is a nice machine.

we have a tabletop single, that I use for the first year students with some old smaller screens, and a WorkHorse 4 color single station tabletop (mounted on a rolling cart so I can move it when not in use) one of these days I would like to get a multi station press, cause it is a pain to flash the shirts this way!

 

[Dirt Merchant]

cause it is a pain to flash the shirts this way!

Yes, cool down is important!

 

[H8R]

$2k on Craig's List got me:

Aaron Mfg 6 color, 6 station press. This was a short lived company (in the early 90's I think) that made some decent presses for cheap. It is alot like a poor man's Workhorse "Modular". Full micros, all heads down, etc.

1800w flash unit.

A&M (now owned but Atlas) vacuum exposure unit. I replaced the glass on it right away. It's a champ.

Black Body "Lil Buddy" 220v conveyor dryer

24 small roller frames. (kinda beat up)

About 20 squeegees

6 brand new 23x31 Newman roller frames

About 400 yards of Swiss made screen fabric in all types of mesh counts.

2 spot cleaning guns

About 80 quarts of ink

Emulsions, de-hazers, de-greasers, etc.


Craig's List rocks.




Now if I can only find more time to print....

 

[Dirt Merchant]

I have a Newton Tension meter (tensiometer?) that I'd like
to get rid of dirt cheap: I don't use it since I buy pre-stretched screens: anyone have a use for it here?

 

[H8R]

I have a Newton Tension meter (tensiometer?) that I'd like
to get rid of dirt cheap: I don't use it since I buy pre-stretched screens: anyone have a use for it here?

Holy sh!t YESS!!!!!

How much? Trade for something?


PM ME!

 

[brungeman]

$2k on Craig's List got me:

Aaron Mfg 6 color, 6 station press. This was a short lived company (in the early 90's I think) that made some decent presses for cheap. It is alot like a poor man's Workhorse "Modular". Full micros, all heads down, etc.

1800w flash unit.

A&M (now owned but Atlas) vacuum exposure unit. I replaced the glass on it right away. It's a champ.

Black Body "Lil Buddy" 220v conveyor dryer

24 small roller frames. (kinda beat up)

About 20 squeegees

6 brand new 23x31 Newman roller frames

About 400 yards of Swiss made screen fabric in all types of mesh counts.

2 spot cleaning guns

About 80 quarts of ink

Emulsions, de-hazers, de-greasers, etc.


Craig's List rocks.




Now if I can only find more time to print....

that is a fantastic deal! you da man!

I have slowly aquired equipment buying a piece at a time here and there. The problem is when I took over the lab, most of the existing equipment was shot, so not only am I trying to buy new stuff to change what I teach, but I end up having to replace and repair all the crappy old equipment.

I would like to do printing on my own on the side, but as you know, there aint much time to print!

What Programs do you use to do your design work?

we mostly use CorelDraw (that is what most of the designers/printers in our area are using) I would like to go with AI at some point, but Corel is so much cheaper!

 

[stosh]

I wonder how many of your students now troll on RM reading your posts.

 

[brungeman]

I wonder how many of your students now troll on RM reading your posts.

a couple'o former students... I am sure... I have a few that are into, or are getting into biking, so if I have my way you will see more!

I am sure if they read the GMT thread they would know exactly what kind of mood I would be in for class or even why I would be in that mood...

 

[H8R]

What Programs do you use to do your design work?

we mostly use CorelDraw (that is what most of the designers/printers in our area are using) I would like to go with AI at some point, but Corel is so much cheaper!

I don't use vector stuff too much, mostly raster graphics from scans of my wife's drawings. I have an old copy of Photoshop and I occasionally use GIMP.



Check out Inkscape btw. Pretty cool. And free.

 

[brungeman]

I don't use vector stuff too much, mostly raster graphics from scans of my wife's drawings. I have an old copy of Photoshop and I occasionally use GIMP.



Check out Inkscape btw. Pretty cool. And free.

that is very cool. Do you half tone it? or what? I love the artwork and prints on your site.

we use PS mostly for web-design and image manipulation, but for the kids, it is a lot easier to work in Vector files.

I will check out Inkscape in a few. thanks

 

[H8R]

that is very cool. Do you half tone it? or what? I love the artwork and prints on your site.

I have used a scripty action thing (the technical term for it) in Photshop that you can download from the Wilflex site for halftone filtering. It produces a rasterized halftone layer.

I am eventually going to get a RIP for my inkjet that will do true halftones for the printed seps.

BTW - that was my other purchase, a used Epson 3000 wide format inkjet for film positives. What a fricken beast.