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justme
12-09-2012, 11:01 PM
Hello,

I took delivery of this today http://www.printerowners.co.uk/hardware-equipment/693/30cm-x-38cm-swing-away-press.htm and it looks great..but I'm new to flat bed printing and have no idea how to use it!!! There were no instructions in the box...well there were, but they seemed to be for a mug press, cap press and plate press...none of which I have!

How do I know what is medium pressure, high pressure etc...at the moment, it seems so tight that it would crush anything!!

Also, what's the deal with the greaseproof paper (is that what it is?) that I see in some youtube videos? Also...even MORE stupid question...(I haven't turned it on yet - too scared to!)...which is the hot bit...the bottom bit or the swing away bit?! I don't even know which way up to put stuff!!

I know I'll have some wastage but I just don't want to mess up too much stuff or leave any marks on the press by doing the wrong thing...advice and guidance appreciated.

Thanks,
Charis

soulclaimed
13-09-2012, 12:12 AM
Its tefflon sheet do not press polyester tshirt without this or they will melt to your press! Also make sure you know if your in farenheit or celsius as some arrive in c but people often give heat setting tips in f

Paul
13-09-2012, 12:34 AM
Its tefflon sheet do not press polyester tshirt without this or they will melt to your press! Also make sure you know if your in farenheit or celsius as some arrive in c but people often give heat setting tips in f
this is most redicles thing i ever heard :-)
greaseproof paper is thin paper god know what is made of. Its to protect your platen. The hot bit in your press. Top bit :-)
Teflon is a sheet of teflon and is used for thos same reason. To protect your platen and blank. So there is no unwanted ink bleeding to any of them. Thats all. Nothing to do with malting :-)
you can mel your tee but this is only if you.set your press for too hogh temp or yoi.leave it for to long on your press.

soulclaimed
13-09-2012, 04:20 AM
this is most redicles thing i ever heard :-)
greaseproof paper is thin paper god know what is made of. Its to protect your platen. The hot bit in your press. Top bit :-)
Teflon is a sheet of teflon and is used for thos same reason. To protect your platen and blank. So there is no unwanted ink bleeding to any of them. Thats all. Nothing to do with malting :-)
you can mel your tee but this is only if you.set your press for too hogh temp or yoi.leave it for to long on your press.

Thank you for being so rude paul when i was trying to help, i set my press to the time and temp shown on xpres website and the surface of the shirt stuck to the press and parts had melted with the sheet no such problem i don't know how that's rediculous?

Paul
13-09-2012, 06:40 AM
Sorry. I didnt want to sound rude. Just not sure what that go to do with teflon sheet. I pressede LOADS of tshirts withoit any protection and nothing never stuck to my platen.
Is your heat platen teflon coated?

Craig
13-09-2012, 07:52 AM
Justme In those instructions yous should have a bit which tells yu how to set your temperature on the machine and this is about all the instructions will tell you because the pressures and pressing time are different for everything.

You can get the recomended pressing times and temperatures from BMS site(printerowners) when you look at the specific product you are trying to press.

I use greaseproof paper to keep my press clean and also use a silicon baking sheet from ebay whch ill try to find link to later and post here.

Hope that helps a little

Craig

justme
13-09-2012, 09:13 AM
Thank you all, my problems were probably quite stupid...!!

I just need to switch it on and have a go...but I just didn't want to do any damage. The pressure seems really high at the moment and I was worried about crushing things...I've seen descriptions saying 'medium pressure' and I just wanted to figure out exactly how tight that is.

Useful to know that the greaseproof paper is basically there to protect from any bleed. I'll switch it on and have a go when I've got the sproglets at school and then I'll probably discover how easy it is and wonder why I ever worried...and realise why my questions were ridiculous!

I've been mug printing hundreds of mugs a month and can't be that different from that...except that, for that, I have it set to one pressure and one temp all the time and never have to change it...this sounds like I will need to experiement more with the pressure and timings.

Thanks for your help :)

Charis

Charlie_
13-09-2012, 09:16 AM
[QUOTE

I've been mug printing hundreds of mugs a month and can't be that different from that...except that, for that, I have it set to one pressure and one temp all the time and never have to change it...this sounds like I will need to experiement more with the pressure and timings.

Thanks for your help :)

Charis[/QUOTE]

I have sticky labels on mine so that when I find a good pressure temp time its remembered ............

purpledragon
13-09-2012, 10:05 AM
Thank you all, my problems were probably quite stupid...!!



there are no stupid questions only questions ! thats what the forum is for although it has to be said a little investigation would save the problem of asking more experianced people what seems like simple questions. A simple search on the forum would probably turn up answers to almost all the most basic questions i know paul has posted tutorials from time to time and ive posted one or two myself.

Soulclaiimed .. i dont think paul intended to sound so rude though i gotta admit it made me raise an eyebrow at his reply the translation from polish to english doesnt always work in pauls favour ive had a few discussions with paul in the past and these do tend to stem from a confusion in languages paul mate dont ever become a doctor until you sort your bed side manner out lol....... bad paul naughty paul .......

also soulclaimed i would say its a worry that your press mealted the shirt your press should never get that hot paul may not have put it in the best way but what he says is correct the grease proof paper is there only to protect the platerns from things like ink transferance the only time ive managed to melt anything in the press is when my thermostat went and the temprature went nuclear i would if i were you look at why the press mealted tyhe shirt if its an xpres pres then you may need to contact them as i would consider this a fault in the press
Brett

justme
13-09-2012, 10:57 AM
OK, I am totally a read instructions and then figure it out sort of girl...not a try and experiment one. This is starting to confuse me. I learn quickly though, so please bare with me!

What make is the press http://www.printerowners.co.uk/hardware-equipment/693/30cm-x-38cm-swing-away-press.htm and then I can google it and find youtube videos, tutorials etc. instructions that actually are for my press.

I switched the main power button and the platen immediately started heating up. At 27 it felt hot, that confused me...I hadn't set the time, temperature or anything...let alone press 'play' so why was it getting hot and why did it feel really quite hot at 27?!

Anyone help me with a make so that I can find some help?

Thanks :)

Charis

purpledragon
13-09-2012, 11:56 AM
Charis would it help to ring me 01437 766211 and i could maybe talk you through it btw its meant to start heating straightaway

justme
13-09-2012, 12:40 PM
MASSIVE thank you to Brett, just needed a calm voice on the other end of the phone. Have successfully printed my first coaster...nothing blew up, nothing melted...quite smelly...but then, so is my mug press.

1184

WorthDoingRight
13-09-2012, 01:13 PM
I switched the main power button and the platen immediately started heating up. At 27 it felt hot, that confused me...I hadn't set the time, temperature or anything...let alone press 'play' so why was it getting hot and why did it feel really quite hot at 27?!

Anyone help me with a make so that I can find some help?

Thanks :)

Charis

The display shows 27 as this is probably the number of seconds the press timer is currently set for and not the temperature. As on most press controllers there is only one display line it often doubles (or triples) for the following items:
1) Pressing temperature
2) Pressing time
3) Idle temperature

These are normally cycled through with one button and then changed with another pair of buttons. Sometimes as on one of my presses I only have Pressing temp and Pressing Time, the other has Idle temp, Pressing temp and Pressing Time.

Looking at the press picture I would imagine it has a similar controller to mine so here goes my suggestions.

You have 4 buttons a Left Arrow, a Mode, a Right Arrow and a Square.

1) Turn press on and press the Mode button once and then LT/RT arrows to set idle temp (on a flat bed press 5 to 10 degrees below pressing temp is suggested. As this cannot be above the pressing temp you might have to do stage 2 first)
2) Press mode again then LT/RT to set the pressing temp
3) Press mode again then LT/RT to set the pressing time.

a 4th press should return you to the display with the current press temperature on.

once the press reaches the idle temp you set it should beep at this point pressing the square button should begin the press heating to press temp and when it reaches this it should start to count down on the timer.

So I wait for the press to reach idle temp (set 5 or 10 degrees below) then close my press and press the square button and then when it starts beeping madly at end of pressing i turn it off (or press the square button again if doing a batch)

Ian M
13-09-2012, 03:20 PM
Well done Charis & that coaster looks superb.
I was just the same when I got my press & I bought some plain cheap polyester material just to practise on with getting the pressure & other setting right. As for wanting to know times & temps for different products have a look at the BMS website as in each product description they give these details. It is a bit of trial & error at first but, you will get there very quickly.

Brett, your a star mate :wink:

bms
13-09-2012, 08:05 PM
Charis would it help to ring me 01437 766211 and i could maybe talk you through it btw its meant to start heating straightaway

Thanks for helping out Brett :) Good to hear the Welsh Regional Office is so informative... That'll be £5.10 I owe you now :) ;-)

purpledragon
14-09-2012, 12:23 AM
Thanks for helping out Brett :) Good to hear the Welsh Regional Office is so informative... That'll be £5.10 I owe you now :) ;-)
£5.10 ? you're havin a laff the invoice for consultancy is on its way and aint it about time you paid the welsh regional office's rent

bms
14-09-2012, 08:31 AM
£5.10 ? you're havin a laff the invoice for consultancy is on its way and aint it about time you paid the welsh regional office's rent

:) I offered but they wanted 1 and sixpence and I didn't have that much on me!

Charlie_
14-09-2012, 08:33 AM
:) I offered but they wanted 1 and sixpence and I didn't have that much on me!

Martin showing you are lol likes it though ......................

justme
14-09-2012, 10:11 AM
Just to wrap up the initial thread for anyone else that searches in the future...Martin from BMS sent through on email a fab set of instructions in English and the press is simple as :)

So, thanks!

Charis

purpledragon
14-09-2012, 12:29 PM
:) I offered but they wanted 1 and sixpence and I didn't have that much on me!
taht wont feed the sheep!