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JBDesign
28-11-2013, 07:09 PM
Hi, I'm new here and obviously full of dumb questions. . .
The first of which is regarding cheap heat presses. (flat bed ones) I have researched fairly extensively online and the variety of heat presses is pretty bewildering.
Is the issue with cheap presses that they will be unreliable, or that they don't produce good results? I guess i am asking what is wrong with cheap ones? As I assume there must be some reason they are around £160 as opposed to nearer £300 or more. I am tempted to get an in between model, in the £230 - £250 region, small to medium platen. I won't be mass producing, just demoing some arty tile designs to show around to gallery type places to see if they might be interested. But I want the ability to knock out more if required, just not industrial amounts ;-)
What does the team think?
Jon

malfunction
28-11-2013, 07:42 PM
Hi Jon, I would say go for a decent quality one even if it means buying secondhand, they seem to hold their price so if you wanted to sell on again later you would probably get most if not all of your money back.
Having said that i'm using a budget (senco) press that I got used for £45 !! and that included a 450x450 plate a cap press 2 plate presses and a separate mug press, bit of a bargain and it works fine for applying vinyl to t shirts etc. I haven't got into sublimation yet so don't know if it will be up to the job or not.


Mal

socialgiraffe
28-11-2013, 07:50 PM
I would always go for quality, they hold the heat better, have a more consistent all over temperature and hold the temp to a more accurate level.

I think Nik (a newbie) on here purchased a cheap one and after about a month sent it back and got an Adkins instead as it was just too much hassle.

Justin
28-11-2013, 08:27 PM
Echo what the others say here. I have an Adkins which is brilliant, that said, I also have a £100 Coralgraph press (as used by Paul in the videos section) and so far this has served me very well. The cheaper press is just A4 but heats up quickly, uses much less power and works a treat for slates etc. I bought this as it's easier to do the thicker items, acrylics for example. I've used Chinese presses in the past, overall they've been fine but nothing comes close to the Adkins for consistency and build quality.

JBDesign
28-11-2013, 09:26 PM
Many thanks for your input guys, really appreciate it. My brain now hurts from scrolling pages and pages of stuff!
I found a couple of things, not sure why I chose them apart from the fact that they looked solid and they are clam ones as i don't have a lot of space for a swing out one. I can't afford an Adkins, and the second hand ones I could find were in the West Midlands or Andover and collection only. I'm sure they are superb though.

Expensive option - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271199021790?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

cheap option - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271020533536?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Any thoughts,

I'll get a ricoh sg3110dn, some paper and tile blanks from BMS. What else would i need? Heat tape I think, and some welders gloves or similar. Do I need a heat proof cloth or somesuch? The video at BMS mentions that you should use one but they don't seem to sell them. hmmph.

I think I'll take a break and stop obsessing ;-)
cheers,
Jon

Justin
28-11-2013, 09:40 PM
Stahls are a very well built machine, OK, this is the basic clam press but will still be great quality I would expect.

socialgiraffe
28-11-2013, 10:18 PM
Stahls are up there with Adkins in terms of build quality and reliability. Adkins do a similar model sold by Xpres. NikGrey (a member on here) purchased one as you get a discount if you are a premium DSF member.

You will need some teflon sheets to protect your heat press (cheap on ebay)

I have never used gloves when pressing, admittedly very occasionally I have burnt my fingers but in general I don't. Might be different with tiles though.

Also, as you are pressing tiles you might want a soft pad (sold by The Magic Touch). Not sure on this to be honest because I do not do tiles, but it is worth doing some research on that bit.

malfunction
28-11-2013, 10:27 PM
This might be worth a look.

http://www.coralgraph.com/heat-press/flat-press?zenid=b3037914eee5bc39dbe80f0e7743cd55

Mal

RogerC
28-11-2013, 10:56 PM
Out of those two...Stahls every time. Keep a look out on fleabay for a good secondhand one....Stahls, Adkins come up now and again. I got my Stahls for under half retail and it is like new.

JBDesign
28-11-2013, 11:19 PM
Thanks folks,
I'll keep an eye on ebay but I don't want to prevaricate too long, I am too prone to that ;-)

The coralgraph looks interesting too, cheers Mal
I'll check out the magic touch cloth thing.

I like this place ;-)
Jon

NikGrey
28-11-2013, 11:37 PM
I bought a £360 5 in 1 press bundle, thought it was great until I needed to use it properly - found the main press was ok at first but quickly began to have very uneven temperatures - I tried a transfer and the transfer sheet distorted in such a way many people had never seen happen.

I still use the Hat Press from this bundle, and the Plate press which I have set up permanently for my Mug Base images. I used my Members discount to buy my Adkins from xPress and got an excellent deal - infact, I wrote to them again today to see what they can do on an Adkins Mug Press as the Mug attachment I got with the bundle is good enough for the odd mug but not anything serious - I will keep the cheap press for an emergency but would never go back to using it full time... ewwww.

They are expensive but an absolute joy to use, also as has been said a branded press will hold it's money. if I were starting again I would go for a second hand branded flat press - not waste money on a cheap bundle.

JBDesign
29-11-2013, 09:39 AM
Thanks Nik, sounds like solid advice. I'll have a look at xPress.
cheers,
Jon

mrs maggot
29-11-2013, 12:31 PM
i would also say - buy from a company, you are only about a 30 min drive from Magic Touch, you will not fault their back up, and general help, if you are looking at buying a good printer etc, BMS, also offer a great service, i have found Xpres less than helpful at times if you fancy a trip to Fakenham, visit Listawood, take along samples of the artwork you are hoping to produce, and let them show you their equipment it may be worth using someone local - avoid ebay like the plague

Designandgift
29-11-2013, 12:42 PM
Great advice mrs maggot and nikgrey
as i am looking for my new heat press i was looking on ebay,
i think i will steer clear from ebay now after reading this
i dont have the budget for xpress
but i seeing a couple on bms that interest me :)

before i buy though i need to ask a question i cant find a good enough answer to i guess, i will post as new thread :)

JBDesign
29-11-2013, 01:55 PM
Thanks Mrs Maggot, Good advice. Target are in Braintree which is about an hour away down the M11 from me so I am thinking of getting the Stahls but I'll have a look at Magic Touch. The Stahls is a nice colour though ;-). Target don't seem to do printers.
I am having trouble finding more than a couple of suppliers for tile blanks, not a problem, but it would have been nice to have a thicker/higher quality tile option and maybe a 4"x4" option. Oh well.

Anyone know the max print size a ricoh gs3110dn can print. Is it borderless A4? I ask coz if it is, I could j-u-s-t fit an 8" tile design on A4. Otherwise it will be thin white border which is not always going to look good. or an A3 printer of course, but i can't afford that right now.

Is there a particular brand of paper that is best for ceramics?

Still not sure about the heat proof cloth. I shall watch some vids again and see if dye-sub-babe-of-the-month, Brittany uses one. ;-)
Jon

mrs maggot
29-11-2013, 02:21 PM
JB - most of the questions you are asking are already answered in the forum - make a big cup of coffee, sit down, relax, breathe and read

NikGrey
29-11-2013, 02:43 PM
Listawood in Fakenham ! Didn't know that - that's not far from me at all. will contact them now to see if I can pop down for a visit :)

arthur.daley
30-11-2013, 11:54 AM
Listawood in Fakenham ! Didn't know that - that's not far from me at all. will contact them now to see if I can pop down for a visit :)


Hi Nik

I assumed you must know about Listawoods as they were just up the road from you!

Kris Trewick who fields sales enquiries and does some demos is a top man and has the patience of a saint! If you get a chance to do the factory tour its well worth it - mug printing on a grand scale!


Arthur

JBDesign
03-12-2013, 06:27 PM
Well, took the plunge and bought the Stahls one. It will arrive tomorrow. Don't know when so I shall have to hang about til it turns up. Haven't couriers got phones? Can't they ring to let you know roughly when they will deliver? Irritating. Ordered a Ricoh 3110DN printer and stuff too. Not sure when that will turn up but I should be up and running in a few days I reckon. Then all I have to do is learn how to use it . . ;-)

NikGrey
03-12-2013, 06:40 PM
I was thinking about the Stahls flat press - nice Blue LED and Pressure indicator but thought they were USA only ?


My missus lost her job because she had to get back here to wait for a delivery - I had to take my Father to Hospital and couldnt get out of it so couldnt be here myself.. I agree it is irritating waiting for things. Some have satellite tracking which is great and others give you no idea at all.

Let us know how you get on with the press.

JBDesign
03-12-2013, 06:49 PM
I got the Stahls from Target Transfers in Braintree.

NikGrey
03-12-2013, 06:58 PM
Ah, yes - I did look at those.
They and the Adkins seem very much alike so I went for the Adkins and paid just less than half the price of the 400x400 one there - either way your not going to have to worry about a press for a long time now since you bought a premium one :) I love mine.

JBDesign
09-12-2013, 10:27 AM
All the printer related stuff I ordered arrived on friday, the heat press came earlier in the week. Restrained myself over the weekend and am now just going to set it all up and see what happens. . . Wish me luck ;-) I'll post a pic of my first decent results in due course. thanks for the help everyone. I'm sure i will be back with more dumb questions.
Jon

JBDesign
09-12-2013, 10:33 AM
they sent the wrong size tiles. great start. now i can't do anything.

NikGrey
09-12-2013, 02:04 PM
I dont know how you stopped yourself from at least checking what they had sent you on Friday - I would have been in there like a Rat up a Drainpipe.

JBDesign
09-12-2013, 02:20 PM
I had half completed DIY stuff to do, so had to steel myself not to look ;-) It never ocurred to me that the order might be wrong or i might have checked. Tey are sending replacements tomorrow.

Boosh101
10-12-2013, 03:24 PM
Sorry if in wrong place I'm a newbie
Hi there I'm lee and looking for help when buying my first flat heat press for t shirt printing. I have found this one but is it any good ?
Any help is appreciated.


http://www.monsterdoodles.co.uk/pixm...Pixmax+38x38cm

JBDesign
11-12-2013, 06:08 PM
Well, the right tiles finally arrived today and I sparked up the Stahls press, printed off a couple of images using the right settings and profile, and once the right temp had been achieved, pressed a couple of tiles. I was knocked out how well they came out first time! here's a couple of pics. Not that they tell you much but I was pleased.There was a very slight blemish on one tile, which is something I will have to look out for in future. I can't sell them with even small white specks.
Jon


22502251

NikGrey
11-12-2013, 06:13 PM
You seem quite pleased with these, and rightly so - they look great to me. How long do they take? I was watching a video the other day and I think the fella said 10 mins ? I saw some great tiles at Listawood yesterday and am trying to get some samples.. well done - it's a great feeling when things work. Great stuff.

Each 202mm square tile it seems is £2.45 - they would have to retail at £5 ! they do look nice though :)

arthur.daley
11-12-2013, 06:35 PM
Each 202mm square tile it seems is £2.45 - they would have to retail at £5 ! they do look nice though :)


Hi Nik

hand painted tiles are BIG business, take a look at

http://www.douglaswatsonstudio.co.uk/

Just one of many sites that come up if you google hand made tiles.

Take a look at the 'panels' tab! Stunning barely describes some of it.

Now I know that sub tiles are not hand painted but they still have the potential to sell at premium prices - what you really need is a friend with a stall at Brick Lane market.


Arthur

JBDesign
11-12-2013, 07:51 PM
Thanks Nik, Yeah, the unit cost is relatively high, but people sell scanned and dye subbed art nouveau tiles for ten quid and upwards, so original designs 'ought' to go for good money. I'm going to try the gallery and arty places route with them. A whole new venture for me, selling. I'm used to drawing and designing for others but not the marketing and suchlike.
Arthur, that's a great site. I'm not sure what their process is, as drawing each one from scratch would be mad, or would it? I really don't know. I wouldn't want to do it over and over again. . . maybe they colour each one over a basic print outline or something. it would have to be a quick process, as even £16 a pop is not a lot for the work involved.
thanks,
Jon

NikGrey
11-12-2013, 09:33 PM
I love the idea now I have seen the prices, surely (Not Shirley) the process is printing One big print of the whole image and making them in sections - say an A3 amount of tiles at a time ?

Angloman
11-12-2013, 10:22 PM
cheap ebay one is this I have found

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271320432796?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

7-1 and swing away not a fixed clamp which nobody had mentioned against a swing away

NikGrey
11-12-2013, 10:40 PM
Thats the same one I bought, but without that latte blanket - but from a different vendor. Looks identical to my cheapie.

John, "It's got a Black Handle"....

Angloman
11-12-2013, 11:52 PM
love the black handle comment Nik.As to the tile idea,talking to my guy we are producing a numbered set,specially drawn,never repeated.
then numbering the limited edition set to sell.He also does poetry and will be selling on Amazon with a set of either mugs or placemats or glass tiles to go with them.

My press is the express one which i find yes expensive at £700 but even heat all round,does what it says on the tin