DSF

Hello peeps.

Currently looking for a swing heat press (A3). Approx 20" x 15" inch. Any advice welcome.

I was looking at the Xpres model but it does seem like a lot of money at this early stage of business

Well define 'Best Value'. There are not many 50cm x 40cm swing arm presses which is going to limit your choice. Most at that size are of the clamshell design. There is more choice at the 38cm x 38cm size range.

My definition of best value is the cheapest outlay that will do the job to a standard I want for a period of time I feel is reasonable.

I would love to buy a pneumatic press but my budget would not allow so I bought a 30cm x 38cm swing arm press (cost me £100) and a 50cm x 40cm clamshell (for £200). These are the cheaper end of the market but work fine so far and lets me save for better for later.

do you really need a swing away press "at this stage of your business" perhaps start with a normal press and then move onto a swing away once you are established and then keep the normal press as a standby. have you all the room you need for a swing away ?? i have one and at times it is a PITA

I purchased the DF50 from BMS

Its been a brilliant little cheap heat press. Warms up fairly quickly, keeps constant temperature and presses nice.

A few niggles in that you need screwdrivers and allen keys handy as the bolts seem to work loose quite often but that could be because most of my work is bulk and are normally 500 or 1000 presses at a time. I also changed the handle screws because they just did not do the job. But at £238 + VAT I think its great. Have had a Magic touch Swing Away (rebadged Adkins) before and if I was given the choice again today I would still probably purchase the cheap one and bank the saving.

I will upgrade eventually but not to a pneumatic one. My preferred route would be a double platen where you can prepare one garment while the other is pressing which means more output per hour, but then if I was only doing small runs I would go for the pneumatic.

http://www.coralgraph.com/heat-press1/g ... -new-model 40x50 £229.99 delivered. And if you email them they may do you a better deal

PAul

Thanks for the replies. I've been told I will need the swing press if I do such items as Lux Panels (xpres). Apparently the clam press is awkward to use if your pressing thick items??????

What are you using? Do you recommend it?

Thanks Gary

I paid £200 for my press it is a 7 in 1 does all sorts and is prolly a cheap chinese one but it is doing a great job it is a swing away and after a slight modification I drilled a hole to make the clamp stay in place better it is great been pressing all sorts of things with it from t-shirts to phone cases, mouse mats mugs, caps etc etc

NASH;53972 wrote:When i`m doing the thick Lux Panels on my clamshell, i just roll up a tea towel into a sasuage shapeand then place the lux panel on the press. Then press for the required time and then rotate 180* and then press for another 25 seconds.
This works for me

Does the process of rolling a tea towel into a saugsage shape have a therapeutic reason or does it play an integral part in the process? I cannot from your post decide where you are sticking your sausage once rolled lol Maybe you could assist with a bit more information please.

Well when you place the tea towel roll on the platen, then you place lux panel on top, Now when you close the press the lux panel will pivot on the towel and have a good even pressure onto the the lux panel