Hello and thank you to all who read this.
I work in production for a relatively small sign outfit but we've been expanding over the last several years, at least in clientele and new equipment.
A few years ago, my boss/owner suggested getting an automated grommet machine for banners. I've worked with one before at a previous job where we did large volume in banners, that was table mounted with a built-in iron hemming plate. Personally, I didn't think we really needed one since 1) we really didn't have the space for it and our production table is only about 10 feet and 2) we simply don't do that kind of volume, save for graduation season but he said it would make finishing banners much easier and more efficient and save a lot of time so I said, "Sure, you're the boss."
One day, a big crate arrives and what we got was a Jopevi J-239 Dual Feed:
Ours didn't come with the additional ruler guide plate mounted on the table but sufficed to say, this thing has been a nightmare since day 1. In spite of making all the proper adjustments, it still mispunches and mangles the banner material every 3 or 4 punches and frequently jams, where I nearly pulled a groin, several times, unjamming it, wasting grommets in the process. Worse still is on larger banners, I end up dragging and crumpling either end on the floor while trying to add grommets, picking up dirt and often scraping the print since there doesn't seem to be any logistical way to work this thing onto a production table so aside from wasting grommets, there's often reprints to boot.
It's not only made my job harder compared to the manual grommet lever machine but it's has just been living hell. The real reason he got this thing was he was looking for a big-ticket item for a year-end write-off but now that we have it, I'm obligated to use it as it takes #2 grommets whereas the manual machine takes #1's and they will not let me order #1 grommets or a #2 die kit for the manual puncher. It's like digging a hole with a rake when there's a perfectly good shovel right over there but since we spent $8,000 on that rake, it's digging holes.
Does anyone in the community have any experience with this model and if so, any suggestions for printed banners or is this my eternal damnation?
I work in production for a relatively small sign outfit but we've been expanding over the last several years, at least in clientele and new equipment.
A few years ago, my boss/owner suggested getting an automated grommet machine for banners. I've worked with one before at a previous job where we did large volume in banners, that was table mounted with a built-in iron hemming plate. Personally, I didn't think we really needed one since 1) we really didn't have the space for it and our production table is only about 10 feet and 2) we simply don't do that kind of volume, save for graduation season but he said it would make finishing banners much easier and more efficient and save a lot of time so I said, "Sure, you're the boss."
One day, a big crate arrives and what we got was a Jopevi J-239 Dual Feed:
Ours didn't come with the additional ruler guide plate mounted on the table but sufficed to say, this thing has been a nightmare since day 1. In spite of making all the proper adjustments, it still mispunches and mangles the banner material every 3 or 4 punches and frequently jams, where I nearly pulled a groin, several times, unjamming it, wasting grommets in the process. Worse still is on larger banners, I end up dragging and crumpling either end on the floor while trying to add grommets, picking up dirt and often scraping the print since there doesn't seem to be any logistical way to work this thing onto a production table so aside from wasting grommets, there's often reprints to boot.
It's not only made my job harder compared to the manual grommet lever machine but it's has just been living hell. The real reason he got this thing was he was looking for a big-ticket item for a year-end write-off but now that we have it, I'm obligated to use it as it takes #2 grommets whereas the manual machine takes #1's and they will not let me order #1 grommets or a #2 die kit for the manual puncher. It's like digging a hole with a rake when there's a perfectly good shovel right over there but since we spent $8,000 on that rake, it's digging holes.
Does anyone in the community have any experience with this model and if so, any suggestions for printed banners or is this my eternal damnation?
