chester215
Just call me Chester.
I wouldn't want to bring the 150' rolls of vinyl up to the second floor.
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Latex Printer in apartment?
- Thread starter Jo Hill
- Start date
spb
✨鞄➕
no staying power
Gino
Premium Subscriber
I doubt it. We probably just put a big hole in his bubble.
Ya know, when I started on my own, my studio was up on my third floor. I had a table and large easel in one room and homemade drying racks in the next room. No A/C and not much heat. I'd coat out 4'x8's in my basement and when dried, carry them up 3 flights of stairs. Carrying paint and brushes was no big thing as far as equipment goes. Yep, that was a lotta fun.
Ya know, when I started on my own, my studio was up on my third floor. I had a table and large easel in one room and homemade drying racks in the next room. No A/C and not much heat. I'd coat out 4'x8's in my basement and when dried, carry them up 3 flights of stairs. Carrying paint and brushes was no big thing as far as equipment goes. Yep, that was a lotta fun.
Goatshaver
Shaving goats and eating bushes
This reminds me of when I was starting in vinyl and wanted to put an SP-540V in my second floor apartment. I'm glad we couldn't hoist it up because everything would've been a nightmare to deal with. I couldn't imagine a 64" and that thing must weigh a decent amount.
gnubler
Active Member
I worked at a printshop once that had all their equipment - presses & bindery - on the second floor. There was a freight elevator in back from the parking lot to the 2nd floor. When those presses got cranking the entire building shook like a mid-level earthquake. I felt rather uneasy sitting down below envisioning possible catastrophic scenarios.
untitled
New Member
One other requirement on the power is that they will want you to be very close to 220v on each line. The lines at my place were hovering between 235-240 and I had to install special transformers to get the voltage down to 220. Mine was a 700, but if I remember correctly the 315 would have been the same.
Emerald Vinyl
New Member
We have a 315 in our shop and boy does it kick out heat, especially with banner substrates! In summer months, you'd strain your residential AC unit to counter the heat unless you'd have a portable AC unit to help. Also, unless you'll be operating the machine from a separate room, rhe heat and fumes would make it unbearable.
With all of the money you'd spend on operating at home, you're better off outsourcing or saving enough to get a warehouse with commercial AC. It's more professional, too.
With all of the money you'd spend on operating at home, you're better off outsourcing or saving enough to get a warehouse with commercial AC. It's more professional, too.
Texas_Signmaker
Very Active Signmaker
Will your neighbors enjoy all this extra heat and vinyl smell? Does the municipality you reside in restrict manufacturing equipment in residences? What about the condo owners association?
victor bogdanov
Active Member
This was my home setup for many years, not shown in the picture is a Roland VS300 printer and another room with tables etc. Produced over 1M/year revenue with this set up.
I would go with a different printer that does not require 220v. Eco solvent, open a window and have a fan blow out the window when printing
I would go with a different printer that does not require 220v. Eco solvent, open a window and have a fan blow out the window when printing
Geneva Olson
Expert Storyteller
i'm impressed.
I pay an extra $40 a month for my home insurance to cover my business. I have 200k equipment coverage, and because the machines "produce heat and are an additional fire hazard" I have extra coverage for fire.
With that being said, when I was in a townhome my strata forbid any equipment that produces heat or could cause a fire.... and a latex falls under that according to insurance, so something else to watch out for.
With that being said, when I was in a townhome my strata forbid any equipment that produces heat or could cause a fire.... and a latex falls under that according to insurance, so something else to watch out for.
I debated posting these because my place is a mess...An embarrassing mess I'd never want anyone to see... usually its not like this, but I figured I'd post just to show how bad it can get.
It was the perfect storm - holes in the ceilings because I just had Central AC installed and I havent had them patch them yet.... I just did a 200+ banner order, so banner is all over the floor... Ran out of garbage bags and got tired of lugging them up the stairs. Due to me getting central AC installed, I had to rush and just shove everything into my vinyl room and push everything out of the way where they needed to do holes, so theres garbage everywhere, items where they normally arent, nothing is organized and just thrown around
So usually it isnt THIS bad... but It does get a bit messy, and Saturday / Sunday is usually my clean up day.
In the basement you don't see my graphtec because it's off being repaired. In the garage behind the printer you'll notice I started painting it and never finished... no one comes into the room but me, so I don't care. I'll paint it when I sell it. You'll also see a little Batman logo... I don't sell copyrighted stuff, I swear
I just got my laser a few weeks ago, and it came with some yellow / black lamacoid, and that was the only thing I could think of to cut to test it. It was the very first thing I cut and looks so horrible my kid didnt even want it, I just havent trashed it yet because again, busy! I think thats all the embarrassing stuff I have to try to explain away
Theres 1 more room I didnt get a photo of that I use for larger materials and job storage. It's filled to the brim with stuff for my AC install though, so no point in getting a photo. But I went from just using the garage with a Graphtec + Printer + laminator... to now taking up the full garage, Full 800 SQFT downstairs room, The office in the main floor, a storage room (This one is for all my install tools and other stuff, so it doesn't really count) And another room for working on projects and storing projects that take a decent amount of time.
My biggest focus right now is finding a shop. I wish I got one years ago... The price for a 1000-1500 SQFT shop in my area, which probably isnt big enough... is $5-7K a month. I could rent a house for less than that... but I want a proper shop... I just cant stomache the idea of dumping half my proffit into a shop for whats supposed to be a secondary income to my main job. One day if I quit, or get fired... I wont hesitate, but for now I'll keep looking for cheap.
If I were to go back, I wouldn't put a printer in my house - It's nice and convenient, but it's a drain on your personal life... As well as you end up being stuck. When I finish a job... I don't want to clean, I'm tired and I go upstairs and watch TV, or spend time with the family... Keeping work and home life separate is important for a lot of reasons! Especially in USA... There are so many trade printers that will print stuff for you for close to what you could print it for, and have it shipped in a day or two to your location...
Having a printer in your house can work out...Victor became successful doing it, I make a decent chunk doing it... But there is a trade off, if you're in a place with cheap real estate and can drop 1-3K a month on a place, start off by doing it properly - If you cant do 1-3K a month in sales, its the wrong business for you anyways
It was the perfect storm - holes in the ceilings because I just had Central AC installed and I havent had them patch them yet.... I just did a 200+ banner order, so banner is all over the floor... Ran out of garbage bags and got tired of lugging them up the stairs. Due to me getting central AC installed, I had to rush and just shove everything into my vinyl room and push everything out of the way where they needed to do holes, so theres garbage everywhere, items where they normally arent, nothing is organized and just thrown around
So usually it isnt THIS bad... but It does get a bit messy, and Saturday / Sunday is usually my clean up day.In the basement you don't see my graphtec because it's off being repaired. In the garage behind the printer you'll notice I started painting it and never finished... no one comes into the room but me, so I don't care. I'll paint it when I sell it. You'll also see a little Batman logo... I don't sell copyrighted stuff, I swear
I just got my laser a few weeks ago, and it came with some yellow / black lamacoid, and that was the only thing I could think of to cut to test it. It was the very first thing I cut and looks so horrible my kid didnt even want it, I just havent trashed it yet because again, busy! I think thats all the embarrassing stuff I have to try to explain away Theres 1 more room I didnt get a photo of that I use for larger materials and job storage. It's filled to the brim with stuff for my AC install though, so no point in getting a photo. But I went from just using the garage with a Graphtec + Printer + laminator... to now taking up the full garage, Full 800 SQFT downstairs room, The office in the main floor, a storage room (This one is for all my install tools and other stuff, so it doesn't really count) And another room for working on projects and storing projects that take a decent amount of time.
My biggest focus right now is finding a shop. I wish I got one years ago... The price for a 1000-1500 SQFT shop in my area, which probably isnt big enough... is $5-7K a month. I could rent a house for less than that... but I want a proper shop... I just cant stomache the idea of dumping half my proffit into a shop for whats supposed to be a secondary income to my main job. One day if I quit, or get fired... I wont hesitate, but for now I'll keep looking for cheap.
If I were to go back, I wouldn't put a printer in my house - It's nice and convenient, but it's a drain on your personal life... As well as you end up being stuck. When I finish a job... I don't want to clean, I'm tired and I go upstairs and watch TV, or spend time with the family... Keeping work and home life separate is important for a lot of reasons! Especially in USA... There are so many trade printers that will print stuff for you for close to what you could print it for, and have it shipped in a day or two to your location...
Having a printer in your house can work out...Victor became successful doing it, I make a decent chunk doing it... But there is a trade off, if you're in a place with cheap real estate and can drop 1-3K a month on a place, start off by doing it properly - If you cant do 1-3K a month in sales, its the wrong business for you anyways
Attachments
but, added on to the acquisition costs of your printer, an extra $1000 is amost not worth mentioning.
have you had it long enough to give a second year total?
we should have a relatively easy time updating his service, since it all happens inside the building, I WOULD IMAGINE.
i would still invest in a good air scrubber, install at least one through the wall exhaust fan & consider a "minisplit" air conditioner or a window or through the wall unit. and lets not forget humidification (both for print quality & static protection)
no point in dealing with the extra heat given off by latex printing, the fumes (not as bad as my ecosol printers )
victor bogdanov
Active Member
That's how my shop looks like when we're busy, no time to clean up is always good, much better than having time to clean
richsweeney
New Member
Most of the time you do not need to laminate, if ever on latex machines.Have you ever ran a printer, or done any printing before?
You not only need the printer, but you need a laminator - It's about as big as the printer. Then you need a table to work off of... 4x8 is the minimum. Depending on what you do, you also need a cutter... It's a bit smaller than a laminator.
Ontop of that it'll hotbox your room - My garage went from Freezing to unbearably hot within 15 minutes of printing.... The heater on the latex's get hot, And they have big fans blowing the hot air out. Turn your oven to 350 F, open it and stand in front of it - Thats how the 300 series feels... Now imagine it in a closed room.
Outsource until you make enough money to purchase a shop - I say this as someone with a printer in their garage... It starts out small, now I have the basement, garage, and an office completely full of equipment, and I'm looking for a shop to move it all into... I regret starting in my garage! Would have been much better just getting a cheap shop and keeping it seperate. Now I get to move a couple tons of equipment out of my house and into a shop.... that'll be fun
richsweeney
New Member
I would be more concerned about the heat. As mentioned before about the power your pannel may not even support the machine. We have a small print shop with 2 services, and we are maxed out. uggg.
I'd say it's mainly garbage shops that don't worry about lamination... the shops that tend to go out of business as soon as everyone's signs start to fail.
All signage that's not temp Coro should be laminated.... all vehicle wraps.... stickers... pretty much the only thing you don't laminate is wall graphics, when it comes to digital printing. Just because latex is pretty scratch resistant doesnt mean it shouldn't be laminated.
we have often had 500 lb color copiers delivered, they use the "stair climbing handtruck" the one hannibal uses to move the italian chief of detectives in the movie hannibal. we have moved much heavier things, up many flights of stairs. the only time i had any doubts was a pre-civil ware farmhouse, the thought of a 600 lb copier and 800 lbs of help on a 170 year old stairway convinced me the handtruck and one man was a better, safer idea.
personally, i think you guys should man up. i am 70 and still doing this kind of moves, when the situation calls for it
(ok, my back is very bad this morning, just nature's way of telling me i shouldn't do this all the time & could have requested extra manpower yesterday...)