M&R or Anatol??? Someone please make up my mind!!

[tomence]

Can somebody tell the OP why M&R is better than Anatol, anyway he is going to spend a lot more money for the same functions i think he should know the differences and why he should spend more money on M&R instead of Anatol.

 

[screener24242]

Anatol has terrible after sale support, most parts are proprietary, not available at Grainger like M&R, and the electronics have issues.

 

[tomence]

Anatol has terrible after sale support, most parts are proprietary, not available at Grainger like M&R, and the electronics have issues.

You must have owned one?

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

outside of what I've said, you'll also need:

screens @ proper tension
multiple duromoeter squeegies
inks
exposure unit
dryer that can handle capacity
film printer
film
emulsion
cleaning chemicals
employees that care
and YEARS of knowledge to use it all and tackle an 8 color 1130k piece job.

and this is the short list...

QUALITY screen printing is an exact science....don't be fooled, it is not easy to be good.


send it out.

Wow. Very good post indeed. Very well put.

 

[DIGITAL DESIGNS]

Why does it seem like everyone that is screen printing now says "SUB IT OUT" but they still continue to do it?

There is no room to sub this out as it is basically already going through 2 hands (not including me) no more meat on the bone.

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

We are a very small two man operation that runs a 6 color manual press. We do on average around 1000+ pcs. per month. We also sell signs, embroidery, printed materials, and promotionals so screen printed garments is only a part of our business. I would say the average job for us is about 50-100 pcs. When we score larger jobs 500 pcs. and over, that are better suited for an automatic printer, we always sub out. It's just easier and we need our time to keep up with other things. However, our local contract printer is only 15 minutes away, does great work, and allows us amazing profit margins, so for us it's a no brainer. I suppose it's not for everyone, but if I were you, knowing what I do know about screen printing, albeit my knowledge is very limited as I'm still very new to this business, I would sub it out if I could just for the stress relief alone.

Screen printing has a huge learning curve. Anybody can pull off fairly decent spot color prints with a little practice, but perfecting 4 color and simulated process prints requires years of knowledge and practice. I think people are just warning you to keep you from jumping in over your head. As Lon Winters once told me, the average screen printing job has countless variables. (Many, but not all of which, were previously mentioned in this thread.) If your job has, say...thirty variables and you fudge up one, you might still get a fairly decent print. But if 3 of those 30 variables are off, your job is seriously flawed...in fact, screwed. Just food for thought.

 

[rubingrad]

found this thread after looking at some Anatol equip and googling reviews...
to the OP (if you're still out there)
did you get the big order? is it happening as we speak? what equip did you go with?
you reminded me of my niece that wanted me to teach her how to screen print garments. and i was like "do something
that pays better + it would take YEARS for you to learn this + i dont have the time or revenue i wont make giving up that time, that it'll take to teach you"

as for the equip - im still using the M&R dryer ive had for 27 yrs, never broken down (except a few fuses, and a small part or 2), and the support was always there when i needed them, even late at night. I'll prob buy from them again....