Screen printing coroplast signs.

[Gino]

Flatbeds such as the following:

• Océ Arizona
• Fuji Acuity
• SwissQ Print Nyala

All 4+ colour true flatbeds.

Printing on coro is a piece of cake, however you'll need to be turning over hundreds a day to make it worth the purchase.

That's the ticket, right there. Keep subbing out or doing whatever you hafta do to build your business up. Up to the point, you hafta buy the equipment. The movie about build it and they will come only works in fairy tales. Don't go out and spend a lotta money in hopes of some pipe dream will go in your favor. There are so many printers and other equipment on the 'Used List' these days, it's making it hard for the manufacturer's to sell new equipment.

 

[2STRONG]

That's the ticket, right there. Keep subbing out or doing whatever you hafta do to build your business up. Up to the point, you hafta buy the equipment. The movie about build it and they will come only works in fairy tales. Don't go out and spend a lotta money in hopes of some pipe dream will go in your favor. There are so many printers and other equipment on the 'Used List' these days, it's making it hard for the manufacturer's to sell new equipment.

Do really need 4 colors what if I wanted to do one colors only. I know that limits me but it is a starting point. Getting a plan together just saw a video of a guy tinting one color on a single automated press where can I get more info or a ball park price I what they cost. I hate when they say call for quote. Don't worry I am not gonna go buy any equipment just yet. I understand build clients first then upgrade when it makes sense.

 

[Gino]

Let's get this straight. I think we're using the same words, but thinking of different machines/equipment.

When I refer to a flatbed printer, it's a UV printer carrying 6 colors with it. It has nothing to do with screen printing, other than it essentially takes its place as newer technology on quite a few substrates. It still prints flat stock and not textiles, but it can print onto virtually any FLAT substrate, up to about 2 inches or so in in thickness.

So, in this case, there are no screens to prepare, no burning, no reclaiming, no smelly inks to mix, no squeegees to push/pull back and forth, no snap to worry about, no flooding necessary, no clogging or cleaning and no mess afterwards to clean up. Think of it as a desktop printer for your computer on steroids. The inks goes down, just like it was coming out of your desk top, just louder and bigger.

With this technology, if someone wants a 4' x 8' sign on 2 sides, I put the 4 x 8 right on the printer, it prints it at basically the same speed for one color or 16 million colors. And as soon as it's done, I can flip it over and print the other side. And guess what....... ?? Nothing to clean up. You be done. 2-sided 4x8 in about 1/2 hour or whatever speed your machine is. It's the cat's meow, but you hafta be careful what manufacturer you buy. Some really are better than others in certain areas. You need to know what you want to do and buy the right machine accordingly.

 

[2STRONG]

Let's get this straight. I think we're using the same words, but thinking of different machines/equipment.

When I refer to a flatbed printer, it's a UV printer carrying 6 colors with it. It has nothing to do with screen printing, other than it essentially takes its place as newer technology on quite a few substrates. It still prints flat stock and not textiles, but it can print onto virtually any FLAT substrate, up to about 2 inches or so in in thickness.

So, in this case, there are no screens to prepare, no burning, no reclaiming, no smelly inks to mix, no squeegees to push/pull back and forth, no snap to worry about, no flooding necessary, no clogging or cleaning and no mess afterwards to clean up. Think of it as a desktop printer for your computer on steroids. The inks goes down, just like it was coming out of your desk top, just louder and bigger.

With this technology, if someone wants a 4' x 8' sign on 2 sides, I put the 4 x 8 right on the printer, it prints it at basically the same speed for one color or 16 million colors. And as soon as it's done, I can flip it over and print the other side. And guess what....... ?? Nothing to clean up. You be done. 2-sided 4x8 in about 1/2 hour or whatever speed your machine is. It's the cat's meow, but you hafta be careful what manufacturer you buy. Some really are better than others in certain areas. You need to know what you want to do and buy the right machine accordingly.

Oh no we are on the same page lol now i see why you say make sure you have the work before you purchase. those are expensive
i was thinking a press like the America cameo was considered a flatbed. i gotcha now. :Big Laugh

 

[Tom Dalton]

Like others have said, have extras, you will need them and build a drying rack, you will need that too.

I wouldn't get air dry inks. Drying racks aren't need if you get UV cure inks and pass all prints through a UV dryer... like this video.

 

[Farmboy]

I wouldn't get air dry inks. Drying racks aren't need if you get UV cure inks and pass all prints through a UV dryer... like this video.

A U.V. set up is fine, once you dial it in. Now your looking at higher mesh counts, 300 and up, getting the cure right and finding a good dryer under 8 grand. The one thing that no one else picked up on was you mentioned your dealing with real estate folks. These people will change direction for a nickle, so even if you match price this go around there's pretty good chance they'll find someone cheaper next time. Your right, everyone has to start somewhere. So I say go for it, but go for it on your terms and at your pace. I wouldn't take some huge order right off the bat, if you do, get ready to pay for the education that's coming your way

 

[Ian Stewart-Koster]

This reminds me of the first real estate corro printing job we ever did. A 3 colour job - 100 of.
Huge learning curve, ZERO profit, Huge headache, sore back, sore arms, sore eyes, and then the waste, and the wasted time, and the touchups... ugh it was horrible.
The next two corro printing jobs -all using proper corro inks - also made zero profit, and a pathetic return on time + materials.

Fast forward 13 years and we still do them, but we have a 1-arm bandit with vacuum table, home made dowel racks, and make OK money from them - most customers want 30 prints. One regularly orders 100 to 200.
Not huge profits, considering the digital print industry has dived in and devatstated the old screen printing industry, but knowing how to make and print them efficiently helps.
(Our first corro printing press was home made screen hinges, and 2 bungee straps going up to the ceiling, to help hold the screen up! But the industry and competition was a bit different in 2002)

So all those who say "Sub it out" are speaking from expereince.
You need to calculate YOUR overheads, and figure a price out per print - and that is what you have to charge - not match a Chinese Ebay price. What is the point in investing money and equipment to be able to undercut someone else and make precious little from the exercise?

The idea is to make money - not struggle!
If you cannot do it at a profit, then pass.
The stink, the exhaustion, the time spent cleaning & reclaiming the screens, and the mistakes you'll make on that first job will mean you'll be questioning your sanity.
Expect to make no profit - in fact expect it to cost you money and effort! That's called learning curve.

Although you can use a spray adhesive, again, you're going to encounter problems.
Go ahead and try it and see for yourself - just don't do it when the job is needed in a rush, and make sure you have 3x as much material as you think you'll need!

Good luck!