UV flatbed?

[artbot]

i'm looking at some creeky old buildings in houston that are similar. definitely a departure from a massive clear span building.

 

[SignManiac]

Meeting with the city tomorrow to see about them building us new 30k s.f. factory/headquarters, with lease/option on the airport! Give us something to grow into. One thing we requested was a hangar door with access to runway They said it could be done!

 

[anotherdog]

Perhaps the interim solution is "subbing" the UV flatbed work until the cash flow justifies the investment in equipment. In the meantime, you can sub the work to one of the signs101.com merchant members and get excellent results, great prices, and virtually no headaches. Keeps your wife happy too!

I am subbing out some of it now, as ever I don't look at the total price, but at the number of sqft I need each month to pay the lease.

I have noticed in my search for a trade printer that there doesn't seem to be anyone in my area with a digital UV.

I need another hobby.

 

[BrassMan]

@brassman one thing that "xenon" is a 3d image file. i'd run for my life. there are some chinese manufacturers that are really truly making some product. for a small shop, i'd suggest sticking with a converted solvent flat bed. parts will be cheap, large user community for the mutoh or whatever that is on top of the table etc.

here's a youtube of one such manufacturer.. but there are tons of these shops. one thing i found strange is at the sgia mutoh booth they had a 44" flatbed just like the ones shown in so many chinese websites. but the printer was marked with a sign "prototype". really. that's a prototype? that thing has been built in so many chinese garages by now and they finally get the idea to invent a mutoh flatbed? eureka!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsG8cX5hZ8s&feature=channel_video_title

Thanks artbot!
That xenon image is photoshop... I did not pay attention!
Man....you have to be careful with Chinese garage production...
maybe there is some good one :scream: good and cheap hahahaa

Artbot - when you say converted solvent flatbed - what type of machine you are referring to?
My exploration is fueled by Idea of having direct and resistant as possible print on metal (Non coated Aluminum mostly) . My requirements should be within small size production ... 24" x 12" or slightly larger.
Any idea?

 

[artbot]

i use aluminum a lot. but i clear coat it with my own proprietary coating. then i can print solvent directly to it. depends on your market and image mostly. there are many many eco solvent flatbed conversions out there. there is also a jv33 true solvent conversion (that one is really nice). there's also a bio ink flatbed that you might look into.

 

[BrassMan]

flatbed learning curve

Thanks Artbot!

I guess more for me to learn / read as we were using to do screen print, sublimation, etching but we were never using flatbed to do direct print to metal.

We have to figure out what printer, inks, metal preparation, curings, possibly lamination etc to use here.

If someone can direct me to certain knowledge-base related to above ...
:signs101:

 

[cdiesel]

Hey art, do you know what they wanted for the 1000 with maxed out heads?

 

[HulkSmash]

Hey art, do you know what they wanted for the 1000 with maxed out heads?

If you're referring to the CET. Fully Loaded i think it's around 125k?
this thing is fast.

 

[artbot]

yup, 125 ish. i'm getting a bid on a 6x10 table with the less expensive head config. what concerns me is does one go new with a 6x10 (really need a 6x12)? or get a used 3150 for around $57,000ish and wing it. a 4x8 table is too small for the line and the belt feeds aren't strong enough to pull a extremely heavy sheets. i personally like the cet better, especially with the 4" max head height.

my future partner/investor is against used equipment as a rule. like he just bought a new vacuum press for $12000. who buys a new one? used ones are like $2000. i think i'm just stuck in my bare bones mcgyver mode.

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

"... i think i'm just stuck in my bare bones mcgyver mode..." Speaking of McGyver, your photo does favor him.