Author Topic: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.  (Read 2572 times)

Offline inkstain

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Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« on: June 13, 2018, 08:44:16 PM »
Hi guys,

It's time for our semi-small shop to buy a new dryer.  We are a two person shop.  We currently run an M&R Diamondback S 7/8 using an Anatol Solutions Dryer which we've had for a long time and it's been giving us headaches for a while now.  It has a 5ft chamber with 30" infeed/outfeed.
Looking at the M&R Fusion 36-6-3 or 36-6-4.  Anyone here have one of those?  We're figuring going for the 4 panel one.  Would love to get the Radicure but that's out of our budget.  Any advice, pros or cons would be helpful. 
Thanks so much!


Offline Colin

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2018, 08:55:58 PM »
Gas.

The savings in electric will typically pay for the dryer :)

Other than that, do you run any waterbase type inks?
Been in the industry since 1996.  5+ years with QCM Inks.  Been a part of shops of all sizes and abilities both as a printer and as an Artist/separator.  I am now the Ink and Chemical Product Manager at Ryonet.

Offline inkstain

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2018, 09:07:33 PM »
Gas.

The savings in electric will typically pay for the dryer :)

Other than that, do you run any waterbase type inks?

Ugh.  I can't gas at my location, wish I could.

Offline Rockers

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2018, 09:25:23 PM »
Gas.

The savings in electric will typically pay for the dryer :)

Other than that, do you run any waterbase type inks?

Ugh.  I can't gas at my location, wish I could.
There is no gas line or you are not allowed to use any gas at all in your location. If there is no gas line just get a dryer that can run on propane, unless it is a lot more expensive then natural gas.

Offline cbjamel

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2018, 12:57:50 AM »
60-80amps ouch. make sure you can do it. monthly and in panel wise. 100am service probably not best. high bill monthly. look at propane cost vs electric cost.
shane

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Offline inkstain

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2018, 01:10:34 AM »
Gas.

The savings in electric will typically pay for the dryer :)

Other than that, do you run any waterbase type inks?

Ugh.  I can't gas at my location, wish I could.
There is no gas line or you are not allowed to use any gas at all in your location. If there is no gas line just get a dryer that can run on propane, unless it is a lot more expensive then natural gas.

Now you got me thinking.  Do you run gas?  Aren't Gas dryers waaaay more expensive in initial cost?

Offline inkstain

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2018, 01:13:03 AM »
60-80amps ouch. make sure you can do it. monthly and in panel wise. 100am service probably not best. high bill monthly. look at propane cost vs electric cost.
shane

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

I'm running about 51 amps for my dryer now.  If I go the 4 panel route it'll be about 76-83 amps.  Yeah, doesn't sound good but aren't gas dryers super expensive?
I live in Hawaii so I don't know about gas/propane pricing.  Need to look into it.  Do you run a gas dryer?  If so, what dryer?  Thanks

Offline Rockers

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2018, 06:45:13 AM »
Gas.

The savings in electric will typically pay for the dryer :)

Other than that, do you run any waterbase type inks?



Ugh.  I can't gas at my location, wish I could.
There is no gas line or you are not allowed to use any gas at all in your location. If there is no gas line just get a dryer that can run on propane, unless it is a lot more expensive then natural gas.

Now you got me thinking.  Do you run gas?  Aren't Gas dryers waaaay more expensive in initial cost?
The dryer wasn`t cheap but electricity is crazy expensive here.  Gas on the other hand is fairly cheap which made the decision even easier.

Online mk162

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2018, 08:34:55 AM »
It was a few years back but our 48" Interchange with an extra infeed and outfeed was right around $20k.  I have performed one repair on it in 9 years and we do less than half the recommended maintenance.  I would buy another in a heartbeat.

I would personally talk to Winston before I jumped on any gas dryer.  He will give you the weak points of each brand/model.

I would do everything in my power to never own another electric dryer. Ours became nothing but problems at the end, and the few hundred dollars I save a month adds up fast.

Offline mimosatexas

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2018, 08:53:16 AM »
The interchange is 3 phase right? I did a bunch of this research last month and the mini sprint and heatwave seemed like the best options, especially since neither requires 3 phase and there are a bunch of them on the used market compared to other options. Pricing was around 10 to 15k used

Offline cbjamel

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2018, 08:55:35 AM »
I have mini sprint. there was some used ones in Cali for sale.

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Offline Stinkhorn Press

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2018, 08:56:30 AM »
It was a few years back but our 48" Interchange with an extra infeed and outfeed was right around $20k.  I have performed one repair on it in 9 years and we do less than half the recommended maintenance.  I would buy another in a heartbeat.

I would personally talk to Winston before I jumped on any gas dryer.  He will give you the weak points of each brand/model.

I would do everything in my power to never own another electric dryer. Ours became nothing but problems at the end, and the few hundred dollars I save a month adds up fast.

this.
never ever electric dryer. a bad inefficient problematic semi-solution that often struggles to get proper cure. ask me if i like electric dryers.
there are several decent gas dryer makers. i have an old precision vortex. took us a bit of hassle to figure out that some dumbass had installed the butterfly valve backwards, but after sorting that, it's been a dream. some months i pay more for my water cooler water supply than I do for the gas itself.
and winston. good guy. knows his stuff. has firm opinions on brands and makes/models, but has earned the right to those opinions.

Online mk162

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2018, 09:18:17 AM »
The interchange is 3 phase right? I did a bunch of this research last month and the mini sprint and heatwave seemed like the best options, especially since neither requires 3 phase and there are a bunch of them on the used market compared to other options. Pricing was around 10 to 15k used

I am sure you can get it single phase, a phase converter would work as well.  It only draws 10A I think, so it's not a ton of lo

Why are there a bunch on the used market?  I always ask myself that with woodworking tools...

Offline whitewater

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #13 on: June 14, 2018, 11:46:51 AM »
We have a fusion... only reason we did not buy a gas dryer was because before we moved our last shop was way to small.

Prob in a year or 2 the savings in electricity would pay for it.

I would like to switch to gas now now..but the whole crating and selling the fusion is daunting..LOL

Offline Nation03

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Re: Time to buy a new Dryer. Need advice.
« Reply #14 on: June 14, 2018, 12:19:06 PM »
Is it universal to all States that a gas dryer will 100% save you money? I know a comparable electric dryer in terms of dozen/hour would draw a lot of amps, but will I see much of a difference in my utlitiy costs if I went from a 28 amp electric dryer to, lets say, a used mini sprint or heatwave that pulls about 15 amps?