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screen printing => Equipment => Topic started by: Doug S on June 14, 2018, 12:21:48 PM

Title: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: Doug S on June 14, 2018, 12:21:48 PM
I'm just curious if anyone here uses one.  If so, any thoughts, opinions or downsides to it?  I'm pretty good at coating screens manually but the wrist is starting to wear a little and as uniform as I can coat, I know it can't be as perfect as a regulated speed.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: Logowear on June 14, 2018, 12:35:28 PM
We looked into the Vastex, but decided to purchase the Lawson Auto-Coat/Simi Screen Coater. Price is under 3k.
We figured the regulated speed would give us a more consistent EOM, and it does.

https://www.lawsonsp.com/screen-printing-equipment/auxiliary-equipment/screen-equipment/auto-coat-semi (https://www.lawsonsp.com/screen-printing-equipment/auxiliary-equipment/screen-equipment/auto-coat-semi)
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: Stinkhorn Press on June 14, 2018, 12:44:35 PM
we have it. use it daily. cheap half measure to a truly controllable auto coater.
we bought it when we hired a screen tech with arthritis.
ours has chewed through about 20 fuses. and it had one relay (? i think) kick it, but vastex is accessible and responsive and at that time it was still under warranty and sent the part and it was fixed the next day.
8/10 would purchase again.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: repogolfer on June 14, 2018, 12:49:41 PM
We bought a C1000 back in 2015 and we've been very happy with what it does.  Back then I paid just under $1600 for it.   We have 3 different people who occasionally coat screens and since we've went to the C1000 they're pretty consistent from one person to the next....the only issues we've had in the past was if someone bumped the speed dial and then it throws the EOM out of wack.

I'd buy it again.

Jon
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: ericheartsu on June 14, 2018, 01:46:35 PM
we had it, and sold it. it didn't work very well, and ours broke two or three times, before we just gave up on it.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: Doug S on June 14, 2018, 08:33:33 PM
Eric, how many screens do you go through?  I average about 100 per week so I'm just needing something durable enough to handle that many.  I'm the only one and have been for 10 years that coats.  I was just about to click buy now until I read your feedback.  lol 


By the way, thanks for everyones input.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: ericheartsu on June 14, 2018, 08:52:00 PM
Eric, how many screens do you go through?  I average about 100 per week so I'm just needing something durable enough to handle that many.  I'm the only one and have been for 10 years that coats.  I was just about to click buy now until I read your feedback.  lol 


By the way, thanks for everyones input.

when we had it, we were probably a little over that. and honestly, it kinda sucks to have to sit there and hold the coater, while the screen moves up.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: kingscreen on June 14, 2018, 09:45:28 PM
We bought a Saati ProCoat and never looked back. Bigger investment but has been worth every penny since installed. I think 100 screens a week could justify it.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: ericheartsu on June 14, 2018, 09:56:28 PM
We bought a Saati ProCoat and never looked back. Bigger investment but has been worth every penny since installed. I think 100 screens a week could justify it.

if we didn't score an older coater at an auction this was our next move. completely agree.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: BP on June 15, 2018, 10:31:54 AM
I have been coating screens by hand for over 30 years. I think the semi autocoaters look like a waste of money. 
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: ericheartsu on June 15, 2018, 10:44:54 AM
I have been coating screens by hand for over 30 years. I think the semi autocoaters look like a waste of money.

Do you also think automatic presses are a waste of money? Any chance to automate your process is a plus.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: mk162 on June 15, 2018, 11:04:32 AM
I have been coating screens by hand for over 30 years. I think the semi autocoaters look like a waste of money.

Do you also think automatic presses are a waste of money? Any chance to automate your process is a plus.

they aren't in the same league.  You print a lot more shirts than you coat screens.  I am all for automation, but this one is further down on the list.  I'd rather have an auto reclaim system, that would save a lot more time(if it worked properly).

Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: Doug B on June 15, 2018, 11:05:07 AM
  We had an auto coater and it was only useful when we were doing 30+
screens a day. Less than that, we coated by hand. It is a pain to fill and
then clean all the scoops and the machine itself at the end of the day.
Over 30, it was cool beans.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: BP on June 15, 2018, 11:57:15 AM
Ericheartsu, I just think that a semi autocoater is not an autocoater. And I would not have a shop without a auto press. I worked for a big shop a few years back that had an autocoater and It was the best thing we did other then a auto reclaim system. that shop was reclaiming around 380 screen per day. We took 6 people reclaiming 2 shifts to 1 person doing 380 screens a day in 7 hours.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: ericheartsu on June 15, 2018, 01:17:36 PM
i apologize, i did read it wrong. Semi auto coaters are not great!
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: ZooCity on June 15, 2018, 01:53:46 PM
We have the non moving version of that and like it fine. 

I wouldn't even consider the one being discussed semi-automated.  You still have a worker standing there.  This is more fatigue relief than automation.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: Logowear on June 15, 2018, 02:31:43 PM
Our semi auto coater is not faster than coating manually, but I will argue that it is more consistent.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: cleveprint on June 15, 2018, 02:43:44 PM
For the semi-auto, are they at least consistent in that you can send anyone back there to coat? Our issue here is finding someone who can actually coat manually. We basically have two people who can coat and I wish we had more. Hell, I suck at coating. If it helped me, Id consider it.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: Maxie on June 16, 2018, 02:02:08 AM
I am planning on building one for that reason.     At the moment our main printer and myself know how to coat screens.      We have a lot of printing so I end up doing most of the coating.        I figure that with a unit like this it will be easy to teach more people how to coat.       
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: ericheartsu on June 16, 2018, 07:20:09 PM
with these units, you can still have consistency, as you still have to manually hold the coaters. the screen just moves up and down.

still allows you to push or pull to much into the frame.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: Maff on June 18, 2018, 10:18:32 PM
We picked up a used one last year for $1k and it's been great so far, zero problems, but we are only coating about a dozen screens a day.  I think it's just a bit slower than the 1 handed manual coating style, but there are 3 of us that coat screens here and it has gotten our screen making far more consistent than it used to be manually... and it's easier.  We went though a big move and upgraded our whole shop last year and that little guy in the screen room is one that I am glad we sprung for, I'd definitely buy it again.
Title: Re: Vastex C1000 Semi autocoater
Post by: Doug S on June 19, 2018, 08:03:44 AM
I can see where it would be slower mainly because of the slow motor speed raising the screen back up for the additional coating.  Also, the benefit of having most anyone getting almost the same eom depending on how much pressure each places the scoop coater against the screen.