TSB
screen printing => Equipment => Topic started by: Action1 on August 31, 2012, 10:15:32 AM
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Attention TSB Members - you are the very first to see the results of our months of development of the Roller Squeegee.
Just in - the first video of the Roller squeegee being used. In the video - The Roller squeegee is being used for smoothing. There is a very distinct difference in the quality of the print when the smoothing station is employed.
See The Before shot from 1 to 7 seconds.
The after shot is best seen at 1.23 - ( the money shot ).
Roller squeegee seen at .43
The screen used with the roller squeegee has a piece of Teflon Film spray tacked to the print side of the mesh. When the roller squeegee pushes the teflon film against the recently flashed image, the print becomes glass smooth with no fibers sticking up and much better clarity. The recently flashed ink does not stick to the Teflon film and there is no mesh pop. No ink was transferred to the film.
The Teflon Film is 18" x 24" and will last a very long time. Smoothing stations are being used by the many of the best known printers to produce a product with an enhanced hand and appearance.
2012-08-30_09-44-14_512.mp4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alpve7jrnoE#ws)
The Teflon film and a 16" Roller Squeegee are now available for use on all machines.
Get a 12" and 16" for $395
Action Engineering, Inc.
800/228-4668
770/934-1584
actionengineering.com
sales@actionengineering.com
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nice idea
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There is no actual before and after shot showing? In the very beginning you show the shirt before it is printed a second time on the white head followed immediately by the flash and then the roller.
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I am curious as to why they are not running the smoothing station after the initial base screen. That is where you get the most benefit from it. We run a smoothing screen on all our darks that require a base and it is directly after the first flash. That is where you have to get your fibers back into the shirt.
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I am curious as to why they are not running the smoothing station after the initial base screen. That is where you get the most benefit from it. We run a smoothing screen on all our darks that require a base and it is directly after the first flash. That is where you have to get your fibers back into the shirt.
Good point!
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I'm sure my friend Eric will respond but this was developed for a number of purposes and you are of course free to use it as you wish. Eric if you let me borrow one I will try using it to apply distressed foil inline.
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I think its a great idea and has a lot of cool uses. I like the fact that the impact on the screen that you are using as the smoothing screen will have less stress on the emulsion and the mesh allowing that screen to stay on press a lot longer.
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I am awaiting a reply from the gentleman who provided the clip regarding their setup.
Moments ago -
UPS brought the with and without samples that were ran during the test. There's a very obvious improvement to the quality of the prints. We therefore guarantee that this product works for the smoothing application claimed here. We will provide a full refund plus pay freight to get it back if you do not see the value after it is used.
Action Engineering
Erik Naftal
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Nice idea put that suckers high dollar for me, I,m guessing the ink needs to be tacky just a bit?
Darryl
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Nice idea put that suckers high dollar for me, I,m guessing the ink needs to be tacky just a bit?
Darryl
The price is $225 for the 16" with a piece of .020" thick Teflon - 18" x 24" - All machines.
If you decide that it's value isn't there and want to send it back - we will accept it for full refund plus pay the freight to retrieve it. We re convinced that you will see the value when it's used.
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Hi
I'm the guy that shot the video and just want to apologize for the misleading video clip. UPS brought me the roller and I threw it up on the press right away to test it. I shot some video and rushed to send it to Action before getting a chance to review it. I will shoot a better video as soon as I can that shows exactly how this roller works.
I was doing some testing for a major apparel company a while back to help them get a smooth finish on some really nasty fabric. The fabric was a poly/cotton blend that was very soft but felt like sandpaper when printed. I used a smoothing screen after the first down white, right after a hot flash when the ink was still in a gel state. I used a 400 micron cap film that was exposed with no image burned on it and put clear base and a 90 duro squeegee in. This worked good but there was some sticking on the smoothing screen. The cap film softened after the long run and the heat eventually caused the clear base to gel.
When I got the new roller from Action, I applied the teflon sheet that Erik supplied me with double sided tape and stuck it on an old screen. I had and had no sticking what so ever. The roller works best when using it after the first white to push the fibers down. It can be used on the second white, other colors, or whatever. I got much better results with the roller than I did using a squeegee and cap film screen. I'm excited to try it with some texture papers, high solids water based, foil etc. I will get better video to you guys soon.
Thanks
Brian
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...Brownlee!!! 8)
...this is the guy that got into my first screen printing job over 20 years ago. I dont think I have forgiven him yet, so lets make sure to give him a REAL hard time.... ;D
...great to have ya here, BB!
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Two cheers and a tiger for me ...mooseman guessed it,
so do i win a new auto or did the sister-in-law of the contest sponsor win it?
The only thing i can think of is it is used as some sort of post process treatment , flattening something like flock or better yet FOIL onto a tee shirt.
Other than that I would guess Action picked the wrong blog to post .
Ok Action guys GIVE IT UP......WASSUP
mooseman
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the heat eventually caused the clear base to gel.
And this reason alone is why the product is a good idea and needed. I've swapped out a many smoothing screens with dried ink to know theirs a better way to do this. I'd thought of a roller or something like this, great to see some innovation.
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the heat eventually caused the clear base to gel.
And this reason alone is why the product is a good idea and needed. I've swapped out a many smoothing screens with dried ink to know theirs a better way to do this. I'd thought of a roller or something like this, great to see some innovation.
Why don't you use grease in the screen instead of the ink. Grease will not cure (you can even get food grade grease - water based for those water base jobs, LOL). If your afraid of break down of the emulsion then just tape the print side of the screen. No need for a roller squeegee.
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You can use a spider monkey on a mini steam roller if you want. You can put lard in the screen if that floats your boat. There's always a better idea!
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You can use a spider monkey on a mini steam roller if you want. You can put lard in the screen if that floats your boat. There's always a better idea!
...does Action sell those? Ill take a dozen.
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I would pay a lot of money for a spider monkey driving a mini-roller.
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I can get the spider monkeys, its the mini steam rollers that are hard to come by these days.
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I guessnidmhavento have one of these to see exactly their benefit, but I sure can't justify the 225 just yet. I'll wait to see additional vids and posts about a rolling squeegee.
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thinking we could make that for a quarter of the price. what a simple idea
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Is it available for MHM ?
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You can use a spider monkey on a mini steam roller if you want. You can put lard in the screen if that floats your boat. There's always a better idea!
Thank you Brian for making me laugh so early in the morning!
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Is it available for MHM ?
Yes it is. Please see picture.
The price is $225 and includes a piece of 0.020" thick Teflon film. Lead time is 3-5 days to ship.
I would like to point out that the smoothing application is only one of the uses of this apparatus. Brian and others have pointed out many other possible uses and everyone who has discussed it agrees that most of these ideas will work well.
One thing that I have been eagerly waiting for is testing this for use as an actual squeegee on zipper hoodies. It is my hope that the roller squeegee will enhance the quality of the print across the zipper hem assembly. If anyone here has our Zipper Hoodie Pallets and will provide the testing and a video clip - we will ship one of these at no charge. This offer is not for the first to reply, but the best one for the task. Any and all - please let us know if you are interested.
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Erik, I might just order one in the next few days. Always eager to get some new toys.
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I am not an auto guy and in fact i have never even seen an auto in operation except at a trade show many years ago.
What runs through my mind is that the roller operation would have to be the final operation on a print run. I would think if you rolled a white underbase especially on a thick garment like a hoodie the fabric would shift forward of the roller and possibly ruin the the registration of following colors?
I know you are going to say it is no different than the squeegee pressure / drag but my point is IT MAY BE so careful testing is the order of the day.
I can't believe Action has not already investigated this.
On another note I have often wished I had a heat press built into my manual press to smooth and flaten base prints or white ink prints.
It would be great if I could drop a heat press onto one of my manual plattens to modify the condition of a semi-cured print RIGHT ON THE PRESS.
The thought comes to me that on an auto it would be great to have a heat press platten at a station after a rough print and the rise of the platten would energize the platten against the pre-flashed ink print setting it nicely for the next series of colors. then again a heated roller, or immediate after flash station might do the same thing if the roller really works and the garment doesn't crawl forward of the roller.
mooseman
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I am wondering if using for a smoothing technique why bother with the screen and Teflon just roll directly on the print!
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Erik, I might just order one in the next few days. Always eager to get some new toys.
Hi Matthias - nice to hear from you as always. Thank you for your continued trust and we look forward to your order.
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... careful testing is the order of the day.
I can't believe Action has not already investigated this.
mooseman
... careful testing is the order of the day.- Absolutely Agreed.
I can't believe Action has not already investigated this. - we are now.
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I am wondering if using for a smoothing technique why bother with the screen and Teflon just roll directly on the print!
The Teflon is much better than directly rolling. After flashing, the ink is tacky and would stick to the roller thus putting a gnarly texture in the print. This may be a desirable effect but contradicts the smoothing application. Teflon is extremely durable, heat compatible, and the tacky ink does not stick to it. Mr. Brownlee's conclusions on the use Teflon were certain. The sample prints that he sent left no doubt that the combination of the roller and the Teflon benefited the print quality.
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On another note I have often wished I had a heat press built into my manual press to smooth and flaten base prints or white ink prints.
It would be great if I could drop a heat press onto one of my manual plattens to modify the condition of a semi-cured print RIGHT ON THE PRESS.
The thought comes to me that on an auto it would be great to have a heat press platten at a station after a rough print and the rise of the platten would energize the platten against the pre-flashed ink print setting it nicely for the next series of colors. then again a heated roller, or immediate after flash station might do the same thing if the roller really works and the garment doesn't crawl forward of the roller.
mooseman
Like this Moose?
2 Color Fleece Printing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGk3qnJ6ni8#ws)
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well not quite, they use the press to flatten the garment, I would like to have that very device look more like my Geo. Knight 16 x 20 heat platten and hit the print (not the bare garment) to smooth and soften the post print, the underbase to prep it for overprinting, or just to kill fiberlation, or to nicely finish a print on any garmrnt...but the concept is kinda the same. even if I think they have it basasswords ??? :P .
mooseman
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Hey, I said LIKE this... not here it is. :p
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You can use a spider monkey on a mini steam roller if you want. You can put lard in the screen if that floats your boat. There's always a better idea!
Not only is there already a better idea, theres already someone else DOING IT
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1tHgtmHc0bI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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On another note I have often wished I had a heat press built into my manual press to smooth and flaten base prints or white ink prints.
It would be great if I could drop a heat press onto one of my manual plattens to modify the condition of a semi-cured print RIGHT ON THE PRESS.
The thought comes to me that on an auto it would be great to have a heat press platten at a station after a rough print and the rise of the platten would energize the platten against the pre-flashed ink print setting it nicely for the next series of colors. then again a heated roller, or immediate after flash station might do the same thing if the roller really works and the garment doesn't crawl forward of the roller.
mooseman
Like this Moose?
2 Color Fleece Printing ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGk3qnJ6ni8#ws[/url])
That machine could be a very expensive but awesome koozie , sleeve , tag print press and maybe left chest if your daring.
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I just want to say that after using the smoothing method for some time now, the roller that Erik @ Action developed gave me the best results than any of the other methods. Sure, you can make your own, but I think by the time you add the time, labor and material costs together, you will find that it would have been cheaper to just order one. Action has always taken care of their customers over the years and is offering to refund your money if you don't like it. Not many people stand behind their products these days and that says a lot about their company. Eric and the folks at Action spend a lot of time and money developing their products before we see them for sale. I am not paid in any way to endorse Action. I'm just a screen printer that uses their products and have always been happy with their service. This roller might not be for everyone but I think it will benefit the auto printers out there who's customers are demanding super smooth prints. I always have a couple of cooling stations that I can't use on my press, might as well put them to use right? One thing I do know for a fact is that once you smooth the initial white under base, everything you print on top is smooth as glass. I can use higher mesh counts for my more transparent colors that usually show every little pit or imperfection of the white. Some printers have people at the end of the production line heat pressing shirts to smooth out the print. This can be done with the roller with no extra cost (labor,power, time etc.) Once again, I will get some better video out soon for those who want to see it.
Brian
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I could see this roller being great for a good lint pick up screen as well
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Yes, my thoughts exactly.
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Action, just sent you a PM.
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On another note I have often wished I had a heat press built into my manual press to smooth and flaten base prints or white ink prints.
It would be great if I could drop a heat press onto one of my manual plattens to modify the condition of a semi-cured print RIGHT ON THE PRESS.
The thought comes to me that on an auto it would be great to have a heat press platten at a station after a rough print and the rise of the platten would energize the platten against the pre-flashed ink print setting it nicely for the next series of colors. then again a heated roller, or immediate after flash station might do the same thing if the roller really works and the garment doesn't crawl forward of the roller.
mooseman
Like this Moose?
2 Color Fleece Printing ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGk3qnJ6ni8#ws[/url])
That machine could be a very expensive but awesome koozie , sleeve , tag print press and maybe left chest if your daring.
*shrug* they make a Diamond Back L for this purpose... this thing is smaller (32" single color and 36" two color) and hopefully cheaper.
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I just want to say that after using the smoothing method for some time now, the roller that Erik @ Action developed gave me the best results than any of the other methods. Sure, you can make your own, but I think by the time you add the time, labor and material costs together, you will find that it would have been cheaper to just order one. Action has always taken care of their customers over the years and is offering to refund your money if you don't like it. Not many people stand behind their products these days and that says a lot about their company. Eric and the folks at Action spend a lot of time and money developing their products before we see them for sale. I am not paid in any way to endorse Action. I'm just a screen printer that uses their products and have always been happy with their service. This roller might not be for everyone but I think it will benefit the auto printers out there who's customers are demanding super smooth prints. I always have a couple of cooling stations that I can't use on my press, might as well put them to use right? One thing I do know for a fact is that once you smooth the initial white under base, everything you print on top is smooth as glass. I can use higher mesh counts for my more transparent colors that usually show every little pit or imperfection of the white. Some printers have people at the end of the production line heat pressing shirts to smooth out the print. This can be done with the roller with no extra cost (labor,power, time etc.) Once again, I will get some better video out soon for those who want to see it.
Brian
What a fantastic endorsement sir! Thank you sincerely Brian. This project was actually much more challenging than meets the eye. The final design is the 4th one that was developed before being confident that it would work well and have the durability our customers expect.
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If it is anything like your pallets it will be a great piece.
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the roller idea is interesting. I do not have alot of problem with a smooth print but the ball teams we do love the poly/spandex blend fabric and they are very difficult to have a smooth print exspecially whit white ink. It feels like the cand paper that brown had mentioned.
Do you make one for the freedom press with the v squeege?
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I just want to say that after using the smoothing method for some time now, the roller that Erik @ Action developed gave me the best results than any of the other methods. Sure, you can make your own, but I think by the time you add the time, labor and material costs together, you will find that it would have been cheaper to just order one. Action has always taken care of their customers over the years and is offering to refund your money if you don't like it. Not many people stand behind their products these days and that says a lot about their company. Eric and the folks at Action spend a lot of time and money developing their products before we see them for sale. I am not paid in any way to endorse Action. I'm just a screen printer that uses their products and have always been happy with their service. This roller might not be for everyone but I think it will benefit the auto printers out there who's customers are demanding super smooth prints. I always have a couple of cooling stations that I can't use on my press, might as well put them to use right? One thing I do know for a fact is that once you smooth the initial white under base, everything you print on top is smooth as glass. I can use higher mesh counts for my more transparent colors that usually show every little pit or imperfection of the white. Some printers have people at the end of the production line heat pressing shirts to smooth out the print. This can be done with the roller with no extra cost (labor,power, time etc.) Once again, I will get some better video out soon for those who want to see it.
Brian
I 100% agree with your commenst and assessment of the dedication to achieve total customer satisfaction practiced by Erik and the Team at Action Engineering.
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I just want to say that after using the smoothing method for some time now, the roller that Erik @ Action developed gave me the best results than any of the other methods. Sure, you can make your own, but I think by the time you add the time, labor and material costs together, you will find that it would have been cheaper to just order one. Action has always taken care of their customers over the years and is offering to refund your money if you don't like it. Not many people stand behind their products these days and that says a lot about their company. Eric and the folks at Action spend a lot of time and money developing their products before we see them for sale. I am not paid in any way to endorse Action. I'm just a screen printer that uses their products and have always been happy with their service. This roller might not be for everyone but I think it will benefit the auto printers out there who's customers are demanding super smooth prints. I always have a couple of cooling stations that I can't use on my press, might as well put them to use right? One thing I do know for a fact is that once you smooth the initial white under base, everything you print on top is smooth as glass. I can use higher mesh counts for my more transparent colors that usually show every little pit or imperfection of the white. Some printers have people at the end of the production line heat pressing shirts to smooth out the print. This can be done with the roller with no extra cost (labor,power, time etc.) Once again, I will get some better video out soon for those who want to see it.
Brian
I 100% agree with your commenst and assessment of the dedication to achieve total customer satisfaction practiced by Erik and the Team at Action Engineering.
Thank you sincerely Peter for your positive comments. I am certain that you and your companies trust for the last 20 years has been important to our companies growth and development. We/ I - & everyone here still enjoys the work that we do and the industry that we work for. Thanks for your very meaningful recognition. We're just getting warmed up!
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well not quite, they use the press to flatten the garment, I would like to have that very device look more like my Geo. Knight 16 x 20 heat platten and hit the print (not the bare garment) to smooth and soften the post print, the underbase to prep it for overprinting, or just to kill fiberlation, or to nicely finish a print on any garmrnt...but the concept is kinda the same. even if I think they have it basasswords ??? :P .
mooseman
We make what you are looking for. It is called the I- Kiss. Been out for a couple years.
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I'll be buying one on Tuesday to test it out.
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I'll be buying one on Tuesday to test it out.
Fantastic. Thank you Eric.
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Eric I can see that roller being very useful in our shop allso, do you make it for Anatol? oh and another thing you ship out teflon sheets to tape to a screen why not just make a screen with the teflon sheet already attach at about 25 to 35 newtons or just sell a sheet big enough to use on a roller frame etc. I might just have to try one of those rollers, good work guys.
Darryl
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Eric I can see that roller being very useful in our shop allso, do you make it for Anatol? oh and another thing you ship out teflon sheets to tape to a screen why not just make a screen with the teflon sheet already attach at about 25 to 35 newtons or just sell a sheet big enough to use on a roller frame etc. I might just have to try one of those rollers, good work guys.
Darryl
Daryl -
We stock the Teflon sheeting in a 24" wide roll and it can be sold by the foot. Teflon is very expensive - and it is our belief that only enough as necessary could be cost justified. If you think that the 24" wide material would work for you on a roller frame - let me know. we have some older material here that's 0.010" thick that would probably be better than the 0.020" material we use now.
In any event - thank you sincerely for your feedback and we look forward to your order.
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thinking we could make that for a quarter of the price. what a simple idea
Sweetts I think your right. For the DIY guys that don't have the $$$. See below HTC Roller stand. Just cut the stand part off and attach your mounting bracket. I'm sure its not as strong as Actions but for a smoothing or lint roller would do fine.
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/swd_rollerstand.htm (http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/swd_rollerstand.htm)
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Thank you to everyone for making this such a hot topic over the weekend. Orders came in for these all weekend and today and we are working to complete your requests as quickly as possible. Please place your orders at your earliest opportunity. The biggest and best screen printers around the world are recognizing this new products value. We invite you to also benefit from the multitude of uses of the new Roller Squeegee.
Place your orders now by calling us at 800-228-4668.
Or - email us at sales@actionengineering.com
Thank you again everyone at TSB.
P.S. - I will be proudly working with SPSI at their Digital Magic Workshop all of next week. If you're an SPSI customer - I hope to see you there. These new Roller Squeegees will be on display along several other newly developed screen printing solutions.
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thinking we could make that for a quarter of the price. what a simple idea
Sweetts I think your right. For the DIY guys that don't have the $$$. See below HTC Roller stand. Just cut the stand part off and attach your mounting bracket. I'm sure its not as strong as Actions but for a smoothing or lint roller would do fine.
[url]http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/swd_rollerstand.htm[/url] ([url]http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/swd_rollerstand.htm[/url])
Just a dead man roller and a bracket. They should stick a handle on One for the manual printers with money for toys LOL
Sent from samsung gem(the worst smart phone ever)
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Questions about smoothing screens and their use in general popped up and were given their own thread in General Screen Printing
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I was looking through some SRoque youtube clip.... they use one for foil.... it is around 25 sec into the clip.
SROQUE RoqPrint Compact (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqjHm-e5xRo#)
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Dude, they have a vacuum on that press!
Sure beats trying to use my Roomba ;)
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Song sounded like it was leading into chariots of fire.
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So you bragged that you had these rollers for all automatics........ I called to place an order and was told that you DON"T have them for the V-squegee machines........ and I was also told I would get a call right back from someone with a solution to my problem. That was last week sometime and I'm still waiting. After reading all the high praise that Action is getting I can only think that my request has fallen through the cracks and anytime I will be hearing from you........ and I think I seen where someone else had asked about one for a V-squegee they had but I didn't see the response to that........ anxiously waiting for a reply and thank you for reading this.
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I was looking through some SRoque youtube clip.... they use one for foil.... it is around 25 sec into the clip.
SROQUE RoqPrint Compact ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqjHm-e5xRo#[/url])
This makes me think? Who has the rights to produce and sell the Roller squeegee? Who holds the copyright, Patent?
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Mine will be delivered on Tuesday. Right on time for our 200 pcs job with 3 multicolor print positions on black tees.
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So you bragged that you had these rollers for all automatics........ I called to place an order and was told that you DON"T have them for the V-squegee machines........ and I was also told I would get a call right back from someone with a solution to my problem. That was last week sometime and I'm still waiting. After reading all the high praise that Action is getting I can only think that my request has fallen through the cracks and anytime I will be hearing from you........ and I think I seen where someone else had asked about one for a V-squegee they had but I didn't see the response to that........ anxiously waiting for a reply and thank you for reading this.
Hi Larry:
Thank you for your interest in our roller squeegee. We are presently developing the Roller Squeegee for use on the V-Squeegee machines. This site will be the first place that we announce that it's ready. I am hopeful that in the next two to three weeks we will have it ready. Thank you again for your interest and for your patience.
Erik Naftal
Action Engineering, Inc.
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Thanks for the reply Erik....... shortly after I posted this I got a message from JBlue. I followed his advice and just used a screen with teflon on the back and used a little softhand extender for lube......... works great!