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screen printing => Screen Making => Topic started by: Dochertyscott on October 03, 2013, 08:13:55 AM
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Hi there, has anyone purchased a Chinese made exposure unit? You can get 2kw, 3kw etc metal halide exposure units at a great price. Any reviews? I have seen Chinese carousels and they look terrible... But surely the exposure units would be ok right? Good vacuum, good bulbs, integrator? Sorted? Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. Cheers
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What would make the exposure units any better? but really you get what you pay for no matter who makes it.
Darryl
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An exposure unit is one of the most vital tools you use as a screen printer. To save a couple thousand dollars with an inferior product, questionable parts availability and probably no service isn't worth it.
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agreed -not worth it, no matter the cost. You can easily snag a used model for the same price -if not cheaper and still have parts available. I just picked up a nice mh unit for 700.00....same unit goes for 2k+ so I had to take it, keep your eyes open....HGR industrial Surplus has units pop up now and then ;)
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You can build a 1000w mh vacuum topped exposure unit for around 500 bucks. The blanket is $80ish, the bulb and housing should run you under 200, the vacuum pump is under 100 from harbor freight, glass is about 100 bucks. Add switches, hardware and wood and you'll come in just over 500. They don't take very long to build either, it is a really simple piece of equipment from a technical standpoint.
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Integrator is an integral part of this system... I'd never have a system without one.
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I can tell you from going through 5 different types of units in the last 7 years. DO NOT CHEAP OUT!!!!. Not if you care about what you are doing. There is a way to do things, a way to get by, and a way to DO THEM RIGHT. Buying the right tools shows in the quality of work you put out. Quality equipment, quality supplies, quality control and care in your work, equal quality end product to your customer. We see tons of garbage come through our doors from shops who would rather "get by", then invest in quality gear for quality methods. It's up to the shop owner in the end, but you will find yourself fighting yourself by using substandard gear and methods, trust me, I had to learn the hard way. Might not have my Harley and my boat right now, but I have the proper set up to get top quality jobs done, and set up now to output 5-10 times what we would have been able to output when we first started. The used market holds plenty of gems. If someone is looking to burn a couple grand on some knock off or homebuilt set up, they can easily find a perfectly fine used piece of gear from several reputable used dealers out there. Personally, I keep an eye out on the used sites a lot, not just for myself, but for friends and acquaintances looking for something of high quality, but not in the budget to spend on brand new. It's worth the thought, get by, or excel!! Just my humble opinion, not dogging anyone on this board for sure!
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Screenprintguy's first sentence says it all.
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Equipment, supplies, whatever I go by
Quality First
Service/Support Second
Price Third
But that's just me.
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Integrator is an integral part of this system... I'd never have a system without one.
I have one, but have never used it. Made my first screen in '72... I've always been able to tell when it's time for a new bulb. But if you're a newb, get one.
Steve
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Steve, what exposure unit do you use?
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Started with a NuArc Carbon Arc Lamp, the best ever, and totally poisonous of course. Since then, a number of Violux 3000s and 5000s. Currenty, the 5000s. Had an Olite for a while, which I know a lot of folks like, but it was always breaking down. With the Violux, we go through bulbs every 8 - 10 months, $150 a pop or so.
Steve
Pretty curious about the new LED systems though...
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If it were me, I'd listen to what these dudes said. I deal with people every month that have gotten into this business and the reason they come to me is because of several things. First, they are completely new and know absolutely nothing. Second type is the one that has tried screen printing and has had nothing but headaches. The third type has had moderate success and is looking to gain more knowledge and an edge on their competition. The third group has usually moved on to their second piece of printing equipment to a more productive press but usually still have inferior pre-press equipment and it's holding them back.
I've learned a lot by having the people who have printed before stand over my press and grab a squeegee and print, then they lift up the screen and look at the print and their eyes are open wide, and then their mouth begins to open and they immediately start asking me why it was so much easier here than it is in their garage. I usually tell them they haven't gotten the knowledge to change the outcome just yet, we just started the workshop, but the equipment and the tools are literally the only difference from their shop. When we get to developing stencils, it's another eye opening experience for the ones who have struggled with it before. I tell them it's the film and the light source for the most part. Sure you have to coat the screen properly but that metal halide bulb paired with clear/dense film and you have an image that falls out of the screen with minimal effort.
A lot of guys have already said this but I think you should find a good used light source with integrator. If I were buying an exposure unit right now, I would buy one of the free standing bulbs so that you can have plenty of room to grow so that one day you'll have 4 screens hanging on the wall in front of that 10K bulb that were printed on a CTS machine and you're developing 45 screens an hour being done on the same expo unit you bought 10 years ago. That's just what I would do.
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Started with a NuArc Carbon Arc Lamp, the best ever, and totally poisonous of course. Since then, a number of Violux 3000s and 5000s. Currenty, the 5000s. Had an Olite for a while, which I know a lot of folks like, but it was always breaking down. With the Violux, we go through bulbs every 8 - 10 months, $150 a pop or so.
Steve
Pretty curious about the new LED systems though...
So you expose based on time vs light units?
Why? Especially if you have an integrator?
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Started with a NuArc Carbon Arc Lamp, the best ever, and totally poisonous of course. Since then, a number of Violux 3000s and 5000s. Currenty, the 5000s. Had an Olite for a while, which I know a lot of folks like, but it was always breaking down. With the Violux, we go through bulbs every 8 - 10 months, $150 a pop or so.
Steve
Pretty curious about the new LED systems though...
We've been testing the new Vastex LED unit for few weeks now. I am finding myself choosing it over the 3140 almost all the time. I'll be testing the high end artwork films over the weekend and I have a feeling it will do as well as the MH units.
pierre
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Started with a NuArc Carbon Arc Lamp, the best ever, and totally poisonous of course. Since then, a number of Violux 3000s and 5000s. Currenty, the 5000s. Had an Olite for a while, which I know a lot of folks like, but it was always breaking down. With the Violux, we go through bulbs every 8 - 10 months, $150 a pop or so.
Steve
Pretty curious about the new LED systems though...
We've been testing the new Vastex LED unit for few weeks now. I am finding myself choosing it over the 3140 almost all the time. I'll be testing the high end artwork films over the weekend and I have a feeling it will do as well as the MH units.
pierre
That I'd be VERY interested in.
All the units I saw at ISS still looked like undercutting would be an issue.
Please let us know your findings!
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Last year a looked a bit more into Chinese made exposure units. I don`t thunk they are bad but they are not as cheap as you think, ad the shipping from China to the States, import taxes etc and you might as well buy one in the US. Another draw back is that many of the Chinese units need a 400V supply.
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Just to let you all know that helped with my decision.
I purchased a drape back that came up for sale nice decent size. Maybe 2m x 1.5m
Connect vacuum to it. Perfect contact.
As for the light source... I got a single phase 1600w mh natgraph.
What a treat. The drape back turned up just before Christmas so I have only just started exposing with it this year.
1:1 glisten method with graphic PU.
Exposure clac worked well... Will probably go back and do it at smaller intervals perhaps in the weekend.
But at this stage exposing for 80 seconds. Great exposure. Great halftones.
What a treat. I forgot that I enjoy exposing screens. What would previously be a case of.. "Ah crap screens to shoot for tomoro at 10 o'clock at night" (I live in an apartment above my workshop)
Is now an enjoyable and predictable outcome during work hours. 4 screens out to dry in less than 5 mins!
Who woulda thought!
The home made jobbie was great to start with but now... shits hit legit!
I appreciate all the advice.
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One more thing. Should I get an integrator? The bulb is brand new.
Is there integrators you can buy seperate to work with any light source?
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The word on the street is to wait till next year for the LED stuff so they can sort out the final bugs in the equation.
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A small shop on St Thomas exposes with our friend the sun. When I asked them what they do when it rains they looked at me like I was crazy. "We do something else!"