thanks for the open invite atownsend. i'm in the norfolk area, not too far. i can afford a monthly payment (with no work in the queue) a lot easier than a used unit that i don't have the experience to troubleshoot.
i do have a small luxury that my overhead is somewhat controlled since i carved out an existing space so my print shop doesn't have traditional rent payments. if i had rent to think about, i would definitely build up cash reserves for equipment.
did you have experience on an auto, or did you just figure it out?
Norfolk isn't far at all, shoot me a PM if you are ever in the area.
Never worked on an auto before picking up our 6/8 Gauntlet. Its very basic, not hard at all to pickup if you have printed manually. There is definitely a learning curve and it will stress other areas of your shop if they are not operating @ peak. If you are getting an older press, you should be able & willing to turn a wrench pretty often. If not, and you can afford it, it may be better to find a newer model. Older presses are not a headache everyone wants to deal with, but personally, I'd rather have a minor headache every now and again than the migraine that comes from a payment. Just my personal philosophy speaking. Financing might make perfect sense for you. The reconditioned used presses from CGS come with warranties, pretty sure you can finance them. It might be a good way to stretch your dollar and get more heads for the money.
One other thing to consider, if you do not have a traditional rent payment, is to make sure you are 100% secure in your building. If you get an auto, it really is not something you want to have to move often. Renting a forklift / truck, breaking it down, hiring a tech to setup is quite expensive.
i wanted to add to that list:
* installing heavy electrical for press, flashes & compressor
* installing copper air lines
* installing gas or electric for your dryer
easily $5-10k every time.
