my registration unit

[bimmridder]

Looks great Jay.Now share with people how much time a pre reggie system saves you vs how you used to do it? Whether it's a DIY or commercial, doesn't matter,just the time savings and/or increase in productivity.

[tpitman]

Did you weld the jig to the platen bracket, or screw it onto the bottom of the platen? Just curious.

[Denis Kolar]

Nice one Homer

[Homer]

I have to say Dave -bimmridder- gave me the brilliant idea of inverting the targets, huge help. Thanks Dave, I owe you a beer or 6.

I had to bolt a piece of steel onto the bottom of the platen, I sunk the bolt heads below the rubber -then welded the arm to that. Talk about a gorilla, it looks like a war zone under there, I'll get a pic.

The time savings in the past two weeks has been huge -absolutely huge. before, we would register the base or outline, print it, flash it and then hit all the remaining colors -do multiple test prints to get it dialed in. Now -like I said, we touched the micros twice. it doesn't sound like a big deal, but the micros on these older machines are not the best, so it turns into a big ordeal. I would leave the room, go back in a half hour to see how production is going and they are still doing test prints.  That really stresses me out.  Between this unit and another guy on the auto, our production is higher than ever. I have about 15-20 hours invested in it, and I'm the triloc is awesome, but I had a hard time parting with 2500.00 for something so simple.

[mk162]

And something that has a continued consumables cost.  I can register a job on the first try most times by hand.  But that is me and I can't do all the setups.

I was thinking about making a jig that fit on each head, that way there would be no platen to change out, just slide the screens in and done.

That idea of inverting the reg marks is genius.

[Mr Tees!!]

...DIGGIN IT HOMER!!

...BUT, how do you keep the inverted regi from also burning into the screen? I notice its blue, but does it have NO effect on the exposure?

[mk162]

Oh, I didn't even think of that.  I wonder if it's transparent enough.

Homer, how much would you charge me to build one of them?  I have the skills and the welder, but I have literally ZERO time right now.  I've been working 70-80 hours a week and it's killing me.

[Homer]

MR T- it does burn into the screen but it doesn't matter. piece of masking tape fixes it. You wouldn't need the reg marks anymore, once the screen is exposed, we simply block them out. . . .

Brad -  let me see what things look like -we are beyond swamped too - I may be able to get something going if you have an old platen kicking around. . .

[mk162]

This could save us so much time.  And then to eliminate taping screens as well would be a huge time saver.  Holy cow...I have some ideas rattling around right now.

[jsheridan]

NICE JOB!!

I've used the high placed 3-wide-1 way-low reg marks for the last 10 yrs, the idea is to get the regies out of the squeegee drop area, this way, even if you 'forget' to tape or blockout the back of the screen, a reg mark will never print on the shirt. Just as jay has done with the reg marks on the glass, you can't miss the mark as long as it's lined up... that's it. Line it up right, dial in your reg frame and you'll never touch a micro again.

You use a few more inches of film in the process but who cares, the time saved in set up pays for any extra film you may have used. The mind set knowing that a reg mark will never again 'accidentally' print on a shirt and any new guy who runs your press can set it just as easy and quick as the last. This is golden if you do discharge.. you can't blow out a discharge reg mark on 45 shirts.

[inkman996]

Homer did you burn a screen with the inverted reg marks bump up to the stops and print the glass from there?

[screenxpress]

Nice Job

[Homer]

Homer did you burn a screen with the inverted reg marks bump up to the stops and print the glass from there?

yeah, I made a positive with the inverted targets, mapped it out where I wanted them to be on the screen, shot it, put it back in the bump stop, taped the screen so it didn't move, then printed directly on the glass with some Color FX glass ink. it's really simple in concept. I wanted to mainly avoid carrier sheets - now the next step is making it quick release so I don't have to remove a platen. I think on Brad's, we are going to try that.

[inkman996]

Just curious does it make sense to have some type of springs keeping the screen tight to the stops while the blanket compresses?

[Homer]

it would, but it's just another project and dammit -we don't have the time right now. We just hold the screen, pull the blanket down and hope for the best haha  - no issues with that yet, but I do know the vacuum can make the screen shift, it is a problem we are working out. . .I need a solid week off to really think about this concept and fine tune it.

I got to thinking -about Zoo's deal and not putting reg marks on the glass. What if there were, let's say 4 screen sizes in the shop. Could you make 4 different positives with the reg marks made for each size, put that positive on the glass, and hit the same 3 permanent bump stops? Nothing would be on the glass except the stops. you can have a hole punch system for the set up sheet/reg mark positive so you can choose the size you want, lay it down and go to town. . .just thinking here.