How many shirts were you printing before you went Auto?

[GraphicDisorder]

Way less shirts than most id say.  Probably a few hundred a week.

[alan802]

If I were just starting a screen printing business I'd buy an auto from the start.  A cheap older model auto beats pulling a squeegee any day of the week, even though some of those older autos are a PITA like Zoo said.  I know many start this business with the least amount of capital possible and then save and upgrade a little bit at a time, but the first time you print 100 4 color black shirts, tight registration on the manual you'll be asking yourself why you didn't get a loan for 10K for a crappy auto. 

[GraphicDisorder]

If I were just starting a screen printing business I'd buy an auto from the start.  A cheap older model auto beats pulling a squeegee any day of the week, even though some of those older autos are a PITA like Zoo said.  I know many start this business with the least amount of capital possible and then save and upgrade a little bit at a time, but the first time you print 100 4 color black shirts, tight registration on the manual you'll be asking yourself why you didn't get a loan for 10K for a crappy auto.

Exactly what I tell people now that ask me.  I would start with a auto if I did it all again. People that try to pretend there is a massive learning curve on a auto are trying to scare people IMO. It's harder to teach someone to print manually IMO. 

[jason-23]

What are the payments like on a auto? I've been printing manny for too long and now I'm working a "real" job on top which sucks.

[Parker 1]

We never purchased a manual press, went for the auto.  Still so not have a manual. 

Chris

[alan802]

I learned how to print on an auto and when I started to print on the manual everything was so easy.  I just mimicked the auto as best I could and everything went fine and I never had to "learn" how to print manually.  I know I'm lucky that I've never really had to but I'd never print more than a 2 color job on the manual of any size, it's simply many times faster/better/easier on the auto.  We use our manual for 1 color jobs under 48 pieces but only if the auto is full and we need to, which is maybe a couple jobs a week.  If we do have to put a multi-colored job on the manual I'm the only one that will touch it and I HATE HATE doing it, it really makes no sense if you can any way possible print it on the auto.  I know people will disagree with me but I've got a good bit of experience on a great auto that makes everything really easy.  I can see some guys who are trying to print tough jobs on older, no-tech machines that don't do anything very well, but I bet you'd have to pry someone off of any newer style auto to print manually.

[Dochertyscott]

I don't agree with buying an auto too prematurely.
I recently bought one and for me it was a good time, after 4 years in business with one other printer and a graphic designer/admin and importantly solid client base and contracts that warrant one.
A manual shop is less pressure. Financially anyway.
Small rent, equipment probably paid for outright, in a small workshop... Or if needs be a garage.
When buying an auto...as I recently discovered, there's alsorts that goes with it.
You have to find a shop big enough to fit it, a decent lease so you don't have to move it. Pay a crap load for the correct power fit out if it doesn't have it, compressor, after cooler and the rest... It's a fair amount of moolaaahh.
With An employee and a second manual press, you can have as them on a casual basis and reduce hours to cut outgoings if needs be while establishing yourself as a business and making a name for yourself without the pressure of big bills. Makes it much more fun and enjoyable.
That's my opinion anyway. I had x2 manual press spinning for 30-40 hours a week for over a year before considering the need for an auto... But crap. They are super cool. It's a robot!

[tonypep]

Agreed. I started on autos.

[inkman996]

We started out as a manual/embroidery shop. Printing manually was 8 hours a day easily but just that so we stuck with that. Then we had the opportunity for a 125k 2 sided job for AT&T. We bought a brand new Javelin and printed our asses off for months, as much as it sucked it paid for the auto with just one job and we never looked back. Thing is once you start upgrading your equipment people notice and bigger and better jobs come your way. Since we have gone from  6 color to eight color, we have printed so many more 6-7 colors jobs than we ever even seen in the past.

[Dochertyscott]

I agree with you all... Running an auto textile press for a couple of years after being in flat stock screen printing taught me a shitload about printing textiles. But I learnt a lot more in terms of business and marketing when committing full time on manual press and without the added stress of auto repayments or potentially the drama of a dud  second hand auto in a big shop with big outgoings and no solid income.

[royster13]

I don't agree with buying an auto too prematurely.

Any time saved with an auto versus a manual can be used to "sell".....Those extra sales can generate enough to pay for the upgrade....Now having said that, many screen printers I run into locally (and elsewhere), do not like to sell so I can get orders that they miss....That does not mean they do not like to take orders....What I mean is they do not want to hit the pavement and knock on doors....They run with a "built it and they will come" motto....

[Squeegie]

For me it was the 12-14 hour days, 7 days a week, for almost 4 months that told me it was time.  Granted, all those hours were not spent at the press but the production was definitely the slowest part.  A steady stream of 200-600 pc, 4 to 6 color orders was physically killing me.  I told the wife that we either needed to get an auto or get out of the business.  I was growing to hate printing.  After the new shop was built and the new equipment installed it was like a whole new journey.

You will know when it is time...

[Dochertyscott]

I don't agree with buying an auto too prematurely.

Any time saved with an auto versus a manual can be used to "sell".....Those extra sales can generate enough to pay for the upgrade....Now having said that, many screen printers I run into locally (and elsewhere), do not like to sell so I can get orders that they miss....That does not mean they do not like to take orders....What I mean is they do not want to hit the pavement and knock on doors....They run with a "built it and they will come" motto....

Valid point.

[GraphicDisorder]

What are the payments like on a auto? I've been printing manny for too long and now I'm working a "real" job on top which sucks.

Less than 1 day of running a press half speed and you can pay for its cost......easily.