Exposure decision advice

[TCT]

Looking for some advice here guys.

Looks like it's about time for us to make a move with the new exposure unit. Our current Workhorse PhotoSharp(1000 watt metal halide) has served us well for 10 years but now the shutter is not working and it looks like its about a $350+ upgrade to get it working like new. At the same time we've got a large Halux(can't find a model number on it to save my life) metal halide exposure unit that we got in a bundle deal about 2 years ago. The Halux unit I don't know much about, it does have a Olix AI 111 integrator with it. It came with a a rotating Millington Machine screen holder and a vacuum pump. All I really need for this unit is just a new bulb and a small electrical run. The bulb it came with is a Phillips HPM 15, which looks to be about a 2000 watt metal halide.

So here's my crossroads: do I buy a new LED unit? Do I buy a retrofit led unit to put inside of our PhotoSharp to convert it to an LED unit? Or do I stick with a powerful single point metal halide exposure unit with the Halux we have? The way I look at it the Halux unit will probably cost us $450 for a new bulb and wiring. The main problem is I know very little about this Halux unit, it came with a 2000 watt bulb, but can I put a 5000 watt bulb in it? Our biggest drawback right now aside from the shutter not closing on the PhotoSharp is exposure times, I need to get that cut down I know that a LED unit will cut it down to mere seconds. At the same time I know that with a powerful enough metal halide single point light source we can also get cut down to seconds. Currently we use Murakami SP-1400 but are thinking about making the switch back to Murakami HV/P.

So do I drop the $450 or so to get the Halux up and working? Knowing that I'll have to continue to buy new balls for it. Do I buy the retrofit LED unit about $2,500? Or do I go all out and buy a nice new LED unit?  I like the LED units because I know that they are going to save a lot of electricity and at the same time I won't have to replace the bulbs. I also know the advantages of the single point metal halide units offer. Ideally I'd get a STE-II in here and call it a day, but unless there is a black friday deal on those for say $10K, I'll have to wait

What would you guys do?

 Also does anybody know anything about this Halux unit? Can I get say a 5000 watt bulb for it?

[dirkdiggler]

if you can afford it, STARLIGHT!  my opinion.

[mk162]

i'd go LED, the bulbs for standard units are pricey...and so is the power to run it...it was about $900 cost to run electrical to wire our 7500w unit in a few years back.

[TCT]

I know the bulbs are pricey for MH units, but I am just wondering if it is worth it to get a LED unit when I have 2 decent MH units here already. $350 to fix one and $450ish to wire up and get a bulb for the other.

I have still yet to receive a "solid" price on a Starlight unit, but in my head I'm assuming $8K-$10K. Vastex retrofit is like $2500 and that is with adding a hefty cushion for freight.

So lets call it a $2K difference between getting a nice MH unit up and working and a LED unit..... I am just torn!

[mk162]

get the LED, it will save you a ton in power...and it's plug and play...no wiring unless you don't have a 110v outlet where you want it.

[mimosatexas]

You could also sell your MH units to offset the cost since the LED will basically last forever.

[244]

i'd go LED, the bulbs for standard units are pricey...and so is the power to run it...it was about $900 cost to run electrical to wire our 7500w unit in a few years back.

Our unit is $7,800 solid! you should sell what you have and get the Starlight. Sure I am biased, but I am also right!!Try one and if you feel I am wrong send it back and I will pay the freight both ways!!!!!!!!!!

[bimmridder]

Hard to beat that offer

[bulldog]

Get the starlight and don't look back. Best piece of equipment I have (the 23x31 version.) It's amazing.

[cleveprint]

Get the starlight and don't look back. Best piece of equipment I have (the 23x31 version.) It's amazing.

agree. the starlight made our busy season a breeze.

[Homer]

buy a starlight and never have this conversation again. If you stick with MH, there will be a day you are in this same exact spot....for once, money can buy time...

[Prosperi-Tees]

I agree, buy an LED unit and never worry about it again

[244]

I agree, buy an LED unit and never worry about it again

That is not necessarily true. Just like all cars are not alike neither are LED units. Time will tell.

[Prosperi-Tees]

Thats true some cars from every single car manufacturer will have issues sooner or later

[alan802]

I have been meaning to start a thread on our latest purchase but haven't had the time to devote to doing it right.  Our Richmond finally bit the dust a few weeks ago when our control panel buttons stopped working.  I knew it was coming but was hoping to get as much out of it as possible and usually when the buttons stopped firing they would only fail for 15 minutes to an hour or so at a time and then would suddenly start working again.  I'll save many of the details for my thread but I knew Kevin at River City had the big Vastex unit and although my research had told me the Starlight was probably the best unit on the market we pulled the trigger on the Vastex.  I won't get into the argument on who makes the best units or who uses the best bulbs but on my thread I'll lay all the facts of our experience with the Vastex, good and bad.  The good far outweighs the bad but it's worth noting everything so that people can use that info to make better decisions. 

I've tried like hell to compare the detail between our old MH and new LED unit and after looking at dozens of stencils at 60X magnification I can say that our MH gives slightly better detail but honestly it's so damn close that depending on my mood I could go either way on the winner and because I don't like ambiguity in this type of comparison I declare the 10K MH unit the winner.   

Our times are slightly faster than a new MH bulb and the best part is it will always stay at this speed.  I wish the control panel was a little more technologically advanced than it is but oh well, it is what it is and it works fine.  My sausage fingers have a tough time setting the correct times and I have to use what little of a fingernail I have to set the time because no way my finger is going to press that button without touching both buttons on either side of the one I want to push. 

I've ran a few hundred screens with HVP and 75-100 of the SP1400 and I much prefer the pure photopolymer because it's extremely fast and the 1400 is not, 45-65 seconds for the 1400 versus 6-20 seconds with the HVP.  I shot a 120/54 with a decent stencil yesterday at 15 seconds and it showed no signs of underexposure.  It was much easier to get underexposed screens with the 1400 and overall I didn't like it versus the HVP and I think we'll stick with the PP emulsions from here on out.  Reclaiming is also much faster with the HVP and it's very noticeable. 

I'll go into more detail in the other thread and copy/paste most of what I've typed here.  I'll do my best to get that up today but no promises.