pallet shifting

[Doug S]

This may seem trivial but I have a sportsman and have bought 2 sets of brand new pallets.  1 set was for pockets and the other just the standard 16 x 22.  I don't have to switch them often but today the 1st time I swapped to use the pocket pallets I noticed that when I was tightening the yellow lock down knobs that the pallets would shift right or left.  So, I rotated each arm to tighten each one of the yellow knobs so that they looked like they would turn and stop at the same spot when they were snug.  I manually printed a scrap piece of shirt on each one and there was an obvious print to the right or the left of center with the exception of about 4 pallets which did print in the center. 

I'm just curious if anyone else has had this problem?  If so, did you find a solution?  It may come down to buying all new knobs, nuts and bolts but I'm hoping that it's just something obvious I haven't checked.

Thanks in advance.

[244]

This may seem trivial but I have a sportsman and have bought 2 sets of brand new pallets.  1 set was for pockets and the other just the standard 16 x 22.  I don't have to switch them often but today the 1st time I swapped to use the pocket pallets I noticed that when I was tightening the yellow lock down knobs that the pallets would shift right or left.  So, I rotated each arm to tighten each one of the yellow knobs so that they looked like they would turn and stop at the same spot when they were snug.  I manually printed a scrap piece of shirt on each one and there was an obvious print to the right or the left of center with the exception of about 4 pallets which did print in the center. 

I'm just curious if anyone else has had this problem?  If so, did you find a solution?  It may come down to buying all new knobs, nuts and bolts but I'm hoping that it's just something obvious I haven't checked.

Thanks in advance.

were the pallets manufactured by M&R?

[dirkdiggler]

Yes, it happens to me too, always has.  I learned some important things about pallets when I visited M&R, I will leave it at that.

[Doug S]

No they weren't purchased from M&R.  I purchased them from action.  I'm still hoping it's something besides the pallets.  They look like they were manufactured correctly to the eye without any type of tools to check otherwise.  I'm not trying to bad mouth anyone by the way so please don't take it that way.

[Colin]

Have you leveled the your press/boards since you purchased the pallets?

[Doug S]

Have you leveled the your press/boards since you purchased the pallets?

I did that the first day.  It's not near as noticable on the standard size just the pocket tables. 

[Colin]

The clamps that hold your pallets to the arm has moved. 

When you release all three bolts to do your pallet leveling, the clamps can then twist/move.  I have several boards that are not centered because of this.  I was looking for a video of how to fix it/line them up and I cant find one...

At least thats what it sounds like to me...

[Doug S]

I

The clamps that hold your pallets to the arm has moved. 

When you release all three bolts to do your pallet leveling, the clamps can then twist/move.  I have several boards that are not centered because of this.  I was looking for a video of how to fix it/line them up and I cant find one...

At least thats what it sounds like to me...

I haven't thought of that one.  Thanks.  That will take some time to check.

[screenprintguy]

Hey Doug, your 4 yellow levers, the two back ones, are they in the last two holes available? Or the middle two holes? There should be a set of holes at the far end of the pallet holder. When I was up at M&R, Dave Zimmer told me to not have that issue, move the back set to the far rear holes, not only on the trilock for a more solid lock in, but for all of your pallets as well. I've seen guys buy additional levers and have 3 sets on each arm which they say cut out any movement at all. It really only bothers us when I see someone freewheel the pallets and push off on a top corner of a pallet knowing it probably just shifted that print slightly and then they want to hit another color. I do have to tighten ours every couple of weeks. One of the only weak points on the whole set up, I think they wear out over time too, so look into that placement of your back set, if it keeps up, move a set over and try the three lever set up and see if that holds in like a weld 

[Doug S]

Mike, I greatly appreciate that tip.  The back two are in the forward holes so I'm fixing to move them to the back.  To see if that makes any difference.  Thanks.  I'm fixing to send you a pm.

[dirkdiggler]

One more thing, M&R used to make those out of metal, at my old shop we changed out the triloc position for the metal ones.  They don't need adjusting that often.

[Action1]

No they weren't purchased from M&R.  Wish now that they had been though.  I purchased them from action.  I'm still hoping it's something besides the pallets.  They look like they were manufactured correctly to the eye without any type of tools to check otherwise.  I'm not trying to bad mouth anyone by the way so please don't take it that way.

We have never heard of this issue before. I hope that if you determine the problem not be related to the pallets that you'll edit the above statement ( Second Sentence ) . If for some reason, this is an issue with our products we will absolutely replace the pallets for you.

[Screen Dan]

Back in my press days we used to have a set of 5" sleeve pallets from Action that would do that.  We had to tighten (with a wrench) the yellow levers about a quarter of a turn to get them to snug down enough.  I also moved them to the farthest holes.  A pain because to put the M&R pallets back on you had to undo that...but that only took a few minutes for peace of mind.  No big deal, really.  Aside from that I loved all of our Action stuff.

I also made it a point to train every new guy to turn the carousel by the arm underneath the pallet and not by the edge of the pallet.  Especially when registering by hand.  Few understood why and even few listened...but I did my part as the trainer.

[jvanick]

lasers help with this a LOT too.

we use a laser to set the 'center' of all of our pallets to the same place. and when doing stuff that's critical placement, mark either edge of the print with the lasers.

[Doug S]

No they weren't purchased from M&R.  Wish now that they had been though.  I purchased them from action.  I'm still hoping it's something besides the pallets.  They look like they were manufactured correctly to the eye without any type of tools to check otherwise.  I'm not trying to bad mouth anyone by the way so please don't take it that way.

We have never heard of this issue before. I hope that if you determine the problem not be related to the pallets that you'll edit the above statement ( Second Sentence ) . If for some reason, this is an issue with our products we will absolutely replace the pallets for you.

That 2nd statement was out of line on my part and wasn't necessary so please accept my apology, I just had a bad day and the customer was asking me why some were off center.  I had the index speed set at 18 seconds to make sure I had them loaded correctly because I know how picky this customer is.

If you look at my order history through you guys, you'll know I have had no trouble with action.  I'm still working through the issue to resolve it.  I'm trying Mike's suggestion at the moment so, I will give an update when finished.