What is the most DIY/jerry-rig/ghetto part of your production?

[Binkspot]

I wouldn't call any of our stuff ghetto but we have a lot of DIY. I think all shops have something DIY just to make the job easier.
Some of our stuff is our reg system, squeegee tree, vac pallet, ink dispensing guns, spot gun station, ear muff pallet, laser alignment, etc.

Love the spot gun vac great idea

Garment is dry by the time your done. I have a scrap 110 white mesh over the end to support the shirt while shooting it. 

[Northland]

Jerry-rigged......
Took an 11 foot long conveyor dryer (got it free because it was shot electrically).
Cut a 3 foot slice out of the center of it.
Re-joined the two ends.
Rebuilt the control panel with a new PID controller and SSR relays.
Cut 5 1/2' out of the belt and seamed it back together with teflon thread.

The original had three, 3000 watt heat elements.
The modified dryer has two elements and switches to turn off either element.

Time   Maybe 40 hours.
I used to think this was a good use of my time.
I now believe it's better to spend time building the business (not building the equipment).

[Screened Gear]

I forgot to add my shirt carts. I got a great deal on a set of cubicles and they came with like 12 or 15 Hon rolling file cabinets. I use the smaller ones in the office but the longer ones work great for putting orders on. They roll really good and can hold the weight. I have had over 250 shirts on one with no issues. Not really a cheap way to go since they are about $200 each if you bought them new. But I just had them here and I needed shirt carts and so now that is what they are used for. The best thing about them is they are small and don't take up much room when not in use. They are just tall enough that the long sleeves don't drag.

[spotcolorsupply]

For us it is definitely our work truck... The "Blue Dragon"...



The picture doesn't do it justice...

I should preface my rant... the Blue Dragon was free... and came from Chicago... It was actually a blessing!!

Shortly after we got her, the AC/Heat blower stopped working... Switches and all!! So I bypassed it with a simple on off switch... So it either is off, or on full blast.... Not that big of a deal...

Within a few weeks the AC compressor went out... Can’t have that in GA  ... So I replaced it with a junk yard compressor... Good to go right..??

A few weeks later the driver’s side window failed... My partner Scott decided to investigate the situation, and in doing this he burnt up the switches that control "all" of the windows... So we take out the motor on the driver’s side, and pin the window, so it can be manually pulled up and down... Unfortunately all of the other windows will no longer work. Plus the rear passenger side window was half way down when this happened (Where it remains today)...

Now the fun part...

Remember it came from Chicago. Salt really does a number on a car. Seriously this thing is a rust bucket.

The brake system decides to give out while Scott is out seeing customers  ... Luckily the E-Brake works... So I replace all of the brake lines... Except one on the rear axle.

I thought to myself... "Self... that line looks ok, I’ll just leave it". So a week later I am driving, and that line blows out, 1.5 hours from the house... 

So I replace all of the remaining brake lines... Then one of the front calipers starts leaking.... So I replace both of the front calipers...

Recently, if you let the RPM go beloe 1000 it stalls. Cranks back up every time, but still annoying. I think it has something to do with the fuel lines..??

I said all of that to say this....

We finally retired the Blue Dragon today, and got a GMC work van!! 72K miles, no rust, I am a happy camper!!

Gonna start running delivery routs around Atlanta soon... 

[Chadwick]

" What is the most DIY/jerry-rig/ghetto part of your production? "

Me.
 

[Gilligan]

And no one told me about this thread?!

Oh yeah... that's about the entire process with me... I guess you guys already knew that.

Coating happens where ever I can do it... one handed process... stack the screens on my dryer's rails with cardboard spacers and put a fan on them... Terrible I know.  Store coated screens back in the box they came in with some black mat stuff draped all around it to help block light.

Vacuum storage back for getting a vac on my film/screen for exposing with black shirts in the back since I haven't gotten a "proper" piece of material to put back there... then cover that with stuff to block light while my "grow light" (MH) warms up (3mins) then pull it all off and start my timer on my phone (no phone calls please).

Wash out in my DIY washout booth made from a 300gallon liquid tote (probably the nicest DIY piece I have... but this drains into a bucket which I then have to pump out when it gets full (got to make sure to keep an eye on that!)

Post cure and dry outside in the sun... then store them wherever I can (terrible).

Printing is actually not so ghetto any more, now that I got a Antec Legend 6/4... though if I'm doing one color I'll throw a bungee on the opposite side to make sure the screen doesn't "drift" around... saves me like a second for each print I guess.

Dryer is good, though I did repair all of the panels myself... could have been done better.  If it helps, my dryer is hooked up with some romex running across a bunch of junk into my panel.

No real sorting and folding arrangement... just whatever we can use to do it on.

Reclaim as normal (with DIY booth) then dry them in whatever way I can... terrible.


Not much ISN'T ghetto in my shop!

[mk162]

you have to start somewhere.  you can slowly upgrade and replace things in the shop as they fail or you can spare the extra money.

Good tables are a great thing to have....they can be had cheap...or built cheap.

[Gilligan]

you have to start somewhere.  you can slowly upgrade and replace things in the shop as they fail or you can spare the extra money.

Good tables are a great thing to have....they can be had cheap...or built cheap.

Word... I just don't have the room right now.

constructing some "loft" type space for storage of some of the stuff taking up all the space.  The loft area will be about 180 square feet of storage so that will free up some space.  Then I got to get a scooter running (granted it will still be parked there but in a better place), then I need to get my bro-in-law to get a refridge out of there and several other large items (two couches... one is standing on it's end).

[blue moon]

And no one told me about this thread?!

Oh yeah... that's about the entire process with me... I guess you guys already knew that.

Coating happens where ever I can do it... one handed process... stack the screens on my dryer's rails with cardboard spacers and put a fan on them... Terrible I know.  Store coated screens back in the box they came in with some black mat stuff draped all around it to help block light.

Vacuum storage back for getting a vac on my film/screen for exposing with black shirts in the back since I haven't gotten a "proper" piece of material to put back there... then cover that with stuff to block light while my "grow light" (MH) warms up (3mins) then pull it all off and start my timer on my phone (no phone calls please).

Wash out in my DIY washout booth made from a 300gallon liquid tote (probably the nicest DIY piece I have... but this drains into a bucket which I then have to pump out when it gets full (got to make sure to keep an eye on that!)

Post cure and dry outside in the sun... then store them wherever I can (terrible).

Printing is actually not so ghetto any more, now that I got a Antec Legend 6/4... though if I'm doing one color I'll throw a bungee on the opposite side to make sure the screen doesn't "drift" around... saves me like a second for each print I guess.

Dryer is good, though I did repair all of the panels myself... could have been done better.  If it helps, my dryer is hooked up with some romex running across a bunch of junk into my panel.

No real sorting and folding arrangement... just whatever we can use to do it on.

Reclaim as normal (with DIY booth) then dry them in whatever way I can... terrible.


Not much ISN'T ghetto in my shop!

one can't blame you for it, how much can you really buy on a deserted island?

pierre

[sweetts]

Ay least he has the professor designing the stuff

Sent  from samsung gem(the worst smart phone ever)