Sidewinder Manual Press Review

[alan802]

I recently decided to upgrade our manual press for several reasons and I was given a great deal on an M&R Sidewinder that I couldn't refuse.  I hadn't ever given the press much thought since the M&R website says it's an entry level press and like most equipment labeled entry level, I just move right along...call me a snob I guess.  Nothing is wrong with our Vastex V2000HD, and I decided to give up on manually printing numbers and we would be using screen printed transfers for those jobs from now on and I also needed a larger color capacity press, with side clamps to utilize our auto frames.  The rear clamping vastex does not do well with 23x31 shurloc ez's or newman roller frames, at all.  I realize I could have just upgraded our vastex to side clamps and probably got a 6 color carousel to mount in place of the 4 we have on it, but the chance to have a triloc regi system, and pallets that are interchangeable with our auto were also reasons why I chose to move away from the vastex and to the M&R.  I was apprehensive about going with an "entry level" manual but after a quick conversation with Rich about the sidewinder versus the chameleon, I was convinced the sidewinder would suit our needs just fine.

The decision was made on Thursday to get the sidewinder along with a triloc registration system, and by 2pm on Tuesday, the following week, the truck was dropping off the equipment at our shop.  I knew something good was in the crate when I noticed the freight paperwork said the crate weighed 900lbs.  We somehow managed to get the crate out of the truck by hand, 5 guys and some grunting and we had it inside the shop.  We got it uncrated and then the inspection began.  I quickly came to the conclusion that this was nowhere near an entry level press.  I don't want this to turn into a V2000HD bashing, but I'll be blunt and to the point...It's almost a toy compared to the M&R.  I won't go into detail about the differences, just understand that the sidewinder is the best manual press that I've ever looked at.  It's not as easy to spin as an antec legend, it's pallet arms aren't as fat and robust as on the vastex, but there is no way I'd trade this press in on any other manual on the market.  I spent an hour looking over the new anatol manual, nice press, I've owned a v2000hd for 5 years now, not bad, and I've always admired the antec legend and have spent several hours studying them at shows, and the sidewinder impressed me more than any of the other manual presses I've ever seen.

I spent an hour or so today playing with it, calibrating the pallets to the printheads and I've never been able to put a screen in and lock it down and have uniform off contact from the front to the back after multiple prints until today.  Our vastex had rear clamps, so it's not fair to compare the two presses in that regard, but I couldn't set up a four color job, tight registration, with newman rollers on the vastex and expect to get acceptable results, it couldn't do it.  The vastex did fine with 18x20 square bar newmans but I don't have but one of those in house and plenty of auto frames that I'd like to be able to use on the manual. 

I think M&R needs to change the wording on their website and take out the "entry level" part in the sidewinder description and just put something like "economically priced manual press". 

Pics of the press and videos for the Auto Wars thread coming tomorrow...hopefully.

[Nation03]

Nice Alan. Did you get the airlocks? I printed on a Sidewinder at the ISS show last year and loved it. I never ran production with it, but I run a Riley Hopkins and a Legend all day and I definitely loved the feel of the sidewinder way better. It is an exceptional press.

[jason-23]

and the price was.....

[Prosperi-Tees]

and the price was.....

That was my thinking as well!

[Binkspot]

We have the same set up for three years and have run quite a few jobs on it, always a great press. One thing to note and I'm going to ask about it at the ISS show, sometimes it won't  hold reg. I have found the lock nuts on the pivot adjustment come loose, no biggie, just tighten with a 9/16" wrench and that solves the problem.

[Shawn (EIP)]

We have the same set up for three years and have run quite a few jobs on it, always a great press. One thing to note and I'm going to ask about it at the ISS show, sometimes it won't  hold reg. I have found the lock nuts on the pivot adjustment come loose, no biggie, just tighten with a 9/16" wrench and that solves the problem.

This is an issue on every press with pitch adjustment according to Roger Jennings and I quickly found this to be true on my workhorse, I have to keep those lock nuts tight and only losen when making an adjustment and then retighten them.

BTW 7grand for a 6/6 sidewinder with side clamps is NOT and entry level price its an average price for many higher end 6/6 manuals.

[Evo]

Now picture a much beefier version of the Sidewinder and you have the Chameleon. I miss mine.

No kidding about the SW not being "entry level". It's better than the best what most companies have to offer.


I have the new M&R single color manual press now. It's a SW head bolted to a single station bench mount arm. I've done some flatwork recently and printed some of my wife's artwork onto plywood. The wide range of off contact adjustment really came in handy.

As expected the setup was a breeze and it holds the screen like the fist of an iron god.

It's the nicest single color manual press ever made.

[alan802]

I can't tell y'all what I paid for it, that might cause M&R some issues   I got a deal that I couldn't refuse, let's just put it that way.  I got the air locks and love them.  I've got some work to do to get the triloc set up today, but I got pics and vids I just need to upload them.  I really like that all the pallets we have for the auto are interchangeable with the manual, and the triloc will go back and forth as well.  This thing is going to get some work, I'll make sure of that.  We didn't use the vastex very often just because all we had was 23x31 auto frames, now I don't have to worry.  I need to buy some manual squeegees though, we've never had many of those around here.

[Socalfmf]

Alan et all

I traded my 8 color Chameleon for the 6 color SW with airlocks...Wholly crap....what a difference...while I have only used it a handfull of times, this machine is not an entry level press....it is an awesome press. 

M&R is THE press manufacturer if you really are in the serious business of printing shirts.  M&R has help me be very successful...and Shawn...my business is about making money not messing with my equipment....plain and simple....

Sam

[Frog]

Well, Alan, considering your answer to a question I posed back in December, you must have gotten it for  pennies! lol!
http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,2335.msg25136.html#msg25136,
http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,2335.msg25156.html#msg25156

And of course I realize that needs and ways of thinking change. One must remain flexible.

[alan802]

Well, Alan, considering your answer to a question I posed back in December, you must have gotten it for  pennies! lol!
http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,2335.msg25136.html#msg25136,
http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,2335.msg25156.html#msg25156

And of course I realize that needs and ways of thinking change. One must remain flexible.

Not quite pennies, but still an offer too good to let go.  I didn't really state the exact reason we bought it but it's for the school of screen printing that I'm going to be doing here at the shop.  I didn't bring that up because we haven't started it yet and didn't want to jinx it.  Bill is looking to retire to Mexico full time and he's presented me with this great opportunity to continue teaching people how to print.  The manual we had wasn't going to give the students the best chance to see how to properly print because of the issues we'd be dealing with in regards to the rear clamps, lack of regi system and other things that the vastex wasn't as solid in doing.  The last thing I want is to battle registration issues and screens popping while trying to teach newbs how to print, so I decided to eliminate those variables and start fresh. 

And because we'll be able to put a 4-5 color job on the manual and have it set up quickly with the triloc, it will allow us to use it more than we previously did with the vastex, at least that's the plan right now.  My screen guy is itching to learn how to print and this will give him a better platform to learn on and I won't have to teach him all the little quirks and tricks we had to do to get multicolored jobs to print on the rear clamping press.

[Gabe]

yo @ alan
did you have to put the press together?
or did come already assemble accordingly to factory settings
just curious
congrats

[alan802]

I had to put the pallet arms on and one printhead then put the adjustable feet on.  It looks like it was calibrated fairly well at the factory, I had to adjust the pallets but that was about it.  The press was level, the printarms were level, no need to shim anything and it really only took me about an hour to fully calibrate all the pallets and printheads.

[Printhouse]

How many colors and stations did you end up going with?  I am always on the lookout for a good used M&R manual just so I can move into the tri lock set up.

[ScreenFoo]

Congrats Alan--I've been looking for someone with a vastex to compare it to an M&R for some time.  Great info.
The guy down the street with a Cham 8/8 has to throw a test shirt on the floor when I come over to catch the drool... 

I love the old Blue Max III, that thing has been beaten on by countless idiots, myself included, and still holds amazing registration.  I can only guess the SW is even better.

I'm curious too--is it a 6/4?  (just guessing from the vastex upgrade comment)