New Press Time!!

[Rocfrog]

OK so the owner is ready to make the commitment on a new press and asked me to come on here and get some opinions.....

We are looking for a 10/12 auto and he was wondering about the Sportsman EX....what does everyone think of it....is it as good as the Gauntlet III.....how reliable is it......


and any other real shop experience you can offer....

Nick

[GraphicDisorder]

OK so the owner is ready to make the commitment on a new press and asked me to come on here and get some opinions.....

We are looking for a 10/12 auto and he was wondering about the Sportsman EX....what does everyone think of it....is it as good as the Gauntlet III.....how reliable is it......


and any other real shop experience you can offer....

Nick

Love our Sportsman EX! Not a negative thing to say about it. 

[Rocfrog]

I was gonna send you a message on FB and ask which model you had....So that's good to know that's what your running.

If you had to nit-pic anything you don't like about it or issues you've had....

Nick

[DannyGruninger]

Nick if you guys want your more then welcome to come check out our new 12 col challenger 3... I can show you somethings that have been really great for us regarding the new press.

Danny

[Rocfrog]

Danny, I might have to take you up on that...I'll talk to the owner in the morning.

Nick

[GraphicDisorder]

I was gonna send you a message on FB and ask which model you had....So that's good to know that's what your running.

If you had to nit-pic anything you don't like about it or issues you've had....

Nick

Ours is the larger EX the 20x20 BTW.

I mean the same old story remains, if I had to do it all again I would have bought a bigger one (more colors), but that's not a issue with the press just me trying to save a buck because I thought we wouldn't need to be able to print more than 5 colors.  Turns out we sell 5-6-7 weekly and turn away 7-8-9 too often.  I will never again buy a press under 12 colors and honestly if I had a 16/18 I know my art guy and customers would fill it up with screens.  Issues, I think we had one air lock go bad so far, replaced myself, took 2 minutes.  Wasn't even down, changed it in between jobs.  We have had it since 2011. 

My only other advice is look at a Challenger III as well or even the EXG I think they still offer.  Talk to Rich, he will help you figure out which press fits you the best.  You will be so happy with M&R.

[tonypep]

Some thoughts........with a DC/UB you can often forego the cool down allowing to print 8 clrs overprint on a 10 color machine. At a shop that will remain nameless the rule was "If you can't do it with 8 the seps are bad" and it the graphic would be re-engineered; often going to a different sep guy.
That said this isn't always possible hence the 14 color which will allow you to print 9 colors over a base with 2 flashes and cools. For me, any press over this size is just technical masturbation.

[alan802]

No disrespect to the EX, but if a Gauntlet III exists, the EX won't be better than a GIII, I'll bet everything I have on it.  Maybe the new press from M&R will be called the Gauntlet III.

[GaryG]

Our 8 color EX is a dream come true and the best thing that has happened to me besides my wife!
That's a true screen printer talking, eh?
It is the most sturdy and consistent press in it's class. Not to mention the
absolute, utmost in customer service of any company anywhere.
Only issue is an air leak on head one that comes and goes, fixing itself.
Not much of a downside with such a complex machine.
CHIII would be nice and -Tri-Loc.

[Rocfrog]

Thanks fro all the great reply's! I talked to the owner this morning about this and I guess I misunderstood him....looks like he is looking at the Sportsman EX, the Gauntlet II, and the sRoque (kind of). He is definitely wanting a 10/12 and said the Challenger III is out of his range. I also mentioned to look at the MHM presses based on some of the searching I did on here last night.

I guess he found a used Gauntlet II which kind of started all this research.

Nick

[Homer]

Thanks fro all the great reply's! I talked to the owner this morning about this and I guess I misunderstood him....looks like he is looking at the Sportsman EX, the Gauntlet II, and the sRoque (kind of). He is definitely wanting a 10/12 and said the Challenger III is out of his range. I also mentioned to look at the MHM presses based on some of the searching I did on here last night.

I guess he found a used Gauntlet II which kind of started all this research.

Nick

I have a G2...awesome machine...since he's looking at used, the only option -in my opinion- would be these guys:

http://screenprintsource.com/equipment-categories/textile-presses/

this is where my machine came from and just like M&R, the customer service is top notch.

[screenprintguy]

We've also been considering the SP EX, but recently became aware of a difference in indexers. The EX is a servo, "motor", but unlike the EXG, which is basically the Gauntlet2, it does not use a ball screw on the indexer. Not that the mechanism used in the EX isn't good, it's not as fast as a ball screw. Especially when looking at a bigger model, say 12 colors, I think the ball screw indexer is more where you want to be, vs the EX mechanism, there isn't any lit on it, but speaking with techs over the past couple years, it's the way the two mechanism works that has to do with the indexing speed. Of course, the direct drive belt like the C3 is the fastest way, plus no up down of the tables, which is why it's going to be cool to see what the new hybrid press turns out like from M&R. Either way, you need to see what it is that you  need. I doubt there are any shops out there, with a loader and a puller, that, "want" to have consistency and high quality, running their autos over 70 doz an hour, too much can go wrong trying to race along like that.

[TCT]

Thanks fro all the great reply's! I talked to the owner this morning about this and I guess I misunderstood him....looks like he is looking at the Sportsman EX, the Gauntlet II, and the sRoque (kind of). He is definitely wanting a 10/12 and said the Challenger III is out of his range. I also mentioned to look at the MHM presses based on some of the searching I did on here last night.

I guess he found a used Gauntlet II which kind of started all this research.

Nick

If your boss is interested or would like to, I would be more than happy to talk with him about my experiences with our S.Roque. You can PM me for my number if you want. I also believe there is a converted M&R shop out your way that now runs S.Roques. Don't know much about it and I am admittedly a geographical moron, but I do know it is in CO!

[Rocfrog]

If your boss is interested or would like to, I would be more than happy to talk with him about my experiences with our S.Roque. You can PM me for my number if you want. I also believe there is a converted M&R shop out your way that now runs S.Roques. Don't know much about it and I am admittedly a geographical moron, but I do know it is in CO!

I can ask him and let you know. There is a shop in town that now in on their second sRoques and I know he is going to try and call them and see if they will let us go look at it, not sure if its the same one your talking about or not, company is called Tayco.

Nick

[Mark @ Hurricane Printing]

dang i get so envious of you guys when ya'll start talking about the automatic presses you are going to buy.

one day...one day..

I feel like Trelane in Star Trek..."But I was winning...I was winning...I was winning!!..I would have won...I would have....I would have"...:::slowly disappearing:::