my registration unit

[Homer]

Finally - it took some trial and error but here it is. don't laugh at my welds , we have used this on multiple 5 color jobs, a few 3 color and many 2 color -we only have a 6 color gauntlet as of now. Registers like a dream! We only used the micros twice, and it was my error. . .so here's how it works. . .step one is create the seps, drop in the three targets you see up top -


now register those targets to the inverted targets I printed directly on the glass - might be hard to see, tape the positive to the glass, put in the screen and hit the three bump stops. those aluminum deals in the corner.
I actually have really small screw heads sticking out of the bump stops, so the screen is hitting a very small area, not the whole thing.



and then you put this on the press, hit the same stops and print! I see a few things I would change on the next one, I have to snad blast it and paint it up, super happy I made it.

[mk162]

Snad blasting?  Holy crap, I thought that only existed in the movies!!

[alan802]

Yes Homer, that's what I'm talking about.  That's all there is to it, very good job man.  I'm still working on our regi unit, version 3.0.  I just need the pallet jig built.  The place I was having cut my aluminum bailed out on me so I need to find another place to cut my aluminum and then I'll be in business again.

[Shanarchy]

Awesome!!!

[spotcolorsupply]

Those welds look better than any I have ever done 

[ZooCity]

Radness Homer. 

Do you find that lining up each film onto the expo unit, cranking the unit on, burning, repeat is slower than if you could align the films off the unit?

[tpitman]

How did you affix the bump stops to the glass?

[mk162]

Homer, that is pretty sweet.  Is that built from an old clothes shopping rack?

I have been thinking about how to make one myself.  It's a tough call.  Carrier sheets are not the way to go for me, I would rather align them to a board and then put them on.

The bolt idea is really smart for the brackets, it allows you to make any adjustments needed.

[Homer]

thanks fellas -

@ Alan -I can have that done for you. . .shipping may suck though.

@ Zoo -we have a safelight in the unit, so we pop that on, line up the films -it all takes about 5-10 seconds if you are really tweaking it. the slowest part is the vacuum. I tried the carrier sheet thing and it took too long for me. Too many steps, too much taping and room for error. this is as simple as simple gets.

@ Tpit - first I used HB banner tape to get them in position - it's like a 2 sided tape, and then I used JB weld. I put a screw in the angle exactly where I wanted to hit them frame, welded that in place and then cut the heads off and ground it smooth. I'll take a pic of the blanket drawn, no sharp edges at all.

@ Brad. . .I'll build you one if interested. The hardest one is the first one., I got that down pretty good. I bought a mig welder so I can go to town! It works with newmans and panel frames! pretty happy about that.

we also have taken  the jig off the press and put it back on to continue registering a job to see how it works. not a problem in the world. . I was afraid that once you took it off the press, it would not be in the same spot again. I welded a stop on the bottom of the jig, right on the M&R bracket, so I can use any station to put the unit on. This saves time hunting for the platen with the pallet stop like Tri loc has. . .

I have a ton of square bar and angle, I may build another one and see if I can sell it. The only problem I have, I don't know how to make a macro so I can put reg marks in, I have to have a file on my desktop I copy and paste them into the seps file. . . I went with 3 targets on top so I can do crest images with out using a full sheet of film, if needed. . so far, it has saved us a ton of time, it's been 2 weeks or so. . .

[whitewater]

Really thats all you got?
 

[Shawn (EIP)]

I need to stop by and see this in person... would you weld me up a jig?

[jason-23]

Looks like ass...

[Lizard]

Great job Homer.  So in Corel do you not use symbols for your reg marks and other popular stuff like mockups?

[sportsshoppe]

from a welder to a dabber.... That is what we call a Gorilla weld.....Big..Bad and Ugly!! I do like the concept.

[Homer]

haha, you guys are asses. . .


no Lizzy -no fun reg marks. . plain and simple

the idea was to ditch carrier sheets, I can file my films away, pull them out and register right away. no need to re-register the design like most do with carrier sheets. . . gorilla haha. . .looks like a puddle of puke but it works, had to grind it like a prom date but it looks ok.