Dryer questions (it's time for an upgrade)

[Gilligan]

Currently I have a 12' Chaparral with a 24" belt.

Well, looks like we might be pulling the trigger on an auto pretty soon.

This dryer isn't gonna cut it for long after that and we also want to start getting into WB and Discharge printing.

I know gas is ideally the way to go but I'm EXTREMELY tight on space, don't have gas plumbed in (but it's available) and electric is REALLY cheap here (just over 8 cents a kw).

I was looking at ideally a Radicure D 36-6/4... it's short, nice heat chamber and with that 4th panel should do ok with the numbers.  I'm concern that it's a bit pricey though... anyone know what those puppies go for?

I have someone else suggesting that I get a WorkHorse 3011.  30" belt, 5' heat 11' overall length... 30" would be tight to double stack things and 5' is less than I'd like.  They are saying that I could run it backwards and use the "bump" panels (quartz bulbs) to help it a bit on the way out with the WB/Discharge.

I simply can't go over 12'... just not happening.  The wider we go the more 12' is actually starting to be a problem as we won't be able to get between the dryer and the press!

What say you guys?

[dirkdiggler]

Pretty sure the new series of M&R dryers will be making their debut at SGIA Vegas in Oct. I would wait to see what pops up!

[bimmridder]

Two words here. Gas. Gas

[bulldog]

I have a 3011 and it's nice for what it is. I've dabbled in discharge a little bit and I could get a shirt to discharge after running it through twice with the belt slowed to a crawl. It would pretty much defeat the purpose of an automatic, I would think. There is no forced air in it also.

[Gilligan]

Two words here. Gas. Gas

Totally agree with you Dave... But I have a follow up.

19' x 24' production area.

[ScreenFoo]

Sounds like kind of a lateral shift.  I'd make a bump panel for what you have already, and keep the dryer upgrade for when you upgrade the space.

[TCT]

M&R has a pretty bad ass 3x boomerang or whatever in their showroom. Thing is a monster though and probably overkill for what you want.
One thought, you could roll a flash in the last head on your press to help with DC/WB. Or you could roll a flash or two over the indeed or outfeed of the dryer to help. M&R had a dryer made out of a less  conveyer belt and flashes at a small local shows here...

30" belt sounds like less of a issue than you are making it out to be. It would be a lot better with a 36" belt though. It sounds like you are going to have more of a space issue than anything. Before you worry about a 48" or 60" belt, worry about more space. Unless you are going to be running the ours balls to the wall all day everyday, a 36"(or maybe even a 30") belt will suit you just fine.

If you don't have gas now then the advantages don't seem as big. Obviously you know most of the advantages(you are no dummy). One thing I love about a gas dryer is- I bet it has been more than a year since I touched or temp on it. Seems like our electric one we have to change the temp all the time.

And what good is a dryer post without someone asking if you have talked to Winstion Strickland? But seriously, have you talked to him? I could of swore he said he has a handful of used dryers in storage....

[Inkworks]

I'd look for 8' of heat and go from there. The sad fact of it is with 12' total length and width restrictions, no matter what you find it will likely be the bottleneck of any decent auto you may get, which means your total shop space is the real bottleneck.

[Gilligan]

Here is the setup with current dryer and a purposed auto.

It's fairly to scale.

[ScreenPrinter123]

So when you have to print 6000 shirts where in the world will you stage, fold, and box them?  Aren't you in a strip?  Can you let the lease run out on the unit next to you and then rethink the dryer size?

[Gilligan]

This I s all GREAT input, not a bad idea in the bunch (especially when Alex was talking about how smart I am ).

I actually have a "spare" busted panel... Though I've repaired them before... This one is a bit tougher of a repair but might be worth looking at.  My current tunnel is 6' but it only has three 12" panels in it with really lame air knives in there.  Maybe I should look into overhauling my current dryer for now. Option 1 is great and I'm gonna really look into that!

Alex, I have always said, as soon as I am serious I will be calling Winston to see what he could build for my space... Thanks for reminding me about that!  Option 2 on the plate!

Flash over the belt.. Not a bad idea, though it puts us right back into the oven that we are wanting to get away from by moving from IR flash to quartz... But in a pinch, it's possibly a winner!  Option 3, two steps forward one step back but still progress and maybe something to combine with option 1!

Inkworks, yes I know... I just bought the building but that was something I would have wanted if I stayed or not.  I'm constantly looking and thinking about ways to move to a bigger space.  Option 4 is ALWAYS on the board!

My New Orleans friends, we do have a freight container on the side of the building and even a cargo trailer in the parking lot... We have done 1572 shirts in here once and will be doing 2000 soon... We stacked them almost to the ceiling in front of the heat press/storage shelf area (that spot isn't really to scale and technically there is another single head in there now and a small table in the middle.  The idea of letting a tenant's lease lapse and moving in has been discussed... We would essentially take the front 800 sqft and make it our show room, knock a hole through where the heat press area is now. We would then move our desks all into the embroidery area and make the current show room the digital print room and knock down that middle office to expand production.

The only rub in option 5 is, will that be better than $1k a month of rent coming in?  As of right now I can't see the elbow room being worth it.  Plus how will we keep the cat out of the production area . J/k... Sorta.

[Binkspot]

Why not a little Fusion, it'll get the job done and when it's time to upgrade it will have resale value.

[Gilligan]

Option 6 ain't bad either... What's the price on that puppy and how would the 36" four panel version work for wb/discharge?

[ScreenPrinter123]

My New Orleans friends, we do have a freight container on the side of the building and even a cargo trailer in the parking lot... We have done 1572 shirts in here once and will be doing 2000 soon... We stacked them almost to the ceiling in front of the heat press/storage shelf area (that spot isn't really to scale and technically there is another single head in there now and a small table in the middle.  The idea of letting a tenant's lease lapse and moving in has been discussed... We would essentially take the front 800 sqft and make it our show room, knock a hole through where the heat press area is now. We would then move our desks all into the embroidery area and make the current show room the digital print room and knock down that middle office to expand production.

The only rub in option 5 is, will that be better than $1k a month of rent coming in?  As of right now I can't see the elbow room being worth it.  Plus how will we keep the cat out of the production area . J/k... Sorta.

Didn't know you had the freight container, that will help.  As for the cat...just run it through the dryer and problem solved!  I didn't figure you for a cat person!?

[bulldog]

So you won't have a manual press at all anymore?