I-Image ST owners

[LuckyFlyinROUSH]

We pulled the trigger this morning...

I-Image ST - 3 print head...

Sent a 22k down payment check...then got an email for an entire anatol press for 22k...made me laugh. It makes me nervous to drop 60k on a machine that doesn't actually print the shirts.

Anyone got some pointers on things that I need to do, or make sure I ask for? I asked to make sure it was filled with the D2 ink from the factory as I read some posts on that subject.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UifJ3t6ziKs]
[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UifJ3t6ziKs[/url]

[Dottonedan]

Congrats! All new machines come with 1 ltr.  This is a starter bottle. techs use that to do their testing and we end up using about a qtr of that or less during install testing.

[GraphicDisorder]

You are going to love it.

[ShaneEMP]

Ours has changed everything for the better. and if you didnt have a trilock before, get it now. it will pay for itself in a matter of months.

[LuckyFlyinROUSH]

We got a trilock pallet in anticipation of going DTS. That was a major reason for buying it was setup times!

Dan - We need to get you paid for that leprechaun art btw. - Has anyone calculated their average ink cost per screen....it seems expensive! Can we request you to do the install, or are you booked out till june haha?

[GraphicDisorder]

ST for us has really made it possible to take jobs in on short notice. We are still a pretty small shop and it just make sense its really changed our total process.  Best of luck with it.

[dirkdiggler]

Best thing we ever did, your curve will be your biggest obstacle, and its not tough, just have to find the one that works in your shop.

[mk162]

I run the CTS, a step(or 2) down from the ST...you will love it.  I was noticing the other day how our halftones are KILLING it now.  They were good before, but they are so much better now.

[Gilligan]

Help me out, why are the curves different for different shops?

It's all the same heads, inks and "media" essentially.

[mk162]

different emulsions are the biggest challenge.  the halftones on film won't change from emulsion to emulsion, it's a matter of dialing times in and if it can hold the detail.

also, humidity matters more, dryness of screens, number of print heads, density of ink deposit and so on.  it's by no means plug and play.

[Dottonedan]

mK62 got many of the reasons. In addition, each machine guts are going to be tweaked slighty different.
Same reason each shop can have different curves using the same RIP and Epson for another shop. You can use one master curve setting, send that out to all printers and they use it as is, tweak it a tad or end up choosing not to use it at all. I find now, that your shops lean towards using a curve that was close to what you (we're getting) on film just because it's more accommodating to how your artist have been used to when building the art.  They compensate here and there in anticipation of gain before it ever gets to the RIP.

I have started out with a custom curve of my own (but only having it look nice) but not done with a densitomitor. Later I was able to see what a true calibrated curve looked like and mine was close, but not 100% accurate of course. I was thrilled I was able to start people out with the best possible curve then found out people would switch back to something slightly less than the densitomitor curve as well as some were going back to default. The default (no curve at all) is drastic. It fills in a lot, (but some prefer that) over the densitomitor results. Go figure. That's why I assume is more of a comfort thing and not everyone wants what it truly should be.

NOTE, as we found out with a few customers during testing an old job with the new curve, don't use a brand new custom curve on old jobs. The differences can be drastic (lighter) in the seps and the customer will think it wasn't printed right on the new reorder.

[Dottonedan]

We got a trilock pallet in anticipation of going DTS. That was a major reason for buying it was setup times!

Dan - We need to get you paid for that leprechaun art btw. - Has anyone calculated their average ink cost per screen....it seems expensive! Can we request you to do the install, or are you booked out till june haha?

Would love to come visit. You can request me but they do schedule by location and feasibility first. Some have and I've not been able to.

The ink ranges from approx. 1000 prints to 2000 prints and in some cases, up to 3000 prints per ltr depending on the type of work you do. All solid letters will use more ink per screen. The cost compared to other options is great from what I've
heard.  .05 in the (best case scenario) compared to what your cost are with film and time to produce that film is a small fraction.

(Edited for a more accurate average ink cost).

[screenprintguy]

We pulled the trigger this morning...

I-Image ST - 3 print head...

Sent a 22k down payment check...then got an email for an entire anatol press for 22k...made me laugh. It makes me nervous to drop 60k on a machine that doesn't actually print the shirts.

Anyone got some pointers on things that I need to do, or make sure I ask for? I asked to make sure it was filled with the D2 ink from the factory as I read some posts on that subject.

Let me tell you something brother, 3 years into CTS and there is no looking back. The fact that you signed the deal already puts you ahead, once you have a week with that bad boy you are going to be on cloud 9. I recently helped "wake" a guy up in a neighboring town to us with CTS, he was dead set against it. Now, you could not even pay him to go back to film. You will love it dude!!!

[mk162]

i sometimes fell like I want to punish the guys(for fun) and have film days...just to make them appreciate the CTS.

[LuckyFlyinROUSH]

Thanks for all the info! Hopefully our tech will know how to adjust the curve for our emulsion. We are using Chromablue, has been the best emulsion for the work we do.

I absolutely hate films...Filing them, finding them, burning them. Ugh. I cannot wait until we have everything digital!