Manual Cylinder Press?

[mimosatexas]

Anyone ever used one of these or something like it?  Wondering if it is worth picking up to mess around with.  I do get asked quite often for custom bottles, glasses, tumblers, etc.

[Frog]

I'd say, for you, sure. From what you tell us, you like doing all the weird stuff you can. And, also knowing you, this press is dirt cheap.
On the other hand, Royster or some other ad specialties person here will probably tell you of folks who can do it cheaper.

[3Deep]

I'd buy it, even it collected dust for a bit I could still see some use from it and make a few bucks.

[mimosatexas]

spot on!

I guess I was mostly looking for hands on feedback on this specific model if possible, or something close...  I will probably grab it unless someone chimes in with "it's junk and doesn't work!"

[royster13]

Never used one.....But been wanting to get one for years.....Great for short runs, however, the biggest issue is getting blank substrates cheap enough......Often promotional products suppliers can supply printed product almost as cheap as you can buy blanks.....

[Sbrem]

If it's your idea of fun to try it out, go for it. If you like it, you can look for an auto cylinder printing press, like an Autoroll MGxxx

Steve

[rusty]

If its cheap to pick up I would definitely get it.

As someone who just starting to get into printing pint glasses and coffee mugs ( i Have a semi auto press for it) the inks to use for this to be done right are a whole other world. And if you have access to a kiln even better.

I am still learning but if you have any questions just PM me

[royster13]

The biggest issue for me the length of time it takes to get the order from MN to WA where I import it into Canada....This can take 12 to 15 business days....And with so many folks being in such a hurry I lose more orders than I get....So improving turnaround time would help...

It can add some margin albeit with more effort....For example I sell 500 22 oz. stadium cups for C$465.00....My costs "all in" run about C$265.00....So I make C$200.00 for what at the most is 1 hour to 1-1/2 hours of effort.....If I were to print small runs in-house my "hard costs" are about C$150.00 for the same 500 cups....Assuming I can still do this at home my overhead does not change.....So I can make an extra C$115.00 but it will add 1-1/2 to 2 hours to my workload....I figure the faster turnaround time might give me an extra 6 to 10 orders a month....so although I prefer to "outsource" this might be worthwhile for me....

[Inkworks]

I have two Adelco pneumatic bottle printers that we use on occasion, like anything new they require a learning curve as things are a bit different than screening flat items. For instance, we print on-contact and the rotation provides the snap-off. on our machine the item raises and lowers, the screen moves while the squeegee/floodbar remain in the same spot. The best printers use a gear/gog or belt drive to rotate the item being printed, the cheaper ones just use the friction of the screen on the product to rotate it.

If you do get it, start with near-perfect cylinders for product shape to print on, then move onto cones or compound curved surfaces. Don't even both trying pens, you can buy the cheaper printed by a trade printer than blank in most cases.

My single biggest piece of advice is to avoid trying to do low-cost items as it's tough to sell a $0.30 cup with a $1.00 print on it. After that make sure you are ready and capable of curing the printed items in a efficient manner.

Cheap stuff is best printed by the big, fully automated companies who can do it for pennies, or over seas.

[Sbrem]

If its cheap to pick up I would definitely get it.

As someone who just starting to get into printing pint glasses and coffee mugs ( i Have a semi auto press for it) the inks to use for this to be done right are a whole other world. And if you have access to a kiln even better.

I am still learning but if you have any questions just PM me

For sure, a kiln or lab oven is good, because you want to use baking epoxy on glass and ceramic. We tried air dry epoxy 20 years ago when we did this kind of thing, and it just didn't stand up to normal wear as well as the baking epoxy.

Steve

We have a fair sized lab oven that doesn't see much use anymore, like I can't remember the last time we turned it on, if you need one, but it's a pick up only kind of thing...

[mimosatexas]

just looked up kiln's on craigslist and looks like they are about $200 for a big one.  Not bad at all.  Will definitely look into that part of it as well.

[3Deep]

Back when we printed glassware I'd print the stuff in the shop then take it all home and bake in our oven LOL whatever it takes

[larryk]

just looked up kiln's on craigslist and looks like they are about $200 for a big one.  Not bad at all.  Will definitely look into that part of it as well.

Dude..... you might want to check electrical requirements for a kiln before you jump in with both feet.

[mimosatexas]

just looked up kiln's on craigslist and looks like they are about $200 for a big one.  Not bad at all.  Will definitely look into that part of it as well.

Dude..... you might want to check electrical requirements for a kiln before you jump in with both feet.

obviously... Trust me, I know plenty about electrical "issues" at my shop.

I was just shocked how cheap they were (about a dozen all under $225).

[Inkworks]

Most epoxy and CA cure inks will cure at temps well below kiln temps. If you want to go with actual kiln fired inks, better do your homework on frit inks, water slide decals or thermal-plastic glass inks (which require a heated screen for printing), slump points of different substrates etc.

A actual kiln would cook epoxy ink right off the glass in most cases.

Kiln fired inks will give you pretty much bullet proof decoration, but epoxy inks stand up well for promotional and household usage.

My $.02 is that if you want to Kiln fired, you should get into big as it's tough to be competitive with the big guys pricing in small scale, the big guys often use conveyor lehrs over static kilns, and you don't want to know what a proper length conveyor lehr is worth, you'd be lucky to keep the cost in 6 digits.