What have you built???

[Fresh Baked Printing]

I love seeing the creativity and problem solving put into self-built equipment!

[Prōdigium]

Not anything to brag about, but it saved countless hours of setup and breakdown on the press when I was running an Anatol back in the day. If you use an older press with manual squeegee / floodbars than you might appreciate what a $1 piece of aluminum channel can do for your shop. 

I just drilled some holes, and screwed them in place. Hangs the clamps right where you need them WITHOUT falling into the screens.

[Screened Gear]

if i can save $600+ by building myself... i will sure do it and i like the work done by Screened Gear

gnizitigid

Its really easy to work with Polypro. The plastic welder blows hot air and it melts the plastic. If you can soider you can plastic weld. You can cut poly pro with a normal blade on a miter saw or table saw. Really easy to work with.

My next project is a filter system for my washout booth. anyone build one of those. They want a fortune for a plastic box with a few reverse osmosis filters and a sump pump.

[mk162]

I don't really build much from scratch, although I can and do.  I like to fix up and make existing products better.  I added an awesome filtration system to our parts washer.  I never have to empty the sump anymore.  All I used was an oil filter relocation kit, some clamps and just put inline before the solvent brush and wham, problem solved.  It also takes the huge S373 filter that is for large trucks and buses.  so none of this teeny tiny filter crap.

I also have a drying cabinet, and with that I have a dehumidifier that I run in there that drains out to an HVAC condensation pump and that pumps it up to some condensation lines that I had running overhead from another suite.  It all drains right out back, no more emptying buckets.

I am working on a few other things, if any of them are useful, I will let you guys know.

[sweetts]

here is what we cheap out on...........

dry box
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/DSCF6999.jpg

big dry box
 http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/DSCF6997.jpg

screen extenders
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/shortupDSCF6534.jpg

squeegeeeeeee rest
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/pvcrest6484.jpg

sleeve gang pallet
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/DSCF3302.jpg

image locater template
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/MRS3DSCF3155.jpg

washout booth
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/100_0830.jpg

third hand for newman roller frames
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/XDSCF1509.jpg

youth pallets no pics
down sleeve pallets
polo shirt pallets
seam center pallets
squeegee handles

my future plans include
jacket hold downs and a positive bank account balance

mooseman

Hey where did you pick up the clamps for your newman 3rd hand? I think I am going to make that.

[screenxpress]

Don't know if Mike will come by soon to reply, but they are generically called "Toggle Clamps" and you can find them all over the web.  By names of Grizzley, MSI, Rockler, etc.

[Gilligan]

Harbor freight has them... I have some waiting for a purpose... they were on one of their stupid sales so I picked up a few... I think I had recently got my drill press and thought I might use them on that.

But since this AWESOME topic got dug up... I will be hitting up some of these guys for details!

As far as myself, I'm like MK162, I repurpose things mostly. 

I built my washout booth out of a 300gallon liquid tote... it's pretty sweet and works well.  My plumbing is a pretty slick setup (or at least will be once I spend the $10 bucks and do it right.. I don't have a drain in my shop so I pump it out.  I'm setting up my pump with two float switches and a "latching" relay setup that comes on when the top switch is hit but doesn't turn off till the bottom switch is passed.  I'm thinking about adding a flood faucet thing at the top... what do you guys think about that?  It would sheet down a wall of water.  Make final rinse easier as well as washing hands at the end of it all (no sink in shop).

I made some squeegee holders, my routing skills are EXCELLENT (ok, computer router skills that is, wood working leaves a lot to desire)... I have a new squeegee holder idea, thanks to a mistaken purchase that might work out.

Of course my single station press was pretty sweet... even if it was done with bungee cords... that sucker was SOO smooth, amazingly smooth.

My exposure setup is umm... just plain ghetto.   But it was nearly free!  (grow light and a vacuum storage bag)

I'll be making a drying cabinet out of a large broken chest freezer soon.

[Gilligan]

Mooseman, I'm digging ALL of your gear man... got a few questions on it.

screen extenders
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/shortupDSCF6534.jpg

What is the purpose of the extenders... I had looked at possibly doing something similar to this because I almost stumbled into a Javelin right when I got my 60 mxz's and didn't want to have 60 frames I couldn't use.  But I'd like to understand their purpose on a manual.

squeegeeeeeee rest
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/pvcrest6484.jpg

So how are these attached to the screen?  It looks like electrical tape but that wouldn't really make sense or does it and I'm not getting it?  I totally want to steal this.  I have a few larger auto screens that mean that I have to move the squeegees all the way to the back clamps to rest the squeegee which is obviously not ideal.

sleeve gang pallet
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/DSCF3302.jpg

How does this work?  I get how you load it but what about as you push across the "gaps"?

third hand for newman roller frames
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/XDSCF1509.jpg

I'm stealing this on many levels and maybe tweaking it some.  Got any more details on this guy that I could borrow?

Again, thanks for sharing this... very inspiring!

[mooseman]

Mooseman, I'm digging ALL of your gear man... got a few questions on it.

screen extenders
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/shortupDSCF6534.jpg

What is the purpose of the extenders... I had looked at possibly doing something similar to this because I almost stumbled into a Javelin right when I got my 60 mxz's and didn't want to have 60 frames I couldn't use.  But I'd like to understand their purpose on a manual.

Hey Gilligan, the extenders simply allow the screen to be clamped anywhere along the length allowing us to move the screen out. We use this when we have a series of names to print on shirts we can ger 3 - 4 names in one screen and simply unclamp and reclamp the screen on the extender to move up to the next name. It also works for several left chest designs in same screen allows us to advande to the next line of two or three logos.

more pics
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/shortDSCF6532.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/longupDSCF6539.jpg

squeegeeeeeee rest
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/pvcrest6484.jpg

So how are these attached to the screen?  It looks like electrical tape but that wouldn't really make sense or does it and I'm not getting it?  I totally want to steal this.  I have a few larger auto screens that mean that I have to move the squeegees all the way to the back clamps to rest the squeegee which is obviously not ideal.
We attach them with a piece duct tape or similar vinyl tape, go over the complete length of the holder placing the tape on the tube section extending across the screen & around and under the screen tube on each side, we just tape them down with a firm stretch of the tape.

sleeve gang pallet
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/DSCF3302.jpg

How does this work?  I get how you load it but what about as you push across the "gaps"?
We actually use a small squeegee and print each pad one at a time or a larger squeegee starting across on two pads and letting up before we drop off the pads. we don't jump the gap. The advantage here is it simply gives us a six pack at one print station leaving others set up as standard.

third hand for newman roller frames
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/XDSCF1509.jpg

I'm stealing this on many levels and maybe tweaking it some.  Got any more details on this guy that I could borrow?

really this is just a 3rd hand so to speak.....I have attached a couple more pics, unfortunately I never made any drawings when i built it originally.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/DSCF1540.jpg
it is actually pretty simply a piece of 3/4 plywood with a 3/4 inch thick set of pads to elevate the top corners of the screen
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/DSCF1530.jpg
and a similar strip of wood to do same for the bottom square tube keeping the screen elevated to protect the mesh.
The bottom side simply has some reinforcing strips glued to the base to stiffen up the base http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x296/copdaddy/DSCF1561.jpg

Originally I intended to attach this whole sootin match to the wall with hinges and folding support brackets so I could simply store it against the wall and swing it up when needed but I never got that far.

Also i had clamps on the upper corners but found these were not needed and simply got in the way .
we find this works best on a formica topped counter we have. It can easily be spun around to get to each corner as necessary. the only mod I would make to this based on how we use it is to make it only slightly larger than the actual MZX screen.

hope this helps you can PM if you have any questions.
Respectfully
mooseman


The clamps are from Grizzly, here is the exact clamp i used http://www.grizzly.com/products/G1773/images/ there are several others also http://www.grizzly.com/products/category.aspx?key=140120

Again, thanks for sharing this... very inspiring!

[sweetts]

You sir are the man Thanks I will be making a screen table very soon thanks

Sent  from samsung gem(the worst smart phone ever)

[Gabe]

you guys rock
i grew up in a woodshop after reading your posts
makes me feel crafty
creativity mother of all inventions

[Denis Kolar]

I have buil washout boot from a shower tub, drying cabinet, small screen rack/ink cart, laser trace for embroidery machine. I'm still working on a registration attachement (will post pics when done, but it might be a while).

I did many pics during the whole process while doing the washout booth and here is some of them.

[Denis Kolar]

If someone is interested in making something like this, here is the source for Polypropylene http://freckleface.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/polypropylenesheetonequarterinchthick.html

[IntegrityShirts]

This is my Antec registration board/all-in-one unit that I never use anymore because I don't use the manual press lol.  It worked surprisingly well.








Here's my exposure unit frame I built.  Ugly but works just as well as the big dog units with the Olec light source.

The donor dryer steel

[sportsshoppe]

IntegrityShirts
Is that your Miller 180? Those are some sweet machines, Tig or High Freq. at the push of a button and it will run off 110 volt. Nice work on the frame for the light table I have one like it but with a Plate Maker 1K at the bottom of it, my frame is of 1'' tube steal and I used a mig to weld it out still does the job.