Manual or Pneumatic ?

[logobear]

Logobear have been using Adkins beta maxi for over 25 years, - a great press, - we have a few so can always keep a few going at any time.
BUT - need to get another press or two ....
Now more choices
The idea of Auto open apeals, especially for long press times.
With more media types, - the Hotronic Air Fusion IQ has lots of pre-sets, so can advise user on correct times etc for inexperienced users
ALSO - has a counter, handy if doing a long run .... but expensive .... really expensive!

Pressmech get great reviews, and Adkins is the devil we know .... with pnueumatic & manual options.

We have never used Pneumatic, and some days do 300+ units, - not getting any younger .... but never felt opperator tiredness, thou there can be different interpretations of light and heavy pressure depending on opperator.

Any experienceses or ideas?
thanks
phil

[socialgiraffe]

I am pretty much in the same boat as you but...

Adkins packed up about 8 months ago, I grabbed a cheapo from Signworld while my Maxi was being fixed. It cost £200 ish I think. When I got the Adkins fixed I was so impressed with the cheapie that I still use it today. Machine is an auto open, and does 400-600 presses a week. It even handles WOW and T-One which you know is the mother of all tests for heat press machines LOL

Auto open on a machine that is not bolted down is a bit scary.

I have been looking at this machine for a while as I think it might be a good investment....

https://signzworld.co.uk/shop/microtec- ... eat-press/


My biggest concern about the hotronix "computer" style press is because I print hi vis I would be really concerned about the dust getting into the circuit boards which I imagine would be very expensive.

[pw66]

Never used a pneumatic press, or an auto open, but one thing that concerns me with either is the sublimation transfer jumping when the press opens. I like the control that a manual opening press gives.

[webtrekker]

Never used a pneumatic press, or an auto open, but one thing that concerns me with either is the sublimation transfer jumping when the press opens. I like the control that a manual opening press gives.

I've never used one either pw66, but that's a good point you make. They may be fine for HTV, but I'm very careful when separating my sublimation prints from their substrates as the slightest horizontal movement can ruin the print.

[socialgiraffe]

Never used a pneumatic press, or an auto open, but one thing that concerns me with either is the sublimation transfer jumping when the press opens. I like the control that a manual opening press gives.

Auto open are a problem with Sublimation as they jump up. You HAVE to have them bolted down. Having said that, mine isn't bolted down, the guy that bangs out my hi vis vests often lets it auto open without any issue (you should see the press jump ), but if I am sublimating there is no way I would let it auto open because of the fear of ghosting.

Pneumatic are very different as they are a controlled lift and actually better than manual.

[pisquee]

We love PressMech - Dickie does do pneumatic ones - a single (£2275) and a dual platen £2775)
May be worth giving him a call, and see if you can nip down the M1 to demo them both, and see if he'll sell you direct instead of through a dealer?
http://www.pressmech.co.uk/online/index ... ory/view/1

[Frostee]

Don't have a a pneumatic but I do have a auto open swing away which has saved me a ton of time as I can start getting the next garment ready whilst it presses.
I don't have it bolted down as a) it is huge and weighs in the region of 90kg. and b) it works on gas operated springs so opens really smoothly. sometimes as it opens and swings away the paper sheet moves with it and I had it once smudge a sublimated t-shirt so I try to remember to come back in time to keep hold of the handle to stop it swinging when opening.

has 45 programmable settings so real useful for when people helping out and has a counter for presses that session.

definitely not the cheapest and was way bigger than I expected, probably should have read the dimensions properly as had to modify the desk that it sits on to get it to fit and not slam itself into the wall!
https://www.xpres.co.uk/p-9279-sefa-rot ... xpres.aspx