GOCCOPRO 100 Digital Screen Printer

[mr-gobby]

Tried it myself at Printwear and promotion show 2016 stand on a single screen setup, it appeared easy to use, I thought that's clever and was impressed but its not cheap. It doesn't take up too much room though which was what I thought useful and why it caught my eye. That said. I decided screen printing overall needs more room than I can spare currently and for what it returns you need to produce an awful lot of shirts with screen print compared to vinyl so the space overhead, cost and mess of screen print put me off for now.
Mark

[logobear]

we get a few jobs that are really basic, but must be cheap.
We have a great relationship with a local screen printer, - but it takes some laising, and shipping stuff 2 and fro ... and fitting in with his work schedule. (1 week)
the idea of being able to bang out 50 super cheap single colour in an evening makes some sence in my head.
friend might charge me £60, DIY on the goccpro less than £10 and probably £5, so £50 a job difference, - so need to do 100 jobs to make it pay.
(Yes, 50 T's with large single colour print 1 side for 5p each is possible!)
I suppose it is only 1 a week for 2 years ....and i would be in control.
I know it in not capable of registration, so only really for single colour.
BUT, - on the plus side, the half tones are REALLY good, so the print can look like a good old fashioned newspaper picture.
An arty alternative to proper printing?

[JMugs]

Logo I can see your line of thinking, an interesting idea given your location.

[pw66]

Very expensive for what it is. You could buy a good screen printing set-up for the cost of that system, and offer a full multi colour, high volume service.

Decent halftones rely on good screen tension as much as anything. I can't see any of the three screens they offer maintaining tension right through a long job.

Looks very simple in the video, but I want to see what the guy in the video looks like after printing 50 white A3 prints onto black t-shirts.

[Justin]

Initially I did like the look of the Gocococococothingymajig but the single colour limitation was a key factor. I went down the route of making my own screen the 'traditional' way and bought a vacuum table for exposing. I used to do this for a living many moons back and expected a big learning curve to get back in but so far so good. I enjoy making them this way, yes it takes times to get it right but it's rewarding.

If I was on the mainland I'd offer a screen making service. i do need to learn more about the artwork and separation side though.

I'm still toying whether to keep or lose the screen print side as I don't get a huge amount of work....but I'm hanging in for the time being. it does take up so much room though!

[pw66]

Takes a while to build up a regular clientele for screen printing. Nature of the printing business, I guess, with print runs getting smaller.
Repeat business is where the best money lies. The screen is ready on the shelf, and off you go.

Can you not produce a few wholesale lines for the tourist trade?

[Justin]

Can you not produce a few wholesale lines for the tourist trade?

No problem at all....getting the local businesses to buy them is another matter. I'm working on it but nothing moves quickly up here

[pw66]

Printed cotton shoppers sell well. Lower margin, but usually a high volume product that gets reordered regularly.

I have got a few local tourist attractions on my books, for their souvenir t-shirts. Mostly nice easy one colour designs, screens already made. To get the business, I have had to offer a quick turnaround, and price according to their annual volume, not their weekly total. If they order by mid day on Monday they get the stock by Wednesday afternoon/Thursday morning. They are happy because it limits the amount of stock they need to hold. I am happy because it is accounts for one day a weeks output.

[logobear]

PW66, - do you have a Goccopro?

[pw66]

God, no.

Seen it at the shows, and couldn't believe the cost, and how limited it is. Most users, if limited by room or facilities, would be better off making the screens at home in the bath tub. It is not a substitute for lack of facilities.

The product itself is no smaller than an exposure unit, so all you are saving is the space of a wash out sink.

If there is genuinely a lack of space, then most simple, low volume designs that you are likely to use it for can be done just as well by making stencil on the vinyl cutter, and applying to the screen. More complex halftone designs need good even screen tension,that would be hard to achieve using that system. You might get away with using it for one colour halftone prints, but multi colour cmyk or simulated process jobs would be a no go, due to differing tension between the various screens.

The concept might be suitable for the Japanese or US markets, where there are different legal requirements, but the product is not really appropriate for the UK market. To use one you are still going to need a hazardous waste contract to (legally) dispose of any of the used mesh, tape, rags, paper towels, ink pots etc that you will produce. None of it can go to landfill. If you wash your squeegees and tools in the sink then you are going to need a 'trade effluent licence' and all that entails.

If you are still going to need the hazardous waste contract, the trade effluent licence ( the fines for not having either are large ), and are only saving half a square metre for a washout booth, then you might as well do the job properly.