I started out with one just like that, used. Gave $350 for the press, flash dryer, 50 screens, squeegees, inks and chemicals. After about 3 months I had made enough to upgrade to a 4/4 Vastex and get a belt drier, about a year later I quit my day job and went full time on my business. I can't think of another business I could have started with such a small initial investment.

This looks like a good bit of equipment to learn on, providing what you want to learn is metalwork, welding and advanced swearing.

Hi all, a quick solution to the screen moving when you tighten up the securing screws is to have a sheet of metal that spans the length of the two screws. So the metal strip will sit on top of your screen and under the screws and get tightened against the screen frame. I have found this to stop the screen frame moving when closing it in. Hope this info helps.

I use that exact press. I didnt use a wrench to bend down the receivers, I just adjusted the shirt platten. No issues once I did that. I have been makin some cash with that little blue P.O.S.... LOL

Hoping to start a little print operation of my own within the year. You're content is really helping me build confidence in this possibly working out. Thank you and please keep up the great work. Just telling it like it is really helps alleviate some of the unknown and understanding that this is a "work at it" kind of skill. Not a set it and forget it.

This my first day of online screen printing school. Your class was the best. I am stoked to proceed with the under $30 press and see what i can do. Great video.Cisco.

Cam! I really love all your videos, but I can't believe you made this one.... and in a really good way. I bought this exact same press a year ago and it's taken me about that time to "dial" it in for single colors. Lol. You're the man. I never expected someone to use this press that a) knows what they're doing and b) has skills with production. I really appreciate you making this video.

Great video. Thanks for taking the time. I've got one of these too and find it "adequate" for what I do. Starting out you need two resources, time, money. Usually you have more time than money so you get what you can afford and put in the time to make it work. You design around its limitations. Sometimes you just have to say no to a job.

This is the first multi-color video on that Chinese press! Thanks a million Cam..

My goodness. I feel validated haha. I have this press and wow what a pain in the bum it can be. I feel like people who learn on this and similar presses should get recognition for their patience and dedication because it’s a struggle. That being said, I was able to pull a five color graphic on this thing mixing colors from two of the screens in certain spots on the shirt. It was nothing short of a miracle. Thanks for the video and happy printing.

Thank you so much for this video, and your additional comment. I am looking for a screen press station and was looking at this press, but the 2 station. I am glad I saw this before buying!! Also thankful you are providing some good options for entry level press machines.

you did a good job of explaining how to deal with that registration issue .. I’ve been printing for 15 years and that is something that even the most experienced person will run into but being able to trouble shoot is the key to screen printing there’s ALWAYS gonna be something relatively SMALL that will make a HUGE difference in your final product & it’s important to learn how to deal with it before you even start running the job

I started with that EXACT press ... And i learned to print on it THE HARD way ... countless hours fighting the equipment instead of printing and wasting countless dollars on garments and ink ... when i was new just like everyone else it was hard to put up the kind of cash to get a professional press... THIS IS NOT WHERE YOU WANT TO CUT YOUR BUDGET!!!! I printed with that blue nightmare for 14 months ... I actually printed a lot of jobs on it only after I seriously modified the press. I was a pipe fitter and welder and had the tools and knowledge to get it to some kind of standard. Straight out of the box for a new printer with little to no knowledge this will put you in the crazy house!!! can it be done? yes.... but take it from a guy who's been there, if you want to screen print start with the right press.... you can get away with lots of other things and like in this video you CAN get away with that cheap press too... but you want to smile when your job are complete... not just be happy they are done.

Lookin good Cam!! So awesome of you to show others how to use this particular press. There are a lot of talented ppl out there that don't have the funds to buy the bigger and better. I started with the RH JR. 4/2 Now I have the Hopkins 300 8/6, waiting for the day I get an auto!

never used one of these presses but years ago when having issues with metal frames moving, we would put a piece of masking tape on the frame. this mitigated the movement from tightening the clamps.

I use the exact same damn press. Just starting. Thank you for this. I'm having hell with registration. Going to try everything you did.

I know I’m late to the game but this video is amazing. I’m a hobbyist and finally got this press set up and will be attempting to use it soon. Hoping it helps since I’ve been working on my kitchen table for 2 years 🤦🏻‍♀️ the learning curve is crazy tho!

I bought this unit used when I was getting back into the business. Not bad for one or two color jobs. I guess all those hours using this unit, I am really gonna appreciate when I get a new press.

Was great to see a Professional try & use this Blue Press Carn. As a Newbie, you identified every issue I was having myself with the registration AND your hints and struggles have assisted me tremendously. Thank You. Great job Carn. Adore you energy and goodwill. Love your channel.

Hey Cam, Been listening to a bunch of your podcasts lately on the way to work. Really loving it man! Thank you for all the knowledge, we have made many mistakes, but you have helped me avoid other ones.My wife and I wanted to test our luck making our own shirts for our new Brands. Unfortunately we bought that same machine except the 4 station one. We have had some pretty good results even with a 2 color job. But I’m sure a better press would make life a whole lot easier and more enjoyable. But we are pushing through it and maybe next year we can get the better press. Keep up the great Podcasts and videos, you are helping the Newbies realize what they are getting into. Thanks again.

What up Familia? Forgot to mention a couple of things in the video. First I filmed through the day. It didn't take all day to set up a job. I think the total time registering the job was about an hour. Second, I forgot to mention the print head height can be adjusted. No tilt but height is adjustable. If you are looking for a good entry level press get the Anatol Tornado, Vastex 1000, M&R Cruiser, and so on.

Wow thank you so much for this video!! Super super helpful. Screen printing is kind of intimidating so it's nice to have so many tips!

Since the one you couldn’t adjust was “pushing” the frame away from center perhaps you could ad thin shims behind the clamp attachment to move the other three out the same distance. Shims can be made from soda cans. Those bearings are called Pillow Block Bearings.

I appreciate every little meticulous action you showed. Quality demonstration and awesome work.

2020 lessons in patience and doing the best with what you have at the time - I've neen putting in work on those as well .. Print Life.!!

Perfect timing, I have shirts and emulsion on the way and I am yet to test my 4 colour eBay press out. So glad I don’t need to go hunting for this information now, thank you cam!

Hey Cam, love the videos. I just purchased this Vevor model and was surprised at how well it well went together, especially after watching your video and several others detailing the issues they had. I can tell you I was sweating on not buying a lemon. Your video gave me enough pointers to make the build effortless thanks a ton. Maybe 2 more years down (now 2022) the road and Vevor have worked out the kinks, who knows. The video they sent with the box did show the Platten attatchent placed at and angle and tightend to achieve the correct alignment ? Haven't fully finished mine with alignment and tightening so who knows.....maybe no need to bend. Thanks again for the great videos and effort you put in.

Awesome video!! I've been humming and harring about weather to get one of these for a while, watching you set up a four color job on it was very helpful. Cheers!!

The best screen printing tutorials on youtube!

Great video, I started out with one of those and it was a pain to get my screens to register. It was nice seeing all four screens on the press. I had my screens hit in the corners causing it to twist it to one side no matter how hard I torque it down. Finally gave up found a deal on an older manual press that has made it so much easier now. turned around and sold that same press for $100 to get rid of it asap

Bought one of these this time last year for my first press. Ran into same issues maybe a a few more. Finally after a few weeks broke it down and it’s collecting dust in a dark hole. Lesson learned

Best ive seen yet...luv the details..it helps. THANX!!!

This was my first press, and I wish I saw this video two years ago. 😂 Wish I could have been as a good of problem solver as Cam at that time. I just ditched it and went and bought a new press. Being more experienced now though I use it for my events.

Yes, I have the same cheap machine to try on. Thanks for the tips

There is no tilt adjustment, but the two bolts holding the receiver in place allow you to adjust the tilt by loosening or tightening them. No need to bend the receiver plate. Patience is key. Many different factors that fall into play, but once you get it down, you can produce great quality results.

thank you so much for this video! So helpful in doing the simple fixes that us newbies need!

Cam thank you. More great tips especially on the screen mesh we will try your suggestions at Bilbry Ink as well.

so much patience adjusting that machine.

My experience comes from 10 years in the Art Dept side of a big textile printer, in Australia in the 90's. As for traps , we 'spread' or in photoshop 'expanded' the fill colours about 1/2 mm under outlines if they were black, but if it was a colour outline, the fill colours needed to butt up to the outline perfectly. We also needed to 'choke' or contract a white-base to print under all the colours to ensure colours were vibrant. We also used a high white printed last, for additional brightness of whites, so white-bases didn't need to be printed so hard. I note that these days plastisol inks are better than they may have been back then, and you could get away with avoiding bases on colours depending on the ink used, the final effect your after and the garment colour. The printers used pneumatic carousels and pin registration for accuracy, but I never had much to do with that side of it. Thinking about getting back into screen printing as a hobby, finding your videos fun and a nice way to dabble without spending too much to setup. Cheers!!

Just bought this printer. Very interesting video. Thank you.

The bracket that hold the screen, I put the screws all the way to the top so the bracket touch all the way down.

I have this press... one gotcha I discovered on my last job was the middle bolt... it came loose so I was getting play while trying to register points during a job. Tightened it, problem solved. I agree, is it great.. no! Does it work.. yes. Can beat price point unless you have lots of money. Thanks for the video, learned a couple little things to help with future jobs.

I have been using this exact press to do four colour process prints using circular halftone at a frequency of 30. My registration is hit and miss in part because of the arm not lying flat as you pointed out. The result is still pretty good but as it's halftone the sins of registration errors aren't nearly as apparent in the finished product as in your block print. I am going to make some adjustments to my process based on this video. Many thanks.

One way to prevent your screen from moving after lining it up with your registration marks is to use some spring clamps or grip clamps to hold the screen down to the platen and then tighten the screen down with the nobs. This will not work if the screen is wider than the platen. I purchased this press as a stepping stone to learn the trade. You have to do a lot to make it work. I have never tried 4 colors before but I will give it a shot. If I fail, then I fail LOL!

haha started with that exact press too, paid extra for the extra arm too. the platens that came with it were cut wonky so had to make my own. also hand to wrap tape round all 4 arms to get them to slot into those rollers without moving as no matter what i did to the rollers they wouldn't stay where needed. got to the point where i just gave up and outsourced any jobs that were more than 1 colour! finally upgraded last year and now back to doing it all in house

Bought that press a long time ago. It made me so frustrated I quit screen printing. Had to use it recently for a single color. So re learned. Then this pops up a few days later. Man this would have saved me so much anger. Thanks!

Thanks for this vid Dude. Really insightful.

Awesome video. And Thanks for mentioning about the risk of popping those higher mesh screens. I want to get some new aluminum screens but they're expensive for me since I have to get them ship to my small city in Mexico. Last thing I want is to pop them right away.

The green looks fine to me 👍🏽

I use this press as well, its not the screen arms shooting out unevenly, its actually the metal arm that the platen is attached to which has a little 'sag'. All you gotta do is put a couple bolts for space to create the angle needed from the platen. After that, everything else lines up fine if tightened. The registration gate thing was actually backwards in the instruction manual and it works fine if you spend a little time and fix it, make it work etc (i use this for multi color jobs pretty regularly)

I just assembled one. First off, sand the pillow block bearings flat with a file or sand paper on a flat surface. That will tighten down stiff and stay put. They have casting flash on them and tighten flexed and rocked. To correct the angle of an unruly clamp, use cardboard shims to bring close, then the flange can be adjusted with crescent wrench. On the lower flang, apply non skid tape to keep the screws from moving the screen when tightening. The tape will allow less screw pressure to hold in place so less flexing of the flanges, causing movement when adjusting. Stand all the paint off the lineup tab on each arm where it interferes with the bearings. Make sure and chamfer the edges. Then adjust the bearings Nana just the bearings to the narrowest one. Then with a file adjust all the lineup tabs to that with. If you have set of micrometers you can adjust that Pryor just make them all the same width. This will remove any play. I found it once I remove the paint in adjusted I had a couple that the tabs were narrower that's causing a couple to be nice and tight in a couple to be loose.

I currently have this press. It's been such a pain is thea ss, but has gotten me by. I was finally approved for a loan and bought myself a 6/4 Vaztex 1000. Still waiting for it to arrive but I'm so excited. Finally I won't be killing myself a week straight to just get 250 shirts printed! Work smart, not hard.

Man, I tried this press when I first started out, I couldn't get all 4 colors to register even close to as good as you got it. I think they come in varying degrees of terrible. I remember running a one color job on it and it was a nightmare cause if I tried to print flash print the second pass was off. I'm thinking I'll still try to Frankenstein that thing into something useable someday lol. Cheers Cam thanks for the videos!

Cool video. Thank you for making it. I was waiting to see this one after watching the video of you building it. I have the $400 micro reg press, but only messed around with one color so far. Your press looks way harder to setup. On my press the heads aren't fixed. You can loosen a couple bolts and adjust the height and side to side tilt so the screen is level. I'd be nervous to do what you did bending it. The micros help a lot by keeping the frame from moving when tightening things down. I think my heads are a little deeper giving allowance to move the screen front and back more. Another difference is your press uses circular clamps. My press has a solid bar that clamps down on the frame. Although the clamp on my press is stupid because the bolts that hold the bar on loosen and fall off after loosening tightening them a few times. Have to get something like loctite to keep them in place. I've been able to FPF without the frame moving keeping perfect registration. If I can manage to do this with all 4 colors I'd be happy. It's totally possible to create good prints with these cheap presses, just be prepared to spend a lot of time tweaking things.

I have a Riley Hopkins Junior 4 color one station press, with micro registration capabilities etc. etc. I also have other methods that I print, sublimation, and heat press vinyl. I have been absolutely terrified to go into the multiple colors, because I’ve always had issues registering the work. Even with micro registration capabilities. This video really kind of helps me out a little bit as far as confidence in the gear that I have, and that I just need to jump off the freaking cliff for crying out loud! Lots of cool little tips I picked up from this. Thank you very much!

I like before even watching the video because I appreciate the content man. 👍

Lol I was laughing the whole time due to just being relatable haha. But like you said it’s possible to print a multi color on this press. It just sometimes takes a long time to setup. And plus you have to know what your looking for when adjusting the cheap press.

This video much helpful! Appreciate that!👍😸

you’re a legend

Oh man...VERY similar to the press I've currently got, except mine has "micro registration" knobs and my registration gate plate runs parallel to the arm rather than how this is perpendicular. Because the plate runs parallel, I have massive left/right wiggle. Ended up having to pad the hell out of the plate with sticky-backed padding. I also experience the screen shift when tightening down the screen, which causes way more frustration than I like to normally handle, lol. I will say, though, the first large order I was able to complete with it paid for my whole entire setup.

Either way it looked good bro...best best point made was...never give up..2 thumbs up

Raise the middle part...with some washers or coins🤣

Cam, I have that same press. My thinking is that I am going to drill and tap to extra holes on every screen mount to allow some micro adjustments from the back plate. I've also seen others who have simply added the bar between the two swivel clamps so they do not work totally independent of each other causing the screen shift. As for the arm raising away from the pallet, that is just a simple minor detail that can be fixed with a couple thin shims where the mount attaches to the arms. Since these cheap presses come with little instructions, I found using my cordless impact a godsend to keeping everything super tight and locked in place.

Great content!

i just got this press. ill be trying some of this to get my stuff looking right.. cuz i cant even get good looking one color prints

The fact that you spent all day on that press goes to show how much of a crappy press it really is. Cam, you’re the man!

I've been using that exact press for 3 years. I have made thousands of dollars with it. Mostly one color but I have done multicolored with it. I made sure that the colors didn't have to register perfectly. I've had to fix it so many times and I'm fed up with it. I just bought a riley-hopkins press this morning. I'm going to still use this press but it'll be for sleeve prints.

Learned my lesson with a single color station. Right after I bought it and considered throwing it away. Screen printing.com came back out with their single station.

Looks like the first press I had. Worked well most of the time but did lose registration on bigger jobs.

I bought a six color one station no micro special from China the reg gate was just metal bolts. I did six color simulated process with an underbase, it came out great. I use a .6 registration mark, with a bump reg spring plate that pushes against three bumpstops with springed pushpins at 3 points on the platen. The platen has to be aluminum so toss the wooden one, my particle board Chinese platen came with a broken corner and each head had only one spring on each side. It held a screen, but as soon as I put ink and squeegee in it fell. So I had to weld a hold point for an extra spring on each side.

helping my son setup a screening setup. This was amazingly helpful. Thank you. We'll either fight with this until we make enough to upgrade...or...start with an upgrade?

*Print fam notification squad*

Went to Multicraft and bought some camie 610 spray to help with m’screens sticking to my shirts. It is some awesome shit! Thank you!

Someone else might've noticed this, but I' wondering if the positioning of the green could be due to the loose bolts you mentioned being loose when you were aligning the screens to burn. Might've been a little askew because of that? Anyway, thanks for doing an honest review of this, pleasure to watch.

Thank you for the review. Just cancelled my order of this printer. Going to go with a Riley or something similar

My king. Thank you.

SUPER INFORMATIVE - THANKS

Very informative, even for someone who has worked in the print industry for 10+ years. I never subscribe to channels on here but I want to watch more of what you’ve got! I’m purchasing an at home 4 color machine similar to this and need to know the quality and adjustment precision to expect. Would love to know what advice you have for affordable options to print and burn screens (printers obviously epsons are great, films, dryers etc). I prefer silkscreen quality over digital tshirt printing and that is why I have chosen this route. I also have limited space as I am working from an at home studio. My plan is to use the sun to burn screens over buying a screen burner. Any cautions to consider with this?

Agree 2 or 3 color max but does work. No butt registration.

When I was looking into a press I was torn between this one and the Riley Hopkins jr. I ended up going with the Riley just for the simple fact of, you get what you pay for. If you have the means to get one, I would recommend it over this press. But if not, anything to get you started!

For the record. The ryonet version of these presses are much easier to work with. They cost about $400 if I remember correctly. I've had one for five years. Ive done a bunch of multicolor on it. Never had a problem lining up screens or knocking out my registration. Although I've never messed with a process print.

Ha I just a few days ago orderd one from amazon might just send it back

I am struggling with the 4th color too. And I decided to drill some holes in it to create some sort of micro registration. Worked well but I blocked my screen with a stupid ink.

I really wish I'd watched this video a hundred test prints ago!

@11:50 its looks as though there are inner bolts on the receiver plate that would allow an up and down manipulation in height. love your content

Thanks

HINT FOR USERS! :D Next time when you have problems to position your screen with such equipment try rubber hammer and push/ punch just a little bit! micro hits. Believe me, it used to be a life and time saver! Thank you for another great video ;)

You should put a mark on the last arm...I had a similar problem to an old press I have (25 years!) thanks for this video!

O the fun memories are justa flooding in.... Q_Q ....You got it brother. One or two color runs and I was getting about 20 to 30 prints through before the rubber mallet came out. LOL.....ya.. not kidding! That $12 deadblow hammer saved me alot of time and somehow beating on the thing was oddly satisfying .... with a little clever backyard engineering she's actually still in rotation!! it doesn't really look much like that any more!!! lol but a ebay turd at hart!! thanks again cam for all the great contains!!

Got the same one sitting on my table for months, I let out too much paint on each pass and I gave up and went back to my Thailand style homemade one

I use 230 mesh mostly - even for white when its a high detail design that a 156 mesh cant accomodate. Same for shimmer inks. I rarely use 110 or lower mesh.

this is cool. thanks

another great video cam awesome i use the same press if you put a piece of corrugated plastic at the back of each print head it stops your screen from shifting that what i do it helps thks for the video

hello brother ,I have been learning screen printing for a while now but I am taking so much time to get the perfect timing of light exposure to the screen

Thank you

thanks so much for making this video! I was about to sell this press because I'm starting school today, but this gave me a little push to keep on going with screen printing my own shirts for my brand. What plastisol brand would you recommend? Also, what else is needed to clean off the plastisol?

I have this press and I have started doing small modifications to it, like some knobs in the back and I am working on side clamps to hold the screen as well. I have had it for about a year and a half, and the longer the run the more it moves, and the welds holding the knobs will break so I had to re weld them. I will post some photos of some of the things I have done if it would help anyone else. All you need in a $100 flux welder from Harbor Freight and some nuts and bolts, and a little 3/16 angle steel.

Hey, man. For the un-even leveling of the screen part, would it be helpful to use a couple vice grips to keep the outer end down?, or would that cause bowing? I'm new myself. Any info is appreciated!

i wish i saw this when i first started

In different screens and all different colors what do you print first? The outline or the biggest color/design? I'm taking screenprinting at my school this semester.