What is the right 1 color press to "learn on"

[crossroads]

I am a small print broker. I currently have a a color copier for short runs and a digital duplicator used mostly for envelopes. Most of my jobs are sent out. I am interested in buying a 1 or 2 color press mostly for envelope runs between 500- 10m as they cannot through a copier and i am unhappy with
the quality from my digital duplicator.
Question #1) I often see for sale multi 1250's from closing printers for <$1000. Is this a machine i can learn to run easily? This will be my first time trying my hand at offset. I don't want to invest a lot of money until i see i can learn how to run it. I also see presses from ab dick and hamada for not much more. are any of these easier or harder to run? also can they all produce sell-able prints. I understand i would need a compac or crestline watering system.

Question #2) if i plan on using laser plates does that mean i can only buy a printer smaller than 12x19. can i use a smaller plate on a larger printer?

Thanks

 

[Al Ferrari]

I learned to print on a 1250LW with molletons in the late 60s. Go for it!

Al

 

[crossroads]

thanks. do you remember what the LW means?

 

[Al Ferrari]

LW means Long and Wide. This was an 11 x 17 machine as opposed to 8.5 x 14.

A Compact will make it easier. We put one on ours later on. I don't know if there is a Crestline for it, but that would be even better.

Try to get one with chain delivery. A lot of them were gravity chute deliveries. We put a genuine Multylith chain on ours much latter on.

Good luck,

Al

 

[cmac75]

Hamada 665 be a good choice also, just remember you get what you pay for. Buying someone else's junk would be hard to learn on..
Chuck

 

[crossroads]

Is a hamada rs34ls similiar to that? I see one for sale not too far from me. Does anyone have any experience with them?
Thanks

 

[nhprinter]

I think I'll go buy myself a t-square and call myself an architect.

At least call it a press, not a "printer".

 

[crossroads]

A press is the machine. A printer is the person who runs it. Is that right?

 

[Al Ferrari]

Well, by the dictionary, yes. But in the trade that person is called a pressman (pressperson), or press operator.

Al

 

[Happyprinter]

I to learned on a Multi 1250LW many years ago with Molletins. Multi would be great as would Ryobi. My suggestion would be to make sure whatever you buy have a Kompac or Crestline water system put on and you will avoid half of the learning curve required to regulate water. It will make your journey to becoming a "PRESSMAN" a lot easier. Al is right to have you buy one with a chain delivery and most used presses already have a powder system installed that would be beneficial. Good Luck!

 

[crossroads]

Thank you. Do you think a hamada RS34ls would be good too?

 

[Happyprinter]

I owned a Hamada years ago and was not impressed. If it were me, I would look at a Ryobi. 3200, 3302 or even a 2800. Equipped with a Kompac water unit and your ready to learn. Just my personal preference.

 

[cmac75]

yes it is. a liitle more electronics.

 

[crossroads]

is that a good thing or a bad thing?

 

[pdan]

Happy Printer mentioned the best option for envelope work - Ryobi 2800 or 3200 also manufactured as the Itek 975. They are direct feed small presses, built stronger than any other small press. Hamada (to my memory) and Multi utilize a feeder board which improve multi pass registration, but will be a hinderance for envelope feeding...there's going to be more chance for jams on the feeder board; excess uneccesary paper travel.
AB Dick, and Multi (and probably Hamada) use a 3ply (.065 inch) blanket which will not be as forgiving to the immediate blanket smash that will occur. I've worked alongside AB Dicks that have to apply blanket fix at 1000 impression intervals. The 5 ply (compressable) blankets used for Ryobi/Itek will deliver far more impressions without intervention and the direct paper feed will be more reliable for feeding envelopes.

A continuous dampener would be a big plus, but in my experience, the limited small coverage area of an envelope do not dictate it. On the other hand - You have no experience as to ink/water balance, the most critical factor to offset printing. Continuous dampeners pay for themselves in reliability.

 

[dagoof]

I self-taught on a Ryobi 3200 - do yourself a favour, don't! It took years of pulling my hair out before I knew the ins-and-outs of running litho and I'm still learning. This isn't remotely like running a copier - it can be done, but without help, it's not likely to be productive.