Looking now at an offset press for printing local newspaper. I'm thinking 22 x 18 format, 2 color. Is there anything new and user friendly(ier) out there, or are we still looking at massive mechanical beasts that basically haven't changed since the 1930's. I'm also hoping as well to get away from darkroom and print plates digitally.
I'll be going to Toronto graphics show with this in mind, and I'm hoping some of you may be able to guide my search in a particular direction.
Posted by The Moon (Member # 452) on :
What's your run going to be? 1,000 - 5,000 - 25,000?
What format is the paper in now? Full 6 col. x 21" sheets or is a Tab?
Do they run any color? Spot - Full
What technology does the paper have to set it up in for you? Cut & Paste - Digital Paginated Files
Depending on the answers to these questions... depends on which way you should go. Web Presses are the most common presses used for newspapers, but again it totally depends on ALL the facts about this "project" or "career".
The newsie side of the Moon
(Worked EVERY job at the local paper except "reporter" and that's only because I was "lazy". )
Posted by Richard Bustamante (Member # 370) on :
Normally for newspaper printing, you use an offset web press. If its a small area with small runs; the one to get is a Rockwell Goss Community.
These presses are designed for short runs, but does long runs as well. They run on a continuous web.(one long roll of paper) They run about 20K impressions per hour.
Support equipment: lithographic camera, plate burner, plate bender, forklift with the "jaws of Death", inks, and a numerous amount of other things.
How do I know this? Experience! I was a press operator on one of those presses. I also was a press operator on a "Goss urbanite". A "Ditty", a "multi", even a "heidelberg" letter press.
Good luck. -Rich
Posted by TransLab (Member # 470) on :
Run will be 3500, 28 page (7 sheet) 18" x 11 after fold. Looking at black plus 1 highlight color, spot by necessity. Layout on Quark, output on whatever it takes.
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
there are some really nice newer presses around, digital, color whatever you could wish for. High speed color presses, many are digital where the piece is sent directly from the computer.
AB Dick presses are going for around 4 grand.. some are as low as 2 grand for one that operates.
I sold a AB dick T head press a few years ago because I finally figured that "they" could do it cheaper than i could do it. The guy that bought it is still running it and making money. He still does all my flyers too.
there are somany presses around that will do it for whole sale.. Contract it out.. i do over 240,000 flyers a year and all of them are contracted.
[ October 01, 2003, 02:40 PM: Message edited by: Curtis hammond ]
Posted by pcbytes (Member # 1444) on :
I have printed onto polyester plates that print directly from my laser printer and are used on the printing press. No darkroom needed and way cheaper and faster and they are made for 10,000 impressions or less and I am sure their are ways to increase this number by the way they are treated. But for you running 3800 copies they would be perfect. Also if one gets damaged you just reprint and you are back running the press in no time.
Posted by Print Wright (Member # 850) on :
Hi Mike You are up for a lot of expense to get set-up for such a project. Economical press sizes are in the 15x18" range and they have economical digital platemaking options, eg., HP5000/5010 laser printers will burn plates. Your size means considerable outlay for the offset + outlays for a plate burner.You can make plates from laser transparencies, alternatively buy in film (big$$$s). Additional outlays would be a folder and perhaps a guillotine. Unless you have a perfector you will have to print each side individually. In practical terms allow an hour per side printing per colour (unless 2 colours), + collating and folding. For such a small job you would be better off farming it out. Kerry
Posted by Stephen Broughton (Member # 2237) on :
I went all nostalgic on reading this, worked in print for 15 years from leaving school at 16 Well Mike, Kerry is right , (g'day mate ready for the poms to take home the world cup ), also you're gonna need a lot of space too for the folder, guillotine, tables to collate on, also lots of nasty highly flammable solvents & inks, storage for your paper which must be kept at a decent humidity as damp paper is a bugger to run through a press somewhere to get rid of all the waste paper and chemicals etc. etc. by the sound of the size of paper you want to print you're looking at an SRA2 sized press maybe a Solna 224. Good Luck but I think I would farm it out.
[ October 03, 2003, 04:22 AM: Message edited by: Stephen Broughton ]
Posted by TransLab (Member # 470) on :
Thanks Guys for the suggestions,
½ of my business now is from printing, using copiers, lasers and various duplicators. I already own a 22" challenge cutter (hydraulic beast), a collator/folder would be a necessity. I buy paper by the skid as it is, (have forklift) adding newsprint to the mix wouldn't be difficult. Space in new digs is no issue. I'm using 4000 sq ft of 6500 sq ft building. Farming anything out from here isn't practical, I'm literally 500 miles from nowhere, and it's for that reason that the opportunity has presented itself. For this project funding is not out of the question, local support at all levels is strong. At this point I'm just crunching the numbers and seeing what would be required.
Posted by dispatch (Member # 1053) on :
You don't mention -- is that a daily paper or weekly??? A weekly might be adaptable to a single press, 4 up format, just a few sheets,
You are probably in a little nich where bigger or smaller are a lot easier!
For that small a run, I would suspect that the driving distance might not preclude a substantial distance, you just need a (leased) truck, 1 driver, and a shop elsewhere needing to fill in a odd bit of their schedule. Posted by Ray Rheaume (Member # 3794) on :
Mike,
I spoke with a local printer here in the neighborhood and he recommended trying this link out for used equipment...
Hope this helps. Rapid
Posted by Print Wright (Member # 850) on :
Hi We recently sold our signage/printing business. While we could do a lot of our own printing economics demanded that a lot of it be farmed out, sometimes to over 500 miles away, and the majority to 250 to 300 miles away. We were gradually moving to the position of farming out all but emergency jobs. You will have to make a considerable investment in time and money to be able to do this job effectively and reliably. I to always bought 2nd hand. Invariably there are unresolved problems with the machinery, and you have to have the ability to track them down and solve them. There can be a steep learning curve to even operate good running machinery. The problem as I see it is too large an investment for 1 job. It may be feasible if you can easily get more work. 15-20 hours a week would be minimal. Remember that there are a lot of printers scratching for work and trying to survive with major investments in machinery Kerry
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), also you're gonna need a lot of space too for the folder, guillotine, tables to collate on, also lots of nasty highly flammable solvents & inks, storage for your paper which must be kept at a decent humidity as damp paper is a bugger to run through a press ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
somewhere to get rid of all the waste paper and chemicals etc. etc. by the sound of the size of paper you want to print you're looking at an SRA2 sized press maybe a Solna 224. Good Luck but I think I would farm it out.![[Dunno]](graemlins/dunno.gif)