Wildgoose

Hotronix Laser Alignment

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I purchased the Hotronix Laser Alignment system and have absolutely loved it. Kind of expensive but for high production it is very helpful. I decided to post a video to show it off. No major technical details because Hotronix has a video out that provides some of the detailed stuff. Mine just shows the basics and a run through a two color from and back shirt. 

 

 

Hopefully this info will help someone in the future who is contemplating the purchase. 

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Nice demonstration!

 

I received mine last week. At first I was a little underwhelmed with the whole thing, and wondered if it was worth the price tag.

 

I set a center line then two parallel lines perpendicular to the center line at 2.5" apart, most of the shirts I make are 2.5 inches down from the bottom of the collar. I still fold the shirt in half and press a center line in the shirt. 

 

Best thing is if I bump or move the laser alignment base it doesn't matter, because the lines are set against themselves, position the center line back to the center of the post and go.

 

After making 30 or so shirts its completely worth it.

 

20150403_164311_zpse4tk0tmj.jpg

 

Goose after seeing you use the Fusion I now know I need one! I've been contemplating buying a better press and watching demo videos are one thing but seeing someone use it "for real" not just demonstrating the machine really sold me on it.

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The fusion is sweet just pay attention to how FREAKIN' HUGE it is and be sure you have that kind of work space. I think that workbench is 44" deep and I wish it was 48". It does have the draw action also but I find it causes too much moving around to pull it out so I don't use it during high production but still handy some times especially when changing platens out. 

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The fusion is sweet just pay attention to how FREAKIN' HUGE it is and be sure you have that kind of work space. I think that workbench is 44" deep and I wish it was 48". It does have the draw action also but I find it causes too much moving around to pull it out so I don't use it during high production but still handy some times especially when changing platens out. 

Ya gotta get creative with your workspace.

 

Picture the slide out cabinet shelves you can get in custom cabinets these days......Have that on your desktop so the press slides out when you need it and slide in when not in use.  Or, a shelf "ON" the desktop on drawer sliders...Slick as snot I tell ya!

 

I have drawer slides that will hold well over 100 lbs

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I will say the one thin about my current heat press is I can't "Thread" a shirt on the platen very easy or at all for that matter.  The way they designed the base was sort of...Well....DUMB.

 

Hmmm, might make a good metal shop project...LOL

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Ya gotta get creative with your workspace.

 

Picture the slide out cabinet shelves you can get in custom cabinets these days......Have that on your desktop so the press slides out when you need it and slide in when not in use.  Or, a shelf "ON" the desktop on drawer sliders...Slick as snot I tell ya!

 

I have drawer slides that will hold well over 100 lbs

That press weight was 150lbs shipped. Pretty heavy and the same problem would be encountered with having it stuck out into the room you would then also have to have your laser device out on the same sliding portion. Nice idea though. You don't HAVE to swing it you can draw out the lower platen but this causes you to be out away from the workbench and having to move over and get hold of your HTV so you end up exhausted at the end of a large job. and again the laser would have to be set out at the fully draw location. Bottom line you just need a big workbench. Wouldn't be an issue if I had a shop or a room big enough to have the press out away from the wall on a center workbench. 

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Do you have a problem with that top platen moving your designs around ?   Seems to wobble quite a bit back and forth while you're pressing it down.   Just curious.  

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Do you have a problem with that top platen moving your designs around ?   Seems to wobble quite a bit back and forth while you're pressing it down.   Just curious.  

Nope, most Siser products have a sticky carrier so they stay put. If you are doing printed transfers you might have to be careful or sublimation then I either use a spray tack or some heat tape to keep things where they need to be. 

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My Hotronix wobbles and I've never had it be an issue. I do hundred of shirt transfers ever month along with a fair amount of sublimation. As far as siser goes I just ordered another 50 yard of white hoping to make it into mid may before I run out of white again. Once the platen touches down it stays put while I clamp the rest of the way down.

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Your swings away, mines won't. I wonder if the laser will work just as well for the 16x20 Auto Clam.

 

hehehe....GREAT VIDEO! I was looking at your wall to see if there was a dent in it yet ;) !!!

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I was looking at your wall to see if there was a dent in it yet ;) !!!</p></blockquote>

Mine actually lines up perfectly with a surface mounted receptacle so much so that the metal receptacle cover is dented to crap from when I forget

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i only go thru 5 yards of white every umm.. 3-4 months lol

I think you can build this laser thing your self from parts from amazon for like $50

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i only go thru 5 yards of white every umm.. 3-4 months lol

I think you can build this laser thing your self from parts from amazon for like $50

 

Link?

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I think $50 is a little low, best I found is the Quarton Laser Module VLM-650-28 LPT for $25. (sorry can't paste links for some reason) The video showed 4 lines so you'd spend at least $100 for the lasers, plus another $15 or so for a power supply and you'd still need a way to mount the lasers so you can adjust them.

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I think $50 is a little low, best I found is the Quarton Laser Module VLM-650-28 LPT for $25. (sorry can't paste links for some reason)  

DS, I was using Internet Explorer and couldn't quote or paste links for ANYTHING :( Then I read a post from Jennifer that same thing happened to her. She switched to Google Chrome and everything worked well after that. I tried it too and WAHLAA ;D  ;D  ;D !!!!!!!!!!!

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