Digital Press machines

[Kelly Bradford]

Hello everyone,
I'm really hoping you can help me out and give me some advice.
I have recently started up a stationary business specialising in wedding invitations, its going really well but I am looking at equipment to improve my designs.

I have been trying (and failing) to find a way of doing a couple of things, but cannot seem to find an easy and professional way. Someone has suggested a digital print machine but I believe these can be thousands of pounds. I am looking at purchasing some equipment and I am hoping you wonderful people will be able to recommend things to me.

1) I have been trying to produce 'foiling' to my invitations and have tried all sorts of ways to do this, none really get the professional look - can anyone recommend a foiling machine?

2) I have been trying to find a way of producing white text/images onto colour card - I have even tried to print the background colour leaving the white parts white... but I'm having difficulty turning black images white (PNG's etc), so...
a) Can anyone recommend a printer which will allow me to do this?
b) Anyone know an easy way to turn a black PNG to white (when I do it, because it has a white background, the whole image turns white).

3) Just for information, does anyone know a digital press print machine which would suit a small business like mine? I believe you can do everything I need on one of these. I currently work from home. As you can probably tell, I am not a graphic designer and do not have prices to reflect that (feel free to look at my page on Facebook kellysbyinvitationonly)

I am hoping I can find a digital press machine which enable me to print white, foil etc... everything what a stationary business would like to do, then I am hoping to lease one for a reasonable cost which won't eat into my running costs to much..... am i being unrealistic?

Anyway, ANY help anybody can offer, I would be eternally grateful

Kelly

 

[Page]

You are asking to many and non ecommerce related questions to make this a useful thread

ebay is a bigger friend than you might imagine on this area when it comes to equipment

You need to print the black around the white - google is your friend

Start small and get others to do your printing if need be
And then when you have a proven business you can spend and by then you will know what you want

 

[Mr D]

Have you looked at craft sites regarding foil?

 

[The next Steve Jobs]

Visit u tube, many how to vids on there

 

[DavidWH]

It is all possible. using different methods, some pro's some cons.

1) Foiling - traditionally done using a block and a foil, but you will need to get a block made for each design, and have the equipment to emboss the material and foil. You than have a cost of a new block for each design.

If you saw on the news yesterday about Harry's invitations going out, they showed the block and the process on the BBC as part of the report.

That said, you can apply a foil using a new laninating film, where you print the card, laminate the card, print black where the foil needs to go, and laminate with a foil, it only sticking where the black is.

Great, no set up costs, BUT, you need a digital machine, the correct laminator and registration will be an issue.

2) Printing white - it can be done with the correct equipment.

A litho press could print a white spot colour... but then you'll need a press, plate maker, guillotine etc.

Screen printing too would work with a spot colour, but much slower than a press.

I think there are digital presses that have a spot colour feature, maybe a HP indigo or similar.

There are other digital machines that can print white, some UV ink ones, but they aren't really designed for printing card.

To do it yourself, properly with the right tools is going to cost a small fortune. Or look locally for a small jobbing printer who would be able to help out.

 

[DavidWH]

I see from your FB you're in Bolton, drop me an email, I can give you some contacts who may be able to help.

Like the passports you do.

 

[The Byre]

The OP is in reality asking "Please tell me everything I need to know about high-end art printing!"

Mastering all those techniques takes a decade or two and all kinds of sophisticated machinery.