PPP Screenprinting just got cheaper!

[jkokura]

Small consolation indeed.

I wonder if a clear coating would be necessary to protect the finish though? I'll obviously be testing my batch when they arrive, and if I find issues, i'll be grabbing some sort of poly spray to coat them with. I was hoping to get away from clear coating though.

Jacob

[Rockhorst]

the only real negative is my box came back with some extra printing on the top corners. it looked like two registration marks or something, printed in black. i've tried to get these off with my fingernail and with painter's tape but neither one worked.

Try acetone.

Jacob

DON'T try acetone! Fair chance of eating into your powder coat as well (I had it happen before with an orange PPP enclosure).

@Pickdropper: PPP do commercial stuff as well, like Mojo Hand FX pedals...I can't imagine that working out if their printing was so sensitive. Did you contact PPP, Pickdropper?

[aziltz]

the new Mojohand Rook Royale doesn't seem to have problems with the printing coming off.

[BraindeadAudio]

Here is what I found out by calling.

They raised the price to 2.30$ from 1$ a unit for a previous screen, and tacked on a 10$ charge on top of that.
No matter if you order 5 or 250.

This new machine, the lowest cost you can get is 4$ per unit printed.



Edit: Do not take this as me putting down the fact that DIY makers have access to better final products now, this is in fact great for small runs and early prototype runs without having to commit to a single layout.

[pickdropper]

Small consolation indeed.

I wonder if a clear coating would be necessary to protect the finish though? I'll obviously be testing my batch when they arrive, and if I find issues, i'll be grabbing some sort of poly spray to coat them with. I was hoping to get away from clear coating though.

Jacob

You'd have to try it, but I expect that clearcoating would fix the issue (if you even have the issue).

[pickdropper]

the only real negative is my box came back with some extra printing on the top corners. it looked like two registration marks or something, printed in black. i've tried to get these off with my fingernail and with painter's tape but neither one worked.

Try acetone.

Jacob

DON'T try acetone! Fair chance of eating into your powder coat as well (I had it happen before with an orange PPP enclosure).

@Pickdropper: PPP do commercial stuff as well, like Mojo Hand FX pedals...I can't imagine that working out if their printing was so sensitive. Did you contact them, Pickdropper?

Just to be totally clear on this:

I think that PPP does great work and, as a company, stands for a high quality product.  I have done business with them in the past and will continue to do business with them in the future.  I have indeed contacted them with my findings.  I expect they will be helpful, as they always have been in the past.

I am aware that they have been doing silk screening for a while using a traditional method and that they do it for a number of pedal companies and that the quality is without question.  Obviously, they have a new process and there may still be some inconsistency that needs to be worked out.  This is common with any new process and I don't view it as reflecting poorly on PPP.  Just that there are issues that need to be addressed.  We've all been there.

The only reason I posted it is so that others, like Jacob, who have ordered these, can check the quality before sending it on through to a customer or spending a bunch of time building a pedal only to have problems at the end.

Written tone can come across wrong in forum posts like this one.  I am definitely not slamming PPP.  I hope nobody is put off from dealing with PPP; I certainly am not.  Hopefully, this is isolated to my enclosures.  I do think it is probably smart for everybody to check while the bugs are worked out.  I actually think it is smart to check even after the bugs are worked out no matter what vendor the boxes come from.  IQC is standard for most companies, and generally a good idea.

[BraindeadAudio]

Yes but I am greatly worried about this new machine being able to print on hammertone/vein cases as well as the old way.

Setbacks, gotta love them.

[jkokura]

Yes but I am greatly worried about this new machine being able to print on hammertone/vein cases as well as the old way.

Setbacks, gotta love them.

One of the pluses is that this machine does a lot more than the old screenprinting process was capable. Yes, it used to be $1 an enclosure, but that was likely for one colour, using a method that is readily available many places. There are at least two places in my town where I can get enclosures screened. That's not to say that it's not a bummer, but think of the advantages. As many colours as you want? That's unheard of. No setup fee for printed enclosures? That's unheard of.

For $4 an enclosure, you can get as many colours as you want, with no setup fee. If you still want a single colour, maybe it's time to find a local option that will do it for $1 a box after your setup fee. PPP is still the premier place to get enclosures powder coated. I know this is different than you're used to though, so I appreciate that it's a bit of a bummer in terms of your regular business practices.

Truth is, lots of the costs have come down. 3PDTs are better and less costly than ever before. Even jacks, pots, and the boxes themselves are lower cost. Even at the new rate of 2.30 per enclosure instead of 1.00, in the end, the additional price of 1.30 over your original price is something you can add to the costs of your customers, or find ways to shave off the other components.

Please don't take this as a 'stop whining' sort of comment, because I do appreciate your situation. Instead, take this as a, 'look at the bright side' sort of comment.

Jacob

[BraindeadAudio]

Yes but I am greatly worried about this new machine being able to print on hammertone/vein cases as well as the old way.

Setbacks, gotta love them.

One of the pluses is that this machine does a lot more than the old screenprinting process was capable. Yes, it used to be $1 an enclosure, but that was likely for one colour, using a method that is readily available many places. There are at least two places in my town where I can get enclosures screened. That's not to say that it's not a bummer, but think of the advantages. As many colours as you want? That's unheard of. No setup fee for printed enclosures? That's unheard of.

For $4 an enclosure, you can get as many colours as you want, with no setup fee. If you still want a single colour, maybe it's time to find a local option that will do it for $1 a box after your setup fee. PPP is still the premier place to get enclosures powder coated. I know this is different than you're used to though, so I appreciate that it's a bit of a bummer in terms of your regular business practices.

Truth is, lots of the costs have come down. 3PDTs are better and less costly than ever before. Even jacks, pots, and the boxes themselves are lower cost. Even at the new rate of 2.30 per enclosure instead of 1.00, in the end, the additional price of 1.30 over your original price is something you can add to the costs of your customers, or find ways to shave off the other components.

Please don't take this as a 'stop whining' sort of comment, because I do appreciate your situation. Instead, take this as a, 'look at the bright side' sort of comment.

Jacob

I dont like to cut corners, nor pass off costs to customers, it isnt an honest way of doing things.

I personally, am not a fan of the multi color artwork on pedals, I like the stark, clean studio gear asthetic, but I guess you gotta bite the bullet until I can get everything done in house.

[Rockhorst]

@pickdropper: nothing wrong with your written tone IMO. PPP is a pretty stand up company as far as customer service goes, from what I know. Made a drilling error once and sent me a new box for free...overseas. So no problemo there.

@braindeadaudio: I can see how this upsets you...hope you can work something out somehow.

[pickdropper]

OK, got an update from PPP.  They have confirmed that this is an issue with the satin black enclosures (they were able to reproduce the problem).  They are going to work with the paint vendor to fix this.  It seems very likely that they will be able to work out the bugs.

It is, apparently, not a problem with any of the other color enclosures.  Connie said that she scratched with her fingernail as hard as she could when first testing the machine and was not able to rub it off.

So this is very good news.

[jkokura]

Ah dang. I ordered a set of boxes for the Hamlet+ in Satin Black. :/ Hopefully they'll catch the issue. I sent an email off saying that if this is still a problem, maybe I should change the enclosure's powdercoat colour.

Jacob

[pickdropper]

Ah dang. I ordered a set of boxes for the Hamlet+ in Satin Black. :/ Hopefully they'll catch the issue. I sent an email off saying that if this is still a problem, maybe I should change the enclosure's powdercoat colour.

Jacob

If they haven't shipped them already, I can't imagine they would run that job until they've fixed the issue.  I believe they are quite concerned with quality.

[BraindeadAudio]

Edited until I figure out what we will work out for this mistake.

[steveperiod]

i was just able to check the enclosure i received and can confirm that the ink did not come off at all with my fingernail, no matter how hard i worked it. might not be much of a bright spot based on what braindeadaudio is saying.