Hot foil machines

[FaitLaForce]

Alright, I'm overwhelmed by hot foiling machines, and seeking advice. 

I'm in the market for a hot foil machine, we've been using an arbor press, and I'm ready to add foil to our customization options, but don't know the best direction to go. I have about $700 to spend on one and am just confused. I want to be able to mount my brass tamps on the press without using the tape that I've seen people write about. Does anyone have any experience with the Kingsley presses? Would I be able to do that on this one? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kingsley-hot-foil-stamping-machine-model-M-50-type-and-type-holders-/282085520442

Just looking for some guidance before pulling the trigger.

 

[Northmount]

Take a look at these links

https://www.facebook.com/KingsleyMachineCo/

http://www.ebay.com/gds/BUYING-A-HOT-STAMP-MACHINE-/10000000000751965/g.html

Kingsley are good presses, but are now antiques.

You will need to have some method of attaching your brass stamp to a block in the type holder.  The double sided tape makes that easy.  There is very little working space under the type holder, so would be difficult to place the stamp, press it down to heat it up, then remove it, place the stamp on your leather, then move the package back under the type holder, keeping everything perfectly in position.  

When your stamp is properly attached to the block in the type holder, you let it warm up to the desired temperature, position your leather, pull down the lever pressing the stamp into the leather for a few seconds.  The dwell time you need depends on the foil, leather, and amount of pressure you apply.

Tom

[RockyAussie]

That 2nd link is an excellent recommendation to read. Without knowing the work requirements it is very hard to offer advise. The Kingsley machine as in the ebay listing I have 1 among many other types and this one would be used here very rarely and only when I need to set up lettering.The letter sets here in my opinion is the main value in that deal.In my work I have many different products and I need to have a wide base to put in and attach different templates to expedite line ups.The brass stamps are good for your own main one but I have many many others for different brand names and there would be nearly every week a new stamp to be made up. One of the states in the government area here in Australia has now 6 different stamps made in only 3 years.Magnesium is a lot cheaper and quickly made. I generally send them the pdf and cdr file and have the stamp in my hand next day.

[FaitLaForce]

Thanks so much for the help, guys, that eBay article was incredibly helpful. 

I guess I should elaborate a little on the amount of use the machine would get. 

I would most likely be running this machine daily, as we do private label production for other brands, and everything is stamped, and would like to have a little flexibility in the sizing, say a 4 inch minimum for stamping size. I'll be stamping mostly smaller goods, but also the occasional leather tote, but I don't think a smaller workspace would be a huge issue if I stamp before sewing. 

Rocky, how do the magnesium stamps hold up to heat? I'm up to close to 40 custom stamps right now for various clients, and the brass is quite pricey. 

Josh

[RockyAussie]

The magnesium holds up fine to heat but over years it oxidizes up a bit if not used regularly.A little bit of rubbing on some cardboard will generally clean it up. For doing the stamping such as your saying this would not be a suitable machine. To get good stamping you at times will need a lot of pressure for a start.

For quick change over of customer stamps for my main machine it has a bed that can pull out back and forward.This bed is heavy and I have tapped into it with a couple of thumb screws such as found to hold sewing machine guides etc. I get a heap of strawboard (a type of cardboard) all cut to the same size as the base plate. This then all get the 2 holes for the screws put into the same positions. When a new stamp is done the cardboard is put in and stamped down onto it then when measure out and decide where to cut the whole etc. Therefor stamp is always set up for center and the base plate can move a little back and forward to suit position.Each stamp change over is generally less than 1 minute. If you find in stamping i think i put it this week you will find some results of some experimenting i have done on a drill press and the results are in the bottom 2 pics here.I think the drill press may be a little hard to get a lot of pressure but still good for most stamping.The slide shown here is very good in that you can just push into the heater holder without any screws etc to tighten. I have to do up some drawings for this slide this weekend for another member so I will let you know when I do it if you want.

[Leo877]

Hi, I am also looking for a hot foil machine. I came across these machine on Ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hot-Foil-Stamping-Printing-Machine-Tipper-PVC-Credit-Card-2-Free-Foil-Paper-US-/231941872915?hash=item3600d01d13:g:RMoAAOSw~oFXNAf0 and http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-WTJ-90A-Manual-Hot-Foil-Stamping-Machine-PVC-Plastic-Card-Tipper-Stamper-/282122448643?hash=item41afceef03:g:wtYAAOSwyQtVxBgY. Has anyone had any experience with them? My budget is limited. Any input would greatly appreciated.