Thursday, January 28, 2010

Do You YuDo?

I saw an infomercial on a DIY silk screening product this morning.

Of course, I wonder about the durability of the product and cost/hassle of getting replacement materials (if you don't use their ink and transparencies, you damage the machine), and the positioning of the product is hazy, somewhere between a craft tool and an actual piece of professional hardware.

Though I think this could be a good tool for individuals or small organizations that want/need to produce, say, between 10-20 items at a time, the amount of effort to produce those items seems to go beyond a simple hobby. And since small organizations may not have the time or the staff to devote to this stuff—even if I thought we could use it, I shudder to think about getting it for my work—many would still find it cheaper to outsource their silk screening.

Still, I thought it was interesting how they have a process of creating what is essentially a printing plate and then using it to apply ink to virtually anything, from shirts to shopping bags. If you're committed, for instance, you can create some effective business cards using paper stocks that would never fit through a laser printer.