Is the Yudu Screen Printing Machine Worth the Money?

Have you ever wanted to make t-shirts for a group, like a family reunion or a bachelorette party? Sure, you could use many of the iron on letters or fabric paints offered at craft stores, but they tend to have that homemade look. But to get a professional look, you would have to pay a screen printed set up charges and printing fees, which add up very quickly.

Provo Craft saw the opportunity to fill the need for an at home printing system, and did so with the Yudu machine. The Yudu looks like a big scanner with a plastic frame on top, due to the fact that it was designed as a compact device. The Yudu costs upwards of $200, and many crafters want to know if it is worth shelling out this kind of money for the printing set up. The answer is: maybe. There are three factors to consider before purchasing the Yudu: personal skill level, expense, and how often you plan to print.

Personal Skill Level

The Yudu has a pretty steep learning curve, so you will want to ask yourself if you pick up new skills quickly or if you have the patience to allow yourself to make many mistakes while you get the hang of using the system. The Yudu comes with directions and a DVD, but there are nuances that will take time to learn. For example, the instructions will tell you it will take 7-10 minutes to expose the screen. But as a new printer, you will need to learn how to tell if the screen is properly exposed or if you need to increase exposure time. Skills such as this one will take time and experience to learn.

Expense

Aside from the Yudu's purchase price, you also need to consider the cost of the consumable things you will need to repeatedly buy, such as ink and emulsion sheets. Yudu recommends using only their brand of such items, which tend to be expensive. For example, 3 ounces of the Yudu brand printing ink costs approximately $8, while Speedball brand inks cost about $20 for 32 ounces. Comparing cost per ounce, the Yudu ink comes in at $2.67 per ounce versus only $0.60 per ounce for the Speedball. If you want to save money using off brand products, you can take your chances, but results are not guaranteed.

How Often You Plan to Print

If you plan to print many projects or even start a small business selling shirts, the Yudu may make monetary sense over time. However, if you just want to print shirts for one reunion, the machine is a costly way to do so. Other options, such as PhotoEZ screen printing stencils and finding a service online such as customink.com may be the best answer for you.

The Yudu is likely a good buy for the serious crafter who is dedicated to learning to screen print but doesn't want to invest in even more expensive professional screen printing supplies. However, the skill required and expenses don't justify themselves for a casual crafter.