Post # 1
Member
11 posts
Newbee
Hello hive!
I’m hoping I can find some help to answer a few questions for a first-time gocco-er. I’m looking to do several gocco projects for both my wedding and a friend’s wedding. As a first timer, I’m starting to look for supplies, specifically from ebay, but I’m a little unsure as to how many supplies to get.
1. Do you need one screen for each bulb you get? Or is there a better ratio to estimate?
2. How far would one tube of paint get me if I was printing invitations? I know this completely depends on how many we’re doing, how big the invites are, etc., but maybe someone else out there can let me know how far one tube got them?
3. Like I said, I’m looking to ebay for the supplies, is there another retailer that someone would suggest checking?
Any other tips you might have for a first-timer are greatly appreciated 🙂
Thanks!
Post # 3
Member
54 posts
Worker bee
1. Depending on what type of Gocco you have, there are different number of bulbs you need per screen. For the smaller PG-5 (the newer version is orange), you will need TWO one time use bulbs for ONE screen. For the larger Gocco, you will need 4.
http://northwoodstudios.tripod.com/
Northwood Studios is a great place for supplies and information. Plus, the owner is fabulously nice and easy to deal with.
Best of luck!
Post # 4
Member
406 posts
Helper bee
- Wedding: February 2009 - Small church ceremony with mountain-view log cabin reception
Check Northwood Studios for supplies and ink. If you’re burning one screen, you’ll use two bulbs. Most of the time, you can get them in a package deal. You’ll want to save the ink you don’t use (I save mine in the refridgerator and then warm it up with a hairdryer before use again), and that can help supplies last longer. How big is your invite design? That’s what will matter the most when you’re dealing with the ink. A little ink can go a long way with gocco, but it’s best not to run out because they’ll stop making the ink sooner or later. Good luck!
Post # 5
Member
63 posts
Worker bee
Ditto to the post above about northwoodstudios for supplies. Very fast shipping for stuff too so if you do run out you wont have to wait too long for stuff. keep in mind also that suppliers run out as well on their stock.
Bulbs are not re-useable sadly. Screens are depending on how large the image is that is burned onto it. If you have blank space, that area can be flashed again.
I have the large PG Arts version that takes 4 bulbs for the whole screen so I conserve as much as possible.
Buying the supplies gets expensive so be prepared for that. Also test your paper and ink combos, not all colors work well on all colors of paper, plus some paper is more absorbant then others and will effect your finished dried product.
Good luck! I love y gocco
Post # 6
Member
2324 posts
Buzzing bee
I have a PG Arts machine too, so I just bought 5 boxes of bulbs to start off with. I think they have 10 bulbs each, so I won’t run out for a little while. Soon though, I’m going to start stockpiling supplies! I’m so sad that I only found Gocco AFTER they stopped making them.
Post # 7
Member
2324 posts
Buzzing bee
Oh and the savegocco website has resources for supplies and machines. Flickr has a gocco group and so does yahoo.
Post # 8
Member
97 posts
Worker bee
I printed the front of around 100 invites with an ink-heavy design that was 3.5" square or so. I used about 3/4 of a tube of silver to do this, with some scraping of ink (leftover) on the screen afterwards. If you have lighter imagery, like text, or more delicate graphics a tube can get you pretty far.
I’ve been getting my supplies on etsy.
TIP 1: The screens do not print all the way out to the edge. I’ve had problems if I get graphics near the 1/2" or so just inside the "frame" of the screen… the screen just won’t expose graphics that close to the edge. Keep that in mind if you’re trying to print entire 3×5 cards or anything – it won’t work and you’ll have to do them piecemeal.
TIP 2: get some of the ink blocking foam they have and use it to keep the ink in smaller areas. it will save you from wasting tons of ink! Also think about the layout of your screens, so that you can utilize the most space, with the blocking foam, you can burn a screen for lots of smaller things you’d like to print (like a little monogram or whatever.)
TIP 3: mess around with your gocco and have enough supplies to truly test things out before you start a "real" project.
TIP 4: an old credit card or other plastic card works very well for scraping up extra ink left on the screen.
GOOD LUCK!!!!
Post # 9
Member
2324 posts
Buzzing bee
There is a great gocco tutorial on Flickr. She is great about saving ink and has very helpful hints and pictures. I can’t wait for mine to get here tomorrow!!!!http://www.flickr.com/photos/marissandrew/sets/72157604646119803/with/2428650421/
Post # 10
Member
245 posts
Helper bee
- Wedding: July 2007 - Rosary Chapel & Monterey Marriott, Monterey, CA
Check out the GOCCO wiki here on Weddingbee for lots of posts filled with tips and tricks and photos!
http://wiki.weddingbee.com/Gocco
Post # 11
Member
2324 posts
Buzzing bee
I just spent an hour reading the wiki on gocco. Great info!!
Post # 12
Member
200 posts
Helper bee
I have also found Northwood Studios to be great in their prices for the Gocco supplies and they have fabulous customer service.
Post # 13
Member
11 posts
Newbee
Does anyone know if a gocco will print on vellum?
Post # 14
Bee
263 posts
Helper bee
- Wedding: July 2008 - Oceanfront lawn and tent
yup. I printed gocco on vellum for my programs and it worked just fine. It did take a little longer to dry.
Member