Which Canvas Stretcher?

[kbolin]

I'm entering the canvas printing and framing field after many years of doing traditional printing and have printed a few canvas prints lately and now ready to stretch them with a machine.  

I'm going to be stretching a lot of prints so I only want the best stretchers possible at a reasonable price.

Which one is better?

Canvas Stretcher Machine  www.canvas-stretching-machine.com  

or

Tensador II http://www.tensadorii.com/home ??

Both look like great machines and at the moment I like the Canvas Stretcher Machine but the Tensador appears to have better tension.

What are your experiences and which machine would you purchase??

[neile]

I've never used either, but the Tensador II is the one shown in the LLVJ #19 episode where Michael met with Andrew Collette and learned how Andrew stretches many, many, prints a year.

Neil

[ghaynes754]

I have the Canvas Stretcher and love it.  In practice either one is excellent.  I bought the CS because it doesn't take up as much room as the Tensador.  I just saw John, owner and inventor, at the WCAF show and he is able to do the stapling from the front side.  But everyone else I know seems to walk around to the back side to do canvas stapling.  If you need to do that then while you are using it you need to get to the back side taking up some space, which I didn't have.

As to tension I wondered the same thing and when I was at WCAF tested the tension by thumping on a couple of canvases that John and Randy Hufford had on display.  Couldn't tell any difference between what they had and what I get with the CS.  May also be a function of whether you have a 100% cotton canvas (I use Hahnemuhle Monet) or one of the more common cotton/poly blends.  I would make an assumption that the cotton/poly has slightly less stretch and tighter tension.

I had one question on the size of the push plates and CS immediately sent me some that were more adjustable.

I like being able to lay the artwork on my work table and do all of the work right there.  If you watch Andrew Collette in the LLJ19 video you see him layout on his work table, and then go back and forth to his Tensador.  WIth the CS you stay in one place.

I know that Dan Berg who posts here and does a bunch of work also has one and maybe he will chime in.

Gary

[dgberg]

Kelly,
Like Gary I have the 60" unit and really love it as well.. You can turn the air pressure up as high as you feel comfortable with. Ive done 40 but thats double the suggested 20. You will start getting cracks though the back side edges real fast at those higher pressures. If you call the company you can get more information on a new model they have coming out. Auto stapler and hold downs for the top. Looks real slick. I was told some time ago that it is not available at this time in the US. I think that was last summer.
The 60" unit I have now was just fine when I purchased it a year ago. I am now doing 8' + panos and stretching those by hand.
I can tell you this if I had to do them all by hand I would be doing something else. Canvas stretcher sells a bolt on unit that can give you more then the 60" standard,it might be 96" or 120" not sure. I plan to get it!  I offer canvas workshops and cover everything about canvas and the equipment required to run a business. You may want to consider a day in Pennsylvania to try all of this equipment at one spot. Well worth the investment.

When I built this cabinet I really had no plans to do any thing larger then 24 X 48. Thus the cabinet depth of 50" Now that I have a 9900 and am printing 8 and 10 foot panos my present setup still works well for those smaller wraps. Once I add the extension I am building a 10' X 8' table in the cabinet shop for stretching those big bad boys.
When I stretched these 8 footers shown in the photograph I moved the stretcher to a table in the center of the room and used the stretcher machine for the short ends and then stretched the remaining 2 long sides by hand. The Mono Lake snow pano is not stretched it is adhesived to Gatorboard and will get a frame,the other 2 are gallery wraps.
I know you didn't ask for all this but I would have skipped the 7900 and gone straight to the 9900 if I knew what I know today.
Everyone seems to want big.

[kbolin]

Thanks everyone!

Dan, Thanks for including pics of your setup it really helped clarify the bench, etc.  

I'm going for CS... seems the way to go.  I'll give them a call and get details on the auto-stapler, etc. and if there is anything new I'll let you know.

Thanks again!

[Doyle Yoder]

Thanks everyone!

Dan, Thanks for including pics of your setup it really helped clarify the bench, etc.  

I'm going for CS... seems the way to go.  I'll give them a call and get details on the auto-stapler, etc. and if there is anything new I'll let you know.

Thanks again!

I don't think you can go wrong with the Canvas Stretcher Machine. I see they call it the Gallery Stretcher now. Greg and Dave are great guys to work with.

As for the top hold down, it defiantly is something you want if it is available. The last time I was in their shop they were working on it but were not satisfied with it at that point. That was probably a year ago or so. Anyway I had build my own as you can see in the blurb on their web site #4.

I do not have the automatic stapler, but I have seen it work. If you are doing a lot of canvas it would be something to consider, and I believe you can add it on later if you want.

Doyle