# My Geo Knight Maxi Heat Press Experience - There are many reasons to by from an American company



## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

Four years ago I bought a Geo Knight Maxi press, duel platen, air driven, and 40”x64”, at a trade show with very little knowledge of dye sublimation.

Had a few issues with it from day one and Aaron Knight wanted me to return it and have the issues fixed. My Dye Sublimation division was staring to take off and I decided I would deal with the issues and fix it myself. Mike please don’t read any further. Smile

I took the press apart and made some repairs under Aaron’s direction. I always needed too much air pressure to get a complete print on 3x5 foot flags. Corners were always light. Flash forward 4 years-----------.

During the 2012 SGIA show I spend some time with Aaron in his booth. We were talking about old times and the Maxi and he said,” Pack it up and send it back to his factory and we will fix it once and for all”, and I finally agreed.
I started to delay again 75 days or so because we were busy and taking it apart, packing it up, is an all-day pain. We had a seasonal slowdown and finally pulled the trigger and did it over Thanksgiving. Aaron drop everything at his plant in Mass. turned it around in two days and shipped it back at no charge. I questioned the no charge and he said it wasn’t right from day one and just because it was out of warranty by 3 years that did not matter. Geo Knight makes things RIGHT. WOW he even paid the shipping back to me in Missouri, which was not cheap.

Next time you’re thinking about spending $1200.00 for a 16”x20” Or $27,000.00 for a large heat press like I spent. Please consider this. A quality press, from a quality AMERICAN company, run by a Quality Yankee American. WOW


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

skdave said:


> Four years I bought a Geo Knight Maxi press, duel platen, air driven, and 40”x64”, at a trade show with very little knowledge of dye sublimation.
> 
> Had a few issues with it from day one and Aaron Knight wanted me to return it and have the issues fixed. My Dye Sublimation division was staring to take off and I decided I would deal with the issues and fix it myself. *Mike please don’t read any further. Smile*
> 
> ...


Dave, of course I was going to read further but you knew that. 

If you took it upon yourself to DIY and you felt you could do the repair and return the equipment to a safe condition afterwards then no big deal.

I think you misunderstood my "rant" about this before. 

I take issue with those that neither have the expertise or parts available and try and "train" others (that may or may not be competent) in the forums to do these repairs. 

Any risk you took with the safety of the equipment afterwards ... it was your own risk, but you are not "teaching" others irresponsibly to do this. 

I agree on the quality issue, either you buy a "disposable" heat press or you buy a good one. I have a 15 x 15 GK Knight clamshell that is over 20 years old, still works fine, only needed 1 repair which I did myself and got the part from G Knight. 

I also have a Hix digital 16 x 20 (got in 2008) and a G Knight 16 x 20 DK20 (got in 2005) as I outgrew the 15 x 15 but still have it. The DK20 only needed a part under warrranty that has the buzzer that sounds after the dwell, they sent it right out. I did the repair because I knew how to install the part correctly and return the press to a safe condition. 

If I didn't know how to do this then at least I could get the thing diagnosed by the _experts_ that manufactured it AND get the part, then get someone competent who could do the repair safely. Or as in your case once you had to send the big monster back to the experts to do this for you.

Based on my experience with heat presses you get what you pay for.


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

Mike, I agree with everthing you just said.
Geo Knight is awesome. 
I hope you have a Merry Christmas.
Dave


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## pisquee (Jan 8, 2012)

(From the perspective of this website having a worldwide audience) I would say in more general terms, your point is more about buying good quality equipment from a reputable company with a good customer support in your local area, rather than having to buy USA manufactured equipment. There are companies that fall under this description from other countries, not just exclusively in USA.


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