[Need Help Selecting Which DTG Machine to Buy] Scared of Purchasing a DTG due to problems
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[Need Help Selecting Which DTG Machine to Buy] Scared of Purchasing a DTG due to problems
I run a screen printing company and I'm seriously thinking of adding a DTG machine to my arsenal. We get a lot of one quantity and low quantity requests for full color prints that screen printing would not be worth it and too expensive. I am also working on my personal retail line as well, so having a DTG will be awesome (I eventually want to sell my screen print shop and operate DTG from home).
Here are the requirements I am looking for:
1. Must be able to print white and on black shirts.
2. Looking for a large print size, our screen print max size is 17 x 21" so that would be great if the DTG can go that large as well.
3. Reliable of course. I hear Tjets breaking all the time. Brother and Kornit seems reliable, am I right on this one?
4. Budget is $10-$15k.
Last question, what are your operating costs for your DTG?
Last edited by TshirtGuru; February 7th, 2009 at 09:26 AM.
Brother (the first edition) will not print on dark and is above your budget as is the Kornit. I know the anajet will print on dark..but I am not sure of the size. I think your budget at this time is a bit low for a large format DTG that will do white and dark.
Equipment Zone answers a lot of questions here and also helps DTG owners even when they have not purchased from them. They also have re-furb units that seem to do well.. They had a T-Jet re-furb at ISS in Long Beach that had new heads and a completely redesigned ink system for under 10K. You might want to call them and see what they offer
Henry, which is better Ford or Chevy? All the DTG's have good and bad points. Read the posts on each brand of DTG then pick the one for your business model. We have an Anajet and like it a lot but have not used others so I can't be objective.
Best of luck, John
Thanks guys. I've been reading and it seems my budget is a bit low for printing on darks. One user I read about was using a Tjet 1, and upgraded it to print white but he sold his machine as he would rather shoot himself then deal with the white ink upgrade lol.
I do see equipment zones refurbs tjets for right under $10k. I will be giving them a call on Monday.
Henry, which is better Ford or Chevy? All the DTG's have good and bad points. Read the posts on each brand of DTG then pick the one for your business model. We have an Anajet and like it a lot but have not used others so I can't be objective.
Best of luck, John
For your price range you will only most like be able to get a printer that will print 12"x 16 -18"! As far as brands I would recommend going to a show with your own artwork and letting them print it and making your own decision! Hope this helps!
Thanks guys. I've been reading and it seems my budget is a bit low for printing on darks. One user I read about was using a Tjet 1, and upgraded it to print white but he sold his machine as he would rather shoot himself then deal with the white ink upgrade lol.
I do see equipment zones refurbs tjets for right under $10k. I will be giving them a call on Monday.
there is a dtg available for all budgets if your willing to put the time in. I have built a a3 format cmyk dtg for £150, im adding a one colour screenprint machine to do the white underbase shortly (should of been here by now if it wasnt for the weather!) so around £300 total with the cost of screens/ink included, one offs with the screenprint method wont be practical but i can live with that.
I have to agree Henry that for that price you are looking at a printer that will print around 12.5 x 20 size print. I would also check in your area to see what machine vendors are around you, to not only go see them in action, but also to make sure that if you need any tech service, they are close by, or within a reasonable distance.
I myself have the HM1 and if I still had the same machines to choose from that were available when I bought my machine, I would make the same exact choice I know there are a few new machines on the market now, but nothing that makes me want one of them : I really like the machine I have and have not seen any of the other machines, that have the same type of functions, such as the ink system.
Its really all going to come down to what features are important to you, and making sure to compare them before you buy The best advice is compare everything, and do lots of research so you know what you are getting.
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For the 17 by 21 print size you can get a used Flexi-jet Short model with white ink capabilities for under $10000 or the Flexi-jet Long size (which is what I own) with white capabilities goes used for $13000ish and can print 17 by 54.
I know of several individuals selling them used (not through me, just private sales) if you decide you are interested you can pm me.
... I am also working on my personal retail line as well, so having a DTG will be awesome (I eventually want to sell my screen print shop and operate DTG from home).
Might be a good advantage if you can screenprint and do DTG as well if you want to have your retail line.
Most requests are for darks so I'd rather not get anything if I can't print on darks. Most my retail line will be also on darks. I just got a PM from someone who makes NEO FLEX DTG. I think AA makes them, one of my screen printing press is made by AA and the press is decent, but I wonder if their DTG is any good. I don't see that listed as a DTG machine above. Any insights?
Just remember when using white ink on DTG, cost are very high : )
I have heard people talking about how expensive white ink is but I don't understand it. I pay less for white than I do for color ink. I pay $47.55 for 125 ml on colors (.3804 cents per ml.) and $165.00 for 500 ml for white (.33 cents per ml.) I put down one layer of white and two layers of color on dark shirts vs. just the two layers of color on light shirts so it adds a few cents per shirt in ink costs. The only other cost that I see is the pretreat. At $95.00 per gallon it can't be that much. I am sure that I am pretreating more than a couple of hundred shirts with a gallon. (47.5 cents per shirt at worst) To me the added work to actually produce a shirt is more important than the added cost. The difference in the cost of a dark vs. light shirt is probably more than the difference in the costs of ink or pretreat.
Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now.
I didn't intend to flame. Just have never been able to understand when someone talks about how expensive white ink is.
white ink just a little more per mL but you gotta put more of it down than color, clean heads more oftern = more cost, can clog head= cost, extra time to clean head .. Yatta Yatta Yatta it may cost oh $2 or so for ink, but when you add up wear/tear, longer time takes to print shirt, misprints/ not acceptable/longer time to heat which equal more on electrical bill, and so on...
Personally I think most important thing is a persons time and to rpint shirt takes a few minutes, than few minutes to heat, and you gotta pretreat which take time to do and dry...
If you were doing one off and selling for $20 be ok I guess, but when you got a pile of them to do all time, kinda of a waste unless you got higher production machine
Scared of Purchasing a DTG due to problems 
I know there are a few new machines on the market now, but nothing that makes me want one of them : I really like the machine I have and have not seen any of the other machines, that have the same type of functions, such as the ink system.
