Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
i need help. i just started t-shirt business but my first productions bleeded and also faded after one wash. i am using the mighty press heat press from the imprintable ware house. i used HP 6200 inkjet printer, HP inkjet ink number 95 and inkjet transfer paper. i will like to know the best printer, ink and transfer paper i need for good and durable heat transfer. i will really appreciate it if someone could advice me on what to do. i have searched through the forum but could not get the answer i needed. thanks.
i think most people recommend using an Epson printer with Magic Mix or the Durabrite inks.
Personally I'm using a Canon Pixma with the standard inks and it doesn't bleed, but I understand that it's kind of "hit and miss" with non-Epson printers as to what works and what doesn't.
I agree with the comments about the epson & the pigment based inks, also keep in mind that to eliminate/limit bleeding you should print with a lower DPI usually no more than 330 or 360 and be sure to let your print dry before pressing it (I have some customers that let them dry for 24hrs).
Think it could be a paper and printer setting issue as well. I've read on these forums that some experience bleeding if the resolution or print setting is set too high.
Thank you very much for your responses. i think i will try the epson printer. but i need to know which type and what kind of transfer paper to use. i will also try the other suggestions about the print setting because i notice that the black ink in my design did not bleed only the colored did.
The type of paper depends on the color of your tees.. For Lights I use iron all from new Milford and for darks I am using jet dark from Coastal Business. You do need the epson printer with pigment ink a c88 will cost about 80 dollars. I am also an ex Epson rep so I know about printers. I used to work with an HP rep at best buy demoing our printers. I would keep a jar of water with a picture I printed that day on plain paper in the jar. No ink came off that paper. If a customer wanted me to try the same thing with an HP the rep, who became a friend would just look at me like he wanted to run because he knew what was going to happen.. I just smiled and did it. Then I would ask him if he would like a sip of my grape juice which was the color of the water after I place the HP picture in my water.. gee that was fun.. I do have an evil side..
__________________ There is a center to everything.. I found mine at.. www.heatpressessentials.com Tools to get the job done! www.tbiz101.com (New)Heat Transfer Education
because i notice that the black ink in my design did not bleed only the colored did.
It's possible that the black ink in your printer is pigment ink, and the colours dye. Someone mentioned on the forums a while ago that HP have apparently been doing a pigment black for a little while, so you may happen to have been using that.
LOL, Rodney, it couldn't hurt to try! As I said, I don't get any bleeding with mine and my boys have been wearing my botch-up's for months. Recently though, someone sent me a sample printed with MagicMix inks, and I have to say I think those are definitely better in terms of colour "pop" (not that mine are utterly horrible or anything, but I think there is a difference in quality).
But to have a play with you certainly get OK results from the Pixma (well, I do anyway). In fact, someone on a Yahoo group I'm on told me apparently the black ink in the Pixma *is* pigment based. Not sure about the colours, but as I said, I don't notice any bleeding.
My heat transfered t-shirts are bleeding 
