Cornellious

So ive been enjoying screen printing for a bit now, but was hoping to be able to offer more 1 off designs easier.
So I started looking at heat transfers, and now im so dam confused im not sure what way is up.

Vinyl cutters, dark paper, light paper, cut the paper dont cut the paper, im starting to think im going nuts.

So all I want to no is, what is a good way to start with heat transfers that would give a quality shirt. And Id rather not get into plastisol, as with my screenprinting I only use waterbased inks.

A vinyl cutter with transfer paper and a decent printer the answer?
Or can I just get decent transfer paper? Stuff that doesnt need to be trimmed?

All help and tip appreciated.

 

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Chani

The cheapest way to get into it would be to use laser transfers that don't need weeding. You'll have a higher initial printer cost, but you won't need to get a plotter, which for a good one costs twice what a decent laser printer costs.

You will also have lower per-print costs with a laser printer.

That said, I do think I love Jet-Pro SofStretch for light fabrics, which is an inkjet transfer.

I'm still holding judgement with IronAll Dark, which is an opaque inkjet transfer. The thing is, I already don't like opaques, not because of their hand, but because there are simply some things that you CANNOT do with them (fade to white from the edge of the transfer. You can fake it, but it will always look like you faked it.).

For dark fabric I'm leaning toward DTG.

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TeeGopher

 

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Cornellious

Laser printer you say.
So all id need would be a good laser printer and a good heat press.

I got no probs only using transfers for light colours, as if I want a dark coloured shirt, I can always screen print them :P

And recomendations on the best type of laser printer? I thaught inkjet where better, or is that just for printing the screen negatives? :P
Such a newb. lol.

 

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Chani

To be honest, I don't know the laser transfer process all that well. I'm still researching that aspect.

After looking at self-weeding paper, it would cost more per print to use that stuff, so in the long run you're either going to spend time cutting inkjet transfers or spend money on self-weeding laser papers. It's a tradeoff.

I know, now I'm adding even more confusion.

Personally, I'll be using Jet-Pro SofStretch for my transfers and cutting that on my Graphtec CE5000-60. I have the process down pretty well now and can easily print, cut, and press in a short amount of time.

The thing I will be doing eventually is getting a better, larger format inkjet printer. 8.5x11 is just too limiting for me.

And on that note, I have NO idea what a laser printer costs that can print 11x17 paper...

I wish I could help a little more. All I can offer is my limited opinion.

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TeeGopher

 

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