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cookieinmysleeve · March 24th, 2008

I use jetpro sofstretch transfer paper but i want a glossy finish that is stretchy also. I called coastal business supplies and they told me to use either dazzle-trans or iron man paper. Whats your opinion?

-Also i'm doing a job that includes putting text on a motorcross shirt (you know that material-i hope!) well can i press on that and would i wanna use sofstretch on it?

-Also why do my transfer sheets say for light colors? Whats the difference?!Would it be alright if i use it with dark colors?

-By the way, i got my vinyl cutter today, very happy! aha thanks for the help guys!

-the 15 year old entrepreneur with a lot of questions

mrdavid · March 24th, 2008

jetpro sofstretch transfer paper is for light color shirts not for darks you could use Vinyl for text on a motorcross shirt it would look better and last just as long

deChez · March 24th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by cookieinmysleeve


	I -Also why do my transfer sheets say for light colors? Whats the difference?!Would it be alright if i use it with dark colors?

If you use paper for lights on dark shirts, your design will not show up. Also, keep in mind that even when using light shirts, whatever is white in your design, is going to be the color of the shirt (printers don't print white ink).

Chani · March 25th, 2008

Yup, as has been said, whatever is white in your design will show up as your shirt color on any colored garment.

There are transfers for dark fabrics, otherwise known as opaque transfers that are actually a white "paper" that you print on. With those, anything that is white in your design will also be white on your transfer...but...they NEED to be trimmed around your design, otherwise you will have a white "box" around your design.

Vinyl is your best bet with the motorcross shirts. Actually, I'm not familiar with those...are they cotton, poly, or nylon or spandex? If nylon or spandex, you may need to use special vinyl if you print them with cut vinyl. Read the label on your shirts and see what material they're made of.

And vinyl is definitely the way I'd go on those shirts. It's far more durable than ANY inkjet transfer. You're limited to solid colors in your design, but you can layer colors for multi-colored designs.

What plotter did you buy? Will it do contour cuts with inkjet transfers? If so, your life has just become SOOOOOOO much easier.

cookieinmysleeve · March 25th, 2008

Thanks for responding guys! big help to me!

I bought a 25" vinyl cutter from us cutters.
Just so hard to figure the program and stuff out.

Whats hurting me is the prices of ink and how fast my ink runs out. But I guess thats how epson gets ya.

Thanks again.

deChez · March 25th, 2008

You're absolutely right...printers are relatively cheap, it's the ink that costs!

You may be able to find some tutorials for your cutter and software on-line...even on this board.

cookieinmysleeve · March 25th, 2008

I am so stupid. I bought a cutter thinking i would be able to cut out designs but i guess it needs an optical eye. $400 later here i am. Big let down. Should of done more research.

badalou · March 25th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by cookieinmysleeve


	Thanks for responding guys! big help to me! I bought a 25" vinyl cutter from us cutters. Just so hard to figure the program and stuff out. Whats hurting me is the prices of ink and how fast my ink runs out. But I guess thats how epson gets ya. Thanks again.

If there is an Office Depot near you go in and sign up for their business discount program. You get emails with great savings. I use the coupons to buy ink as I have 3 epson printers. I used 2 -10 off $25.purchase and got asnother email today with the same coupon. so you buy 2 inks and get $10.00 off.

cookieinmysleeve · March 26th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by badalou


	If there is an Office Depot near you go in and sign up for their business discount program. You get emails with great savings. I use the coupons to buy ink as I have 3 epson printers. I used 2 -10 off $25.purchase and got asnother email today with the same coupon. so you buy 2 inks and get $10.00 off.

Thanks for the advice! There happens to be one around here.

badalou · March 26th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by cookieinmysleeve


	I am so stupid. I bought a cutter thinking i would be able to cut out designs but i guess it needs an optical eye. $400 later here i am. Big let down. Should of done more research.

Yes but don't despair. You can make a lot of money doing vinyl applications and you can also do sign as well. Then when you make the cost of a unit with an optical eye you can sell the other one.

cookieinmysleeve · March 26th, 2008

Thanks Lou for looking on the good side of it!

deChez · March 26th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by cookieinmysleeve


	I am so stupid. I bought a cutter thinking i would be able to cut out designs but i guess it needs an optical eye. $400 later here i am. Big let down. Should of done more research.

Don't despair...that cutter is going to make money for you.

I use mine for short runs of dark shirts, light shirts with just lettering or a simple design, caps, uniform shirts and jackets, and bags (like duffles, messenger, etc.)

In fact, as it turns out, I now use the vinyl alot more than the inkjet transfers because there is so much more I can do with the vinyl.

Chani · March 26th, 2008

Yes, we use vinyl far more often than inkjet transfers.

We just got an oder for 75 shirts yesterday and another order will come in tomorrow for about 25 shirts or so.

Then when our customer gets their sample shirt, yet another 100 shirts.

All of these are from one customer, and all are vinyl.

The 75 and 25 shirt orders are crazy-easy to weed, and the last order of 100 shirts is pretty difficult to weed, but they want vinyl and not plastisol. Those will WHOLESALE for about $25 each.

It's a very large design, too, and will take three presses just for the single image (wraparound design).

So you CAN make money with vinyl. What's even cooler is that basically, there's no way to get the look of what we're doing for this customer WITHOUT vinyl (and flock)!

They were VERY happy with the first 60 shirts they recieved (and nearly sold out of two days after they got them!).

Later on, once you can afford it, you could get a second machine with the ability to read registration marks.

Keep an eye out in the Vinyl Cutters forum here for threads that I'll be posting soon. I'm comparing four different plotters, including the US Cutter LaserPoint, which is a very economical plotter with the capability to contour cut.

prometheus · March 27th, 2008

As to the question of Ironman paper, it is glossier and holds it's color great, but I would not say that it is stretchy. It will crack eventually.

Girlzndollz · March 27th, 2008

Hey Cookies,

Look up some re-fill carts or a bulk system/CIS(continuous ink system) for your epson. That'll drop your printing cost dramatically. Refill carts are good for folks who don't print each day, and bulk is great for those doing massive amounts of printing. Since you go with vinyl, too, I'm thinking refill carts.

Here's some info in a thread to give you a start on shopping:Ink for Epson?. This is by Melissa, she does a great job laying out the info and prices here. Good luck.

Once your current cutter earns you enough for one with the optical eye, you can either keep it for numbers and letters, you know, put your part time employee on the uniforms and such, while you work on the designs that need the optical eye, or sell it off. Someone will buy it, for sure. Lots of folks looking for deals. Just noticed Lou said that, too. Ahhh, recycling, makes the world go round!

Hey Chani, great news, Congratulations!! Best wishes to you guys!

Hey guys, what do you think about the dazzle-trans?? That is made to add the gloss to the finished product. My question would be, since Jetpro stretches, would this finish "lock" the transfered image "in place" and cause cracking? How does that finish work? Would it stretch along with the Jetpro, or Ironall type papers? Has anyone tried it with stretchy papers in the past? Thanks, all!!!

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