Discuss the various aspects of heat pressed vinyl transfers. Popular and new types of vinyl media, suppliers, vinyl cutters /plotters, press times, quality, how to instructions and more can be found in this heat press sub forum.
New to the forum, and to shirts. I'm doing my research as which method I should utilize in my short run shirt buisness, and I have not yet made any equipment investments.
I'm looking for a high quality solution, and am leaning towards vinyl cut heat transfered designs. If I understand right, this would allow me to print on any color fabric without being a problem, as well as provide a high quality long lasting job.
Am I correct in that the downsize is for multi color jobs, and designs intricate designs that require a lot of design weeding?
I believe I've seen thermaflex plus vinyl that allows you to print on it first, then score. Would this not provide an excellent way to overcome mulicolor designs? Leaving the only problem designs that require extensive weeding?
I'm looking at different systems, and I'm hoping for some great insight. Thanks
Most vinyl cutters are NOT printers. I just needed to get that out there right away.
With materials like ThermoFlex Plus, you don't print on them. Your design is the actual color of the vinyl itself. You can use multiple colors of vinyl for multi-color designs, but each needs to be cut and weeded seperately.
Plotters like the Graphtec CE5000-60, Roland GX-24, and Copam 2500 DO NOT print. Just cut.
There ARE print/cut plotters out there, but they will run you a minimum of $10,000, and a quality machine is more around $14,000. With those ones you can print onto special vinyl and press them on shirts, but from what I hear, those types of prints have a fairly heavy hand, or feel, to them.
Vinyl can be quality, and a design "printed" with vinyl will actually outlast your shirt when done properly with quality vinyl. Notice the quotes there. You're not actually PRINTING anything with vinyl. You're just cutting designs out of solid-colored vinyl and heat-pressing that onto shirts.
If you want full-color designs with complex shading, you're looking at a DTG machine, and then your talking many thousands of dollars.
Good luck! If you have any questions about vinyl cutting, just ask.
I have a t-Jet and I think for short runs when you are not going to be using the machine on a daily bases a vinyl printer cutter is the right way to less expencive in the long run and prints brighter and last longer than direct print.
Ahh, yes. Sorry, I forgot to mention printing first onto the paper, and then transfering the paper to the plotter to cut.
I found a roll of vinyl transfer paper here: 20" ColorJet 4600 InkJet Print & Cut Material - CJ-4600 . Would this not provide the best of both worlds? One would want to use the special vinyl if using one or two colors, but if you were printing continious tones, or very complex multi color layouts, wouldn't this work? You'd have to still weed out the back.
The paper accepts different types of inks. Maybe one ink system would be prefered over others?
Ahh, yes. Sorry, I forgot to mention printing first onto the paper, and then transfering the paper to the plotter to cut.
I found a roll of vinyl transfer paper here: 20" ColorJet 4600 InkJet Print & Cut Material - CJ-4600 . Would this not provide the best of both worlds? One would want to use the special vinyl if using one or two colors, but if you were printing continious tones, or very complex multi color layouts, wouldn't this work? You'd have to still weed out the back.
The paper accepts different types of inks. Maybe one ink system would be prefered over others?
I saw this product tonight on the SG site too, but I don't see anything showing that it's actually "vinyl."
Has anyone used this product? I'm wondering if it's any different than heat transfer papers?
Your right, it dosn't say that's vinyl. I guess I thought it was because it was listed under the heat applied vinyl section.
Well, it looks like this, and the related sheets ColorJet III InkJet Transfer Sheets - ColorJet III have a back that have you weed it out. There opaque transfer sheets. Since they're transfer sheets, would they have a heavy feel?
I don't think they're like like other transfer sheets, as they're opaque and have a backing you peel away.
The sheets in bulk are $0.016 cents per square inch, where as the roll is $0.019 cents per square inch, making the sheets more cost effective, but less versatile on larger projects.
Your right, it dosn't say that's vinyl. I guess I thought it was because it was listed under the heat applied vinyl section.
Well, it looks like this, and the related sheets ColorJet III InkJet Transfer Sheets - ColorJet III have a back that have you weed it out. There opaque transfer sheets. Since they're transfer sheets, would they have a heavy feel?
I don't think they're like like other transfer sheets, as they're opaque and have a backing you peel away.
The sheets in bulk are $0.016 cents per square inch, where as the roll is $0.019 cents per square inch, making the sheets more cost effective, but less versatile on larger projects.
Update!
I've asked Specialty Graphics about the ColorJet 4600 paper and here is what I've been told it is by a representative today:
"The ColorJet 4600 is an opaque inkjet transfer vinyl material that can
be used in any wide format inkjet printer. Any standard or pigmented
inkjet ink can be used. The material comes on a roll that we can slit
down for you free of charge if you require a narrower width."
I have put in a few more questions to the company and waiting more information. This may be a happy medium product between vinyl and inkjet transfer paper, i.e. Iron-All, JET-PRO, etc.!
I just ordered a laser cutter last night, and I've yet to purchase a heat press. I am definitly planning on trying this, but it won't for atleast a couple more weeks.
I am very excited about this medium, but I'll need to build up experience with standard vinyl cut transfers before I'm able to compare quality.
I went with the Roland Stika Cutter SV-15. If after trying out the printed vinyl I end up liking it and if orders justify, I think I'll suppliment my equipment with the Stika Cutter 24" (it has an optical eye for print registration), and I'll leave the 15" dedicated to a color I mostly cut.
The printable vinyl roll sounds neat could you give us a update when you start using it? I would like to see the washability of it, and I don't know if thats a word but it sounds neat.
R.
Is Vinyl Cut Printing Versatile? 
