I just heard about DTG printing for the first time, and it sounds like a great deal to me. I became an injet and dye sub printer in the first place because what's most important to me is that my artwork be reproduced accurately, My only setback is fabric and color limitations.
If I wanted to digitally reproduce my artwork onto any fabric or any color would DTG printing be as good as it seems to be? I looked in some old posts and heard some opinions that the end result is inferior to screen printing. What I'm most interested in are the limitations of DTG, because there's always a catch. Thanks guys.
Easier to learn than screenprinting. Takes up WAY less space. No mess. You can do one offs and short runs. Excellent print quality, especially on photographic/detailed images.
Costs more in equipment as well as per print. Not everyone can get excellent results on dark shirts with the pretreatment process. Spot color designs are not as good as SP. Inks are less opaque than SP.
I could write a 10 page comparo, but this is the general idea.
As far as color reproduction, it is no different than any other medium. GIGO. You still need proper monitor/scanner/camera profiling, along with proper icc profiles for the ink/printer/shirt you are using.
Very helpful dude. I'll probably call somebody up and get a detailed run down of it all. That told me a lot though. I think the pros will probably outweigh the cons for me. I'll let you know if I get into it.
hi alan...i'm also interested in DTG over all the other methods i've observed. screen printing, i think, is going to have the best quality. that opinion seems almost universal on this forum. however, with SP i think there's a great deal of skill involved with a steep learning curve. it's really an art. and if you're doing large runs, there's probably nothing better.
i plan on doing very short runs. one shirt/graphic at a time. i want to print onto dark t-shirts. quality is important, but not as important as being able to print graphics in full color, one at a time. from what i've learned thru this forum, i think DTG is going to be my best bet. i've begun researching various machines, and the DTG HM-1 seems to be the front runner right now. i'll finance the purchase, so as long as i can sell 50 t-shirts per month, i'll break-even on the equipt. it's kind of a risk, but the simplicity of these machines also interests me. if i want someone else to print the shirts for me, it's easier to teach someone how to print with a DTG than how to screen print.
I've been planning to purchase the HM1 or Eclipse for quite some time now. The plan is still "on-hold" for these reasons:
1) Our local distributor admiited to me that printing on black/dark shirts is still too costly for our local market, (so he advised me to concentrate on white shirts at the moment to make some money)
2) For white shirts, I'm still satisfied with the output, cost-wise & quality-wise, that I'm getting from my CLC printer, and laser transfers.
3) I realized that printing on shirts using the CLC is much faster than printing using a DTG, because you also have to heat press the shirt after printing on a DTG.
4) Our local distributor mentioned something about Dupont building a new white Ink factory/facility, so the price of white ink should considerably go down. I'm not 100% sure though if this new white ink from Dupont will still be exactly the same white ink used for the HM1 or Eclipse, so the my DTG purchase will have to wait a little.
If you ask me? NO!!!! I bought a DTG Kiosk 2 months ago and it has been nothing but a money drain. The white ink is NOT compatible with the dampers. They clog constantly. They will clog as you are printing. I swirl the ink several times a day. I often have to remove the dampers to clean them. As of now they are clogged solid. That is $150.00 worth of clogged garbage. These dampers are but a few weeks old. I want this piece of garbage out of my life. It is junk.
My advice is to stear clear of DTG. Untill they can come up with a white ink that actually works it is a waste of your time and money. If they take this junk off of my hands, I will call my lawyer and file a suit. They falsely claim benefits of white ink that simply is not true. DTG is JUNK
To be honest, when it white does flow, it prints very nice. But, when it does not flow, it is a money waste. I have had nothing but trouble from the very first day with the white ink. At one point I was told to dump the white that was in the container and to replace it with new ink. The white that was on the machine came with it. That is $150.00 down the drain. I ran white most of the day on thursday. I performed the required maintenance before shutting down. Friday morning, nothing! No white would flow. I remove the dampers and cleaned them. I cleaned the ink lines. Throughout the day it clogged. Wasted several shirts. I did the maintenance required and called it a day. Today, nothing. I've spent the entire morning and up untill about an hour ago, trying to clean the dampers. They are clogged solid. My opinion is that they trump up something that they know is not true. If they would had been more honest, I would not had bought this thing. Untill they get the white figured out, it is a waste of time and money. I am not about to waste anymore money on dampers. They can have this piece of junk back.
.....My opinion is that they trump up something that they know is not true. If they would had been more honest, I would not had bought this thing. Untill they get the white figured out, it is a waste of time and money. I am not about to waste anymore money on dampers. They can have this piece of junk back.
And I can just imagine your added frustration when sooner you get a problem with your print head and they tell you that you have to replace them (just after your warranty expired).
Don't you wist that DTG Printing is as "simple" as Machine Embroidery?
Yeah, I can concur with that. I HATE wasting shirts or having to cancel prints! Even with inkjet transfers.
Have you talked to anybody else that runs the machine? Maybe it's just this one machine and you can get it taken care of. Surely not everybody's having issues that serious..?
Yeah, I can concur with that. I HATE wasting shirts or having to cancel prints! Even with inkjet transfers.
Have you talked to anybody else that runs the machine? Maybe it's just this one machine and you can get it taken care of. Surely not everybody's having issues that serious..?
I know, I probally shouldn't had posted sounding so frustrated. But, I tell ya'. White ink is driving me crazy and costing me all of my profit. Some days it runs without fail. 1 week ago, I ran 100 shirts to take to the dropzone and the machine ran great. Not one single problem. This week, it has been clog after clog. Friday morning I did the usual head check and it was fine. I run a few shirts and it starts clogging. All day today, clogs. The dampers are so clogged that I can't even push cleaning fluid mixed with distilled water through them.
I really believe that the white ink is the sole problem.
If anyone has a solution, I'd love to hear it as I do sell quite a few shirts and everyone is amazed at the quality. It does print beautifully when the white is flowing.
I've been looking at DTG printers for two years now ..... and I'm still looking.
To me, direct to garment printers are most impressive when printing light garments but when it comes to printing on darks, no DTG manufacturer has yet convinced me that they have a feasible, economical and quick print speed solution.
Justin walker had a great tip on how to make sure the humidity is right, he installed a digital humidity reader right by his machine and said it should be at around 50% humidity to run best. The post with the info is in the dtg section of the board.
Bobbie
Humidity can sometimes be an issue. We have a shop about 6 miles from Flying Loom in MO, so I am familiar with the weather issues. We keep a humidifier running whenever we print with the Kornit. In my shop in TN I know that maintenance on my Tjets is what keeps the white ink printing well. I also have a DTG Kiosk, but it is just setup for 7 color, I have not run white, so I have not experienced the issues with the dampers.
I know how frustrating the white issue can be. I was the first guy to get the white kit from Fresner in '05. Imagine all I have gone thru in the last 22 months. I finally have a decent system in place, and I still would not use it for runs over 6. Just too hard to get consistent results on longer runs. Not to mention the time and cost.
Overall I really think the answer is two machines. One 7 color setup for whites, (mine have been down very little in over two years), and one setup for runs of six or less darks that you are getting $20+ per shirt for. Your business model has to be able to support this, but it has worked out great for us. I even get to double production on whites this way when I have a larger order.
Not as frustrated today as I was yesterday.
Where is your shop located? I only know of RLJ's and Sceen Masters.
The humidity could be playing some factor in the clogging but, i would think minimal. It hasn't been bad this year and my prints have been great. It has clogged since the beginning. The color ink as ran great. It is always the white clogging the filter. I've taken a damper apart and have examined the filter under a loupe and can see the build up which, I am assuming, is titanium dioxide metal. They really need a white ink and a damper that is compatible with each other.
Earlier comment calling it junk was abit out of line as I am happy with the print and so has everyone who has used me or bought my own designs.
If I were to be looking for the first time again, I'd definitely ask more questions concerning the white ink.
I do see a need for a damper inwhich the filter could be changed out.
Wow Marc, 05 !!?? I can only imagine since so much has changed for us buying the machine about a year ago.
We've changed White Ink, colored ink (2 times), Rip Software, and replaced the print chip board which does an auto head clean every 4-6 hours.
The days when I am frustrated, I look back and then think of the changes that will be in store for us in the next few months to make printing easier.
Not to kill the buzz, but everything that I am hearing is the cost for the new Dupont White ink is not going down. But, the new white ink is suppose to dramatically reduce the amount of clogging. Until there gets to be more competition out there for Dupont on the white ink, I would not expect to see prices drop that much. Dupont has not real reason to do so. The R&H white ink is not white enough so that is why almost every DTG manufacturer uses / recommends the Dupont white ink. But at least the issue of clogging is trying to be resolved. We will have to see when the ink is release in Sept. or Oct. of this year. Praying for the best, hoping for any type of improvement.
I don't really see a reason for them to lower the price however in the past year I've seen a litre go from about $320 down to $278 so hopefully it keeps on that trend for a bit longer before it flat lines.
I have never actually met the former owners but am aware of them. I believe their names are Robert and Linda.
No local work? Good for me . I actually do more of my own designs and sell at dropzones and skydive events. My goal is to break further into the skydive apparel market and have done good sofar (downtime and dampers are killing me though). Everyone who has bought my shirts have stated that my designs are far better than Jumper Sportswear (now owned by U.S. Logo).
Is your Mo. shop still located on Hwy 39?
I have to say that Dampers and White Ink are really starting to irk me. This is the 2nd time in a month that I've had ink starvation issues that usually happen mid-print (thus screwing up a t-shirt). I flushed and cleaned out my entire system less then a month ago. The problem I see is that ink settles in the lines and bottles within a matter of hours and especially worse overnight.
I also do a fortnightly or monthly clean of the white ink dampers. The amount of white ink gunk that build-ups near the o-rings and the filter inside is incredible. no wonder white ink is such a problem with DTG printing.
Hello. I just have a q for all people from USA. I tried to find a price for DTG Kiosk, but nowhere i can find it. Can someone please tell me what it is starting on?
Hello. I just have a q for all people from USA. I tried to find a price for DTG Kiosk, but nowhere i can find it. Can someone please tell me what it is starting on?
Some of the comments and experiences posted in this thread have put me off dtg in a big way. I cannot see the point in laying out this kind of money if there are so many problems with white on black.
And to the guy who wants his machine taken back and then sue the company, I know exactly how you feel and I would like to sue at least 3 manufacturers of printing machines.
The best machines I have ever had are unmodified epsons, especially my wide format 9600 which never ever goes wrong and never clogs up, even after 2-3 months of no use, in a changing environment with heat, cold, humid and air con !
Hello every body, I am usually the type of person who stands back and observes, but there is so much hype and unreal expectations about DTG printing I thought I may have to put my point foward.
It's close but not there for the casual user.
I do sub contract a few small DTG jobs out (they are great for photo's)I am not against the technology infact I love digital printers (I have a 72" HP5500 and soon to buy the new 72" cannon)but it is reliable and easy to use unlike the DTG machines out at the moment.
Thay are good for small runs but small runs are a slow way to make a profit, the outlay of the machine is great and you have to sell a lot of shirts to pay it off.
Plus the bulk of work out there is spot colour not DTG's strong point and alot of people want Black/dark shirts!.
So no,no it's not.
hi, what happened since 4th of august with your kiosk? i have bought an hm1 since exactly that date and since then i can't sleep well. i also think of the court too.
ilias
it's that bad. well, i don't like court houses a lot i can say so that will be my very last way of reacting. problem with black tees, broblem with white ink in general, clogging without reason, what else could you get for 20k or more in athens?
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