[saulyx]

Hey everyone, finally got the resources to buy my starting pack,

Basically i'm thinking off getting everything for heat transfer(i believe that what it's called)

Now i was taking look around in Us suppliers a month back, and not sure if uk's suppliers have the same stock.

I'm willing to spend about 1000 pounds,

Few questions about the items i need

1. What printer should i use? i've seen few epsons, but not sure, i need something like A3 size max what would you recommend?
2. What CSI system/ink would you recommend to print on transfer paper? what uk supplier?
3. What kind of brand/uk supplier would u recommend for heat press? Like A3 size i don't mind any type off press, as long as it works fine
4. Uk's black and white(maybe other colors too) tees supplier?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[saulyx]

Anyone? :O

Okay i will put everything together in better way

Printer - Epson 1400 - good choice or not? Looking at ebay is it worth to buy it from there? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EPSON-STYLUS-...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

And CISS inks, are those good for heat transfers or? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bulk-Ink-Syst...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Heat press - thinking about ebay as i dont have £600+ to spend on press =/ I know quality isnt that good, but if it works for 6 moths i will be happy http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/T-SHIRT-TRANS...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

paper and tees, please advice me on that, what paper would you suggest for dark and light tees? What would be good supplier for starting to buy tees from?


All help is very appreciated!

 

[CUSTOM UK]

Hi. The Epson 1400 is a good printer. Ideally suited to your intended purpose. It is best to buy an empty CIS system so you can put your own type of ink in. Pigment ink is generally preferred for heat transfers.

Within your price range you are going to be looking at a Chinese made press off EBay. You already appreciate the fact that it will not be a long term prospect. Do bear in mind it could only last six weeks, as opposed to six months though, so allow that prospect into your budgeting. You need a minimum platen sixe of 15" x 15".

Many of the papers suggested on this site are not available here in the UK, so you would need to ask someone that currently buys from UK suppliers, which one to go with. There are numerous UK suppliers of tees, 'googling' will bring them up.

Before you start purchasing any equipment, you perhaps need to do some market research into your intended market. Work out the production costs, the likely sales prices and how you propose to get your sales.

Hope this helps.

 

[saulyx]

Thanks for reply, if the press brakes after 6 weeks i will fill in paypal dispute and get my money back, and i don't think that they can't be fixed...

Is it ok to buy pigment ink from ebay? or should i go with some uk supplier?


Still need to find some paper, if someone could advice me, that would be great.


i've done my marketing, mainly local advertising and selling on ebay, anyone had success on ebay?

 

[CUSTOM UK]

Hi. First off UK consumer law protects you for 28 days against defective items. Purchasing via PayPal effectively extends that period to six weeks. If your press were to become defective after that six week period, there is no obligation for the seller to refund, or replace your item. You have after all been using the product.

Speaking as a qualified engineer, it would be highly unlikely that they could be fixed, as the components would simply not be available within the UK. This is particularly so of those using digital controllers. This is something you need to be aware of. Generally if anything electrical or electronic breaks, it is a 'skip job'.

The pigment ink from EBay should be ok, but only buy in small quantities to establish the print quality.

There is a thread I started about Ebay UK that may be of interest to you.

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/general-t-shirt-selling-discussion/t59156.html

Hope this helps.

 

[hotwheels]

hi saulyx.
If you have not already brought your printer I would recommend the Epson R1800 (or 1900) over the 1400, this was recommended to me by someone in the know as it is designed to use pigment ink, not dye based ink like the 1400.
It is true however that you could get a CIS for the 1400 and use pigment ink, however I have read posts with people having clogging problems with the print heads.
I got my R1800 off gumtree second hand from an arcitecture student for £200 and it works brilliently. If you are going to buy a second hand printer ensure you run a 'nozzle check'. If the nozzle check comes out ok and the guy you are buying from seams genuine then im sure you will be fine.

Im going to be getting my CIS system from a supplier on ebay called inktech midland (or something like that). I have spoken to them on the phone and they were very helpful and answered all the questions i had. They have done extensive testing on their CIS kits and will even install it for you.

I currently have paper samples in the mail to me from Xpres (.co.uk) and targettransfer (.com). I have asked for samples of both their light and dark paper. There is also another thread from someone who is about to test the paper from target.

I havent got my heat press yet but have read far too many posts about why not to buy a chinese press off ebay so will therefor be waiting a little longer and getting a name brand, but thats just me. I also have the advantage of having access to someone else's heat press for now.

Hope some of this info helps you out, you seam to be in about the same stage as I am, hopefully we will both learn and be able to help each other out in the future

 

[saulyx]

Thanks! Why you choose R1800? Doesn't it clog? Or?


I will go with ebay press

Thanks for transfer paper info, needed that!


Just had thout about getting vinyl set up first before heat transfers, anyone got any feedback about ebay vinyl cutters? What plastic(the thing you load into cutter) should i order? is there a difference? should i get it from ebay or where?
How do i know what plastic to use with what type of shirts(i mean what material they are made out of)


Thanks allot!

hi saulyx.
If you have not already brought your printer I would recommend the Epson R1800 (or 1900) over the 1400, this was recommended to me by someone in the know as it is designed to use pigment ink, not dye based ink like the 1400.
It is true however that you could get a CIS for the 1400 and use pigment ink, however I have read posts with people having clogging problems with the print heads.
I got my R1800 off gumtree second hand from an arcitecture student for £200 and it works brilliently. If you are going to buy a second hand printer ensure you run a 'nozzle check'. If the nozzle check comes out ok and the guy you are buying from seams genuine then im sure you will be fine.

Im going to be getting my CIS system from a supplier on ebay called inktech midland (or something like that). I have spoken to them on the phone and they were very helpful and answered all the questions i had. They have done extensive testing on their CIS kits and will even install it for you.

I currently have paper samples in the mail to me from Xpres (.co.uk) and targettransfer (.com). I have asked for samples of both their light and dark paper. There is also another thread from someone who is about to test the paper from target.

I havent got my heat press yet but have read far too many posts about why not to buy a chinese press off ebay so will therefor be waiting a little longer and getting a name brand, but thats just me. I also have the advantage of having access to someone else's heat press for now.

Hope some of this info helps you out, you seam to be in about the same stage as I am, hopefully we will both learn and be able to help each other out in the future

 

[MediaHound]

Hi Sal,

I'm in the same place as you. I've been contemplating transfer but decided to go for vinyl first. I've got my eye on a Geo Knight JP14 press to start off - not quite hobby, not quite big business but will get me going in the first year!
As for cutters, i've got your budget so a Roland is out of the question. I've seen the Foison range on eBay. Their 24" cutter is £399 in their store but seems to go for about £200 on the auctions (from their OWN site too!) They have several and their feedback is 99%. They have a uk base and therefore UK warranty. At least you have somewhere to go and shout if all goes wrong!!

Vinyl i'm not so sure about. 'Victory Design' and 'Xpres' seem fairly cheap, at about £5.00 per metre for the basic stuff. Any thoughts guys for UK sourced Vinyl??

And then blank garments. I'm looking for "sexy-baby-doll" T's and Men's crew style T's. Anyone got any good sources? I'm looking for 10's first then big orders...

Cheers and good luck Sal, nice to see another newbie going for it in this climate!
SK

 

[hotwheels]

I choose the R1800 because it uses Pigment ink straight out of the box, so therefor yes, you wont get nozzle clogging problems like those that have been reported with some 1400's. Remember that the 1400 are primarily designed to use DYE ink, not pigment, therefor the nozzels in the printer are slightly different.

There are people on here (quite a lot in fact) that are using 1400 with CIS and using pigment ink without problems, however i decided on the 1800.

Im currently looking for my heat press at the moment, i definatly wont be getting a chinese one of ebay and i dont think you should either, a heat press is probably THE most important part of your business.
Ill most likly be getting mine from XPres. At £600 (excl VAT?) for the clam shell they are not cheap but they are gaurenteed.

Dont skimp when it comes to your press

Keep us posted

 

[saulyx]

Hmm, thanks for information, but i've kinda flipped my mind and probably going to start off with vinyl, anyone have info about that? already found that i can buy some vinyl material from ebay for about 10 pounds for 5 meters and a cutter for about 210 pounds. Going to ring the company tomorrow(from ebay, that i'm thinking about buying stuff from)

 

[hotwheels]

You sound convined to buy from ebay....?
Good luck, let us know how you get on

please post here if you decide to buy the ebay press

 

[typecastboy]

What is the Xpress web site, can't find it?

 

[saulyx]

i've bouth ebay press today £210 will see how it goes

 

[MediaHound]

Xpres 2008 - ENGRAVE - SUBLIMATION PRINTING - HEAT PRESSES - GARMENT DECORATION - EMBROIDERY - PERSONALISATION - DIGITAL TRANSFER SYSTEMS. Miss out the second S at the end of Xpres s!!

 

[saulyx]

Hey guys, i was looking at some CISS for R1800 and found that some of them are for SUBLIMATION ink and others are for pigment ink, whats the difference?

 

[needaprint]

sublimation ink is used for dying...mugs - mouse mats - jigsaws, polyester t-shirts - umbrellas, etc

pigment is for normal transfer to cotton from what i remember. depends what market you want to go into, etc

we chose sublimation because of the promotional products we can print

 

[CUSTOM UK]

Hi. CISS are basically empty plastic bottles that connect to adapted printer cartridges, via flexible silicon tubing.

The difference between sublimation and pigment inks in that context, is their particulate size, or how small a gap the ink particles will pass through, in microns. I have used the same CISS for both types of ink (after flushing), with no problems.

 

[saulyx]

okay i see anyone can suggest any other printer then epson R1800 but so i wouldnt get clothing? As im fighting for R1800 on ebay so far lost 1 by 8 seconds, hehe. Bidding on another one right now

 

[CUSTOM UK]

Epson R1400 is also a good printer, that will do A3 sized prints.

 

[saulyx]

What i got told by the other guy, the pigment ink messes up the printing heads... Can i print with pigment ink on mouse mats etc? As i would need sublimation ink for that