[idesigned]

Hello,

we are planning to buy latest EPSON SureColor F2130 and for that we ask sales team to arrange demo on white and dark color(black). image is coming out quite nicely on both the color. but what found here is :
1. on dark garment, there was small cracks on some part of image and if we stretch the image little more then also image is cracking and after wash if stretch the image part it is cracking
2. very small fonts not clearly readable....

so just want to know whether it default problem with EPSON print or is there anything went wrong in the demo printing process ?

because same demo we tried on Brother GTX also and we don't find and cracking and small font clearly readable on the same. but off-course Brother machine is quite costly compare to EPSON...


so experts and experience guys please help here. since this is my first DTG printer so don't want buy with any doubt in mind.

Thanks

 

[TABOB]

It could easily be the other way around.
The Brother rep, did a better job...that's all.

DTG is not as easy as it looks. It is actually much harder to master than screen-printing.

 

[idesigned]

Thanks TABOB, yes indeed brother rep did it better..

but i just wanted to here something from EPSON F2000/F2100 owners whether they came-across such issues or not and if they are then how they overcome the same.

 

[TABOB]

Well as I told you, all things being equal, you should not be able to tell which printer has been used.

I started in DTG with an Epson F2100 , and a Polyprint, both of which I bought used, and really cheap on ebay. Using the same inks and per-treatment, produced the same results. Then I bought a converted (Epson P800) A2 size desktop printer, which didn't look so good, but could print as good as the other two.
I have now sold the F2100 and the Polyprint, and have 4 Epson P800 based ones. I build 3 of them myself so the total cost is $10,000 (for all 4 printers).

Now, I don't recommend to anyone without technical knowledge to do what I've done (because there is no support and no warranty), but hopefully you get the idea.
My printers have 1440 dpi print resolution, and the Brother has 1200 dpi. Does it make any difference? No it does not! Both are too high for printing T-shirts.

 

[gatorGRAFIX]

Hello,

we are planning to buy latest EPSON SureColor F2130 and for that we ask sales team to arrange demo on white and dark color(black). image is coming out quite nicely on both the color. but what found here is :
1. on dark garment, there was small cracks on some part of image and if we stretch the image little more then also image is cracking and after wash if stretch the image part it is cracking
2. very small fonts not clearly readable....

so just want to know whether it default problem with EPSON print or is there anything went wrong in the demo printing process ?

because same demo we tried on Brother GTX also and we don't find and cracking and small font clearly readable on the same. but off-course Brother machine is quite costly compare to EPSON...


so experts and experience guys please help here. since this is my first DTG printer so don't want buy with any doubt in mind.

Thanks

Not sure what is up with the Epson department that prints samples but this isn't the first I have heard of subpar samples being sent out by the company lately. You'd think that they would get a handle on this one (sorry Epson).

You got a tee that was probably just printed on default settings without much thought put into it. It was also probably not pretreated properly and pretreatment is half of the DTG game.

DTG printing is NOT harder than screen printing at all (30 years as a screen printer myself) it just has a learning curve just like anyhting else does.

The Epson F2100 is an awesome machine that will give you amazing prints. It is designed for the casual shop owner who may only print a handful of tees a week right up to the main stream online shop (such as Dazzle used to be) that has hundreds of printers that produce thousand of tees a week.

If you really want a nice sample of what that Epson F21000 can really do send me a PM and I can help you out.

 

[TABOB]

I'd recommend the Epson as well, but just because it is cheaper.

However, I have to insist that it is not as easy as it looks, AND DTG is definitely harder to master than screen printing. Screen-printing a single color design, takes just 10 minutes to learn. You cannot do this with DTG. The good thing about DTG is that you can print one offs.

 

[gatorGRAFIX]

I'd recommend the Epson as well, but just because it is cheaper.

However, I have to insist that it is not as easy as it looks, AND DTG is definitely harder to master than screen printing. Screen-printing a single color design, takes just 10 minutes to learn. You cannot do this with DTG. The good thing about DTG is that you can print one offs.

You must only be taking one color jobs all of the time. You tell me, which one would be easier to print this job on? I'll take the DTG every time. I printed this job yesterday and it would have taken a lot screens to screenprint this job. I don't really do many one color jobs. Mostly high end stuff.

 

[rjwz28]

So getting back to the original poster’s question, is it ok for some prints to crack when pulled apart or are there supposed to have zero? Thanks
.

 

[TABOB]

1. I've said it myself. DTG is good for one-offs.
2. What I was trying to say, is that I could teach somebody how to printing a single color on a manual screen, in just 10 minutes. Following specific steps will always produce consistent results, and the print will last for years. Actually, even printing 6 colors will not take much longer to learn. Learning to print on DTG is a much longer process, and you will get unexpected problems. For example, some shirts just don't print well, and you have no way of knowing until you try it. Then, there are the cracking and flaking issues, caused by sizing agents, and again there is no way to know until you've actually washed the shirt. You just don't get these problems with plastisol.



I don't know why some people don't like it when I say that DTG is not as easy as it looks. We all know, it is not like printing on paper, although some want to portrait it that way. I don't get it, and I've printed nearly 50,000 DTG shirts so far... so I know what I'm saying.



Finlay, "high end" has nothing to do with how many colors the design has. The one and two color designs do actually sell very well, and this is why I keep making them.

 

[TABOB]

So getting back to the original poster’s question, is it ok for some prints to crack when pulled apart or are there supposed to have zero? Thanks
.

Cracking on a fresh unwashed t-shirt is obviously not acceptable.
Not that it is acceptable after the first wash... but just saying...

 

[gatorGRAFIX]

1. I've said it myself. DTG is good for one-offs.
2. What I was trying to say, is that I could teach somebody how to printing a single color on a manual screen, in just 10 minutes. Following specific steps will always produce consistent results, and the print will last for years. Actually, even printing 6 colors will not take much longer to learn. Learning to print on DTG is a much longer process, and you will get unexpected problems. For example, some shirts just don't print well, and you have no way of knowing until you try it. Then, there are the cracking and flaking issues, caused by sizing agents, and again there is no way to know until you've actually washed the shirt. You just don't get these problems with plastisol.



I don't know why some people don't like it when I say that DTG is not as easy as it looks. We all know, it is not like printing on paper, although some want to portrait it that way. I don't get it, and I've printed nearly 50,000 DTG shirts so far... so I know what I'm saying.



Finlay, "high end" has nothing to do with how many colors the design has. The one and two color designs do actually sell very well, and this is why I keep making them.

Ahh, yeah, right, Funny, you never answered my question.

 

[TABOB]

Ahh, yeah, right, Funny, you never answered my question.

I did... see point 1 in my previous post. But to be honest, you could do this with heat transfers. I use them for concept t-shirts, and some of them are as durable as DTG.

 

[gatorGRAFIX]

Well, your answer in "Point 1" is right, and wrong. I routinely print 100+ tees on my DTG's. My customers don't want transfers at all. Most folks that sell transfers on tees are usually start up businesses that move on to screen printing and DTG printing. I used to do them but not any more.

 

[TABOB]

Well, your answer in "Point 1" is right, and wrong. I routinely print 100+ tees on my DTG's. My customers don't want transfers at all. Most folks that sell transfers on tees are usually start up businesses that move on to screen printing and DTG printing. I used to do them but not any more.

You doing it, does not make it easier, or better. If it was the case, all the big brands would be switching to DTG. Obviously they don't.

For my business model (wholesale), the one or two color designs are actually the best selling ones (Mostly white, black, and glitter), and the fastest way to make them is screen-printing. I use digitally printed screens, which take just 5 minutes to make, and I can print 250-300 shirts in 3 hours. Printing cost is $0.10 per shirt, and I make $8 per shirt on average, which means $2,000 to $2,500 in 3 hours. You cannot do this with DTG.
As I've already said, I have 4 custom made DTG printers, which I do use for multi-color prints...But not the normal way. I screen-print the base layer with transparent or white, and then DTG over it. I use thin platens with magnets and registration pins, so I can move them from the press to the printer in seconds. I also use platen adhesive, and I get perfect registration every time

.

This way, printing cost for dark garments is the same as for white (around $0.35 per shirt), AND durability is excellent too. This year I will be modifying the printers to slide over 9ft rails, so I can print 6 full size T-shirts at a time. Hopefully the registration will not be an issue.


As for transfers... The new versions of the Laser dark transfers, can produce amazing results (skill required). I use them to make prototypes, which I then reproduce with the method described above. The transfer results are impressive, and the cost around $2.60 for tabloid size, which is the same as DTG when using Epson inks. Durability is also very good. I've washed some of them over 20 times, and they are still OK.

 

[rjwz28]

I would really like to see a video of your process. Sounds pretty impressive and unique.

 

[TABOB]

I would really like to see a video of your process. Sounds pretty impressive and unique.

Maybe once I get back from my vacation...

 

[feo]

still on vacation?

 

[TD2018]

i have a ANAJET Ri3000. I have only had it 6 months, and it is already back to California for repair. They did not train me properly how to maintain the machine. no manual was given to me. My reps here for Ricoh did not know that i was a DTG in their area. I could go on and on about the mistreatment from ANAJET. What i really want to know if there are F2100 owners that have had this machine a while, and how do they feel about it. the research i have done on this machine tells me that it is a good machine, but i want to make sure that after i get rid of the ANAJET to go into another brand that i am not going from one bad company to another. i did receive a sample of the F2100 and it looks great and has washed great as well.