[mrfrost]

i bought a heat press and epson inkjet printer, id like to used transfer paper with it but also would like to use the same printer for sublimation as well..

can i use the same ink for both and achieve good results, or is it best to use a different type of ink for each type of printing?

also, i saw you can get a self weeding transfer paper..
what is the benifit of that if a regular transfer paper dosent leave a white border?

i also have a vinyl plotter but i want to do transfer paper/sublimation because i can then print much more intricate designs with more colours etc

sorry, i hold my hands up and admit im a noob, im just starting out =]

 

[joeshaul]

You should choose which you wish to go with, sublimation or standard inkjet. Sublimation inks can come in carts, but it is not recommended to commonly switch between the two.

Pros of sublimation: Awesome print quality, wide variety of items you can make in addition to t-shirts, t-shirts created with dye sublimation have no feel.
Cons of sublimation: Requires a polymer coated or 100% polyester material (a 50/50 will give a vintage look, 100% cotton will wash out after the first wash).

I don't have much inkjet transfer experience since I have a DTG and Versacamm SP300, however from what I understand, the transfers will leave behind a polymer coating that should essentially wash out after the first wash, which is the "Self weeding" aspect. Although I believe they still recommend to trim the design. You may want to look into JetPro SoftStretch for Lights/Whites or Ironall for Darks, as I believe both of these you can pass that through a cutter with an optical eye for a very good trim. If I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will correct me, I'm just stating what I've heard through research on these forums

 

[mrfrost]

thanks for the reply!

am i right in that the transfer paper inks are far cheaper??

 

[joeshaul]

Yes, the inks are generally a lot cheaper. Sawgrass owns the patents on sublimation inks in the U.S., so they control the market and the price.