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laser vs inkjet transfers

2271 Views 4 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  pegasus69, 
pegasus69
How can I achieve more rich and vivid results than my Epson C88+ with Durabrite inks?

After my Epson went out for the second time, I took the entire printer with the CIS still installed and deposited them in the trash. Even on photo quality, and various papers like JPSS, the image always came out disappointing. It looked like they had already been washed before I even made the shirt.

I don't find a lot of complaints in the forums about my kind of setup, surely I am not that "picky". But I am at a loss on what to buy next.

For those of you who have switched brands of printers or even types of printers, what gave you the richest and most vivid colors? I would like results close to plastisol. And a CIS is very nice to have, almost necessary, as I just need one printer for transfers and home printing needs too...and I don't have too many clogging issues.
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pegasus69 said:
How can I achieve more rich and vivid results than my Epson C88+ with Durabrite inks?

After my Epson went out for the second time, I took the entire printer with the CIS still installed and deposited them in the trash. Even on photo quality, and various papers like JPSS, the image always came out disappointing. It looked like they had already been washed before I even made the shirt.

I don't find a lot of complaints in the forums about my kind of setup, surely I am not that "picky". But I am at a loss on what to buy next.

For those of you who have switched brands of printers or even types of printers, what gave you the richest and most vivid colors? I would like results close to plastisol. And a CIS is very nice to have, almost necessary, as I just need one printer for transfers and home printing needs too...and I don't have too many clogging issues.
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Switching printers is not advised, it is not causing your color problems.

With JPSS your results should look like this. I use Cobra pigment inks and a WF1100 (4 color) but the inks are a very good clone of Epsons in terms of color. I used a C88+ in the past with Epsons Durabrite+ factory inks and got similar good results.

You mention "with Durabrite inks", how on earth did you get "Durabrite" inks into a CIS? Durabrite+ inks are what's in the Epson OEM carts and is Epsons trademark. What inks are you really using?

Your issues relate to color management (or lack thereof), inks and/or printer settings and inks. I use matte paper settings in the Epson driver.

The top transfer on the tshirt is using a color profile, the lower transfer is without, the profile makes it "pop" more but the lower image is more color accurate.

To put it simply, you are doing something wrong.

It looked like they had already been washed before I even made the shirt.
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Before heat transferring this is normal!

The inks very quickly get absorbed into the transfer layers by design. They don't sit in the top of the sheet, they are absorbed into the paper. This is not inkjet photo paper where the inks stay on top!

After you transfer the image should appear normal.

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pegasus69
Ok, I can't remember what these inks were called, I tossed the old Epson a while back. But they were Heat Transfer Pigment Inks made for the Epson C88 and sold in 4oz bottles. I no longer have the Epson Driver installed, but I think I set it on something like "best quality" and "photo", maybe I chose "plain white paper" though I can't remember the choices. I did ask on this forum back then, and took the suggestions at that time. Someone also suggested letting the transfers set before pressing, I did that too. Right now I'm living with a monochrome laser printer, so I know that is just temporary until I get something new. I was hoping color laser would be more vibrant, and possibly more economical and mechanically friendly than inkjet. However, I don't know if that would outlast pigment in wash tests. Obviously most folks on here are happy with the inkjets...
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pegasus69 said:
Ok, I can't remember what these inks were called, I tossed the old Epson a while back. But they were Heat Transfer Pigment Inks made for the Epson C88 and sold in 4oz bottles. I no longer have the Epson Driver installed, but I think I set it on something like "best quality" and "photo", maybe I chose "plain white paper" though I can't remember the choices. I did ask on this forum back then, and took the suggestions at that time. Someone also suggested letting the transfers set before pressing, I did that too. Right now I'm living with a monochrome laser printer, so I know that is just temporary until I get something new. I was hoping color laser would be more vibrant, and possibly more economical and mechanically friendly than inkjet. However, I don't know if that would outlast pigment in wash tests. Obviously most folks on here are happy with the inkjets...
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Your inks and setup were suspect.

Laser will not be more economical than inkjet with refill inks, even if the laser is using refill carts. Also, 11 x 17 color lasers are about $1500 - $1800 dollars higher printer cost than a tabloid inkjet. Having only letter/legal size transfers reduce your overall sales potential. On XL and larger tshirts then letter/legal size transfers can appear too small to the customer.

Lasers can look as good initially, but fade too much on the first wash, with the exception of using Image Clip and doing a 2nd "B" paper over the finished shirt as an overcoat.

Laser reliability and speed are the main benefits vs. inkjet, everywhere else they are not as good.
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pegasus69
ok thanks, I appreciate the response and I might reconsider an inkjet again. I miss being able to make my own designs.
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