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Mission accomplished "license to thrill"

[DIY DTG] 
1M views 5K replies 321 participants last post by  Laser212 
After 3 nights of reading all posts I finally finished. was willing to start a build but want to wait now a bit to see if Jeff (german13) is starting to sell them or perhaps kits or the plans.
Any reply to that Jeff?
 
A few questions:
1) The R1900 for photos uses 8 inks but for DTG it uses CMYK (only 4 inks) How does the printer print with the other cartidges empty?
2) It also originally uses a so called Wast Pad where the ink goes when starting the printer and when cleaning. Where does this ink go?
3) When cleaning does the ink not go to the platen?
 
Do the shirts come out dry?
Can the customer walk away with the shirt and cure it at home with an iron?
I ask this cuestion because I work on the street and are not allowed to use a generator to run a heat press and on 42nd St in NWC the established businesses there are not interested to put this press into theire stores. If they would allow this I could just do sublimination instead of DTG.
I run my R1900 with a 12V battery and an inverter.
There are over 20 Photographers on one block and any one of them making $1,000-$2,000 a week printing 5x7, 8x10 and up to 13x19 pictures.
I can see good business with T shirts at at least $30 a piece. We are selling 8x10s for $25 and 13x19s for $50.
I am the one who sells them the Templates and the automation for Photoshop.
 
how do you keep that 12V from running down? I can't see you having much available power with just a 12V... How many hours are you there? Bob ?;O)
Most use Deep Cicle Batteries and run the printer at least 36 hours with an 75W inverter.
http://www.bescor.com/Export7.htm
I use the battery on the left and take it home avery day to charge. The Epson R1900 uses only 3w when printing and 0.6w when idle. I can run the printer at least 8 hours before I have to go to a second battery if ever. The 75W inverter takes the power it needs 5W.
We (20 on one block on 42nd St in New York city}do this for many years.
Will put up a picture later to night so you all can see what we do. Also some disigns.
 
He most likely has a laptop as well yes, not a great draw, but on a 12V battery... My car interior lights can cause my car's 12v to run down over night. So, the question is has he tried this or is this just an idea? What kind of inverter are you going to be using? So many questions... If it works great.Bob ?;O)
Yes I use a Dell Laptop with an extra battery at the buttom. It was running 16 hours when new but now after 2 years only 12hours.
This is the inverter.
Lenmar N-Verter 60-75 Watt DC to AC Power Inverter | Staples®
 
They could take it home and cure it with an iron. They just need to place a piece of paper between the iron and the image. How many hours are you there?Bob ?;O)
We are there from 7pm every day weather allowing to about 1am but Fridays and Saturdays often to 4am. We are not allowed to set up before 7pm.
Couls they wear the shirt right away after printing and cure it later at home? This would be great.
If I will have my printer I will put two manequinns wearing a T on my cart one on each side. I know I can sell them for $30 easy because I sell an 8x10 for $25.
 
Read FAQ looking on how to publish a picture but could not find an answer.
Please tell me how or give me the link.
Here is a typical setup:
Host your images for free: Pixentral.com - Display
and here are some sample pictures we do daily:
Host your images for free: Pixentral.com - Display
Host your images for free: Pixentral.com - Display
Host your images for free: Pixentral.com - Display
Host your images for free: Pixentral.com - Display
Host your images for free: Pixentral.com - Display
The numbers are the order numbers.
 
I have a "Green Screen" setup that I intend to do something similar with. Do you have some kind of propriatary software you use or just get your "templates' set on your own to be ready for isolating the sublect and the insertion process for putting the photos of the people in the "big city backgrounds" ?
I design my own templates they have Alpha Channels. I use Photoshop with scripts and actions. with the pictures from the camera on the screen I just hit an action and it re sizes the pictures, opens the template and inserts the picture into the selection (Alpha Channel}
I also have a green screen plug in but can not use it on the street because I am not allowed to use a backdrop but sometimes I extract people manually when I use a Magazine cover.
 
Now this change after I bought the R1900 repair manual spent hours reading it watched all the movies of how to tear it apart.
Lucky I did not buy the R1900 it would have been a pain in the butt.
Now it seems I must studying the 1400 or maybe better just buying a ready made one for what ever money it costs and start printing and making money.
 
The 1900 is still a good choise. But since the printers are very similar you should also be well prepared to do a 1400 conversion.
After building the printer the expences rise .. ekrip and the inks are much more expensive than the printer. (But it's worth it ) ..
The uncertainty is the thing here. Why change a printer for one of a hundred dollars less when the quality of the print and speed are far less. It also most probably needs a modification of the RIP.
I will see if I wait 'till the final word or buy a printer now. I want to start printing when the weather breaks here in NYC (mid May).
 
Jeff's pretty busy but either he or myself didn't get the correct meaning of you question. Yes, either of these printers can be used with CMYK colors only as well as used for CMYK and white. It would be your choice as long as your using the right rip.:D
Thanks for the answer.
I meant that I plan to print only on white Ts. Your post answered my question.
 
Great!
I read a lot of head clogging using white ink which made me think that Ultra Sonic cleaners could unclog them. The ultra sonic waves (over 20.000 cycles/sec) penetrate deep into parts. This might destroy the particles and after this one could flush the head somehow outside the printer.
Just a thought!
 
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