[jmcgurren]

I currently have humidity up to the 46-50% range fluctuating. probably closer to 46% on a steady keel. Things seem to be pretty good, my question to others is this... I am avoiding using my heat in my shop room while I am not in here to keep the humidity high. The electric heat sucks the humidity out of the air and forces the humidifier to work harder all day causing my to have to buy a filter every week (which I dealt with last winter). Is it OK for the neoflex to be in a 53 degree, 46-50% humidity enviornment? I know the humidity is about right, but just wondering about the cold air. I assume it is fine but want to make sure it wont cause any problems. When I print in here the temp does go up to like 68 degrees or so because my heat press is on and sometimes I put the heat on while I am doing computer work. I don't mind the cold very much.

 

[twistinthewick]

I can't speak for 53 degree temps. But my neo is currently in my front room with 20 ft. ceilings. The temp is a steady 60 and my humidity fluctuates between 45 and 50 with no problems.
I am about a week away from moving my machinery to the new shop we partitioned off the back area so I can control the environment a little better. I will post pics next week.
Welcome back to the white ink world. I know it was probably killing you not printing white, your artwork is amazing on black!

 

[jmcgurren]

Thanks Cathie post pics when you get in there. I want to see the new space. I am going to get some of the designs I did for you up on my wickedsicktees.com site soon along with many others.... I still owe you some discounted artwork. Hoping to get deconetwork or something at some point and give people the ability to make their own shirts and order on the site... matter of fact I think I might put up a post about this topic.

 

[treefox2118]

I looked at DecoNetwork and it's decent, but the lack of a free trial is bothersome.

I think I'll end up with ShirtTools -- it's a one-time fee, comes with code, and I bet I can integrate it better into my backend, rather than be forced to use DecoNetwork's backend. We've spent a decade building our backend for maximum SEO juice (and it works), so I'm adverse to switching to some off-the-shelf backend solution that will throw me into competition with everyone using the same software.

 

[jmcgurren]

I am wondering if the code can be integrated into a website created with wix.com. My site is a wix site... it was just easier and less time consuming though I have some limited understanding and experience with coding. Looks like they have an HTML app that allows for dropping in code via iframes. Just not sure it will work properly and integrate with my shopping cart correctly in wix. I might try to see if they can provide me with some source code to test it. Looking into shirt tools now.
Thanks.

 

[treefox2118]

DecoNetwork does have an API, according to this recent thread at their forums: DecoNetwork forums :: Topic: External Shopping Cart intergration (1/1) | DecoNetwork They call it the "External Checkout API" -- basically your website passes off the visitor to the DecoNetwork page, and when they "add to cart" it passes the information back to your website.

The problem is, I have had zero luck getting a copy of the API dox so I can talk to my devs about how we could use it. Emails have been ignored.

HTML5 is a requirement for us.

With ShirtTools, I get the code, so we can beat on it with a Quillon paper bat until it works. With DecoNetwork, they control the code, so I am limited to solely what their API lets me do. Like the difference between Android and iOS -- I don't want to be stuck in a walled garden.

Still, I prefer DecoNetwork's interface over ShirtTools, but that also can be tweaked and redesigned (in ShirtTools) since I control the code.

 

[jmcgurren]

Yea I also dont like the price on deco per month and the transaction fees. Are you integrating shirtTools into your site via iframing? Or using their full site template as your main site? I e-mailed them and Dean responded:
Hi Jeff

We've built the designer with Opencart. If you tried to frame it in wix then it would look terrible and would no longer be responsive which is one of the key points of our software.

I assume that means there is no use in me trying the iframe option. Instead I am wondering if there is an option where I can Just have a "design lab" link on my site and when the user clicks it they end up on a shirttools page that has a look that mimic that of my wix site. Then I would also need this shopping cart integration thing that you mentioned deco has. Do you know if I can pull this off with shirt tools?

 

[treefox2118]

I am going to buy ShirtTools as a risky move, to be honest.

The market NEEDS a decent HTML5 design tool, but the problem is that it's too easy to bootleg. HTML5 isn't protected like Flash is.

My hope is to take ShirtTools and completely compartmentalize ALL connections to ecommerce. Once that's done, I can then create "plugin" functionality for any ecommerce solution out there. I'm hopeful I can get it going and offer the original author (who is on TSF, btw) my adapted code to resell to others who don't want to use OpenCart.

I have no idea how WIX works -- does it support plugins?

 

[23spiderman]

i'm no help with the code discussion, but regarding temps, your Neo will be fine. i run my shop in a detached 2-car garage, and in the middle of summer, it's been 100+ degrees. this morning, it was 40 degrees when i started, and has been as cold as the mid 30's.

what kind of crazy humidifier requires you to change the filter every week? i have a small humidifier that uses a wick filter that i've been using for a couple of months.

 

[treefox2118]

@23spiderman: I run TWO wicking evaporative humidifiers plus we par-boil a 5 gallon pot of water when the heat press is off and we can barely get to 40% humidity (Chicago winters). Our wicking evaporative humidifiers go through filters weekly ($5 a pop) because we have some minerals in our water, so they get clogged. The pot boiling makes a huge difference over just the humidifiers alone, but the energy costs are pretty excessive.

This spring, we're going to build a mostly-glass "room" in our storefront (so people outside can watch us print). The room will be climate controlled, both temperature and humidity, without any air actually blowing directly near the machines. I'm hopeful I can hit 55% humidity and 68 degrees 24/7/365.

 

[23spiderman]

i've found that the cheap bottles of treatment help a lot, and i flip the filter every now and then to prolong the life. it does get some calcium on the sides, but it still works.

the glass room sounds great! i can imagine, in Chicago, kids peering through one glass window watching pizza dough fly through the air, and then peering through your window watching their shirts get printed. that is a great concept!

 

[treefox2118]

We are on a busy street -- art walks, restaurants and bars, public transportation, etc. Our front of our shop is unused properly, so we moved DTG operations front and center. The buildout should be fun, and I'm hopeful it'll pay itself off quickly. Plus we expanded our hours to as late as midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Drunk people spend money.

 

[Stitch-Up]

Hoping to get deconetwork or something at some point and give people the ability to make their own shirts and order on the site... matter of fact I think I might put up a post about this topic.

I was following an open source development and your post reminded me to take another look.

Check it out OpenTshirts – T-Shirt Design Website and Software

 

[jmcgurren]

Really like the glass room idea. Sounds awesome. I have the same filter issues. I am currently in a smaller room and keeping the humidity at 46-50% is working well. I am hoping it means the humidifier isnt working as hard and I wont have to change the filter like I did at my last location.
As far as open t-shirts I am pretty sure it needs to be used with opencart and therefore my current site with wix won't work. I think wix has plug-in ability. I know there is an html code box you can drop into a page which allows you to frame in things with code. I was told deconetwork will work this way, the problem is the iframing kills SEO within the frame.
Sounds cool let me know if you end up with a customized version of shirt tools that can be used inside other sites with code or i-framing it.

 

[allamerican-aeoon]

This thread is serious. All Black Shirts Guys are in. MIBs.
Humidity in winter is crazy.
Cheers! Beers are on me always.

 

[treefox2118]

Peter: when I have the funds, I want to build a 14 foot tall waterfall in our storefront.

Why?

I'm going to display some Neoflex printed shirts, with the water falling over them, so show durability and add humidity.

 

[23spiderman]

i love water features. that would be the best...display...ever!

 

[allamerican-aeoon]

Brain have lots of humor.
This is how Guinness control humidity in their factory in Ireland.
Best way, lol.
Cheers! Beers are on me always.
Picture, iPad glitch.

 

[treefox2118]

I'm not kidding! If I use good lighting, it'll attract a lot of attention.

Sorry I missed you this week in Philly, my guys had a blast! Brad & Kevin -- the future of my DTG shop in Chicago.

I'm in Florida now looking at spaces (plus Entrepreneur Magazine is doing a photoshoot of me for an article). Might be time to order a second 'Flex...

 

[JGCMelissa]

If you have the funds, might I suggest something like this? If you are gonna do it, go big!

Waterfall Graphic Print [Osaka Station City] 1 - YouTube