[mustangFWL]

I am just curious if I should stock up on inks (different major colors, reds, blues, greens, black, and white) and platens (leg/sleeve, youth and adult) or wait and order the items when I have a job that requires them? I know I will have jobs that will require these things in the future, just not at this time.

 

[GN]

I am just curious if I should stock up on inks (different major colors, reds, blues, greens, black, and white) and platens (leg/sleeve, youth and adult) or wait and order the items when I have a job that requires them? I know I will have jobs that will require these things in the future, just not at this time.

If you have the money and it's not going to strap you, I'd stock up now. You never know if you get a big order that wants faster turn around time. Luck would have you waiting on inks or supplies and lose your customer. If it will strap you, then I'd only purchase a few things at a time until you have everything.

 

[beanie357]

Depends on your business model.
Stock of anything alleviates the uncertainties of the flow of supplies. It allows fastr incept of production (good thing) and allows real life prototype quickly if it's something you haven't done before. Say a rib knit tank. If you have the ink and platen, as soon as the garments arrive you can start trying stuff so you in theory cut down the time on a learning curve.

If you have the various inks and platens and screen meshes in house, it's practice time! Go to the thrift store and take a hundred bucks and buy mass quantities of stuff to practice on with all the various combinations of equipoment you have.

Rule of thumb- The worse you need something, the more screwed up the process will be to get it. I think some guy named Murphy has something to do with this.