[myrddyn]

I'm thinking of buying a DTG and have no experience in this field at all. I would really like everyone's input. I've looked at the Brother GT-541 but haven't seen any of the other brands. This one seems to have some great features, such as printing on hats and wood. It also has some drawbacks, such as not printing on black.

Total cost of the machine with platen for adult shirts and 2 cap platen, heat press for shirts and hats, setup and training is $25, 000. This is a big investment for me. Is this a good price?

Are there better machines out there?
Thanks for any help. I'm a complete newbie at this.

 

[charles95405]

I would be reluctant to jump into this field with a dtg machine if you are new to the biz... you should think long and hard before going out on a limb with a loan or lease..you will need double the purchase price of the machine...you should have a store front..there are loads of booby traps for running a dtg operation from your extra bedroom....bus. lic, resale lic...permit to operate to name a few...you need to put a pencil to paper and figure how many shirts per day you will need to make just the lease/loan payments. you will need capital to operate....you will need credit in your name to establish relationships with the vendor..get CC processing equipment..

I will tell you now...that IF you insist on dtg operation...you will be best served to open your operation by hooking up with a current dtg operator and outsource all your work to them...you will make as much profit as they will after they deduct operational expenses and labor...and they have to eat the mistakes..not you.. get some good designs and go for it...do out source for the next 12 months and see where you stand..then decide if the total purchase is worth it. Don't let the heady idea of 'ownership' sway you and blind you to reality. I have been around the block a few times and I do transfers, inkjet, laser,vinyl and rhinestones. I will outsource almost everything except most vinyl and rhinestones. I just finished a 750 garment order for a public entity...I did nothing except pick up the phone place the order, send garments to the embroiderer...I did 50 caps with vinyl...all else was outsourced... and I made more $$ than any of the people that I had do the work

Just think about it...

 

[myrddyn]

Thanks for your input. I'm not sure that I explained myself well. I'm not new to the printing industry. I've operated high end commercial printers/copiers for several years and work a lot with my own graphics. I have a lot of experience with both PhotoShop and Illustrator. I would not be setting up a store front at this time even though I already have a business license. I would be mainly doing events and printing for local businesses and schools. I've had my own business for awhile selling handcrafted items. This is more a way for me to have another major outlet for using my designs.

My main question is about the cost of the machine and whether there are others out there that are more efficient. Thanks again for answering my question so quickly. I really do appreciate your help.

 

[charles95405]

I know others will disagree with me....but if I were to buy a dtg today...I would go with the brother 541...true it does not do black but will do most colors...I like it because either the users are incredibly smart and talented or it is a good machine because I see very little complaints on the operation of this unit. The tjet systems have had problems that may have been corrected. I think the Brother is the only one that does not use an Epson printing head...not sure on this.. I have looked at various units and if I had to name a second choice, it would probably be the Anajet...

If you can make it...go to Long Beach ISS show and you can see several machines in action to compare

 

[myrddyn]

I am planning on going to the Long Beach ISS in January. Any pointers on specific vendors I should look for?
I won't be able to attend the whole show. I am also going to the CHA show in Anaheim which starts during the ISS. I sure wish they were a week apart instead of overlapping. Since I am new to this venue, I need to know not only which machines to look at but also which distributors of blanks give you the best value and don't require a huge initial purchase. I appreciate all of your help so far. Thanks.

 

[charles95405]

Register now for the ISS show in Jan at Imprinted Sportwear Shows and I think there is a list of vendors on the site..in any case get at book as you enter that lists all the vendors...you can do some research ahead and mark the booths with the machine you want to look at...and you can do that in a day for sure..just skip all the eye candy booths and zero in on what you really want to see
I don't who is going at this time but here is a list of some machines that may interest you
DTG America - Digital Garment Printers
SWF East | The DTG Kiosk T-Shirt Printing Machine and Digital Garment Printer
Direct-to-Garment Printers - Anajet DTG Printer, White Ink
and here is a site with a report on several dtg machines
Direct To Garment Printing Report - Your Online DTG Resource
See ya at Long Beach

 

[sunnydayz]

This post may also help in learning what machines are out there and why the owners picked their particular machine http://www.t-shirtforums.com/direct-garment-dtg-inkjet-printing/t41520.html. I myself have the Hm1 and really love it, but that is because it was the one I chose that would fit what I wanted to do with it, and it hasnt let me down I think the thread above though will give you a good idea of how to research the different machines, and what the differences are between them. Hope this helps.

 

[myrddyn]

Thanks both of you for the great info. I really appreciate it. I looked at the thread that you mentioned and it does have some great feedback. The links to the various vendors are also very helpful, as is knowing that I should register soon for the show. Thanks for helping the newbie!

 

[navaro]

Hi

The best direct to garment printer is one thing, the best dealer with a good customer service is more important. I have a Jumbo 2, and had some problems whit it, but my canadian ...services just let me down, so be careful.

 

[vinyl signs]

Navaro makes a good point when the machine isn't operating properly support is very important!

Also what do you know about inkjet printing repair/maintenance?

Do you know the graphic programs Adobe/Corel?

 

[myrddyn]

I have had a lot of experience with maintenance of both the large Kodak and Xerox copiers. Some experience with their repair. How much different is this? Would it be important for me to get the extended warranty? Is it worth the extra money?

I know the Adobe programs very well. In fact my son taught Illustrator at our local college. I'm not as familiar with Corel. I used Corel Draw many years ago, but I'm sure it's changed a lot. I would definitely have to get a book on the program. Is Corel necessary?

 

[vinyl signs]

If you know illustrator and paintshop that should be good enough.

If you can fix copiers you should be able to repair one of these, one thing to keep in mind is that there is daily maintenance that is very important to do to keep from having problems!

 

[sharktees]

I have a Brother and love it,we started with an Epson based machine and had way to many problems even though I could fix them all my self it still was down to often and always when we were on a deadline.If you buy a brother you won't need to know how to fix them they just fire up and print Check out Stitch City in CA they are a brother dealer and have some really great options for the machine that they have made themselves,very innovative people.Good luck and have fun.P.S. The new Corel X-4 is great and easy to learn and works great with the Brother as do the other programs you mentioned.

 

[myrddyn]

That is good to know about the Epson heads. I've seen that issue in several posts. Looks like the Brother may be the best one for me. I will go to the ISS and check them all out, but it feels like my first choice may be the best one after all. It sure is nice to get all the feedback about them first. $25,000 is nothing to just take a guess on.

I still haven't heard from anyone if the price I was quoted seemed like a good one. All the details of the quote are in the first post of this thread.

 

[sexysheila]

I'm looking for a direct to garment printer that I can pay on it monthly do any one know what company let's you pay on it. I 'm not rich I'm just trying to make ends meet.

 

[DAGuide]

I'm looking for a direct to garment printer that I can pay on it monthly do any one know what company let's you pay on it. I 'm not rich I'm just trying to make ends meet.

Since a lot of the posts in this thread talk about the Brother GT-541 printer, I am not sure if you are just focused on that printer or any printer. Brother is currently offering a 0% interest rate financing on the GT-541 printers for 2 years. You will need to speak with either Brother or a Brother distributor for additional information. You can also look at leasing a printer either through your bank or a traditional leasing company.

Hope this helps.

Mark

 

[TahoeTomahawk]

I'm looking for a direct to garment printer that I can pay on it monthly do any one know what company let's you pay on it. I 'm not rich I'm just trying to make ends meet.

You can go through a leasing company, contact a distributor of the machine you are interested in and ask what leasing companies they work with.

 

[dmfelder]

The Brother GT-541 is a workhorse, but it doesn't print darks. The GT-782 is nice, but expensive. We use DTG Vipers for our Print-on-Demand shirt fulfillment services. The platen system keeps the garments taught and flat, and the laser level drives very high quality direct to garment printing.

In addition, since we're very streamlined (our printing moves to curing, moves to branding hang tags, then to shipping), the Viper conveyor system is perfect. The product flows right through the machine.

None of these systems are easy to keep up, though. Little things break frequently (like owning an old classic car), but if you're smart and/or resourseful, you should be happy...

best wishes!

 

[pinsdesigns]

The Brother GT-541 is a workhorse, but it doesn't print darks. The GT-782 is nice, but expensive. We use DTG Vipers for our Print-on-Demand shirt fulfillment services. The platen system keeps the garments taught and flat, and the laser level drives very high quality direct to garment printing.

In addition, since we're very streamlined (our printing moves to curing, moves to branding hang tags, then to shipping), the Viper conveyor system is perfect. The product flows right through the machine.

None of these systems are easy to keep up, though. Little things break frequently (like owning an old classic car), but if you're smart and/or resourseful, you should be happy...

best wishes!

I'm considering getting a Viper DTG Printer would you recommend that as a good printer to start out with?
Thanks your answer.

 

[Clemsc]

I'm looking for a direct to garment printer that I can pay on it monthly do any one know what company let's you pay on it. I 'm not rich I'm just trying to make ends meet.

I've been screwed around by Anajet. I'm looking to buy a DTG printer as well and they have said lots of crap that of that is untrue to me nobody has perfected printed on black poly but Brother has doesn't use 3rd party inks or other stuff from what I have gathered. I'm going to the show as well to kick tires. Good luck