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What Printer/Paper

1792 Views 9 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  jmj
Hello all, I do mainly embroidery, custom transfers and have a Roland GX24 but I have been approched by a local hockey association to do their Christmas tournament because the company that usually does them will not be avaliable this year. They brought in a sweatshirt from last year that you can clearly tell was done by transfer paper because you can see the outline of the paper (on a grey hoodie) but it still looks really nice, color holding up and no cracking. Also on the back they had like 100 names of all the players. I guess my question is where do I start, what printer, paper, etc. I have a epson 1280(I think that's what it is) that I bought for sublimation but they could never get it to work with the sublimation ink, so could I use it BUT what type of ink. My only concern is quality very important because if I can pull this off there is a very BIG possibility that I can land they entire contract. If there is experts out there that makes shirts this way please give me your best advice.
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I have just switched over to the Jet Pro Soft Stretch (JPSS) for lights, and I'm very happy with the results.

While most of the users here on the board recommend using a pigment ink, I have had very good success with the paper and dye ink. I know that the HP printers that take 1 black, and 1 tri-color cartridge -- with those, the black is pigment, and the tri-colors are dye. I also know the Epson C120 uses pigment inks.

You will not be able to use sublimation ink on this paper. But if you tell us what other printer you have available, we can hopefully tell you what kind of ink it's using.

Depending on the quantity of shirts you're doing, it may be more cost effective to use plastisol transfers. TransferExpress.com has what they call Easy Prints. You choose one of their stock layouts; they have several for the list name type of design you're talking about.
Thanks for the reply. I have several regular printers, I was just wondering what was the best printer and ink to use, it would be a dedicated printer just for this. I have been custom ordering transfers for years but my company thinks that the lettering would be to small. I would also like to be able to due just a few shirts for customer with the customer transfers I have to order 24. I would really like to do a good quality digital print for personalization but not sumblimation, I've tried that be it did not work out so well.
Sorry I forgot to ask is there a printer that will print 11x17
Hi Melinda. :)

If you aren't going to use your 1280 for dye sub, why not switch is to re-fill carts or bulk ink with pigment HT inks? All you have to do is purge the dye sub out, and you have a wide format printer that you can use with JPSS.

Mrdavid has used JPSS with dye sub, he said the color seemed more vibrant than other inks, but he did it to see what would happen. No one would use dye sub with JPSS when you can use the much cheaper inks that JPSS uses.

Otherwise as far as inks, I am with Michele on that... Michele has used the HP's with great success, I've used Durabrite pigment ink as well as Canon regular dye ink. I've bleached them, too. Alot. :D

Here are some pics to show you what JPSS can do:
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t47868.html#post282700

If you want to switch your current printer to refill carts and heat transfer inks, I always hear the name inkjetcarts.us, but if you search the forum you'll find feedback on other suppliers as well.

I like in this order for JPSS suppliers tshirtsupplies.com and New Milford Photo. Again, a search here or in google will return more suppliers, price varies alot. Good luck to you. :)

PS: If you want to change your printer, another large format is the Epson 1400. Ivancuriel (member here) is testing an ink for a supplier who came up with a special ICC color profile for JPSS specifically. The supplier rep is Leo, I think. (if you search "ivancuriel leo profile" the thread should come up. The posts that matter are the ones from September'ish 08. Ivan had troubles with their ink last spring, so they reformulated them and contacted Ivan to ask him to test the new formula. That is what he is doing now.

The 1400's were recently on sale at epson.com for $143 (re-furb). Brand new models were recently discounted online and at epson as well... as low as $170-180.
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Thanks for the info, I would really like to use my 1280 but it's been sitting so long I'm not sure if it will still work. How do you purge the system, I guess I could call EPSON and ask them what would be the best method. I'm hoping my shop will calm day next week so I can concentrate on this. I ordered some JPSS from Coastal, it should be here sometime next week, I will give it a try and let you know how it turns out. Again thanks to everyone on here for the wealth of information.
Thanks for the info, I would really like to use my 1280 but it's been sitting so long I'm not sure if it will still work. How do you purge the system, I guess I could call EPSON and ask them what would be the best method.
Hi Melinda,

That info can be found on the forum. Calling Epson might lead you to hear this "you are better off buying a new printer." :D, as that is what Epson sells. But not to be jaded, you might get someone helpful on the phone. :)

In the meantime, here is a thread about purging inks. There are more out there, and this one is really great. Luis is a great guy, too, if you have any questions, he seems to have a real handle on doing this. Here you go:
https://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t58647.html#post348246


I ordered some JPSS from Coastal, it should be here sometime next week, I will give it a try and let you know how it turns out. Again thanks to everyone on here for the wealth of information.
Awesome. Good luck with it, it's an awesome paper. Next time you order, if you want to compare prices, add tshirtsupplies.com and new milford photo to the list. Their prices are awesome. :)
I received my JPSS today and tested a few shirts, I have a few questions.
Is there supposed to be an outline left around the image after removing the paper? I have an image with just black ink and I would like to put it on several different colors of shirts but I do not like the way it leaves the outline of the carrier sheet. I tested the image on white, ash and lt blue and even trimmed the image, also it does not appear to be very soft. Is this the way it is supposed to be or am I missing something. Do they make this type of paper for darks say athletic heather,sand or maybe red. Is there another paper that does not leave the residue from the paper. I have a big job coming up in Dec for a local Hockey Assc and would really like to do be able to do the job with this type of transfer but they want it on Navy t's and hoodies but I'm not sure if I would like the results if it's going to leave the outline of the paper on them.
My last question does not relate to the paper but maybe someone will know the answer, I had a image drawn by a local artist very nice heavy ink, scanned it in to Corel Trace and of course it did not turn out so well, so I scanned it into Coreal Photo Paint with a lot better results but now I can not change the color of the image, it will not allow me to select the image either, I've never used Photo Paint so how can I make the image unlock from the background and then into Corel, why when you save it in Photo Paint it will not open in Corel?
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I received my JPSS today and tested a few shirts, I have a few questions.
Is there supposed to be an outline left around the image after removing the paper? I have an image with just black ink and I would like to put it on several different colors of shirts but I do not like the way it leaves the outline of the carrier sheet. I tested the image on white, ash and lt blue and even trimmed the image,
Inkjet heat transfer paper is coated with a polymer layer. It is the "polymer" that carries the ink to the shirt. Anywhere the polymer is not trimmed away, it will transfer to the shirt. The only way to get rid of the "window" or extra polymer where there is no design, is to trim it away either by hand or by using a "cutter" also called a "plotter" that does "contour cutting".

I've tried JPSS/Jetprosofstretch with different types of shirts, and different brands show more or less of the window than others.

There is a thread on here that shows photos of JPSS on heathers and grays. A search for "JPSS ash" and "JPSS grey (or gray)" will bring hem up.

Seeing the window on grays and heathers is more common, from what people have written.

also it does not appear to be very soft. Is this the way it is supposed to be or am I missing something.
Ironall lights is softer feeling that JPSS, imo, but Ironall light has fading problems, and JPSS doesn't... so I take the slightly rougher, a bit grainy finish, as a trade off.

There is a thread on here by Rhonda/Queerrep that uses JPSS with a "cold peel" to try to get a smoother finish. A search for "JPSS cold peel revisited" will bring it up. Use Rhonda's instructions (not anyone else's), as Rhonda fixed the cracking that can happen with a cold peel. Follow her instructions carefully, and from Rhonda's testing, the cracking is eliminated. You can read about all of it in her thread if you want to try that method.

Do they make this type of paper for darks say athletic heather,sand or maybe red.
They do not make JPSS for Darks yet, but there are other dark papers, like "Ironall for Darks", and "JetWear". They have a heavier feel, because they are dark (opaque) papers.

Is there another paper that does not leave the residue from the paper.
Dye sublimation (works on polyester shirts) does not leave a residue, and there is a "laser paper" called "image clip" that is a two step process that eliminates or nearly eliminates the window.

There is a paper for laser that works with darks, but it is expensive. A search for "laser paper darks" should bring up that info for you.

I have a big job coming up in Dec for a local Hockey Assc and would really like to do be able to do the job with this type of transfer but they want it on Navy t's and hoodies but I'm not sure if I would like the results if it's going to leave the outline of the paper on them.
It they are Navy, you won't be able to use JPSS, that is for white/light shirts. You'll have to use a paper for darks, and that has a white background. You'll need to trim away the excess paper.

If it is letters and numbers, you can order "precut letters and numbers" from a place like Stahls. Check for other suppliers, too. They are out there.

Alternatively, you could buy a cutter/plotter and some vinyl, and do the shirts with that method.

If you do a search on any of the terms I put in quotes for you, you will find more information on that subject on the forum. :)
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Thanks for the info, I just needed to know if it was supposed to leave the residue or if I was doing something wrong. I have a GX 24 but the Hockey shirts will be 3 color and will have anywhere from 50 to 100 names on the back, there will be around 100 or mores shirts so the plotter will not work. I guess I will just order transfers. I can't wait to try a colored graphic today, would you do the same process for a digital picture as you would anything else.
Thanks for the quick response I feel so much better knowing I did not mess it up on the first try.
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