What should I do? pigment or dye?

3989 Views 15 Replies 4 Participants Last post by DTFuqua, Oct 3, 2008

IAD

Discussion Starter · Oct 2, 2008

Hi there!
Man I have learned sooooo much about T shirt printing recently! Thanks to this amazing forum!

Ok after all this reading this is what I have decided to do:

I already have an Epson RX680 which does an amazing job for printing photos etc (in my opinion)

I am planning to start my business very soon and my budget is really low, I don’t even know how it will do so im not sure if I should invest in anything YET. If all goes well I plan to buy the mighty press.

What do you guys think I should do for now? Should I buy pigment heat transfer ink for my Epson and use maybe the self weeding paper? Would that work if I use a normal iron (with maybe the Teflon mat thing?) or should I just use that jetprosoftstretch paper with my normal dye ink?

What do you guys think I should to until I see how my new business takes its shape?

Also would it be bad to use pigment ink for my Epson? The nozzles for my Epson are 1.5 and I read somewhere that this will help. I also just found out the buying sublimation ink and sublimation paper might be a big waste of money since I don’t plan to use polyester. I want only cotton or maybe 50/50.

The only test I have made so far was a big failure. I used my Epson RX680 and printed using the best photo quality on a Iron-on transfer paper. I also used my normal Iron as a heat press. It came out looking really good! The next day I put some water on top of it and it got messy

. Any idea why?

Thanks

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IAD

Discussion Starter · #2 · Oct 2, 2008

Heres the print. You can see that at the bottom i kinda over heated it lol. but other than that it looks fine until the water went on it

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IAD

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 2, 2008

I just did these test runs, each time im printed the word "test" i used different settings in the 'print setings' (paper type and quality) but they all bled.
The only one that didnt bleed is that pink flower. I used the settings of "text and images' for quality, and for paper i put 'presentation matte'

But i dont get it

2 of those 'test' words had the same settings but they still bled.

Please help me someone lol

CUSTOM UK

· #4 · Oct 2, 2008

Hi. First off you are never going to get brilliant results using an iron. They are ok for doing your own stuff, but not much good, if you are planning to sell your finished tees.

Some transfers are awful quality and will literally fall to bits in the wash. Know that from painful experience, been there done that, don't have the t-shirt.

I have used both pigment and dye based inks with very good results, but only once I discovered that it really does lie in the quality of the transfer paper you use.

Hope this helps.

Reactions: 1

IAD

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 2, 2008

oops forgot the pics again lol

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IAD

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 2, 2008

DREAMGLASS said:
Hi. First off you are never going to get brilliant results using an iron. They are ok for doing your own stuff, but not much good, if you are planning to sell your finished tees.

Some transfers are awful quality and will literally fall to bits in the wash. Know that from painful experience, been there done that, don't have the t-shirt.

I have used both pigment and dye based inks with very good results, but only once I discovered that it really does lie in the quality of the transfer paper you use.

Hope this helps.

I would love not to use an iron lol. I just dont have the budget to get the mighty press, and the ink.

I would rather just buy the ink and paper for now. The only problem im having is that the ink bleeds. is it because its dye ink? When i say it bleeds, i mean that it starts bleeding as soon as the drop of water touches the ink the ink. it also happens with with my photos. This printer is supposed to be water resistant but even on a premium photo paper with best quality print it still bleeds. I just bought this like 4 days ago.

I called epson, and they said its because i used kodak paper and not epson. and they said they dont garantee iron on prints. The thing is the prints come out 100% perfect its just the bleeding

Thanks for your help

CUSTOM UK

· #7 · Oct 2, 2008

This is a picture of dye based ink used on Jetwear for Darks (Alpha Gold). It has been through the washer and tumble dryer five times now. Still looks as good.

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IAD

Discussion Starter · #8 · Oct 2, 2008

wow thats amazing, I still dont get it tho, if its not the dye ink then what is it? i just used this crappy lexmark printer, very old (lexmark p3150) and its printed on the same paper, same shirt same "test" word but it didnt bleed. I am so upset about this, i really like this new printer it does everything (except for fax) yet it has this problem, do you think they gave me the wrong ink? (staples) this was the last printer they had and it was on display.

Thanks

charles95405

· #9 · Oct 2, 2008

Hate tp say this...but...no iron on...with home iron .. will be of commercialy quality....the prints will wash badly and will not last...to get a good transfer you need the right pigment ink...most of us use that...the right paper and the three important factors...right heat..normally 350-400F, right time... 10 seconds to 50 seconds (for sublimation) and right pressure..around 40 psi... you will not get any of those with an iron...

If you are starting out...I would not start by doing my own printing...find a DTG operator near you...and have tham do your prints..depending of the graphic, colors ets...you should be able to have the print made for less than $3..so...add a $2 shirt...and you are in business...think about that. I have been in this business for 8 years and still do a major part of my business is outsourced...and the customers never know.

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IAD

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 2, 2008

I wish i can get it for 3 dollars, i live in a small town that has only walmart and this local T shirt print that charges way too high and takes up to 6 weeks which means it could end up taking 9 weeks in total till my customer recieves his shirt. walmart is also too expensive.

Maybe ill look into a small business loan from the government or something and get the might press and all the rest.

But i also need to know if i can buy pigment ink for my epson RX680 and if it will damage it? (the nozzels are 1.5)

thanks

CUSTOM UK

· #11 · Oct 2, 2008

IAD said:
I called epson, and they said its because i used kodak paper and not epson.

No surprise there then. Epson will also tell you your printer won't work with third party inks, or with refillable cartridges, or with sublimation inks, or with a CIS system.

There are hundreds of people on here that will validate those facts are simply not true.

I only ever use third party inks in my printers and have always got good results.

IAD

Discussion Starter · #12 · Oct 2, 2008

lol yeah i guess thats what we should expect from them. So you think my printer can take in pigment ink? or even sublimation? and whats CIS?
thanks

CUSTOM UK

· #13 · Oct 2, 2008

CIS is a bulk ink supply for heavy users.

Your printer should be ok with pigment ink, but check with an independant ink supplier first, as I am not familiar with the exact model you are using.

Sublimation ink is very expensive and of no use without a decent heat press.

charles95405

· #14 · Oct 2, 2008

CIS= Continuous Ink Supply

IAD

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 3, 2008

ahh I don’t really need CIS since its all new and ill probably end up drying it up anyway.

I just came back from staples, i told them that the ink that came with the printer simply is not resistant to water. So guess what? They gave me 6 new cartridges!! so I have 100% ink in the cartridge instead of the 30% that it comes with. would of cost me $150 if i was to buy it form them, of course i would never lol way to expensive to buy ink there.

Anyway i got home to try out the new ink, and it was the same result

. do you think its still using the old ink? do you think there’s some leftover ink form the other cartridge? did i have to do a nozzle clean or something? sorry I know too many questions lol.

in anycase, ill probably and up buying another printer form the C series or whatever you guys recommend as long as its no more than $60, I remember some for that price that are pigment ink. Do you know where I can quality transfer paper that you trust, that you know works for dye ink. I have 9 customers already and I really gotta give them something for now.

I have the Avery iron on transfer paper that im using, im guessing its a sucky one but its the fastest to get since its at the local Wal-Mart/staples.

you guys have been unbelievable helpful thank you so much!! My wife sends her hellos

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DTFuqua

· #16 · Oct 3, 2008

ONCE again GET SOME GOOD PAPER and a HEAT PRESS. It will take literly minutes instead of seconds and you have to almost climb on top of your iron tp put enough pressure on it to get good results and they won't be consistent.I tried two sheets of the paper that came with my heat press and gave the rest away to a lady with kids was gona draw on them with markers and play T-shirt maker. Cheep paper is no good. Go to alphasupply and get a sample pack and find someone with a heat press.

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