[1ArmBandit]

hello all! so im a complete newb and really want to get into making shirts to supplement my income as im disabled.

with research i came to the conclusion the best/easiest way, as well as cheapest, to get into it is heat transfer.



so my big questions are(and cheaper the better as long as it works until i grow): is there a good starter kit with everything? press, printer, paper?


sure ill start out with practice on white shirts but when i want to do black or colored shirts, whats the best cheap way to go? Laser?..and when doing a black shirt, is it just as easy to get self weeding paper? my disability will make it a little tough to weed and a cutter/plotter sounds expensive..


ive been going nuts trying to decide lol im looking for some help!


thanks

 

[1ArmBandit]

also i was looking at places where i could buy pre made transfers for dark shirts without having to weed anything...what setup with a heat press would that involve to print those transfers myself? printer, ink, cheapest for starter?


ps, sorry if this is wrong section or im not using correct terminology

 

[into the T]

i think the roland bn20 is the cheapest print/cut system (~$8000 usd)

judging by your username and initial post i think laser transfers might be out of your zone

you could easily fashion a clamping sytem for weeding if you wanted to pick up a cameo cutter (~$250 usd),
and do vinyl on tees (esp. if you do your own designing then you simply design with ease of weeding as one of your parameters)

for a 'cheaper' starter heat press check out proworld (proworlded is a regular here and is helpful if you have questions)
i personally would look for a used press as well
(post what you find before you buy, on here in the heatpress subsection for opinions)

once you get a press you can also get pre-made plastisol transfers to start with,
these are simply press and go (versatrans, transfer express, etc., most of these will send free samples)

 

[paradigmprint]

Hate to ask this question so directly but it matters in terms of answering your question.

What is the nature of your disability?

Are you able to stand for extended periods and are you able to exert fairly strong pressure downwards in terms of being able to clamp down a heat press. (I weigh in the 200 lb range - 6'1" - and when using a teflon pad in a shirt to avoid necklines, it takes a pretty fair amount of weight downward to get the press tight enough to ensure a clean transfer when peeling).

 

[1ArmBandit]

i think the roland bn20 is the cheapest print/cut system (~$8000 usd)

judging by your username and initial post i think laser transfers might be out of your zone

you could easily fashion a clamping sytem for weeding if you wanted to pick up a cameo cutter (~$250 usd),
and do vinyl on tees (esp. if you do your own designing then you simply design with ease of weeding as one of your parameters)

for a 'cheaper' starter heat press check out proworld (proworlded is a regular here and is helpful if you have questions)
i personally would look for a used press as well
(post what you find before you buy, on here in the heatpress subsection for opinions)

once you get a press you can also get pre-made plastisol transfers to start with,
these are simply press and go (versatrans, transfer express, etc., most of these will send free samples)

$8000!! wooow!! skip that idea lol


by laser transfers do you mean with a simple laser printer and trans paper? if so, im thinking thats exactly what i can do and was going to do....i seen a video with a clamp setup for weeding and that really does look simple enough but i dont really want to get into vinyl as i get the impression the images have far less colors and image options plus ya gotta have a better eye for what color goes where yada yada...


same video i watched the guy(stahls video) say i could order screen prints and just press them right on. is this just a premade plastisol transfer? what kind of equipment and cost does it involve to print my own plastisol transfers...


all in all i want to be able to print an image at home and not order any(seems more economical in the long run and i hate waiting for the mail lol) and at the same time be able to put white(among other pics/colors) on black shirts or any shirt for that matter without having to weed(as easy as it looked with the clamp i still want to not have to do it)...print, transfer, wear/sell/giveaway ya know

 

[1ArmBandit]

Hate to ask this question so directly but it matters in terms of answering your question.

What is the nature of your disability?

Are you able to stand for extended periods and are you able to exert fairly strong pressure downwards in terms of being able to clamp down a heat press. (I weigh in the 200 lb range - 6'1" - and when using a teflon pad in a shirt to avoid necklines, it takes a pretty fair amount of weight downward to get the press tight enough to ensure a clean transfer when peeling).

im a complete left arm amputee also left leg below the knee(not offended by you asking as i have no prob talking about it)


i can stand all day and i have no worries about the clamp as im pretty friggin strong(going on 14 years using only my right arm ive become pretty strong, can curl and lift a 80lbs dumbell over my head so yeah not a prob

 

[into the T]

that is why i suggested laser might not be for you,
as you peel two sheets apart immediately after opening the press

you (and the rest of us) may be able to jury-rig a set-up for you though
(Lnfortun is intimately familiar with this process, as are some others)
are you competent with building things, or are you more of the artist-type?

printing your own plastisol transfers will become very involved, very quickly,
with equipment and time costs quickly spiraling into despair and destitution

you seek the holy grail with color/white on dark tee's (without spending over $6K),
and even at that price point you will be confronted with the laser transfer issues
you can do 3-4 color vinyl though on any color tee

to start with i would get a decent heat press and some plastisol samples from different companies
if you want color designs, i would start with a pigment inkjet printer and use jetpro sofstretch on white 50/50 tees
that only requires a quick trim around your design and a press

 

[1ArmBandit]

that is why i suggested laser might not be for you,
as you peel two sheets apart immediately after opening the press

you (and the rest of us) may be able to jury-rig a set-up for you though
(Lnfortun is intimately familiar with this process, as are some others)
are you competent with building things, or are you more of the artist-type?

printing your own plastisol transfers will become very involved, very quickly,
with equipment and time costs quickly spiraling into despair and destitution

you seek the holy grail with color/white on dark tee's (without spending over $6K),
and even at that price point you will be confronted with the laser transfer issues
you can do 3-4 color vinyl though on any color tee

to start with i would get a decent heat press and some plastisol samples from different companies
if you want color designs, i would start with a pigment inkjet printer and use jetpro sofstretch on white 50/50 tees
that only requires a quick trim around your design and a press

im definitely the building type not artist by no means, before my accident i was an engineer


i know i can make a clamp for weeding and something simple to hold the shirt down while peeling after heat..


so i guess i am looking for the grail..i will probably take your advise and get a cpl practice plastisol transfers..when you say pigment inkjet printer is it a completely dif printer or just cartridges i put in an inkjet printer..like could i buy pigment cartrigdes and pop them in my cheapo hp envy 4500 for practice?


and the printers that take the white toner are ~6k?
or would i still have to cut and weed around the white and you are adding cutter/plotter price with it?


sorry for all the questions, i dont want to go into this completely dark and buy things i dont need or not buy things i need