Absolute beginner - lots of questions!

[MugMonster]

Hi all, I'm David - just thought I'd say hello before an absolute barrage of questions! I'm completely starting from scratch over here - my aim is to set up a small, local design business (thought we'd start with mugs...) for my my wife to run. She's going to be leaving her 9-5 soon and want something we can run from home.

I guess the one thing we have going for us is that I'm pretty decent with photoshop, etc and have been making a nice little trickle of income from my Cafepress/Zazzle shops for a few years - so on the design front, we're sorted (he says, being over-confident).

But I want something I've got complete control over and as I mentioned before, I'm confident in my ability to churn out good-quality, imaginative designs, but getting from the printer to the mug seems like a minefield of information to get through... so here's a list of things I don't know and would love to find out... so if anyone can help and can excuse my newbie ignorance, it'd be great to hear from you....

1. I want to start at subsistence level, churning out mug designs. How much should I budget for startup kit? I have computers/software.

2. Best place to source mugs? I've made some enquiries to chinese manufacturers - as well as the UK. Where's best?

3. Ceramic? Earthenware? Stoneware? Porcelain? Duraglazed? I'd love to know the difference and which is best for dye-sub.

4. Printers. I've read good things about the new Ricoh's. Best to aim for them or one of those bulk system thingys?

5. Is there a standard for dye-sub paper? What is it? Best brands?

6. Dishwasher safe? I don't want my stuff to be fading after a few runs. What are the cost implications of ensuring this?

7. I've seen 2 basic designs of heat press. One vertical, one horizontal. I've seen prices range from £120 on ebay (new) to £400 on various stockists websites. Best brands? What are the operating lives of these things like?

Just those seven questions for now. Would appreciate any help you can offer and in the meantime I'll be trawling the forum to try and find out as much as I can, so when I read your answers - it won't seem like Greek.

Thanks in advance.

David

[Justin]

[quote="MugMonster]

1. I want to start at subsistence level, churning out mug designs. How much should I budget for startup kit? I have computers/software.
You'll need the mug press, mugs, printer, sublimation inks, paper, heat tape etc. A decent press will prob. be £150 upwards. Printer and Inks is the biggest outlay. You have to use Sawgrass patented inks in a small format printer so ideally go for Artainium. The inks will initially costs you £300+ to set up. Paper £10-£15 for 100 sheets.

2. Best place to source mugs? I've made some enquiries to chinese manufacturers - as well as the UK. Where's best?
I buy my mugs from BMS as I find them very straight and white. Used to buy Listawood but postage prices became too high. I've tested pretty much every UK mug and these 2 are (imo) the best 10oz mugs available. I don't like the heavier 11oz mugs.

3. Ceramic? Earthenware? Stoneware? Porcelain? Duraglazed? I'd love to know the difference and which is best for dye-sub.
Duraglaze/RN coated are the same thing, just different brand names for the dishwasher proof coating. If the mug doesn't have either of these it'll probably only be dishwasher 'safe' which means it may well fade after a while. Not done any porcelain yet myself, there are some nice mugs available but price wise it's a jump up.

4. Printers. I've read good things about the new Ricoh's. Best to aim for them or one of those bulk system thingys?
You can use a D88/D120 etc. for A4 work which is fine if you're just printing mugs. If you intend to print larger items later then an A3 printer is better suited, the Epson 1400 for example is a very good choice. There's the Rioch GX5050 (A4) and GX7000 (A3) I can only speak from personal experience and say that I wasn't impressed with the 5050 and returned to the 1400 recently. Many users swear by the Ricoh so keep an open mind.

5. Is there a standard for dye-sub paper? What is it? Best brands?
You can get cheap papers but I'd stay clear. Tru-Pix is probably the best, Xpres paper is excellent and quite a bit cheaper.

6. Dishwasher safe? I don't want my stuff to be fading after a few runs. What are the cost implications of ensuring this?
As mentioned above, look for RN/Duraglaze coating and you'll be fine. Cost wise there's not much in it.

7. I've seen 2 basic designs of heat press. One vertical, one horizontal. I've seen prices range from £120 on ebay (new) to £400 on various stockists websites. Best brands? What are the operating lives of these things like?
You'll find links to suppliers on the forum. Most users will advice to stay clear of Chinese presses unless you really know what you're looking for. You don't have to spend a fortune, I use the DF10 from BMS and get on very well. Xpres and George Knight do very good presses but you can always upgrade when you are up and running (great second hand sales value on subli equipment)
You may need to change heat blankets every now and then but you'll not be doing it that often and you're prob. looking around £35'ish each time.

It's a learning curve getting it right but when you do it's very satisfying and can be proftable as well

Other members will soon be along with their own opinions I'm sure

[Paul]

all I can say is... Justin said everything but I will not agree with 7.
most press is coming from china is all about quality control not manufactory place
ask martin where your press coming from

Paul

ps. keep in mind what Justin said and you will go far...

[Justin]

Appreciate most presses come from China, I just meant be careful. Buy from a reputable seller who will give you the all important support

[TransferGraeme]

I would add a couple of things to the very comprehensive replies you've already recieved.

With regard to presses - if you're producing runs of mugs of a design rather than one-offs a mug oven and wraps might be a good option - the advantage being that you can put 4 mugs in and do something else for 15 minutes rather than having to be around to take a mug in and out of the press every 3 minutes or so.

With regard to printers you should also consider the new A4 Ricoh the Gxe3300.

Finally, to blow my own trumpet for a moment I would offer our 10oz mugs which I believe bear comparison with any currently on the market - if anyone hasn't seen our mugs recently drop me a PM with a snailmail address and I'll get a sample in the post to you tomorrow!

[Justin]

Good point about the mug ovens, something I'd forgotten. I used to run 2 ovens so that I could get 8 mugs done in the same time but to be honest if I was doing larger quantities again now I think I'd just run with 2 or 3 single head presses as I found getting clamps on and off a bit of a pain and also had to use an extra layer of paper to stop the image bleeding through.

Now if you invent something that applies the transfer to the mug that would be very useful

GXe3300 looks to be a fine printer, smaller outlay when you need inks compared to the other Ricohs but won't last as long and will work out more expensive. The B1100 takes some beating, A3, quick printer at a great price. My only gripe would be it's not a 6 colour printer.

Graeme, are your mugs RN/Duraglaze coated?

[TransferGraeme]

Yes our mugs have the "Rhino" coating.

[accdave]

It depends what I need at the time but I only use Martin or Greame for mugs. No problem with either.

[Paul]

The B1100 takes some beating, A3, quick printer at a great price. My only gripe would be it's not a 6 colour printer.

Why you preffer 6 color printers? it cost more on inks. And Can you realy see the diference on pressed t-shirt or mug? I used to use 6 color printer and tbh I can not see the diference. Yes. When I use normal inks and print a4 or a3 photograps on photo paper then I can see the difrence. but not when use sublimation inks.

[Kaz]

Justin seems to have you covered, though, I will add, I use the Ricoh GX7000 without problems, I think Justin was unlucky with his 5050's