DSF

There appears to be an increase in posts recently, where people are coming into sublimation having done no research. They buy the cheapest of everything then wonder why it doesn't work. Then when those with experience try to advise them to do some research, they get stroppy about it. They even try to tell the experienced members that they, the numpty knows best!
Now with both myself and Mrs Janners having been self employed for many decades, we can say that sublimation is one of the cheapest businesses to start up even with the best of equipment and blanks, combined with the support they would then get.
Ask a mechanic how much it is for them to set up a garage (bikes or cars), ask a hairdresser how much it for a shop and kit, add to that their time in training before they could set up the business.

I have a cold so maybe I am just grumpy tonight. What do you reckon?

I'd say it's nothing really new - there seems to be phases of these types of posts coming and going - maybe it's seasonal, or a Google algorithm change thing.

It's not just on this forum. Most of the posts start with "I bought this kit from some guy on ebay". Then lo and behold two weeks later the buyer appears on some forum complaining that there is no support and the seller is very helpful but can't answer their questions.
I've lost count of the number of images of faded brown mugs I've seen on here and the requests for help from people using a £5 epson and £15 inks from Uzbekistan. Bit like having an artists forum where most of the user requests are from those using moulting hogs hair brushes to restore fine art.
Would be nice if they could do the research before they bought the stuff.
I've got a lot of useful tips and very helpful advice on this forum simply by reading old posts rather than creating new ones that are identical in nature. Sure we all need help and advice but I wouldn't buy a car without reading at least one review and giving it a test drive.
Subjects that come to mind are; Which printer do I chose? Why are my blacks brown? Ciss or refillable? Which paper? Where do I buy t shirts? What is an profile and do I need one?
There are several characters on other forums who give such requests short shrift. This forums users are generally polite and very patient having seen the question 20 or so times before. Guess numptie = lazy. Best advice I got is 'buy it cheap, buy it twice'.
Hope my cold gets better soon, I'm using non-sawgrass cold remedy that I bought on ebay and now my nose is becoming red not pink :biggrin:

Well none of you read the eBay ad! Earn thousands of pounds if you buy this cheap and easy start up kit.

GoonerGary;109400 wrote:Well none of you read the eBay ad! Earn thousands of pounds if you buy this cheap and easy start up kit.

Sign me up!!

Darn it I fell for the advertising hype :frown:

you will get that with any person starting out in business, eps the sublimation game....

they think they can buy press, some mugs, some phone cases and be making £1000's withing the first 3 months, forgetting that if you want to do this game right, it will take months to learn properly all diff times n settings for diff products, then that all gets thrown to the wind as every heat press and inks, papers are diff as well...so the learning curve is steep when starting....
i remember all the "cough" older "cough" members on here saying that to me when i first came on here well green behind the ears in 2012, asking all sort of stuff :redface:
it took me 6 months before i was confident my products looked good enough to sell, and i was fully confident in using the equipment i had bought at that time.....

as i have said to many a newbie on here, and so have many of you all said, take time and read, read more, and keep reading on here...even the archives are great for info...and PRACTICE....thats where most of the newbies come unstuck....they buy £20 worth of stock to practice on, and when it dont work out, they spit the dummy....much the same as i was spitting dummys about the ricoh's, but that on another topic lol.

thats the reason you see ebay with lot of newbies selling they equipment cause they cant get it to work right and run out of cash

you need.....
PATIENCE
SPARE CASH FOR STOCK TO PRACTICE ON (not just £50 <)
DECENT EQUIPMENT ( not necessary the best - review suppliers)
PLENTY COFFEE
SWEAR BOX (makes you money)
PLENTY TIME TO IMPLEMENT ALL ABOVE

now i,m one of the "cough" older ones on here, well

listen to the ol farts newbies, they are usually right.....i listened to all you guys n girls over the yrs, and i,m doing ok

Love the replies, I now understand.
It's a seasonal variation due to the google algorithm as a result of eBay ads and decaffeinated coffee meaning people can't stay awake to research. Time spent learning the craft is 1 mug, then on to earn millions.
Fantastic, maybe I should give it a try.

Janners

Maybe a newbie stickie post called newbie faqs to address common questions and basics with mention about less suitable equipment and where short thrift will apply but having said that a forum needs to encourage new members to address the churn where impatience leads to giving up!

I am a newbie and after a bit of research I decided to play it safe. I bought a Ricoh 3110 with Sawgrass inks and TruPix paper and the results exceeded my expectations. I am hoping my project will grow into a viable business and then I will be looking for cheaper ink as the Sawgrass is - as everyone knows - bloody expensive!

But, I am glad I started off with a "sensible" beginners setup because I now have more confidence and after reading many posts here I am also gaining some knowledge about my options for the future.

I've put together a post for newbies based on advice and information from the forum. Please feel free to take a look and add your own view of things
http://www.dyesubforum.co.uk/vbforum/sh ... or-newbies

I would like to add that not everybody starts printing because they think its a money making machine. I misguidedly started printing as a hobby and a way to save money on printing t-shirts and merchandise for my old band. I bought cheap equipment even though I had done lots of research because I was poor living alone and for something intended as a hobby didnt want to spend thousands that I didnt have or put myself in financial difficulty. Now that I realize I do enjoy printing and would like to turn it into a business I am at a point where upgrading the lesser quality equipment I have is going to cost me a fair amount.

Many people have probably started with the best intentions but little resources and this is why they buy cheap and yes it is false economy. Eagerness to try to make a change in their lives by earning a little extra or having a new hobby just making things for themselves or gifts for family and friends.

The Numpties as you call them are the people who think printing is license to print money so they buy a printer with original manufacturer inks and expect to use a mug press and normal printer paper to transfer an image to a mug which is something I have seen on the forum. This clearly shows what type of person they are.

Lack of experience or funds doesn't make someone unintelligent it makes them the same as 99% of the population...