DSF

Hi guy's,
I found you through another Forum and your not going to be glad that I did!
I have been printing t-shirts for about two years now but over the last few months I have been drifting away from the t-shirt business and I have been getting into printing other less seasonal items
My time has come to start considering printing mugs! I have been doing a little reading on this great resource as well as other Forum's and I think I am starting to get my head around Dye Sublimation Printing But I do have a few early questions before I start spending my hard-earned on equipment

If I am going to be printing mostly mugs would you recommend a 4 colour printer? Which model should I go for?
I know nothing about ICC profiles, do I need to learn?
Should I start with a 'Budget' mug press to see if Mug Sublimating is for me or is this false economy?
Should I be buying my Sublimation Ink from Revolution Transfers, as they're the best prices I have found. Anyone using them?

Any more tips or 'I wish I had known that from the start' knowlege would be most appreciated.

Many thanks in advance and a big hello to you all.

Phil

Hi Phil,

Welcome aboard. Im just like you, have just boarded and completely new to sublimation printing. Im in Lancashire and hoping to start off part time at a market stall on Saturday's and see what happens from there. I have a good sized garage/workshop to start from.

I am after a printer aswell and am thinking of the EPSON 1400, but still not sure which way to go.

i wish you all the best mate.

Calypso

Hi and welcome, I am new here too. I am no expert but if you are just doing mugs do you need an A3 printer? I have found my smaller Epson perfectly good for mugs only.

Calypso Bay wrote:Hi Phil,

Welcome aboard. Im just like you, have just boarded and completely new to sublimation printing. Im in Lancashire and hoping to start off part time at a market stall on Saturday's and see what happens from there. I have a good sized garage/workshop to start from.

I am after a printer aswell and am thinking of the EPSON 1400, but still not sure which way to go.

i wish you all the best mate.

Calypso

Hi Calypso,
I work with the Wife in our Shop full-time. As I said above, we have been doing t-shirts for about two years now but have found that t-shirt sales 'fall off' dramatically in the winter months so we have started to print other items.
In our shop we have a Colour Laser Printer and an Epson fitted with a C.I.S.S system, both we have used for a few 'light-coloured' transfers in the past.
We also have a Vinyl Cutter which we also use for t-shirt decoration.
As well as this we have a Manual Vacuum Bed Flat Press which we use to produce our own 'Plastisol' Transfers, again for t-shirt decoration.
We have an Adkins 38 x 50cm Heat-Press and an Adkins Cap Press (mainly used for t-shirt sleeve decoration!)
Now Dye Sublimation. I must be mad!

Phil

Hi Phil,

Welcome onboard, good to see you.

If it's ok with you I'd like to take your thread into another section as I think it would be useful to have the information elsewhere on the forum. I will leave your introduction and start a new thread.

You'll get some great support and advice on here

Cheers for now,
Justin

Hi Phil, welcome aboard from another screen printer. You'll should get all the answers here on this forum.

Cheers John

Flash wrote:Hi guy's,
I found you through another Forum and your not going to be glad that I did!
I have been printing t-shirts for about two years now but over the last few months I have been drifting away from the t-shirt business and I have been getting into printing other less seasonal items
My time has come to start considering printing mugs! I have been doing a little reading on this great resource as well as other Forum's and I think I am starting to get my head around Dye Sublimation Printing But I do have a few early questions before I start spending my hard-earned on equipment

If I am going to be printing mostly mugs would you recommend a 4 colour printer? Which model should I go for?
I know nothing about ICC profiles, do I need to learn?
Should I start with a 'Budget' mug press to see if Mug Sublimating is for me or is this false economy?
Should I be buying my Sublimation Ink from Revolution Transfers, as they're the best prices I have found. Anyone using them?

Any more tips or 'I wish I had known that from the start' knowlege would be most appreciated.

Many thanks in advance and a big hello to you all.

Phil

Hi Phil. Welcome on board.

if you going to print mugs only I dont think you need anything bigger then A4. I own epson D88+ my self and do fantastic job! even t-shirts! I dont need any thing bigger then that so it's good enough for me.
epson D88 is 4 color (CMYK) printer.
ICC is very simple to instal. click on it twice and job done but ther is always short manual how to use it so dont worry. there is no much to learn

regards to mug press... should you chose economy one? well... I dont know what to answare but there is lot of people on here they will say "buy a good one!"
I own cheap mug press and I am using it for over 3 years now and still does fantastic job. you lucky as martin (BMS) got few on offer now for members of this forum. link here!
I am sure you can give it a go! if you like it and you business wil expand you can buy mug machine. so you can bake 4 mugs at once

regards to ink. I recomend artanium one for the begining


I hope this make any sens for you :D

JNMann wrote:Hi Phil,

Welcome onboard, good to see you.

If it's ok with you I'd like to take your thread into another section as I think it would be useful to have the information elsewhere on the forum. I will leave your introduction and start a new thread.

You'll get some great support and advice on here

Cheers for now,
Justin

Hi Justin,
No problem, let me know where you put it (or subscribe me) as i need the info!

Phil

John G wrote:Hi Phil, welcome aboard from another screen printer. You'll should get all the answers here on this forum.

Cheers John

Hi John & thanks!
Plastisol & sublimation ink what a mix As long as it comes off with Fairy Liquid
Look forward to future chats!

Phil

@Paul,
Many thanks Paul some useful info here mate. Thanks given

Phil