Inkjet Heat press

[Sbrem]

I bought some inks from someone that said, "won't clog printer, just as good, blah, blah, blah..." It screwed my printer, and had to buy a new one, fortunately it was only a $100 3 in 1 HP. On the other hand, I used pigmented inks in refillable carts in my Epson 1400 for a long time... We haven't had to print one in a long time now...

Steve

[Ripcord]

One also doesn't want to settle for the cheapest if that also limits them to 8.5" x 11"

I buy 11 X 17" paper and cut it to 8.5 X 17" so the design can be a full 12" wide and up to 8.5" tall. For the small amount of orders I get, I either make the design fit this size, or I have been known on occasion to splice two pieces together.

Another technique I use often is a combination of screen printing and transfers. When someone wants a design with text and a photo, I'll screen print the text and heat press the photo. Doing it this way allows for a large design. I printed 50 of this design using the combination technique.

[Frog]

Well, with my sub $100 WF1100, and previously my HP9800, I got cheap printers which can also crank out the big stuff.
I rarely use the 13" paper, but it's nice to know that I can do that 12" circular or similar design.
I often kick up the standard sized transfer a few inches, and give the custy that full sized design they're used to getting with a screen print, and, of course, have pricing for the "oversize" print.
Those remaining "scraps" are used whenever a design will fit, and often for my CPSIA labels.

A long narrow print, I'll often print 12" with my !3x19 paper, leaving me a nice hunk of paper for my "Jumbo" prints.

Of course, if using the printer for films too, the oversize capability is a no-brainer.

[mimosatexas]

So I picked up a hat press off craigslist yesterday and the guy tossed in a free fully functional WF1100 for free (and a ton of JPSS paper), so I guess I'm going that route for my inkjet transfers

I'm leaning toward refillable carts for now just to keep initial investment down and because I really don't see myself using it a ton for now.  It looks like the prefilled Code 68 cartridges here are the ticket: https://www.cobraink.com/cartridges/cartridges%204-6%20color%20pigment.htm  Then I guess I would buy bottles of the inks here: https://www.cobraink.com/ink/4-6%20color%20pigment.htm  and would need something like number 16 (ink syringe) here: https://www.cobraink.com/hardware.htm

Is that what you use Frog?  Does anyone know how many ml those 68 carts hold (so I get the right syringe)?

[3Deep]

We got a buddy of ours to print us some inkjet transfers and they turned out pretty good, but I think we will be getting a printer that will print up to a 11x17 we have plenty of printers now that will print 8x11 which we don't need.   We took one of the prints home and did a wash test and it held up pretty good and still looked fine, so this might be a little side market for us on 1&2 shirt jobs.  Why don't they make 13 x 19 size inkjet transfer paper or do they and I just don't know where to get it from....thanks guys for all the great info posted.

D

[Frog]

@ Darryl. Read the thread! Yes there is 13 x 19 paper. I buy Neenah jet Pro soft stretch 13 x 19, I think I got it from coastal last time.

@ mimosa when I got my carts from cobra, I got a kit. Five carts, five bottles of ink and a syringe. I was pleasantly surprised that the carts came prefilled. Apparently the first fill does take a little bit of care.
I'm not home now to check the size, but it takes a couple of syringe fulls to fill a cart. I'm guessing 10 mL


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[Frog]

Nope, the four syringes they sent were 5ml. Keep in in that with the WF1100, you will sometimes just top off a cart that it thinks is empty.
It doesn't go by actual readings but just a good guess as to average use. That, of course, means nothing when printing art and photos.
When you get an "Out of Ink" message, if there is plenty, you can just do the re-set routine of yanking the cart for a minute. However, since it goes through the cleaning routine when re-set, you may as well top off any cart that can use it.
Fortuneately, when a print stops mid-stream due to an "out of ink" error, it picks right up where it left off after you've filled and/or done the re-set thing.

The bummer occurs when it doesn't know a cart is empty, and keeps on printing.

Oh, and if you do get empty cartridges, they explain the initial fill and priming procedure and sell a larger priming syringe.

[Gilligan]

Inkjetcarts.us can be reset in place, as well as topped off in place.

[Frog]

Inkjetcarts.us can be reset in place, as well as topped off in place.

I can top off in place, but it could be disastrously messy. 

[Gilligan]

Ours are super easy... flip the cap (it's hinged) and then drop the syringe in the hole and squirt it out till you see the level come close to the fill line on the front of the cart.  Stop, pull it out and then flip the cap back over and snap it on.

I don't think I've ever dropped a bit of ink in there.

[Frog]

Those do look cool, but if I were to put any more money into this thing, i'd go the CIS route, and refill a lot less often.

[Gilligan]

I had ciss... Switched back.

Too temperamental for me.

Gravity/siphon plays a roll... I don't know, we just could never get a good feel for it.

[mimosatexas]

I kept reading about how they were a pain to deal with sometimes.  Kind of scared me away from the idea...