Author Topic: DTG printer questions  (Read 1761 times)

Offline Shanarchy

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1421
DTG printer questions
« on: July 26, 2018, 09:32:10 AM »
Anyone here using a Brother GTX or Epson F2100? I saw some posts about people considering them. Wondering how the maintenance are on these. Also wondering how their newest technology compares to the M-Link X in terms of speed, print quality and ink cost per shirt.


Offline GraphicDisorder

  • !!!
  • Ludicrous Speed Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 5872
  • Bottom Feeder
Re: DTG printer questions
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2018, 10:21:44 AM »
Anyone here using a Brother GTX or Epson F2100? I saw some posts about people considering them. Wondering how the maintenance are on these. Also wondering how their newest technology compares to the M-Link X in terms of speed, print quality and ink cost per shirt.

I wouldn't trust what Brother tells you in a trade show booth about print costs that's for sure. Real world answers is the right way to look for this.

Brother told that max id have in a print would be $1.80 (one side). I was literally told that typical print was $.60 and that I should triple that to be safe as a max cost. Trouble is had a print that was $11.30 I think it was (1 side) off that machine and I can't remember a print that was ever $.60 off that Brother.

M&R had prints that were $.08 was the lowest I saw. Serious.
Brandt | Graphic Disorder | www.GraphicDisorder.com
@GraphicDisorder - Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube

Offline Shanarchy

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1421
Re: DTG printer questions
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2018, 11:05:43 AM »
Anyone here using a Brother GTX or Epson F2100? I saw some posts about people considering them. Wondering how the maintenance are on these. Also wondering how their newest technology compares to the M-Link X in terms of speed, print quality and ink cost per shirt.

I wouldn't trust what Brother tells you in a trade show booth about print costs that's for sure. Real world answers is the right way to look for this.

Brother told that max id have in a print would be $1.80 (one side). I was literally told that typical print was $.60 and that I should triple that to be safe as a max cost. Trouble is had a print that was $11.30 I think it was (1 side) off that machine and I can't remember a print that was ever $.60 off that Brother.

M&R had prints that were $.08 was the lowest I saw. Serious.

Thanks Brandt! You had the normal M-Link, not the X, right?
What did maintenance consist of on that machine? Ever any down time? What did your customers think of the feel & look of the prints as opposed to traditional screen printing? How close would you say the prints were compared to waterbase printing?

Offline GraphicDisorder

  • !!!
  • Ludicrous Speed Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 5872
  • Bottom Feeder
Re: DTG printer questions
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2018, 11:46:45 AM »
Anyone here using a Brother GTX or Epson F2100? I saw some posts about people considering them. Wondering how the maintenance are on these. Also wondering how their newest technology compares to the M-Link X in terms of speed, print quality and ink cost per shirt.

I wouldn't trust what Brother tells you in a trade show booth about print costs that's for sure. Real world answers is the right way to look for this.

Brother told that max id have in a print would be $1.80 (one side). I was literally told that typical print was $.60 and that I should triple that to be safe as a max cost. Trouble is had a print that was $11.30 I think it was (1 side) off that machine and I can't remember a print that was ever $.60 off that Brother.

M&R had prints that were $.08 was the lowest I saw. Serious.

Thanks Brandt! You had the normal M-Link, not the X, right?
What did maintenance consist of on that machine? Ever any down time? What did your customers think of the feel & look of the prints as opposed to traditional screen printing? How close would you say the prints were compared to waterbase printing?

Yup just the X. The machine basically had zero maintenance daily. Clean up the capping station and what not periodically. We had a head strike (our fault) which put us down a day. We played with some of the different pre-treats as well from them that kept us from printing a couple times. But nothing major.

I would not compare DTG to screen printing, its not the same so I would do yourself the favor and just state that to customers. But the prints always felt good and after a couple washes was generally softer than screen print. I have DTG Prints that still look new after many many many uses.

DTG still has a ways to go, no matter what anyone tells you.
Brandt | Graphic Disorder | www.GraphicDisorder.com
@GraphicDisorder - Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube