starting some dtg research

[Gilligan]

Hey,

If you are looking at volume DTG here is a link of the process we created. The software and pretreat is available separately. Let me know how else I can help! The process is set up and running at the SGIA show for a closer look!

https://vimeo.com/237962184

Pretty legit Steve... Keep pushing!

[mk162]

The video finally worked for me...that is really cool. 

[Fleetee]

Seems pretty consistent that an Epson DTG is not the way to go.
Through my research, these are the options I plan/planned to do more research in
- Epson (probably not anymore since everyone is telling me to stray away from them)
- Brothers
- Anajet
- T-jet
- Kornit
- M&R
- Coldesi
- Omni-print
Would you guys eliminate any options right off the bat? Or have any other brands that I should add into consideration?

Would you guys suggest me start with a wagner sprayer for pretreatment opposed to going directly for a pretreatment machine?
And for the most part, heat presses are all pretty similar right? No real reason to dive super deep into them?
Thanks a lot guys~

[Fleetee]

Don't just look at machine costs, which is what a lot of people focus on and that is a mistake.

You have to consider:
Machine Costs
Ink Costs
Maintenance Costs/Time involved to complete.
Actual print quality
Print speed
Availability of support

will do! thanks

[Fleetee]

Hey,

If you are looking at volume DTG here is a link of the process we created. The software and pretreat is available separately. Let me know how else I can help! The process is set up and running at the SGIA show for a closer look!

https://vimeo.com/237962184

Hello. Are you an employee of Brothers?

[Gilligan]

Hey,

If you are looking at volume DTG here is a link of the process we created. The software and pretreat is available separately. Let me know how else I can help! The process is set up and running at the SGIA show for a closer look!

https://vimeo.com/237962184

Hello. Are you an employee of Brothers?

President of Sales at Brown.

They make that slick dryer.

[cbjamel]

Seems pretty consistent that an Epson DTG is not the way to go.
Through my research, these are the options I plan/planned to do more research in
- Epson (probably not anymore since everyone is telling me to stray away from them)
- Brothers
- Anajet
- T-jet
- Kornit
- M&R
- Coldesi
- Omni-print
Would you guys eliminate any options right off the bat? Or have any other brands that I should add into consideration?

Would you guys suggest me start with a wagner sprayer for pretreatment opposed to going directly for a pretreatment machine?
And for the most part, heat presses are all pretty similar right? No real reason to dive super deep into them?
Thanks a lot guys~

T-jet is closed, omni plus  prints that i have seen are impressive on polyester. ask all to send sample and ink cost and print time of said sample on dark.

That will help you i think.

Shane

[Frog]

And for the most part, heat presses are all pretty similar right? No real reason to dive super deep into them?
Thanks a lot guys~

I'd compare the range of heat presses with what's available in the motorcycle market.
Bikes range from Chinese copies of old honda 50's for less than a grand, to easily over $20,000 for a bike that you could ride to California and back confidently.
So, if it's just an occasional trip for a six pack (or a dozen shirts a week), get the cheap Chinese knockoff.
If you're going to be putting on some serious mileage and hours in the saddle, look at the BMW (name brand press, George Knight, Stahls, Insta)

Then it's a matter of bells and whistles or not.

[mimosatexas]

Just to clarify, the actual Epson brand dtg (F2100) is a lot different from the rebranded epson head mods, which are all over the board when it comes to design, quality, support, etc.

For heatpresses, we have two hix, 3 geoknights, and 2 hotronix.  we also have one of the cheapo chinese made ebay deals.  The best quality and service in my experience has been from geoknight.  Stahls would be next, though the build quality is a little iffy for something being used hundreds of times a day.  The hix are ok, but have some design flaws that are always a source of frustration.  The chinese ebay press is collecting dust and a horrible choice.  I have not used an Insta.

[Fleetee]

Hey guys, I have another question, does each dtg printer have their own specific ink? So say if I were to purchase a Brothers, I would be forced to only purchase Brothers specific ink? Is there no universal dtg printing ink? Or is there a dtg printer that can use all brands of inks, and if not all brands, at least multiple different brands of inks?

[GraphicDisorder]

Hey guys, I have another question, does each dtg printer have their own specific ink? So say if I were to purchase a Brothers, I would be forced to only purchase Brothers specific ink? Is there no universal dtg printing ink? Or is there a dtg printer that can use all brands of inks, and if not all brands, at least multiple different brands of inks?

Generally correct. Most saying they will void your warranty if you use some other ink.

[mk162]

Just to clarify, the actual Epson brand dtg (F2100) is a lot different from the rebranded epson head mods, which are all over the board when it comes to design, quality, support, etc.

For heatpresses, we have two hix, 3 geoknights, and 2 hotronix.  we also have one of the cheapo chinese made ebay deals.  The best quality and service in my experience has been from geoknight.  Stahls would be next, though the build quality is a little iffy for something being used hundreds of times a day.  The hix are ok, but have some design flaws that are always a source of frustration.  The chinese ebay press is collecting dust and a horrible choice.  I have not used an Insta.

I agree 100% on the heatpresses.  We just bought a GeoKnight hat press and love it.  Our Stahls is borderline junk.  Our Hix is pretty old and has held up well with some mods to the auto open feature.

The current Epson DTG would be my 3rd choice if I was to buy one today.  I have owned at least a dozen Epson printers and the only one I can say I miss the the Stylus Color 3000.  That one was a workhorse.

[merchmonster]

Another thing I should mention: pretreating. We have us3d the Wagner gun and the viper for a while, but upgraded to the newest shulze. That thing is a game changer and worth the cost if you're doing volume. Very well designed machine and consistent controllable results. Solved a lot of nagging little issues with that part of the process.

my viper has been down 3-4 times this year. the guy we outsource dtg to occasionally has a gtx and the shulze and those things are awesome. i'm not sure if i'm going to reup my investment in dtg after this thing breaks and the warranty runs out though... it feels marginally profitable at times.

[mimosatexas]

We had constant issues with our viper.  It felt like we were constantly repairing it and cleaning it just so it worked as intended, and as intended gave us basically the same level of control and repeatability as hand spraying, just a little faster and cleaner.  The schulze is night and day vs the viper.  Tons of control, quality design, well built, etc.  We havent had it long, so whose to say if it will have issues down the road (pretreatment chems are a dick to work with in general), but it has made that part of the process incredibly easy.

You definitely have to have a dedicated market for DTG to work from my experience with it.  It can't be a process you use occasionally for a few jobs here and there.  Everything needs to run everyday and all day or you end up spending a lot of time and money just maintaining the machines vs making money with them.  If you want to keep doing DTG or get into it, I would definitely suggest having some kind of on demand market, whether its a store with your own designs, or some kind of low volume retail client who needs constant stock, then pushing as much low volume work to the process as you can to keep the thing running (like increasing your minimums from 12 to 24 to 36 for screenprinting).  Even if it makes some of those jobs take a little longer or less profitable in the beginning, it will make you better at the process and keep the machines running.

[Fleetee]

Hey guys, in terms of the wagner sprayer, is this the specific sprayer that i must use for pretreatment?
https://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Spraytech-0529010-FLEXiO-Sprayer/dp/B00FBP4QT0/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1540131726&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=wagner+sprayer&psc=1

can i use any of the flexio series options on their website?
https://www.wagnerspraytech.com/products/paint-sprayers/flexio-series/

and how about any of the "control series" options?

Also is the pretreatment chemical I am using different from color garment? (or even material-type such as cotton vs polyester)
I know for black/dark and white/light garments, it's just a matter of more or less and also that pretreatment is not even absolutely necessary for white/light garments unless you want to get a better/vibrant on them. But how about those red, green, blue, purple, etc. colored garments? is there a separate pretreatment chemical that i am supposed to use?

- where do you guys purchase your pretreatment chemicals and what brand do you guys use?

- also when manually pretreating, do i need a stand? can i just place the shirt on a flat surface or table? i see a lot of people using a stand, some of them make their own pretreatment stand with particle wood