Test Print Garments

[alan802]

What are y'all using for test prints shirts/garments?  For years we've used shirts from one job we screwed up because of them bleeding, red 50/50's, and now that they are all gone, we have nothing to test print on.  Does anyone have any suggestions on cheap darks?  Preferably 100% cotton but 50/50 has worked great over the years?  When we get things looking good on the 50/50's it tends to look even better on the cottons so I guess anything will really work.  I don't want to get an absolute junk shirt where we have to completely change our settings once the real job is on press but I obviously don't need to be buying high dollar test print shirts either.  We don't use pellons either so actual shirts are what I'm looking for.  I know I could just go to the catalog and find a cheap shirt but I was wondering if anyone had a "go-to" or something they know is cheap but prints really good.

[blue moon]

DUH! Just misprint more shirts!

pierre

[Denis Kolar]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Screen-Print-Supplies-Test-Tubes-Strike-Off-Test-Fabric-Print-Fabric-Ink-T-Shirt-/300839820830?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item460b735e1e

Here is some on eBay. Also, you might call Gildan or someone and ask if they have Test tubes available.

Or, as Pierre says, just missprint some more

[Binkspot]

Mis prints or buy up the close outs, bargain bins or seconds real cheap. I freaked up 96 nice white tees last summer so we are good to go for awhile.

[T Shirt1]

Seems like we always have something going into the scrap box that we can use for set ups.  Gildan stains, holes, misprints whatever defects we catch here - usually the distributor doesn't ask for them to be returned.  Then if all else fails we just pull a cheapie off the shelf.

[ScreenPrinter123]

You could drive to New Orleans because our attic is full of heat pressed shirts that have plenty of room for test prints.  A local business went out of business and we bought his equipment and took all of his shirt inventory which could last us two lifetimes.  Heck we would even let you print a few jobs on our press if you begged!

[Dottonedan]

I recently noticed on a garment site (I think it's Gildan) that sells actual shirt material (in tubes) with no collar or sleeves and Rather large. Like you can get 2-4 prints on one side, roll it around and do another 2-4. I broke it down and it was near .33 cents each. Came in a case of 72 I think. Something like that.

Found it. It's 12 doz. or 144 at 22|x30"  for $54.00  comes to .37 cents.  Pretty good I think.

Here it is.


http://gildan.com/gildanTools/

[ZooCity]

We use the eff ups (and still have a good supply of silver 980s which are perfect) but I've bought the tubes in the past from some supplier, can't remember who.

Only issue I have with the tubes is the box I got was such a mix or ribbed, small, big, weird ass colors, that they weren't super useful.  Big tubes of ringspun would be perfect for us.

I also have my co-worker order up to 3% overage on jobs using common shirts in our shop so we have some small backstock, actual test material (discharge especially) and I can save a printed sample. 

Since we use a lot of AA and since AA has never once sent us a box of shirts without at least one defect in it we have a pretty serious quiver of test material at all times, although they have been sending call tags more often the last few months. 

[jasonl]

silvercreeksales.net  thats where we get them.  He is also the guy on ebay.  Cheaper if you call him.  Nice guy to btw.

[inkbrigade]

Sometimes we buy T-shirt tubes from Preformance screen supply

[mooseman]

This will not help you on discharge stuff but if you want to see a real nice print target use some embroidery backing (pellon).
You have an embroidery business try some backing you will be amazed at how sharp and accurate that stuff prints.
As you know you can get it in black if that makes your job easier.

Lowes sells a box of shop towels which are basically cutoffs from a tee shirt factory @ $10.00 for a crap load of material in a box.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_305805-93104-5820201_0__?Ntt=shop+rags&UserSearch=shop+rags&productId=3151941&rpp=32

mooseman

[JBLUE]

We just add a few shirts to the customers order that way we dont pay anything and average the cost over the order. It usually only takes a couple of test prints to get dialed in so we always have a good supply of test shirts to use for free.