Looking to get into transfers

[mikeob]

I'm looking to get a printer that can handle full color transfers on just white or light colored shirts.  It's not a huge request but its happening more and more.  I've been outsourcing them to DTG supplier I have but the turnaround and shipping kill me.

My shop currently does Screen printing, embroidery and vinyl at the moment.  I looked at other threads and could not find what I was looking for.  Not looking for cheapest model either.  Quality is more important that cost.  Would be willing to spend up to $3000 or so for it.

thanks

[Frog]

I think that you may have trouble spending $3000.
Something like this will give you great results.
https://www.cobraink.com/store/#!/Epson-Art-1430-CIS-installed-withPigment-ink-incld/p/68505816/category=20214026
I do a lot of inkjet transfers, and folks are amazed at the quality from my old four color Epson WF1100 using pigment inks from Cobra (and it prints up to 13" x 19")
I have to think that whatever the offerings are today, you would get surprisingly high quality transfers. The inks do have have their own color profile, and I have also found that I need to perform gamma adjustment for the equivalent of "dot gain" on my Neenah Jet Pro Soft Stretch paper.
 

[mikeob]

I have an epson 1430 already!  Do I just need to buy different ink for it and get transfer paper?

[Frog]

Give it a shot.
Maybe not even different ink. What do you use now?  Pigment seems the ink type of choice for transfers.
You may just want to consider refillable carts or a CIS depending on your volume.

[mikeob]

I use that printer to make my transparencies right now and print out a few color copies.  I have not tried it at all for transfers.  Would love a suggestion for transparency paper

[Frog]

I use that printer to make my transparencies right now and print out a few color copies.  I have not tried it at all for transfers.  Would love a suggestion for transparency paper

I assume that you meant transfer paper.
I'm especially fond of Neenah's Jet Pro Soft Stretch.

[screenxpress]

Andy, I've only gotten acceptable ink jet transfers when printing on white shirts.   Unless there are 'no' significant white areas in an image.

Even when using ink jet paper specified for 'light color shirts', I find any large 'white' areas leave a noticeable layer on the shirts, such as 'ash', even after washing inside out.  And printing on black shirts, with significant white ares is like printing on white paper pressed to the shirt.

Am I missing something or doing it wrong?  Are you getting acceptable ink jet transfers on non-white shirts?

[Frog]

Andy, I've only gotten acceptable ink jet transfers when printing on white shirts.   Unless there are 'no' significant white areas in an image.

Even when using ink jet paper specified for 'light color shirts', I find any large 'white' areas leave a noticeable layer on the shirts, such as 'ash', even after washing inside out.  And printing on black shirts, with significant white ares is like printing on white paper pressed to the shirt.

Am I missing something or doing it wrong?  Are you getting acceptable ink jet transfers on non-white shirts?

Even back with my HP9800, I have pretty much only used the Jet Pro Soft Stretch paper.

The lighter the shirt color, the better the results. White is definitely the best (kinda' similar to the way that photo paper is white)
Not only because the inks are translucent and, lose their "oomph" as well as take tint from the shirt color, but as you noticed, the ghost of the clear membrane is not invisible, and is more and more noticeable the darker the shirt.

On the other hand, on white shirts, using pigment inks on the Jet pro Soft Stretch, the results are barely short of phenomenal. They do fade in the first wash a bit, but then, as demonstrated by my own wardrobe, can easily hold up to fifty or more launderings! Usually outlasting the shirt.
I do, however, point out to custies that huge open areas are not invisible, as the clear membrane mats down the fibers more than the areas without transfers. In fact, pressing a blank transfer illustrates this fact, though I have found, that a trip or two through the laundry noticeably reduces this affect.

[screenxpress]

Andy, I've only gotten acceptable ink jet transfers when printing on white shirts.   Unless there are 'no' significant white areas in an image.

Even when using ink jet paper specified for 'light color shirts', I find any large 'white' areas leave a noticeable layer on the shirts, such as 'ash', even after washing inside out.  And printing on black shirts, with significant white ares is like printing on white paper pressed to the shirt.

Am I missing something or doing it wrong?  Are you getting acceptable ink jet transfers on non-white shirts?

Even back with my HP9800, I have pretty much only used the Jet Pro Soft Stretch paper.

The lighter the shirt color, the better the results. White is definitely the best (kinda' similar to the way that photo paper is white)
Not only because the inks are translucent and, lose their "oomph" as well as take tint from the shirt color, but as you noticed, the ghost of the clear membrane is not invisible, and is more and more noticeable the darker the shirt.

On the other hand, on white shirts, using pigment inks on the Jet pro Soft Stretch, the results are barely short of phenomenal. They do fade in the first wash a bit, but then, as demonstrated by my own wardrobe, can easily hold up to fifty or more launderings! Usually outlasting the shirt.
I do, however, point out to custies that huge open areas are not invisible, as the clear membrane mats down the fibers more than the areas without transfers. In fact, pressing a blank transfer illustrates this fact, though I have found, that a trip or two through the laundry noticeably reduces this affect.

I think you and are are in agreement.  You just said it better 

Thanks