DTG....WOW!!!!...I HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD BE THIS HARD!!!

[downtowntshirts]

Hey guys,
  I thought it would be worth it to start a new tread since this section of the board is not that active. I have been shopping for a DTG for a month and and having the hardest time. I have talked to several salesman and watched many videos and read tons of articles and I feel more confused now than I did when I started.
   I thought I had settled on the M LINK X but am hearing rumors it may not be around much longer. It scares me to invest in gear that may not be supported soon. Also replacement parts could be an issue. Before that I was told that the Brother GTX was the way to go but have since read that it waste a ton of white ink on maintenance. Talked to a guy this morning for about an hour and a half pitching Epson F2100. Looked at the machine and it seems kinda consumer grade.
   I have built out a space in my shop and have started to put together a plan for DTG. Now I just need a machine. Can anybody USING DTG NOW shoot me straight on what I should be looking at. It seems the more research I do the more I'm just reading propaganda. I don't need the fastest thing. I would just like to start with something reliable with an ink cost that won't eat my lunch. Also can't take the Kornit $250,000 leap now. Need to get proof of concept on the model first. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
tom

[ffokazak]

We've been super happy with The M-Link we bought from Brandt.  Ive paid it off after a few months ( Started in Jan)  and the low ink costs help us make good money with it.

Very reliable, easy maintenance, and good service.  Easy-ish at first, DTG is a whole different animal.  Lots of experimenting with pre treatment, and different things to get retail ready DTG.  Most shops probably don't care about marks left by pretreatment and pressing, but our customers mainly put these products onto shelves so we have to make sure they looked good. 

The only reason I even considered a DTG is M&R has been so good with all of our other printing equipment, that I know they would have good service.  That been the case and the machine has been working smoothly after a few minor fixes.

Cant speak of the other brands, but Brandt did an extensive post on the Brother ( Non GTX) and this M&R and I can confirm most of what he said about the M&R machine.

Hope this helps!

[downtowntshirts]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write. I run a sportsman and an i image and love them both. The M link is a no brainer but for the fact it may be going away. Still not off the table. Just something to think about for me.
Tom

[244]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write. I run a sportsman and an i image and love them both. The M link is a no brainer but for the fact it may be going away. Still not off the table. Just something to think about for me.
Tom

First and foremost if the M- Link series was discontinued here at M&R our policy is to fully support what we sell for a minimum of 7 years afterward. In 7 years the machine will surely be not worth supporting any longer. In the world of digital printers technology is going so fast what you buy this year is history next year. Also most of the components in the M -Link series cross over to our I image so no support is not going to happen regardless of what happens with the line.

[blue moon]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write. I run a sportsman and an i image and love them both. The M link is a no brainer but for the fact it may be going away. Still not off the table. Just something to think about for me.
Tom

First and foremost if the M- Link series was discontinued here at M&R our policy is to fully support what we sell for a minimum of 7 years afterward. In 7 years the machine will surely be not worth supporting any longer. In the world of digital printers technology is going so fast what you buy this year is history next year. Also most of the components in the M -Link series cross over to our I image so no support is not going to happen regardless of what happens with the line.

I can confirm this. We have an older CTS that has not been in production for at least 5 years and we still get support when needed. Ink is still stocked in the store (even though the price has gone up significantly).

pierre

[Fleetee]

Downtowntshirts, any updates on your current situation? I'm kinda in the same predicament, well I know I will be in the near future. Would like to use your experience to maybe better mine. Did you purchase a DTG printer? How is it? What major problems and hurdles did you come across from July until now, October. Only if you are willing of course.