DTF not DTG

[zanegun08]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzB3XrzFE4w&t=691s

no good. Lasers use resin which feels terrible


This set I picked up from Kingdom T Shirts - just for proof of concept. I am going to try and import some of these inks and papers myself to bring the costs down even further. I've run a few more pages today and again, I am beyond thrilled with the results.

I agree with the laser toner, I got a sample because it was basically what DTF (we calling it that for real? haha) is, but pre existed to this system.  The transfers look so ameraturish I wouldn't even recommend for a hat.

Can you post some photos of your results?

What does it take for the rip settings to make it so that it prints the white base?

[Homer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzB3XrzFE4w&t=691s

no good. Lasers use resin which feels terrible


This set I picked up from Kingdom T Shirts - just for proof of concept. I am going to try and import some of these inks and papers myself to bring the costs down even further. I've run a few more pages today and again, I am beyond thrilled with the results.

I agree with the laser toner, I got a sample because it was basically what DTF (we calling it that for real? haha) is, but pre existed to this system.  The transfers look so ameraturish I wouldn't even recommend for a hat.

Can you post some photos of your results?

What does it take for the rip settings to make it so that it prints the white base?

PM me your address, I'll mail you a couple transfers to try for yourself.

The biggest issue at the moment with my set up is the rip, AcroRip 9 - it sucks.  You need a printer with a minimum of 6 colors and you designate 2 for white. You set it up in the rip to print YKWWMC, so in one pass it will print the color, then the white right on top. Apparently Cadlink is working on a rip for this type of printing but I don't think it will work with my 1430, so I may have to buy something more legit... I guess there are other rips out there but I'm not finding much...

[Sbrem]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzB3XrzFE4w&t=691s

no good. Lasers use resin which feels terrible


This set I picked up from Kingdom T Shirts - just for proof of concept. I am going to try and import some of these inks and papers myself to bring the costs down even further. I've run a few more pages today and again, I am beyond thrilled with the results.

I agree with the laser toner, I got a sample because it was basically what DTF (we calling it that for real? haha) is, but pre existed to this system.  The transfers look so ameraturish I wouldn't even recommend for a hat.

Can you post some photos of your results?

What does it take for the rip settings to make it so that it prints the white base?

PM me your address, I'll mail you a couple transfers to try for yourself.

The biggest issue at the moment with my set up is the rip, AcroRip 9 - it sucks.  You need a printer with a minimum of 6 colors and you designate 2 for white. You set it up in the rip to print YKWWMC, so in one pass it will print the color, then the white right on top. Apparently Cadlink is working on a rip for this type of printing but I don't think it will work with my 1430, so I may have to buy something more legit... I guess there are other rips out there but I'm not finding much...

Kothari, but $999.00... I'm reading into this, as scattered as the info is, I'm seeing that the white carts will go where the Light Magenta and Light Cyan go, with the RiP determining the print order, but it's still sketchy to me. I see on a P600 there are 4 white carts, and they are supposedly much faster than the L1800 units being sold out there.

Steve

Steve

[Homer]

little update from my trials, so far we have been successful with leather and acrylic knit hats. Time and temp are important, you have to go fast and light pressure on the acrylic but it does work better than screened transfers. Messing with the settings in Acro rip, I was able to achieve a very nice opaque white. Wash testing has been great, nothing has failed after repeated washings.

I ordered a new epson since we are using this almost daily now, just need to nail down the RIP issues. As far as costs, I'm still tweaking the settings but it's looking like around 1.00 per sheet 12x17, printed, powdered and the sheet of film... to me that's not bad at all, especially when you can go 6 up or more on hat designs...

if anyone goes this route, I'd say the 1400/1430 is a little slow, so maybe search out something faster... So far so good!

I do have a Mod 1 DTG for sale - $2k if anyone wants it.

[mk162]

How is the white ink? Does it settle in the lines at all?

Are there any edges to the print or do they look nice like DTG?

What are the cons?

[Homer]

How is the white ink? Does it settle in the lines at all?

Are there any edges to the print or do they look nice like DTG?

What are the cons?

the whites are coming out real nice, I played with the rip and went rouge on the "recommended settings" and cranked it up to 100 and they are super opaque. The edges- that's the bitch of it. You can not "fade" into a shirt. Hard edges only. However -with the proper RIP this can be done, I just need to find it. At this point, I don't care what it costs, I need it. AcroRip really sucks as far as color controls but it's better than nothing.

White does not dry up or settle -at all- I do a head cleaning in the morning but I haven't really needed to, kind of a force of habit. When I get the new printer, I'll let the 1430 sit a week and see if it dries up. Longest I've gone is 3 days and it's been fine. Been using it every day for hat transfers and odd stuff, so it's getting worked.

Biggest downfall, is the rip. If I can get away from the hard edges, I'd be set with this system. Still learning though - but no where near as much as DTG.

I'll ship you some stuff in the next week or so, see what you think of it.

[rusty]

Thanks for the update this is exciting news to hear. You are getting your inks/paper from Kingdom?

[Homer]

Thanks for the update this is exciting news to hear. You are getting your inks/paper from Kingdom?

no, actually I imported supplies off Alibaba, right from the manufacturer. Here's my costs breakdown so far:

Kingdom supplies / including shipping:
Ink =4.80oz
Powder = 37.00/LB
Paper =2.00/sheet A3

Imported:
Ink = 1.94oz
Powder = 15.00/LB
Paper=  .62/sheet A3

I still need to calculate my ink usage, which is rather difficult because I keep changing the settings  so I don't really know the yield per ounce but I'll just get close.

[Dottonedan]

The only thing that I know of that turns me off about either DTG or DTF is that most DTG rips won’t print fades to the shirt or undresses black. Same for DTF that I can see.  So that’s a no for me.


I really think you can do your own custom underbase for all DTG’s. I mean, I did with my T-Jet way back when they first came out...and it seems people haven’t caught on to the idea of doing your own custom base that knocks out to the shirt and doesn’t put white under black. Sure, you do that manually, but it’s pretty easy.

[Northland]

How is the white ink? Does it settle in the lines at all?

Are there any edges to the print or do they look nice like DTG?

What are the cons?

 however -with the proper RIP this can be done, I just need to find it. At this point, I don't care what it costs, I need it. AcroRip really sucks as far as color controls but it's better than nothing.

Biggest downfall, is the rip. If I can get away from the hard edges, I'd be set with this system. Still learning though - but no where near as much as DTG.

I've seen Kothari RIP recommended for DTF, but I know nothing about it -or- DTF, for that matter

[jvieira]

We've ordered paper for DTF and are excited to test this. I've seen stuff printed on the Brother GTX (same system we use) and that'll be my plan to print these. If it doesn't go well I'll have to look into another system.

We've been having a bad time printing on masks and left chests, would love a different option than HTV or plastisol transfers

[zanegun08]

little update from my trials, so far we have been successful with leather and acrylic knit hats. Time and temp are important, you have to go fast and light pressure on the acrylic but it does work better than screened transfers. Messing with the settings in Acro rip, I was able to achieve a very nice opaque white. Wash testing has been great, nothing has failed after repeated washings.

I ordered a printed sheet from kingdomdtf.com on November 13th https://kingdomtshirt.com/15463963/orders/5717218454ab9a48081d08eb63c4370e.  $7.99 for a 11.75" x 16.5" sheet and $3.43 for shipping.  I received the order on November 30th, as it didn't ship until November 23rd.

In ordering the sheet here https://i.imgur.com/DLYqjcy.png I sent the image as a PDF, and then later they requested to resend as a PNG with no background.  However when I got the transfers, anything 100% white was not printed at all, so I requested a reprint but haven't really gotten a confirmation if that would happen or if it has shipped.  As well as I requested the samples they post on instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CGbpb7kHvGi/ to be included as well, after being disregarded to have them sent prior to ordering via instagram messenger.  I also sent the same photos I posted here asking for guidance at better results but have not gotten a reply.

Ok, so let's get down to the results, first off I really, really want this to work, for inside neck labels, and transfers for hats and other short run, high color images, to have this in-house would be great if the quality was up to par.  However a more industrial option on roll prints would be more ideal maybe @DonR's unit is more industrial.  As well as, you are only as good as your support, and from limited dealings with Kingdom DTF I wouldn't buy equipment from them.

I applied the transfers first starting with Black garments with their suggested application of 325 F, 15 seconds, Medium - Firm Pressure (around 60psi).  Cold Peel, then a post press of 5-10 seconds with nothing noted for if you should have teflon, heat transfer paper, PET for this process.  In feel and look, I'd say that if the quality was better for application, it feels a little heavier than a SUPACOLOR transfer, is a little less shiny, and a bit more plastic than an Apex transfer.  However, the excess glue, and the glue around the border of the transfers is a killer, as well as small details that don't get enough white behind them do not transfer well, and especially not on a dark garment.

You can see more photos here https://imgur.com/a/Vs8RDqn.

Apologies if I'm rambling, I posted this earlier and it didn't make it online, so I'm being more brief this time around.  @Homer, post some photos of your results!

[DonR]

zanegun08, I will be making an announcement next week. I think you will be very happy with what we have coming...

[mk162]

There isn't a reason for them not to have at least halftone fades, unless the powder is too big to sit on small dots.  Even a 55lpi or 45 lpi fade to shirt would be impressive.

[Sbrem]

There isn't a reason for them not to have at least halftone fades, unless the powder is too big to sit on small dots.  Even a 55lpi or 45 lpi fade to shirt would be impressive.

I believe we would have to create our art to look like halftones, as the RIP for color does not print out halftones, but "dots" in the printer sense, 720 x whatever. I would think making bitmap tiffs in Photoshop then importing them into the final image to be save a .png? Just a guess...

Steve