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Author Topic: Need advice on a Good Dye sublimation printer For printing Pillows and Flags  (Read 3274 times)

photoguy90210

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Hello  I could really use some great advice for printing on some decorative pillows and some flags.  Im not sure if I need a dye sublimation printer or if just a regular cannon ipf8400 will print decorative pillows?   Can anyone guide me the right way?  I know flags will be put outside and pillows will be inside, but what if they are washed?   Any advice will be great.  Looking to buy a new printer for this use!
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Dyesubguy

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Good afternoon,

You would not want to run an 8400 for this type of application, the aqueous ink is not meant for dye sub and the longevity of the print would not hold. Also it runs the risk of damaging your Machine. I would recommend the Epson F6070. It is economical to run, has a very good longevity, and it built for dye sublimation.
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dgberg

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You do not have to spend anywhere near the money for an F6070 unless you need that size.
I bought a used Epson 4880 using Sawgrass inks for around a $1,000 and it is still running after 2 years and is now 6 years old.
My only complaint is the cost of the Sawgrass inks,just crazy.
When this thing quits I am getting a new Epson 9890 ($3195) and will use JTech inks.
Biggest thing to keep in mind is your press needs to match your printer size. Once you get over the Geo Knight 25" sized press they go to $10,000+ in a heartbeat.

Dyesubguy

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You are absolutely correct that you do not NEED to spend that kind of money up front. But with the 4880 and the 9890 you are still using aqueous heads that are not made for dye sub. Granted they could work just fine like your 4880 has been or there is a chance that they clog which happens more often then not. Aqueous ink and Dye sub ink are two completely different materials which is why there are two different printers.  The Epson F60 is $0.11/ml in ink and $0.12/sqft in paper.  So if you run the sawgrass or Jtech inks at anything over that, you will be spending the money you would of spent in the F6070 in the long run anyways.

Also dye sublimation ink will give you a better picture, resolution, and the print will have a better longevity. The solution your describing is temporary, maybe used to just break into the dye sublimation industry. You also void any warranty on an aqueous printer the moment you run 3rd party saw grass through it.
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Wayne Fox

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You are absolutely correct that you do not NEED to spend that kind of money up front. But with the 4880 and the 9890 you are still using aqueous heads that are not made for dye sub. Granted they could work just fine like your 4880 has been or there is a chance that they clog which happens more often then not. Aqueous ink and Dye sub ink are two completely different materials which is why there are two different printers.  The Epson F60 is $0.11/ml in ink and $0.12/sqft in paper.  So if you run the sawgrass or Jtech inks at anything over that, you will be spending the money you would of spent in the F6070 in the long run anyways.

Also dye sublimation ink will give you a better picture, resolution, and the print will have a better longevity. The solution your describing is temporary, maybe used to just break into the dye sublimation industry. You also void any warranty on an aqueous printer the moment you run 3rd party saw grass through it.
The sawgrass ink is a dye sublimation ink, and nearly everyone making aluminum prints from dye sub are using this solution.  While the Epson dye sub printers are a pretty good solution, i don't believe the longevity level is any better.

but for the original poster there are many solutions both new and used that can handle dye sublimation processes that would produce satisfactory results, and I agree the Epson series is by far the best solution if you can justify the cost.

As has been mentioned you cannot use a printer which employs thermal heads, meaning Canon and and HP printers won't work.
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Dyesubguy

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I agree. There was never a printer until the Epson F60 that was built purely for dye sub so the fact that a lot of people use 3rd party is no suprise. I agree that the cost of an F60 is strictly based om your volume to suffice the initial cost of the machine, but if you plan on doing dye siblimation for any long term production the cost of cpnsumables alone is reason alone to justify an F60. If this is just a hobby then yes a smaller ricoh or sawgrass is perfectly fine, but if you plan on running a business off of dye sunlimation then i see no reason why you would not want to invest in a machine that has the cheapest consumables in the market and backend support to match no other. I have ran both and from experience  I can say the F60 surpasses any other solution leaps and bounds
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enduser

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There is longstanding use of ipf Canons printing on cottons, linen and silk, all using the standard Canon aqueous pigment inks.  You can wash them and iron them and get a good image using "Special 10" and the color sliders in the driver.  Search the Forum for relevant posts.
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msongs

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I use canon 8300 to make pillows......
« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2015, 01:15:40 am »

first off, if you use this printer to make t shirt transfers, the resulting image on the shirt will out last the shirt :-) of course I use pro transfer papers.

for pillows I use rolled inkjet fabric by jacquard that I buy thru dharma trading. It is recommended that one only spot cleans the fabrics instead of wash or dry clean. I test washed several and although they seemed ok, I tell customers not to wash them. well you know how people are
so they will wash it eventually lol. The images are fabulous of course.

I print and sew my own pillows with my art and photography. also sell fabric printed to other artists using their designs and they can make their own pillows.

the latest project is custom art aloha shirts using my art but I get that fabric from spoonflower
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Msongs
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