NiteWalker

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Everything posted by NiteWalker

  1. NiteWalker

    transfer cracks after first wash

    Did you stretch before and after pressing?
  2. NiteWalker

    Startup Questions, need help selecting a plotter

    Another vote for the Graphtec. The CE5000-60 is a great machine.
  3. NiteWalker

    transfer cracks after first wash

    Light or dark shirt? I've used JPSS on whites and 3G Jet Opaque on darks and neither cracked or peeled after several washes. The issue might be application techniques. Have you checked your press for correct time, pressure and temp settings?
  4. Have you thought about Sihl 3988? It's a printable vinyl that comes out great. IMHO, it's much better than papilio. If you mean papers, Epson Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte and Ultra Premium Gloosy Photo Paper are my favorites. Amazon carries both sizes in 13x19.
  5. Just curious as to why someone would contour cut reflective... Would it be printed?
  6. NiteWalker

    Best place to buy vinyl

    Oracal 651: USCutter. $13.49 for a 15"x10 yard roll of black or white, $14.99 for colors. Flat rate of $9.99 for shipping. Best price I've found. For application tape I like RTape AT60. Oracal 651 is a great all-around vinyl. Good for most uses.
  7. NiteWalker

    WF1100 Skunky Smell!

    Mine doesn't have the smell, but I haven't really looked for it either... I wouldn't worry about it. If it's what I think it is, it's just the smell electronic components give off. I never bothered to check as to why they emit that smell. I keep mine on 24/7. I print every few days to keep the heads free flowing.
  8. NiteWalker

    Which Sunie Heat Press?

    I bought it from Pro-World. I originally bought the TransPro 15x15 from them, but decided I'd be better off with a better quality machine. So I returned the TransPro and paid the difference for the MAXX. I can definitely notice the difference in quality. It's built better, the fit and finish are far superior, it heats up quicker, holds temps better and has more even heating across the element. There's maybe a 3* difference from corner to corner diagonal. Also a great feature I didn't appreciate until I discovered it, was that the top has lots more space between the platen and heating element when open. No burned knuckles! About the size, I've done shirts up to 6X, and the positioning is a bit tricky, but the shirts come out great. When funds allow though, I'll be upgrading to the Hotronix 16x20 auto open. At that point I'd either sell the MAXX or keep it as a press dedicated to JPSS or something like that. It's really a great press. Like Scott said though, the sunie with over the center pressure will work fine; I just didn't want something that *just* got me by. I like to have a cushion (the cushion being the features, reliability and warranty of a more expensive, yet professional quality press) so I have less to worry about.
  9. NiteWalker

    Cutter cutting some of the words and others it is not cutting

    They don't stay sharp long cutting printed and laminated decals either... It's funny you mention the LG Hi-Cal. The $1 roll special I got from sign warehouse weeds like garbage. It cuts Oracal 651 and FDC 4200 just fine.
  10. NiteWalker

    Which Sunie Heat Press?

    The 16x24 has over the back pressure adjustment. IMHO, that's a no-no. You want over the center for even pressure throughout the heating element. I'd only get a sunie or similar if you plan on upgrading later on. Otherwise I'd get a good press from the start. I first bought a TransPro 15x15 but returned it and spent the extra for a Stahl's MAXX 15x15. I definitely don't regret it. I voted for the pro press, especially if you're going to be making money off of it.
  11. NiteWalker

    Can't help buying things. Workforce 1100

    IMHO, the best heat presses for the buck are the Stahl's MAXX presses. The 15x15 is $795 minus some discounts floating around and worth every penny. No more cheap presses for me. Next year I might upgrade to the 16x20 auto open since I just found out our breaker box has 20 amp circuits and not 15 like I thought originally.
  12. NiteWalker

    Buy A Keyspan When You Order

    Does this appy to most cutters or just USC's in house brands? I have a Graphtec CE5000-40 and Cut3000 (GCC Bengal) and both are working fine on a windows 7 x64 machine through USB. Or is it an operating system issue?
  13. NiteWalker

    Cutter cutting some of the words and others it is not cutting

    If it's a known problem why doesn't USC just ship these with the cutters? It's kind of bait and switch IMHO, and then they charge $35 for an adapter that can be had elsewhere for under $10... I thought USC was better than this... But anyway, to the OP I hope it fixes your problem. Chrome is a lot harder on the blades than regular vinyl. Did you try adjusting the force? And cleancut blades FTW! They're great.
  14. NiteWalker

    Thinking of t-shirts

    For vinyl, Spectra Eco-Film (imprintables warehouse) or Siser Easyweed. For a printer, Epson WF1100 with Cobra Ink CIS, pigment inks for most things, another with high temp ink for sublimation. For t-shirt transfers, JPSS for whites, 3G Jet Opaque for darks. For a heat press, get the best you can afford. I have a Stahl's MAXX 15x15. It's a great press. Corel draw works great for your purposes. I use it extensively. Not sure about Sublimation transfers.
  15. NiteWalker

    Where to begin?

    Here's my video I made on contour cutting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq5aiZ-2KhM
  16. NiteWalker

    Looking to buy a Heat Press any helpful info

    At one point, that was true. Now pro-world upgrades a few of the components to make the machine more reliable. Both are china machines though, so other than the components pro-world upgrades, they probably are the same.
  17. NiteWalker

    hat press temp

    The IR thermometer I bought. A bit more expensive tahn the HF (by about $10) but works well. Comes with a nice pouch to store it in.
  18. NiteWalker

    new cutter?

    What he said.
  19. Phase 1: Good place to start. If you're sure you'll be upgrading the MH-721 later on, it will do fine as a starter cutter. Oracal 651 is fine. No need to jump t the 751 unless you need cast vinyl. 651 is considered by many (myself included) to be the standard. For app tape, I use and love RTape AT60. It's great and clear so decals are left very presentable for customers. If you're getting 24" rolls of vinyl I'd get a 6", 12" and maybe 24" roll of app tape. I buy 15" rolls of vinyl and use 6 1/2" and 10 1/2" app tape rolls (for small decals or one-offs and bigger decals. I may buy a 15" roll soon. For sources, I buy from ordway sign supply, sign warehouse, and a few others. USC has the best price I've seen on 651 plus $9.99 flat rate shipping. Phase 2: At your price range, the sunie 15x15 and transpro 15x15 are both good options. I bought the transpro, but returned it and have a MAXX 15x15 on the way. $450 more than the transpro, but it has the features and reliability I want in a press. You'll hear a lot of people say that the sunie and transpro presses are fine, and they are, but I prefer to pay a little bit more for something I place my own reputation and name on. Easyweed is great, as is Spectra Eco-Film from imprintables. Some say they're the same material, and judging from samples of each I have they're extremely close. I use Eco-Film and have no complaints, and neither do my customers. Yep jiffyshirts. I love that place. They're very close so shipping is one day for me. Good prices and free shipping over $75. If you get a cheaper press, make sure to get an IR thermometer to check for temp uniformity. You also want teflon sheets for protecting your heating element and t-shirts from scorching. I bought 3 with my press. Phase 3: I have the same printer with a CIS from Cobra Ink and love it. Very reliable and prints beautifully. My printable vinyl of choice is Sihl 3988; you can get it from signwarehouse or allsquareonline. I laminate with Oraguard 210 after printing and then contour cut with my Graphtec CE5000-40. The results are very professional. For t-shirts I use JPSS for white shirts and 3G Jet Opaque for darks. They both print and press beautifully. I'm the same way about doing things myself. I don't like outsourcing at all. You'll also be able to do things like mouse pads and coasters with JPSS. Not sure about contour cutting on the MH cutters... Phas 4: A better cutter is definitely worth it in the long run. 24" may be the biggest you'll need. Gauge which materials you'll be buying and what sizes. I did this and realized I didn't need a 24" cutter right away. That coupled with the fact that in a year I'll be buying my dream cutter (Graphtec FC8000-60) I decided on the Graphtec CE5000-40. It's great. It's dentical to the CE5000-60 in all aspects, just 15" instead of 24". It fit my needs, and with the money I saved over buying the -60 I bought my heat press. Like I said, I originally bought a transpro 15x15, but wanted the better warranty, reliability and features of the MAXX 15x15. Hopefully next year I'll be able to get my dream press, the Hotronix 16x20 auto open. The MAXX 15x15 will serve me well until then, I'm sure. With the transpro, I wasn't sure 100% that I could rely on it to hold me over until I get my Hotronix next year..
  20. NiteWalker

    what type of vinyl for car windows?

    Oracal 651 and FDC 4200 series are both great. I give the edge to Oracal though.
  21. NiteWalker

    What cutter to get?

    Save the money for a Graphtec. It's really worth it. If not, maybe a copam.
  22. NiteWalker

    Looking to buy a Heat Press any helpful info

    I had a TransPro 15x15 (similar to the sunie you'll read a lot about), but returned it and have a Stahl's MAXX 15x15 on the way. The warranty, features and reliability are things I was looking for, and the MAXX press has them. If you can swing it, skip the china machines. They'll do the job, but a reliable press does it so much better.
  23. NiteWalker

    new cutter?

    Save those pennies for the Graphtec CE5000 bundle USC has. It's worth it in the long run. Otherwise, Zencut Green or Copam. Make sure to get the stand with the cutter.
  24. NiteWalker

    Can't help buying things. Workforce 1100

    No problem. You did good. Mine has been very reliable since I got it. I'm still on the ink it came with too. They're about 2/3 full.