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I am a total newbie to this, I have never cut vinyl before or worked with graphics programs, but I am extremely good with electronics and pick up on computer software and hardware very easily. 

 

That being stated I need some advice in which way i should go with my budget. - What i am looking to do is start a small business working in conjunction with a non profit Greyhound Rescue to help raise money and awareness to our efforts. The proceeds would go to helping pay vet bills and feed these animals as they live in their foster homes. What we would like to do is be able to print vinyl decals and also make t-shirts to sell on the internet through eBay, our website, and at our local adoption events that we host weekly... nothing big time but the equipment would see a decent amount of use. 

 

My question is, where do i start? If you personally had $1000 to spend to start an effort like this what would you buy? what would be the best "bang for the buck" that could start us out and get everything stated above done? I would love to hear your opinions please let me know what you think. 

 

Thank you all so much in advance.

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Hi, let me chime in here.

 

This sentence caught my eye -- "print vinyl decals and also make t-shirts"

 

First of all, you really aren't going to be printing decals at all, you are going to be cutting them with a plotter (using a rotating knife blade that's in the moving head unit that maneuvers across colored vinyl material as it unrolls through the machine)

 

Purchasing that vinyl material will set you back a few hundred $$$ (when ordering the cutter, you can obtain a starter pack, with 12 different colors, for $199) and also some Siser-brand heat-transfer (for tSHIRTS) sample materials ($60). 

 

Then you'll need a heat press, and that opens up a whole can of worms right there, with so many options and price ranges.

Figure $300 - $500. for this piece of equipment.

 

Don't forget the T-shirts themselves (listed as "Apparel Blanks" right on the USCUTTER site), say 40 of them (10 in each of the four main sizes, Sm M L XL) and you can figure another $150 or so.

 

A self-healing cutting mat (work surface) is worthwhile, add that in, along with squeegees, a good weeding tool & xacto knife and a straightedge.

 

OK, you'll still have a few dollars left over from your $1000, now go ahead and order a cutter machine, maybe the TC?

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What makes it any better than those various heat presses offered by USCUTTER?

The entire Heat Press category is a lot harder to decipher one from the other than the vinyl Cutters are, IMO.

 

If it was something I was going to be getting into, I certainly believe that a curved Hat press attachment would be something I would want as an option, in addition to just a flat T-Shirt surface.

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you want to look for a heat press that uses over the center pressure adjustment like the expensive presses use - not the rear adjustment. The over the center adjustment is more consistent over time on pressure.  Too bad sunie has chosen to make some of the new ones with the rear pressure adjustment - i will never recommend one of those. I personally used one of these for over a year before getting the hotronix and it performed great - and is much lighter so it would work better for travel.  on the multi use press I have heard of few people the really produce   many times that were happy with the changeable platens - hassle and stability issues - it is not that much more to just buy a hat press separately and as much as most people use a hat press a used one makes sense.  I actually sold mine to a friend and let him press the few hats I sell.

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here is USC's cheapest heat press I could find that has over the center pressure adjustment - Strangely enough this unit does not qualify for USC's $9 shipping and it shows it is a 220 volt.   hmmmm

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