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ScrantonStrangler

Printable Vinyl Questions

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I am looking to get into printed stickers but don't have the money for the type of recommended printer. I am looking to try to use an inkjet with pigment based inks to get a decent result. I will probably clear coat them or use something transparent to cover them. I don't believe this helps them from fading in the sun though. If anyone has material suggestions that would be great. I have these stickers I've bought and can't figure out what they used to do it. I love the look and feel of them.  They have a really soft matte finish. Not sure if this is achievable with an inkjet though. I included photos to try to show them a bit.

 

Thanks for any help!

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46339039_1982647458694871_3691178358281863168_n.jpg

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what you are asking is the ethical equivalent of saying you are going to paint someones car with latex house paint and what wax to make it work better . . . if selling then use  latex, solvent or thermo resin is the only proper ways to make a lasting decal for sale IMHO 
If you can't afford to do it the right way currently  - outsource your printing to someone until you can.

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I am looking to do this mainly for fun and something different to do for designs that I can't layer. Any that I might sell I would explain to the customer they are meant for indoor use and don't have the same shelf life. I was just wondering if you could get a decent result without spending thousands on a printer.

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if there was  a cheap way to do it with great results then no one would buy the expensive printers :)

if for indoor by all means use a pigment ink and aqueous vinyl  - - - over 99 percent of my sales of printed though have been outdoors use so maybe you are looking at a different market.

 

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39 minutes ago, Dakotagrafx said:

if there was  a cheap way to do it with great results then no one would buy the expensive printers :)

if for indoor by all means use a pigment ink and aqueous vinyl  - - - over 99 percent of my sales of printed though have been outdoors use so maybe you are looking at a different market.

 

Outdoors would be great but I know a lot of artists who would like to just have some decent (not amazing) stickers made of some of their work. Thought it would be a cool thing to try. Thanks!

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The holy grail of printing, cheap print/cut combo.  Still just a myth.  That sticker in your picture probably comes from a print/cut machine, not a plain printer.  Notice it is cut out.  Further, print cut machines almost always, (can't think of a single one that doesn't,) use eco-solvent, solvent or latex inks.  Cheapest one of those is about $8,600, (Roland BN-20.)  Dakotagrafx ain't lying.  There isn't a cheap way to do it yet that gives consistent results.    Companies doing them in mass, probably offset print and die-cut.  But we are talking 6 or 7 figures there.

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Agree with the previous posts. I researched really hard and have done it again several times trying to convince myself to make the leap but I just can't pull the trigger. My business model would best support a Thermal printer like the Summa DC or a Gerber that can sit for long periods of time. The 30" model is still around the $12-$13K mark and I would totally do it IF it could print comfortably on heat transfer material as that is 95% of my business but they won't ever commit to it completely. They say there are a "few" options that are out there but none that are a guarantee will work. 

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