Should I start doing Sublimation or Vinyl?

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

People on here are always willing to help someone that is actually trying to learn and will listen

[DarronHicks 4]

I am definitely listening to everything that is being said. I love the help because its obvious most of you know what you are doing. You know what points to make and what to tell me to check. Thanks everyone!

[ApeShirt 1]

You really need to think about your niche. I see people say that when people know you can do vinyl decals and sign then you're set. It really depends. I'm a screen printer and also have a SC plotter. People do know I do decals and banners but I rarely get orders for them. I use it mostly for names and numbers for jerseys.

I'm trying to decide right now if my next investment will be sublimation or a pad printer.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

You really need to think about your niche. I see people say that when people know you can do vinyl decals and sign then you're set. It really depends. I'm a screen printer and also have a SC plotter. People do know I do decals and banners but I rarely get orders for them. I use it mostly for names and numbers for jerseys.

I'm trying to decide right now if my next investment will be sublimation or a pad printer.

sublimation printer or a pad printer that you make about 3-5 cents per item printed . .  .hmmmm

[OWJones 1,981]

sublimation printer or a pad printer that you make about 3-5 cents per item printed . .  .hmmmm

 

Before I got into vinyl, I looked at pad printing and decided that it was cheaper to outsource that sort of work to the people who are willing to do it for 3-5 cents vs. paying so much that I'd need to pad print 100,000 pens to break even...

 

If you happen to luck into a deal, like I did with my button making gear, then I suppose it's possible to start making a profit within a short period of time...

[DarronHicks 4]

Pad printing seems like there is just too much money and too much crap that goes into it. I mean sublimation is pretty expensive too. A basic sublimation set up is about 1000 dollars and that is low end stuff. I guess with you having a heat press already that saves you some money. 250 dollars for ink to refill the sublimation printer is crazy in my opinion but im still interested in doing it at some point.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

those 50-100 mugs orders help the sublimation seem much more worth it though - 100 item pad printing order pays like $3.00

[DarronHicks 4]

I can understand that. I know just in my town we have 2 or 3 coffee/tea cafes. With the increasing popularity of coffee shops among college age students and teens I can see these shops wanting coffee mugs and coffee travel mugs with their brand on them. I can easily go out and make pitches to multiple places and try to get orders if I have the equipment to do the mugs. Then they could sell the travel mugs to customers and have the mugs in the shop instead of throw away coffee cups like the big chain coffee shops have. I don't know maybe im thinking to far ahead ahahah. 

[Coaster36 327]

I didn't read through the whole thread but I did see some good advice on equipment to buy and I think its great that you're interested in this at such a young age. But are you planning on this to move you out of mom and dads house? We can all agree that there's money in this trade but it takes money to make money.

 

I think it would be very very smart to get a job at a sign shop or one of the all around shops in town. This way your learning the trade without wasting your money on screw ups. But dont get me wrong. If you have the money to buy some equipment then buy it. Learn your machine and do side jobs. But I wouldnt brag about it to your boss. 

[jaybyrd 3,770]

Even with my press I got into dye sub for under a grand. That's with a Ricoh printer and a cheaper press which is still going strong although I'm ready to upgrade again. You can do it on a smaller budget with an epson printer as long as you keep it in use becuase they hate to sit for long periods.

[DarronHicks 4]

Not really doing it to move out haha. I just like graphic design and making money. Right now I have a job at a kmart stocking stuff so I have some money. In April I will be working at Busch Stadium again and at kmart then doing the vinyl stuff on the side to make some extra money. I plan on buying the vinyl cutter as my last big purchase before I buckle down and actually start saving for a car and to  move out. I did graphics 4 years in high school and made a bunch of signs for different schools where we had to get them approved by either teachers, board members, principals or all of the above so I know a decent amount about sign making and such.

[OWJones 1,981]

Pad printing seems like there is just too much money and too much crap that goes into it. I mean sublimation is pretty expensive too. A basic sublimation set up is about 1000 dollars and that is low end stuff. I guess with you having a heat press already that saves you some money. 250 dollars for ink to refill the sublimation printer is crazy in my opinion but im still interested in doing it at some point.

Last time I bought dye sub ink it was from Cobra Ink and it was $75 with S&H - five 2 oz. bottles, 2 black and 1@ red, yellow and blue to fill my CIS system. Ink is the cheapest part of dye sub with an Epson printer...

[DarronHicks 4]

OWJones- Do you get good quality prints from the Epson printer? I mean on the final product. Also what printer do you have?

[jaybyrd 3,770]

All epsons I've seen print high quality. I had 2 for sublimation and both killed the heads from not being used often enough. If used regularly they are way cheaper that Richoh but it you do sub on and off the Ricoh never clogs.

[OWJones 1,981]

OWJones- Do you get good quality prints from the Epson printer? I mean on the final product. Also what printer do you have?

 

I've been very happy with all of my prints, and had no customer complaints.  I had Scott (Dakotagrafx) print some transfers for me when my printer finally did clog (from which I was able to recover with help from Richard at Cobra Ink) and I can't see any noticeable difference in print quality.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

prints should be identical using the right profiles  -- main reason for the ricoh here is like Jay said it may sit for a couple of months not being used (and not turned on)  and fire it up and perfect nozzle check every time.  now if what our little birdie told us is true and the patent runs out on the desktop patent we will have cheaper ink available early next year so will be a win win

[OWJones 1,981]

There is an app you can buy, and I can't remember what it's called, but as I recall it's around $40 and all it does is sit there until XX hours have expired and it prints a test page.  You can adjust how long XX is.

 

I know someone on these forums knows the name, so hopefully they'll speak up.

 

If Ricoh ink prices come down to a reasonable amount, then you might want to wait and go Ricoh - I suspect they'll drop by 10-25% and not by the huge amounts that people are hoping for, but we'll see...