Alittle Help

[theinkgallery 1]

Hello all

wondering if you guys can give me some advise. we run a tattoo shop in ny and want to start doing our shirts in house as they are mostly promotional for us and we lose pretty much on every shirt. this wont be an every day affair for us just using the cutter and heat press as we need to replenish or want to try a new design. It will be mostly heat transfer vinyl on the shirts. We do use mac and ai to make our designs. I want to keep costs down as much as possible and do know that you get what you pay for. that being said what would you guys recommend for press and cutter under 1500. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

ce6000-40
http://www.uscutter.com/Graphtec-CE-6000-Vinyl-Cutter-Bundle

[slice&dice 2,451]

Dakota, that bundle (cutter and heat press) will cost him over $2000 (not including heat transfer vinyl) for the small 15" unit, and over $2800 for a 'basic' sized 24" cutter.

 

On the other hand, the COPAM 24" is on sale for $650 and a 11"x15" USCUTTER swing-away heat press (5-in-1, including hats) can be obtained for under $400.

[theinkgallery 1]

Slice thanks for the cutter i didn't see that one when I looked at the page at first. As far as the press I do want to go 16x20 you wouldn't happen to know of one that isn't auto open but dosent require me to hold the thing down for the duration of the heat.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

was meant to be just the cutter  - cutter alone is $1200 and top of the line so non of the problems associated with a hobby cutter - if I were trying to cut some cost I would try the 15" titan for $700

it's no secret I think a 5 in one press is a waste of money as most of the time a machine made to do multiple things does none of them well . ..
http://sunie.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2  $359 with free shipping and  a 2yr warranty

 

copam has been a great machine but hasn't changed in over 12 years

[theinkgallery 1]

dakota thanks for the press. 1200 is a little more then i would want to go right now. is the titan a better cutter the copam. since im new to this has alot changed with cutters in the last 12 years. my designs are mostle 13in across so it wouldnt be to much of an issue to go with a smaler cutter

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I have the titan2 which I understand is the same except the titan has stepper motors like the copam - the electronics have been rock solid on the titan2 so I would think so -  the copam was good too but realize it is the same cutter they sold 12-14 years ago with no changes.

[Vermonster 111]

What price range are you looking to be in for the plotter and the press?

[OWJones 1,981]

Hello all

wondering if you guys can give me some advise. we run a tattoo shop in ny and want to start doing our shirts in house as they are mostly promotional for us and we lose pretty much on every shirt. this wont be an every day affair for us just using the cutter and heat press as we need to replenish or want to try a new design. It will be mostly heat transfer vinyl on the shirts. We do use mac and ai to make our designs. I want to keep costs down as much as possible and do know that you get what you pay for. that being said what would you guys recommend for press and cutter under 1500. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

 

How many shirts do you plan on giving away, because you can buy an awful lot of ready made shirts for $1500 and not have to learn how to cut vinyl.

 

If you're planning to make large quantities of the same shirt design, screen-printing is far more cost efficient than HTV, no matter how cheap the vinyl cutting equipment.  HTV is really only cost efficient when doing small quantities - once you print enough to pay for the cost of making the screen, then each additional shirt only uses a few cents worth of ink - every HTV shirt still costs the same as the one before.

 

The only discount is in buying large quantities of HTV and even in large qty you're still looking at nearly $2.00 for each side of a shirt (assuming a design of approx 11x14" on each side), plus the labor involved in weeding a detailed design.

 

I'm not trying to talk you out of getting into cutting vinyl, I'm just saying that for your stated purpose, it is probably not the most efficient way to spend your money on making t-shirts.

[theinkgallery 1]

What price range are you looking to be in for the plotter and the press?

 

i was hoping to stay nder 1500 for cutter/press.

 

How many shirts do you plan on giving away, because you can buy an awful lot of ready made shirts for $1500 and not have to learn how to cut vinyl.

 

If you're planning to make large quantities of the same shirt design, screen-printing is far more cost efficient than HTV, no matter how cheap the vinyl cutting equipment.  HTV is really only cost efficient when doing small quantities - once you print enough to pay for the cost of making the screen, then each additional shirt only uses a few cents worth of ink - every HTV shirt still costs the same as the one before.

 

The only discount is in buying large quantities of HTV and even in large qty you're still looking at nearly $2.00 for each side of a shirt (assuming a design of approx 11x14" on each side), plus the labor involved in weeding a detailed design.

 

I'm not trying to talk you out of getting into cutting vinyl, I'm just saying that for your stated purpose, it is probably not the most efficient way to spend your money on making t-shirts.

 

thats just it we have been doing screen-priniting for the last two years on same screens with a company at like 11$ a shirt for two sided. we were talking vinyl because we can change the designs at will no minium. When i went to get some demo shirts done by a vinyl guy i saw how easy it was to do i figured that i should do it. We usally give 10 to 20 shirts away a month and sell a few for 20$ when we do conventions a few times a year. im just looking for away to run short orders and be able to change styles around easily.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

i was hoping to stay nder 1500 for cutter/press.

 

 

thats just it we have been doing screen-priniting for the last two years on same screens with a company at like 11$ a shirt for two sided. we were talking vinyl because we can change the designs at will no minium. When i went to get some demo shirts done by a vinyl guy i saw how easy it was to do i figured that i should do it. We usally give 10 to 20 shirts away a month and sell a few for 20$ when we do conventions a few times a year. im just looking for away to run short orders and be able to change styles around easily.

are you already familiar with the vector graphics?  that will determine how easy it is for you with the plotter.   

[theinkgallery 1]

are you already familiar with the vector graphics?  that will determine how easy it is for you with the plotter.   

 

yea i make all the designs in adobe illustrator allready im to anal to have someone do my designs lol. thats maily why the other thing i was looking into is something that would allow me tu use ai and not have many issues

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I know the graphtec has the plug in and I haven't tried it with ai yet but have cut with the titan thru corel,  still working some small stuff out with that.   there are always cheaper ways to do anything but if the graphtec is within your means at the 1200 you would be starting with the Cadillac and not have the issues with the value cutters. there is nothing wrong with them that time and fiddling won't dial in for the most part but it seamed as if it was within your reach to go with the pro cutter and be done with it.  copam and titan are solid cutters and I am betting you will see the copam being phased out (because of the current sale prices and it has not had any change in over 12 years)  the titan2 has been very solid but some fine points to "finish" and be up there - it is a top notch stepping stone to what I consider my favorite cutter still the graphtec.  had some roland gx-24's and they are superior for contour cutting as they use a big round dot to find the marks as opposed to the graphtecs fine lines it uses for alignment.  but the graphtecs have done finer detail easier than any cutter i have used.  and somehow I have managed to use a lot of cutters over the past 8 years.  still a youngster compared to some of our older members though 

[theinkgallery 1]

dakota i see that they have Graphtec CE-5000 for 1200 that would be a 500 savings over the 6000 for the 24inch is this one a solid cutter as well or if im going that route get the 6000. BTW i want to thank you guys for awnsering the questions you are being very helpful

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I personally run a ce5000-60 as my main cutter - wouldn't be without it!     I have had at least 3 of them and very solid cutter, I am sure the ce6000 that looks like a fc series is a step up but wouldn't hesitate a bit to buy another ce5000

[pshawny 410]

Another option to consider might be custom plastisol heat transfers.

[jaybyrd 3,770]

Another option to consider might be custom plastisol heat transfers.

Maintain the look and feel of screen print and only need to buy a heat press.

[theinkgallery 1]

plastisol heat transfers is something new to me. I started researching then last night any of you guys do them. Are they very cost effective none of the websites I looked at had pricing. How long do they last on shirts. I'm looking for cost effective but at same time don't was to look like garbage

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

when made and applied properly you can't tell the plastisol transfers from the direct screen printing.  it does cost some more to have the convenience of not having the full mess of the screen printing set up but in my case worth it.   the screener still makes his or her money - I press the sizes I need only when I need them without a bunch of extras that will go unsold in odd sizes at the end of the project wit enough profit on my end to make perfect sense.  someone good at making the transfers is essential.

[theinkgallery 1]

So it's pretty much screen printing on a plastic sheet then. They still have to make the screens. That probably wouldn't be for me then because I want to be able to change the design at will.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

correct except they are screen printed on a special paper with an extra adhesive powder sprinkled on  - not what you want if you change designs a lot - if that is the case bucking up the several thousand dollars for a dtg is best - but beside cost they are maint hounds like most specialty printers and if they don't get the attention in use and cleaning cost goes way way up from the initial investment

cheap one offs - pigment ink printer and jpss or 3g opaque - durability and cheap cost screening (with set up cost and minimums)

one off in house less mess but more expensive each - plotter with htv,  easy one offs with high initial investment DTG but with all the maint. afterwards.   lots of choices

[jaybyrd 3,770]

Just out of curiosity how many of a particular design are you looking to do? Just 1 or 2 or a couple dozen?

[theinkgallery 1]

Just out of curiosity how many of a particular design are you looking to do? Just 1 or 2 or a couple dozen?

 

Right now we have 3 front and 2 diffrent back designs i have but for the past 3 years have only done one. im looking for ways to be able to do runs at will and small numbers. Right now the guy doing our screen printing requires me to purchase 45 shirts at a time. The biggest issue you have is my larger clients who take over a 2x i dont have shirts and feel bad that i dont but i dont want to have to stock the either because i dont give them that often.

[Wildgoose 4,200]

IMO you would have a great time with a cutter. Since you already do the AI thing then your learning curve will be much less than that of someone who doesn't know vector graphics. You can probably get by with a cheaper cutter but if you can swing the graphtec you will be happier in the long run. You will want a heat press in all self build scenarios so that's a given and the HTV way is great for short runs and changing designs. You can personalize each shirt with a name or nickname with little or no effort. Think about how that might improve the freebies you are already giving. My only caution to you is you might find that doing apparel is more profitable than the ink so watch out!

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

if only it was the one or two designs and not wanting to change - even at that if you keep doing those designs a lot plastisol transfers would be handy = press the size shirt you need when you need it  and not get stuck with 14 smalls you can't sell or give away