Kit from Conde or piece things together

[jdwilliams1]

I am considering buying a turn key kit from Conde

http://www.dyetrans.com/printer.php...=DyeTrans 7890 Production Sublimation Systems

everything in the kit is listed at the bottom of the page(does not include press. I am looking at 20x25 that is $2800 or so)

Or would you recommend that I buy the printer and the press separate and then get the inks and paper elsewhere or just go with a turn key kit?

What are the disadvantages of the kit in your eyes, or not buying a kit?

thanks again

 

[Dakotagrafx]

buy it all from them and the support is great

 

[cajun312]

Try and find a printer that won't lock you into using Sawgrass Inks. I think you need a printer more than 42" wide to be able to buy other sublimation inks that are less than half the price of Sawgrass. I could fill up the back of a pickup truck with clogged up Epsons thanks to Sawgrass.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Try and find a printer that won't lock you into using Sawgrass Inks. I think you need a printer more than 42" wide to be able to buy other sublimation inks that are less than half the price of Sawgrass. I could fill up the back of a pickup truck with clogged up Epsons thanks to Sawgrass.

Two points. One you can get other inks for the small format epson printers (not the really small one though, the one equivalent to the Ricoh GX7000. I know of at least one german sublimation ink company that would work with that smaller printer (or at least it was the WF1400 at the time).

Two, epson small format printers have issues regardless of what ink you put in them if you aren't running them often. The Ricoh's don't have any issue Sawgrass or other inks. Epson might have fixed that recently with their small formats, but when I was starting to get my smaller formats it was their nozzles that are the issue.

 

[jdwilliams1]

ok, I am buying the 24" printer which is considered large format, so where would I get the ink and also does that unit have issues with clogged heads?

 

[Atomic DNA]

If you buy the ink/printer through Conde, they will be able to support you as you need it. Sublimation is a bit tricky when first starting out and there are many variables that go into producing a print that is sellable. Quality/brand of ink, paper quality, correct ICC profiles just to name a few. Without support, you are left to learn this the hard way (the way I did lol).
You will pay more through Conde, but look at it as future support.

As far as clogging I have only had one problem. I've had my 7890 for 1.5 years and in one instance I had to have an Epson tech out to replace pretty much everything on the printer (protocol) and actually had to change the printhead out three times. He was here for four days. Luckily, I had one week left on my warranty. They fixed it under warranty as it had something to do with the motherboard.

The 20 x 25 press is good one to start with. I have have a Hotronix Fusion and a Hix, both 16 x 20. I soon outgrew that platform and was looking at a double heat platen 20 x 25. I ended up actually getting a custom made 48" x 48" maxi press with air assist and haven't looked back. The 20 x 25 will handle quite a bit more products than the 16 x 20.

 

[jdwilliams1]

As far as clogging I have only had one problem. I've had my 7890 for 1.5 years and in one instance I had to have an Epson tech out to replace pretty much everything on the printer (protocol) and actually had to change the printhead out three times. He was here for four days. Luckily, I had one week left on my warranty. They fixed it under warranty as it had something to do with the motherboard.

The 20 x 25 press is good one to start with. I have have a Hotronix Fusion and a Hix, both 16 x 20. I soon outgrew that platform and was looking at a double heat platen 20 x 25. I ended up actually getting a custom made 48" x 48" maxi press with air assist and haven't looked back. The 20 x 25 will handle quite a bit more products than the 16 x 20.

1. This worries me a bit that only 1 year and you are having everything replace...my luck is I will need this a week after the warranty expires.

2. Can you actually press the full size of a heat press...so if there is a 6x24 aluminum blank can I press it on a 25 inch press?

 

[cajun312]

Two points. One you can get other inks for the small format epson printers (not the really small one though, the one equivalent to the Ricoh GX7000. I know of at least one german sublimation ink company that would work with that smaller printer (or at least it was the WF1400 at the time).

Two, epson small format printers have issues regardless of what ink you put in them if you aren't running them often. The Ricoh's don't have any issue Sawgrass or other inks. Epson might have fixed that recently with their small formats, but when I was starting to get my smaller formats it was their nozzles that are the issue.

The epson nozzles were not the problem, I never had clogs with the original Artainium inks or the TOG inks. The patent on the Sawgrass inks is for desk top printers, but somehow they got every printer 42" or smaller called a desktop printer.

 

[cajun312]

1. This worries me a bit that only 1 year and you are having everything replace...my luck is I will need this a week after the warranty expires.

2. Can you actually press the full size of a heat press...so if there is a 6x24 aluminum blank can I press it on a 25 inch press?

24" in a 25" press could have problems as the press may not get to temp right along the edges. There is a sublimation forum here that may give you more info. www.dyesub.org

 

[WildWestDesigns]

The epson nozzles were not the problem, I never had clogs with the original Artainium inks or the TOG inks. The patent on the Sawgrass inks is for desk top printers,

I've never had clogs with the Ricoh with Sawgrass inks. So why one, but not the other if there was a fundamental issue with the inks? You should have the issue in both if the ink was the root cause unless there was something else going on (or a combination of both). Even if there were prolong down time, which greatly affects the Epson printers (under 24"), but not the Ricoh. But like I said you can get other dye sub inks for small formats (under 24") for Epson. WF1400 and whatever the current equivalent is on the market. The WF30 (and it's equivalent) you are out of luck (may have discontinued it entirely for all I know, very limited to begin with except the smaller stuff).

but somehow they got every printer 42" or smaller called a desktop printer.

That's marketing for you.

 

[Atomic DNA]

1. This worries me a bit that only 1 year and you are having everything replace...my luck is I will need this a week after the warranty expires.

2. Can you actually press the full size of a heat press...so if there is a 6x24 aluminum blank can I press it on a 25 inch press?

Actually, that is Epson's systematic way of isolating the problematic part. In order for the Epson tech to fix the printhead, he had to first replace the motherboard. If the motherboard wasn't the issue, he moved on to the print head, or something along those lines. All I know is he replace the cartridge bays, boards, pump, capping station, etc. These parts were probably not faulty but under Epson's protocol/training, these things had to be replaced before replacing the "faulty" part.

Yes, with a 25" platen, you will be able to process 3 at a time with your given substrate dimensions. I don't have any problems with non-heated edges as cajun312 pointed out.

Sawgrass' patent is on the desktop market only. The 7890, while not considered a desktop printer, is not a large format either. I call it the b-astard printer because it is between formats. You should see some savings (maybe 200-225 per liter) instead of the desktop pricing. The "discount" isn't as good as the 44" or larger, but it is indeed a huge savings over desktop ink pricing.

 

[jdwilliams1]

Sorry for all of the questions. Have any of you used your printer outdoors...maybe in hot or humid conditions? Just trying to get a feel for what is possible because I could end up outdoors in the summer.

 

[Atomic DNA]

jd, with humidity/dust playing a factor anything can happen. The best thing would be to keep the printer and paper in a climate controlled area away from the elements. It's trying enough to hit a target color if you don't have the correct profiles or if your monitor isn't calibrated to your final print but introducing mother nature is asking for failure.