TSB
General => General Discussion and ??? => Topic started by: Artelf2xs on September 15, 2011, 05:29:07 PM
-
So we get a call from a screen printer wanting us to do some Digital printing for them.....
1000 white shirts....... One color black print...........
Ready.......
1000 different QR codes, one for each shirt, full front!
-
Cha-ching!
-
Just thirty minutes ago I just had a similar discussion, for 500 different one-offs. Warned them that the quantity discount thing starts getting a little skewed when each one requires its own art for output.
The other problem with DTG or Transfers is that they are somewhat labor intensive and don't really benefit from quantities like a quick couple of hours on an auto after art, screens and set up.
-
that will take you days....I hate DTG...
-
So we get a call from a screen printer wanting us to do some Digital printing for them.....
1000 white shirts....... One color black print...........
Ready.......
1000 different QR codes, one for each shirt, full front!
'
Your're gonna be busy!
-
Actually Our Viper prints 16" X 45" and these designs @ 7X7 will run 4 up.......
2 & 1/2 to 3- 8 hour days.......
I'm with Pitman CHA CHING!
We just did a 160 piece run in a day.... 2 up $15.00 bucks a pop..... no screens, no set up, no ink mixing, no art separation or films.....
Do the math!
-
What are they going to pay per shirt?
-
Was that 160pc run on darks I hope? I can do 160 lights in 3 hours on the Brother.
I love DTG. I make more on that than anything else. The margins are awesome. I get more jobs from it because when customers HAVE to have a ton of colors on few shirts, it's hands down the easiest way to go.
-
Was that 160pc run on darks I hope? I can do 160 lights in 3 hours on the Brother.
I love DTG. I make more on that than anything else. The margins are awesome. I get more jobs from it because when customers HAVE to have a ton of colors on few shirts, it's hands down the easiest way to go.
I'm not so sure that it's easier than a digital transfer, but done well, it's a little nicer. (done poorly, it can be really poor!)
-
The nice thing about the Brother is it's one and done. I don't have to print transfers, check to make sure there is no banding, etc. Then tape them onto the shirt. I can just load it like a regular press and go.
It's actually about the same cost per print with a sublimation printer, and less labor.
-
Don't misunderstand me, if I had the volume I'd be all over a DTG or DOG (sounds cooler, eh?), but now, I just have to live with outputting as transfer and pressing it. Probably not a lot more time than your process unless the inkjet printer built into your machine is a lot faster than my stand-alone unit.
Now, some jobs are much better served by a self weeding material which I hardly ever use, so yes, if there is a lot of trimming, you win hands down!
I can assure you that my consumables are a lot cheaper though.
-
I wouldn't bet too much on the consumables aspect. What do you pay for ink? With the larger carts, I average around $.40 per print in ink. I also don't have to use paper either.
I don't trim anything, ever, no need to. So your consumables might be a little cheaper, but I would finish a full chest print on 36 pcs before your inkjet would even have the job output. I print at a rate of about 1 shirt every 45-50 seconds on a 12x12(roughly) print.
-
I wouldn't bet too much on the consumables aspect. What do you pay for ink? With the larger carts, I average around $.40 per print in ink. I also don't have to use paper either.
I don't trim anything, ever, no need to. So your consumables might be a little cheaper, but I would finish a full chest print on 36 pcs before your inkjet would even have the job output. I print at a rate of about 1 shirt every 45-50 seconds on a 12x12(roughly) print.
That doesn't include loading the shirt does it?
Steve
-
Yup, I unload the shirts before the printer finishes printing them and then I load the next one immediately after that.
-
I wouldn't bet too much on the consumables aspect. What do you pay for ink? With the larger carts, I average around $.40 per print in ink. I also don't have to use paper either.
I don't trim anything, ever, no need to. So your consumables might be a little cheaper, but I would finish a full chest print on 36 pcs before your inkjet would even have the job output. I print at a rate of about 1 shirt every 45-50 seconds on a 12x12(roughly) print.
50 seconds for a 12x12 full color edge to edge is pretty fast for an ink jet. Mine must be twice as long as that, (I've never timed it)
Of courser, as I said, if I had the volume, I'd have a DOG, but right now, it's hard to find fault with a printer that costs less than $200 paying for itself every month or two.
-
And you are right, that is the kicker. I have the volume, it helped that Brother put on the Beta list and we used the printer for 3 years without a payment, or even paying for a repair. All we had to buy was consumables and fill out an evaluation form every month.
-
And you are right, that is the kicker. I have the volume, it helped that Brother put on the Beta list and we used the printer for 3 years without a payment, or even paying for a repair. All we had to buy was consumables and fill out an evaluation form every month.
And smile for the picture in the ad! ;D
-
Crap, I forgot about that. I walked into a vendor's shop down here that sells the GT-541 and they had a lifesize standup display ad of that photo. Needless to say, it was weird.
-
Was that 160pc run on darks I hope? I can do 160 lights in 3 hours on the Brother.
Yes that was with a white base an a 16 X12 image.... Pluss it was the Boss who was not at it full time if you know what i mean :o
-
OK, overall, how do you like the viper? How are you pretreating shirts? About how long does an image like that take to print?
-
OK, overall, how do you like the viper? How are you pretreating shirts? About how long does an image like that take to print?
I asked mike about the time..... Said he timed it once but can't remember.... It's Beer thirty here already :o
And id it is UNI or Bi directional setting.
We like the viper... heard the raptor prints faster but we really like the large format 16"45 for a full hoodie or 4 up youth.
We've been running it since January problem free.... We bought the pre treat machine..... It works really fantastic for stacking shirts on ::) we just use the wagner sprayer.
-
You should try the Viper Pretreat machine. I've heard good things about it from a friend that owns a GT-782.
-
It works great... think is, it needs cleaning and maintenance on the head and cup that just aren't worth the time...
-
How are the prints holding up?
I ask, because we have a T-Jet that collects alot of dust.
( Boss found out he didn't really like it, or something... )
Anyhow, I never really got into the swing of it, as I'm too busy elsewhere all the time,
and that machine needs to be run steady, it would seem.
Some prints I did stood up to wear suprisingly well, others not so much.
Likely the pre-treatment, but not sure.
I found the process slow.