# diy T-shirt for tourist



## chan (Sep 5, 2008)

Hi, just got an idea of printing T-shirt for tourists in the hot travelling places, like Miami Beach, London Tower Bridge, China Great Wall ...etc

any comment??

a small cart (like those hot dog carts) with a notebook for photo editing, and DIY DTG printer, ...a small biz any one can handle ...


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## sunnydayz (Jun 22, 2007)

That might be a little difficult to do since you would need power, the printer and a heat press. I dont know how all of that would fit on a cart.


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## CUSTOM UK (Jun 28, 2008)

I can only speak for Tower Bridge and the great wall of China, but sellers already exist in large numbers, selling every conceivable souvenir you could ever think of.

Not sure a diy dtg would actually survive being trundled around on a hand cart? On top of all that, you have the weight factor. Even if the wheels didn't collapse, you'd really struggle to move it.


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

sunnydayz said:


> That might be a little difficult to do since you would need power, the printer and a heat press. I dont know how all of that would fit on a cart.


 you would either have to have a generator or a battery and power converter to allow your printer to operate. This would add weight to the cart. I think it could work. ... JB


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## CUSTOM UK (Jun 28, 2008)

Printer would probably be ok to use off an inverter, but I think a 1400 watt heatpress would rapidly flatten any battery.


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

DREAMGLASS said:


> Printer would probably be ok to use off an inverter, but I think a 1400 watt heatpress would rapidly flatten any battery.


I agree, Chan had talked about a DIY DTG amd not a heat press. .... JB


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## CUSTOM UK (Jun 28, 2008)

From my understanding of the diy dtg process JB, the heat press is needed to set the image. If this isn't done, the image can literally come off on your hands with some inks. 

In that context, Tower Bridge would probably look like the great wall of China by the time you got your garment on the tour bus.


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

DREAMGLASS said:


> From my understanding of the diy dtg process JB, the heat press is needed to set the image. If this isn't done, the image can literally come off on your hands with some inks.
> 
> In that context, Tower Bridge would probably look like the great wall of China by the time you got your garment on the tour bus.


 Your right the press would be needed and the generator would be the only option. .... JB


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## chan (Sep 5, 2008)

sunnydayz said:


> That might be a little difficult to do since you would need power, the printer and a heat press. I dont know how all of that would fit on a cart.


do u know the hot dog cart? 

a hot dog cart may need more power than a DTG printer ...


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## chan (Sep 5, 2008)

DREAMGLASS said:


> From my understanding of the diy dtg process JB, the heat press is needed to set the image. If this isn't done, the image can literally come off on your hands with some inks.
> 
> In that context, Tower Bridge would probably look like the great wall of China by the time you got your garment on the tour bus.


yes..a heat press is needed ..that mean extra power is required ...


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## CUSTOM UK (Jun 28, 2008)

I can't speak for every country Chan, but the hot dog carts in my country are powered by calor gas bottles, not electricity. 

If you can plug into mains supply, or have generator in use outside, it could be done, but transfers with regular inkjet printer would be better than dtg for hand cart.


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## chan (Sep 5, 2008)

I believe either a portable power generator OR connect to mains supply is need.

I want to use DTG as it may simplify the process (shorten the time required and reuce the man power etc) as this is a print-on-demand biz.

I believe 5 minutes are enough to print a T-shirt. May be another 5-10 minutes for image editing.

2 persons to operate this small biz...


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## sunnydayz (Jun 22, 2007)

I see the biggest problem being power, and the next would be not damaging the alignment of the printhead from being wheeled around in a cart.


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## chan (Sep 5, 2008)

sunnydayz said:


> I see the biggest problem being power, and the next would be not damaging the alignment of the printhead from being wheeled around in a cart.


yes, power is a key issue - either to have a portable generator or connect to mains power.

also need to prepare a few hunderd T-shirts on the cart...


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

I think a portable business is a great idea. I would think about a trailer that has a opening on te side and a door to come in and out. This way your equipment would be better protected from the elements and you could lock it up and keep it secure if you needed to leave for a break. I think you could get a sma;; trailer and fit it with your equipment and even wire outlets that could be connected to a generator or regular power. I have seen this done and have considered taking my mobile operation that I use for festivals to this level. I think being able to keep things secure and out of the elements would be a plus. .... JB


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## CUSTOM UK (Jun 28, 2008)

I'd probably take it one stage further than that JB. Buy an old school bus and fit it out properly. Display your tees on the windows and really draw the crowds in.

The one practical consideration, is how the dtg machine is going to cope with travel.  Just one bump in the road would be enough to dislodge the cartridges or bulk feeder and leave you with a real mess to clear up. Even clamping the lines isn't guaranteed to prevent problems. You can empty the ink every night, but we all know what sheer bliss it is, trying to get ink flowing through a bulk system again. 

It would probably be ok at county fairs etc where you can park up for two or three days, but not sure I'd want the hassles myself, on a daily basis.


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## writerdave (Sep 8, 2008)

I was at The Great Wall outside of Beijing in April. If it can be done, the Chinese have done it. Throughout our tour of the country there are litteraly millions of souvineer stands selling "everything". 
I have never printed a tee shirt so I couldn't tell you about a protable stand. 
I met one of the inventors of the AnaJet. That sounds like a possibility. I think the shirt still has to be "pressed" though. 
I'm just learning here but your idea is intriguing. 
Dave


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