# Need DTG Equipment Selection Advice!!!



## ModernTreasures (Jul 9, 2014)

Hello,

I realize this is a never ending question on here..

Some of my background: sublimation for the better part of 12 years, rhinestone and vinyl within this past year.

We are looking at going DTG now..

My question is probably the same as everyone else's that is starting this journey.

From a non-sales rep but from a users point of view What are the good machines and which ones do I need to run as far as possible from?

I haven't sat down with the boss/wife to set a budget for this venture but if I know her she will say as little as possible, more like a less than shoestring budget for a "complete" set-up. DTG, pre-treat..basically everything needed to set-up a DTG shop minus the heat press. Also take into consideration as of now I know the printer will sit unattended for 3 days a week.

Another question I have is can any pre-treat machine be used for any Printer?

Thanks
Steve


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## EricDeem (May 7, 2011)

I can only answer part of your question since I am a rep...though I have been in your shoes as an owner/operator of a print shop. 

1. You will get as many opinions on machines as there are machines on the market! There is no best printer...it all depends on your business plan, market, budget and expectations.

2. Any pretreater will technically work with any printer (except Kornit)...some are more efficient than others, some are digital, some are analog, some have more overspray some have less. All are better than doing it manually tho.


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## danslave (Jun 26, 2013)

I just got an Epson F2000. I left it powered off for a week while I was away on business. Came back, one medium printhead clean later I was printing shirts.

Lot of upside, downside is you are going to flush anout $100 worth of white ink every month for a white ink tube flush, required to maintain the warranty, 

However my previous machine, an Anajet Mp5, was a real dog and ate up a crap load of money in maintenance. They recommend flushing the entire system every three months, and their flushes do not eat up as much ink, however I never flushed that machine without losing a printhead, and those are not covered under warranty.

So, you may not want the Epson, but you sure as **** do not want an Anajet


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## ModernTreasures (Jul 9, 2014)

Thanks Dan this is the honest user info I am looking for.. I realize this is like asking people what car they like but if I can get some user opinions (being good or bad) I will be able to make an educated guess when it comes time to buy..


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## ModernTreasures (Jul 9, 2014)

What do you think of the Spectra 600 for a starter printer and the price of less than$8000?


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## 23spiderman (Jun 26, 2008)

find a good DTG shop and outsource until you build your client base. i wouldn't invest the money if i knew that my printer would sit unused for most of the week. i work with shops that are going to buy a DTG setup, but they use me until they are ready to pull the trigger. all of the jobs go through them, so that i don't have access to the end customer. then when they are up and running, they fulfill the orders themselves.


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## danslave (Jun 26, 2013)

Actually, I am going to echo the other sentiment here. If you think you are going to go long stretches without printing shirts, then maybe buying a machine is not for you regardless of brand.


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## ModernTreasures (Jul 9, 2014)

The reasoning behind it sitting for 3 days a week is I am set up in a upscale enclosed flea mall that is only open Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun..


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## HRH (Mar 4, 2015)

DTG printers do not like low humidity. It is best if it is above 50%


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## asuanlarm (Oct 5, 2011)

If you're not going to be using the printer everyday, I would recommend an Epson F2000. I used a couple of Anajet Sprints a few years back. I wouldn't say they were terrible. I never did start the cost calculations before I was called to do other work in the company. I did nozzle checks and head cleans every morning. I still do that with the Epson, but I stopped going in on the weekend. Nozzle checks were fine after a couple of light head cleans. I haven't gone any longer than that, but from what everyone is saying, it should be fine. I stopped using the Anajets for 3 weeks, knowing that it meant certain death for the printheads. Sure enough, I had to get the heads and capping stations replaced. Epson just came by today for service and maintenance. Very prompt and thorough service, in my opinion.


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## okprinter (Sep 6, 2014)

I have to agree with Nick. If this is your first DTG printer and you will not be printing every day then you should definitely consider and Epson F2000.

I have had another DTG printer and the amount of ink that was used to keep ink moving through the printer to keep the head from clogging as well as the recommended flushes ends up costing more then my monthly maintenance on the F2000 including the white ink flush.

I turn my F2000 off when I am not printing and have done this for 3 to 5 days many times over the past year. Most of the time I do 1 or 2 light cleans and all nozzles print good, two times I have had to do a medium clean.

it is a must that you control the temperature and humidity for your printer. I have a room that I keep my printers in that I maintain the temperature about 74 degree F and humidity above 50%. I keep my heat presses away from my printer.

You will need to factor in the cost of the warranty and I am definitely extending my warranty as long as they allow. the $2000 for each additional year of warranty is way cheaper than all that money I spent on my other DTG printer for repairs and maintenance each year.

the negatives are ink price, cost of flushing the white ink (most DTG printers recommend some frequency of flushing), and that there seems to be some flaw in the printer design that causes the print head to fail within the first year at least once and more for some printers depending on their print volume. the nice thing is a call to Epson and a tech comes out within 2 days and gets you back up and running...at no cost to you except the down time.

just my thoughts


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## RobP614 (Jun 26, 2011)

If I were you I would buy a Neoflex 3, or a Spectra 600, Omniprint machine...start our small and work your way up. Learning with an epson converted machine and you will learn a ton about DTG. The Epson F2000 is a good machine but the ink cost are going to kill you when starting out.


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## smacity (Jun 24, 2012)

I also would suggest the neo 3 or spectra for the first time buyer. I would go one step further and fill the white bags with cleaning solution and start out cmyk until you get a routine down. White ink is evil and clog the lines. Cmyk can sit for a few day without clogging


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## Leg cramps (Feb 9, 2009)

I cast my vote for Spectra. When I purchase one it will be from them.


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## gatorGRAFIX (Mar 11, 2015)

Epson F2000. Price. Warranty. Support. Brand.

This thing is the bomb!


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## Rfilippini (Jul 18, 2015)

I purchased an M5i from Anajet back in January 2015 and have had nothing but problems.

I honestly have not been able to print a sell a single shirt. I have wasted hundreds of shirts trying to make this printer work. I have been on numerous service call with the company, taken the anajet university, and quite frankly this machine terrible.

the issues are all over the board.

To top things off the customer service at Anajet is one of the worst I've work with.

I'm trying to get my money back for this purchase the company will not stand behind their product.


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## marzatplay (May 25, 2014)

Rfilippini said:


> I purchased an M5i from Anajet back in January 2015 and have had nothing but problems.
> 
> I honestly have not been able to print a sell a single shirt. I have wasted hundreds of shirts trying to make this printer work. I have been on numerous service call with the company, taken the anajet university, and quite frankly this machine terrible.
> 
> ...


I feel for you. These forums are full of bad anajet reviews. How does this company stay in business?


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## HRH (Mar 4, 2015)

We put a new Anajet MP10i into service Jan 2014. This printer works best when you print a lot and you keep the humidity up. One mishap early this year was repaired under warranty and the printer is printing good. I just need to get more customers to keep the printer well fed.


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## fldesign (Mar 3, 2015)

marzatplay said:


> I feel for you. These forums are full of bad anajet reviews. How does this company stay in business?




Aggressive sales. I sent them an email once when I was just starting out in DTG and didn't know a thing about the industry. They bombarded me with emails and phone messages for months. One email however was useful. They offered me free tickets to an upcoming ISS show which I never knew or heard of, and the show was only a 2 hour drive from me. Rather than encouraging Anajet like a rejected prom date, I applied for the free passes myself on the ISS site, talked to every DTG booth except Anajet. Did more research when I got home, saw all the bad reviews for Anajet and decided to go with Neoflex. Companies are just like any other relationship in your life, it's the little things they do that reveal the real personality.


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## Radixms (Feb 25, 2014)

Will probably run across it soon or if you go to a show.

Stay away from Nexus DTG. I am on my second system in 1.5 eyars, replaced first system under warranty for problem and the second is not any better, and now Nexus/ Heat Press inc does not want to do any more service even though it is still under warranty.


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## Island Designs (Sep 14, 2014)

I recomend the Spectra 3000 & Spectra Pretreater combo. I'm currently running 2 on the same RIP and about to pull the trigger on a 3rd.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using T-Shirt Forums


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## tusa (Apr 27, 2014)

I would go with Kornit.







Haha jk.


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