# I Didnt Know This - any DTG printers that print to paper first?



## streamland (Jan 20, 2007)

SOOOOO... are there dtg printers tht print to paper and heat press them on (dont see the purpose) and then there are some that prints right on the shirt???? how can you tell which is which ???


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

*Re: I Didnt Know This ........*

There are NO (to my knowledge) DTG printer that print to paper...They only print to garments...hence DTG Direct To Garment... printers.. Lowest cost is just around 15k for them..highest is around 23-24K unless you want to go to a big boy..at 100k I think that is the Kormit or Kornit...something like that ...it is so far out of my league that I don't bother to remember


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## streamland (Jan 20, 2007)

*Re: I Didnt Know This ........*

im still trying to figure out why dtg is so much more expensive than a screen printer when screen printing has better quality


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## monkeylantern (Oct 16, 2005)

*Re: I Didnt Know This ........*



streamland said:


> im still trying to figure out why dtg is so much more expensive than a screen printer when screen printing has better quality


Because DTG uses cutting-edge technology, whereas screenprinting uses your arms.

Hand-blown vases are also usually of a higher quality and only use a pipe and skill. Machines to replicate that cost tens of thousands.

It's about the cost of mechanising human skill.


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## Printzilla (Mar 22, 2007)

*Re: I Didnt Know This ........*

It is also about experience and skill. I need way more skill to print a full color lifelike job on my press than my DTG. Not even close. I can teach someone to run the DTG in hours. Teaching them to be proficient on an automatic press......


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

*Re: I Didnt Know This ........*

I think Nick and marc are both right.Their is a lot of skill in screen printing and alot of technology in the Dtg's. I think the cost of the dtg's will come down. I also agree that screening is alot more labor intensive too. Like all things that are new they seem to cost more, but later on the prices seem to fall ..Good luck....JB


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## tomtv (Feb 6, 2007)

*Re: I Didnt Know This ........*

I agree as well and might add that the mess, space needed, chemical needs and issues & especially the skill are all negatives for many looking to get into this part of the garment decorating industry.

I would not agree on the quality of product being far superior with screen printing. If you are talking about spot colors etc. then there are advantages with screen printing.

We have found with our business model that the simple fact we can reprint without major set up times etc. has been a real benefit for us. We have been doing far more 150+ shirt orders than we ever thought. DTG printing can offer many more things as well. We can increase or decrease the print size based on the shirt size, add customization to parts of the order based on the needs of our customer to help them increase sales and customer satisfaction and we can do variable data inserts to each print to offer a level of customization that has not been financially possible in the past. The fact that we can do smaller runs on multi color (4 - 12 or more) has been a major factor for growth in our business model.

Good luck to you as you continue your trek into dtg printing,

tom


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## jhunt5002 (Dec 30, 2006)

*Re: I Didnt Know This ........*

I am actually looking at that exact use. You see I take my heat press to gymnastics meets where I set up a table, and create shirts/sweat shirts, sweat pants etc. on the fly. I have one basic front design, several arm patches to choose from and a back design where I can highlight a particular gymnasts name. 

In this business model I would like to be able to use a DTG to print on paper (what I'm not sure) and then take those and my portable heat press to the gym and print shirts etc. as needed.

So, what DTG's can do this and what type of paper would I use?

Thanks!


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## perrolocodesigns (Oct 24, 2006)

*Re: I Didnt Know This ........*



jhunt5002 said:


> I am actually looking at that exact use. You see I take my heat press to gymnastics meets where I set up a table, and create shirts/sweat shirts, sweat pants etc. on the fly. I have one basic front design, several arm patches to choose from and a back design where I can highlight a particular gymnasts name.
> 
> In this business model I would like to be able to use a DTG to print on paper (what I'm not sure) and then take those and my portable heat press to the gym and print shirts etc. as needed.
> 
> ...


If you want to heat press you don't need a DTG...you just need a good color printer. The advantage to a DTG is that you eliminate the paper step so there is no "carrier" transfer to the garment


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## Printzilla (Mar 22, 2007)

*Re: I Didnt Know This ........*

What you want is transfers, not print direct to garment. You should look into chromablast. It might solve your issue.


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## printchic (Apr 3, 2006)

streamland said:


> SOOOOO... are there dtg printers tht print to paper and heat press them on (dont see the purpose) and then there are some that prints right on the shirt???? how can you tell which is which ???


Hi Streamland,

You can tell by trying it. I was told i could not print on paper but I have tried printing on transfer paper with my DTG Printer and it works (sort of...)

The problem i have had is that there tends to be banding or dottiness in the print. I've tried turning back the ink levels to help reduce the problem.

I have tried printing on a variety of papers including "glow-n-the-dark" paper.

Here's a peak at that test;

Lights On: http://www.promotees.com/samples/Picture001.jpg
Lights Off: http://www.promotees.com/samples/Picture007.jpg

My twins love this shirt but... as i said there is dottiness in the print but they don't care. 

Signed,
Printchic


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## zhenjie (Aug 27, 2006)

A few months ago I saw some DTG techs testing out DTG printing on vinly paper. it worked quite well but they were still needing to program the RIP software to fire smaller ink droplets (hence the banding/dottiness currently). 

So until the RIPs are updated and the paper are released theres really no other way of doing it well.


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## Printzilla (Mar 22, 2007)

i wonder how they plan on curing the ink. air won't do it, and obviously a heat press will not work.


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## tomtv (Feb 6, 2007)

there is no way it will do better than standard direct printing as it will not be able to put down as much ink or get as much penetration into the fabric of the garment. 

just my opinion though.

tom


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## zhenjie (Aug 27, 2006)

I think the main point of printing onto paper or vinyl is so that designs can be then pressed onto polyester (backpacks, umbrellas,etc).

From what I saw on the demo. The ink was printed onto the sheet and required curing only when you were ready to press it onto the garment/object. After that you just peel off the backing paper.


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## tomtv (Feb 6, 2007)

i understand what you are saying but if the ink does not do well on poly with standard dtg i would think putting it on a paper would not make much of a difference since it is still the same ink.

i could be wrong but would like it if it works, who knows.

tom


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## Printzilla (Mar 22, 2007)

why go to the xpense of a dtg. just get a dyesub or print cut system.


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## zhenjie (Aug 27, 2006)

Oh now I get your point Tom. That would certainly be very interesting to see how it works. It might be like normal transfer paper, where the ink bonds with the materials/chemicals on the vinyl. 

Personally I'd rather just by a normal printer if I was to do transfers onto poly. Be far cheaper using those inks instead of DTG inks.


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## Printzilla (Mar 22, 2007)

yep, and cheaper equipment.


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## streamland (Jan 20, 2007)

Printzilla said:


> why go to the xpense of a dtg. just get a dyesub or print cut system.


 

whats that???


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