# sublimation printer. which one? sawgrass 800 or epson artisan 1430 or any other?



## gc99 (Apr 29, 2016)

I already dtg with epson f2000. Now i want to start sublimation. Need help deciding rather it be sawgrass800 or epson artisan. I have heard cobra inks also have epson which have cheaper inks. dont want the whole setup be very expensive. I still plan to do tshirts on my dtg printer but rest mugs, socks, frames, pads, covers thru sublimation. thanks!


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

Nooooooo! Someone has opened that box again! Okay, I volunteer to be the first Berserker and say Ricoh Ricoh Ricoh! (and duck quickly)


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## PatWibble (Mar 7, 2014)

Volume and print size are going to be a big factor. I sub print a lot of performance t-shirts for fun runs, with large size prints. I need to run several printers, so Epson is good for me, and at £60 a litre for ink ( Sawgrass £1300) I can be competitive.

If I were printing small items in low volume/single pieces I might have considered a Sawgrass SG 800 before the recent price rises, but now? No chance! ( The UK price has recently risen from £880 to £1260, + 20% tax)


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

Dekzion said:


> Nooooooo! Someone has opened that box again! Okay, I volunteer to be the first Berserker and say Ricoh Ricoh Ricoh! (and duck quickly)


You Berserkers are OK...it takes all kinds my mother told me )

Pat beat me to it but I'll repeat, Epson and Cobra work great for me....I have the Epson 1430 and the WF7110. I use the 7110 so I only need the 4 color for sublimation and have no issue with quality whatsoever.

OK...back to the Berserkers


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

gc99 said:


> I already dtg with epson f2000. Now i want to start sublimation. Need help deciding rather it be sawgrass800 or epson artisan. I have heard cobra inks also have epson which have cheaper inks. dont want the whole setup be very expensive. I still plan to do tshirts on my dtg printer but rest mugs, socks, frames, pads, covers thru sublimation. thanks!


It's not just the outrageous ink costs, the SG printer is way overpriced. In the states you can get 5 or more 1430's for the price of 1 SG800.


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## A1WHITES (Nov 19, 2011)

I have a sawgrass printer right now. Older model but if it has to be replaced. It will be with a epson. Sawgrass ink is just to high.


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## ajspin (Apr 10, 2008)

I spent years with the 1400 being a very happy camper. when they quit making it I went to the 1430. It was awful. They replaced it with another, then it still had problems. Went to the 800, have not had a problem yet.


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

Okay,head above parapet again. with an Epson, the first time you have to flush, how many prints have you just dumped the ink for? how many head cleanings and flushing through of cleaning fluid (extra expense) are going to be needed to get it running right with your new ciss, (extra expense) when it is running 'right' how many substrates do you ruin before trying to install a RIP (that's what you should do with an Epson, let it R.I.P.) how many man hours are needed sorting out problems for an in-experienced user of an Epson? Too many. what's the ratio of requests for "HELP PLEEEASE" for an Epson up against a Ricoh 900-1?
Booger! just spotted the Archers ganging up! do you think they've noticed me?


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## PatWibble (Mar 7, 2014)

Derek, if you were staring up tomorrow what would you buy? Be honest.

£1520 including vat for an SG800 with 130ml of ink 
or 
£200 for an Epson 1500w incl. vat + £100 for a ciss with 600ml of branded ink?( or £75 with unbranded ink).


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

absolutely 1million percent, may my Cameo break down if I'm telling a lie. an 800.
I so nearly bought one when they were still under a grand (funny how they've shot up since Trump got in and hiked up prices) but instead have had a custom built trailer made for me to do shows in various guises, not just tees, which has a far better ROI at the moment for me.
I will never ever buy an inkjet ever again. they are manufactured to drink ink. I gave my A3 Brother with CISS to an old friend of mine 'cos she loves printing everything and was weekly running out of ink, she's still buying litres of ink a year (I know because I have to re-fill it for her) and has basically nothing much to show for it.
My Phaser (£1300) slams out beautiful photo's on plain paper even and at A3, I never have to worry about the cost of ink or if it's going to be fade proof or waterproof, I just hit Print. and as long as I've told it what it's printing on from labels to transparencies they throw themselves out the top.
I will still get an 800 as soon as I can afford it later in the year (or if someone comes in and wants 150 shirts dye subbed) Because I trust Ricoh to do it's job properly. which is time and cost effective without the worry of 'will it print right this time'. There are things I aspire to, like a Roland printer plotter, and even a Sun Angel (yes it's A4) I I thank God that I dont have to ask 'I've got an Epson *** Please HELP!


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Dekzion said:


> Okay,head above parapet again. with an Epson, the first time you have to flush, how many prints have you just dumped the ink for? how many head cleanings and flushing through of cleaning fluid (extra expense) are going to be needed to get it running right with your new ciss, (extra expense) when it is running 'right' how many substrates do you ruin before trying to install a RIP (that's what you should do with an Epson, let it R.I.P.) how many man hours are needed sorting out problems for an in-experienced user of an Epson? Too many. what's the ratio of requests for "HELP PLEEEASE" for an Epson up against a Ricoh 900-1?
> Booger! just spotted the Archers ganging up! do you think they've noticed me?


Seems one does not know how to maintain an Epson. And most people having these issues are using CIS. 

I don't have all this grief you refer to and have been using Epson for sublimation going back to when sub ink was first available.

You cannot make much money using SG ink unless you just do mugs and small stuff. Otherwise your Sawgrass math fails.


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

You and I are never going to agree where printers and costing over quality and grief levels are concerned Mike, so It's best to get on with what we're doing and leave it at that, sharing our own take on things does however give newbies an in-site into other possibilities they may wish to explore more closely. The one and only Constant Ink Supply System I have ever install was on a Brother DCP summat, which worked very well For Me at the time. but after having read all (or lots of) the plees for help concerning Epsons it was a route that I did not want to take so went for the one stop shop of Ricoh with sawgrass ink and powerdriver. much like Ford or Jag? most people want a Jag but most people have a Ford with bolt ons.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Dekzion said:


> You and I are never going to agree where printers and costing over quality and grief levels are concerned Mike, so It's best to get on with what we're doing and leave it at that, sharing our own take on things does however give newbies an in-site into other possibilities they may wish to explore more closely. The one and only Constant Ink Supply System I have ever install was on a Brother DCP summat, which worked very well For Me at the time. but after having read all (or lots of) the plees for help concerning Epsons it was a route that I did not want to take so went for the one stop shop of Ricoh with sawgrass ink and powerdriver. much like Ford or Jag? most people want a Jag but most people have a Ford with bolt ons.


OK so let's be clear, what you really know about Epson is what you are reading, you have no experience with them. 

I don't have grief with my Epsons. They last 2 or 3 years, when they die I don't have grief. While they are alive I maintain them properly. 

What works for you works for you, however, once you get to a level of business (if ever) where your cost matters you are in a deep rat hole with that platform.

Newbies should understand that even with a modest business like I have COST MATTERS. If you just print mugs and stuff and never go beyond that, or ever plan to then it might work for some.

I have one-stop shopping, why you think others won't with Epson is not correct. In the US at least we have one stop shopping on the Epson platform.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Dekzion said:


> Okay,head above parapet again. *with an Epson, the first time you have to flush, *how many prints have you just dumped the ink for? how many head cleanings and flushing through of cleaning fluid (extra expense) are going to be needed to get it running right with your new ciss, (extra expense) when it is running 'right' how many substrates do you ruin before trying to install a RIP (that's what you should do with an Epson, let it R.I.P.) how many man hours are needed sorting out problems for an in-experienced user of an Epson? Too many. what's the ratio of requests for "HELP PLEEEASE" for an Epson up against a Ricoh 900-1?
> Booger! just spotted the Archers ganging up! do you think they've noticed me?



Why do you have to "flush" the first time you use an Epson? Really?

Please explain why we have to do this? 

And all this ink waste you claim, is this something that you have personally experienced? I doubt it. My ink costs are low, and I don't have a lot of waste, there is some but my wasted ink for an occasion head clean is hardly anything to worry about. There is some waste but the ink cost is so low I don't even consider it in my bottom line.

I can assure you that with the 5% waste I do have, I'm still printing my transfers at about 1/5 the cost of yours.

If you like your printer fine, don't be making up false statements like this that is not true, and it's based on something you have no experience with.

Seriously?


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