# Looking to invest into a sublimation printer, whats a good brand??



## ruen (Nov 10, 2010)

Hey everyone, I'm new to this site but not in the tshirt industry. I'm looking at expanding my business and purchasing a sublimation printer, any thoughts on what the best one out there?


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## LaylaG (May 5, 2010)

In sublimation, it's either Ricoh or Epson. You just have to decide the size of prints you'd like and if you're going to use a CIS or cartridges.


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## D.Evo. (Mar 31, 2006)

Ricoh gel printers seem to have good rep.


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## logon511girl (Jan 23, 2010)

I am curious as well. I have had a cheap Epson in the past, didnt use it more than 1x per month and it died...met the dumpster basically; I'd love to get back into sublimation and would appreciate the input....


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

The Ricoh's can tolerate the lower useage without drying out.. and they are very fast. Look at the small one, (3000? 3050?)


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## ruen (Nov 10, 2010)

Hey Everyone, Thanks for the replies. D.Evo & jiarby I looked up Ricoh and am now leaning towards getting the Ricoh GX7000. Do any of you guys have it? Any suggestions/advice? I'm most likely gonna purchase it next week.


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## irish (Dec 13, 2008)

I have the Ricoh 3000 and love it. When I can afford it, I would like to get the bigger one, but this meets my needs for now. Had an Epson 4400 (and still do), but it was a pain and went through ink like crazy and if you didn't use it, well, getting the heads cleaned ate up a bunch of ink too.


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## EnMartian (Feb 14, 2008)

The Ricoh printers are a bit more forgiving if you don't think you'll be printing every day. The Ricoh GX e3300N is a great starter printer, although the biggest you can print is 8.5 x 14.


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## coastalbusiness (May 9, 2006)

The Ricoh printers also have larger cartridges, so you don't have to replace them as often.


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## ruen (Nov 10, 2010)

Thanks for you all your input guys! I am now leaning towards purchasing a GX7000. If all things go thru, I'll probably order it next week.


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

Just to be clear, the gx7000 prints 11x17. If you add the bypass tray, you can print 13x19.

I still recommend Harvey head cleaner to print a test page everyday.

Also, I recommend using ICC profile instead of the powerdriver. Faster and more accurate color.


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## StitchesByJosie (Nov 22, 2010)

I am torn between the Epson R1900 hybrid and the Ricoh GX7000...that being said I see where you can purchase chromablast and sublijet inks for the Ricoh GX7000, has anyone had any experience in using both types of ink in this printer?

Thanks!!!


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

I would avoid the r1900 hybrid.
Too expensive and not reliable.

Gx7000 is my favorite. 
We have icc profiles for both inks.
A great solution.


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## StitchesByJosie (Nov 22, 2010)

Is it ok to interchange the inks from sublijet to chromablast??? They do not advertise it as a hybrid but since they offer both inks I would assume you could use it as such???


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

No, sorry.
You will need two printers.
The little brother to the gx7000 is the
E3300. It also supports both inks just prints
letter/legal size. It is a great value.


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## StitchesByJosie (Nov 22, 2010)

Ok still trying to figure this all out...what are "icc profiles"???

Could you not just run a head cleaner and switch the inks? 

Do you think Ricoh will formally come out with a Hybrid?

I currently do a ton of heat transfer via vinyl and want to make multi-colored images without layering vinyl... but the other options of making other items is appealing without using only polyester shirts...

so I am torn with needing both chromablast for cotton and sublijet for other blanks. I'd rather not purchase 2 printers if possible.

Help


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

ICC profiles help you get accurate color.

Single hybrid solutions have not been cost
effective or reliable.

No, a cleaning is not enough. There are several
feet of ink tubes to fill.

Also consider a color laser for your transfers.

Chromablast is the best solution for white
but will not work well fir lights or darks.

My best choice is the Okidata c5 series or
C8600 color laser printer.

There are good papers for white, light colors
dark fabrics. There is even a paper for putting
down just white.


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## ruen (Nov 10, 2010)

My Ricoh GX7000 finally arrived! I'm gonna be setting up shop by tomorrow. David, I tried ordering from Conde but you guys are based in the states and much more expensive for me since I live in Canada. Well, anyways, just wanted to let you guys know. Woohoo!


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## bjzaes (Mar 4, 2017)

I am new to sublimation printing. I would rather buy 2 printers for the sublimation ink and pigment ink but I am confused. Will a regular ricoh 3000series printer work for my pigment ink? And how difficult is it or is it even possible to add a css system if I find that necessary in the future?


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I'd use an Epson. One for each, less expensive too.


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

Definitely, I'd use an Epson for pigment as that's what they come with (Durabrite). I only use the 'powerdriver' for my Ricoh and the colours are spot on. Why pay for an icc and try to get it to work properly when you can just press print.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Dekzion said:


> Definitely, I'd use an Epson for pigment as that's what they come with (Durabrite). I only use the 'powerdriver' for my Ricoh and the colours are spot on. Why pay for an icc and try to get it to work properly when you can just press print.


Apparently either you have used a very poor ICC, installed one improperly, or not really experienced at all with one.

Question: Why should an ICC not work properly when you press print? 
_Answer: it is a poorly made ICC profile or the user botched the one time setup_.

Just a question of initial install and setup (just like PowerDriver) being correct then you should just be able to "just print".

And what makes you think that PowerDriver doesn't use ICC profiles internally? 

And who says the OP has to pay for an ICC profile? If you buy sublimation inks from Conde or Cobra they are_ free_.

Also, Conde sells Sawgrass sublimation inks with their in-house profile and offers their ICC to their customers, even though Power Driver is available to them to "bundle" with the inks. They have done this for a long time.

Question: Now why would you think Conde Systems would do such a thing?
_Answer: They are able to achieve better color with the ICC than with the PowerDriver that Sawgrass supplies._


Just sayin' 

And not all Epsons come with pigment/Durabrite. Some are dye based, others have pigment inks with different branding such as "Ultrachrome".

Ricoh's native OEM ink is also pigment.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

bjzaes said:


> I am new to sublimation printing. I would rather buy 2 printers for the sublimation ink and pigment ink but I am confused. Will a regular ricoh 3000series printer work for my pigment ink? And how difficult is it or is it even possible to add a css system if I find that necessary in the future?


Ricoh inkjets come with pigment inks from the factory. It will wash as well as Epson's pigment inks will, which is excellent wash fastness of the inks. I had one with just pigment inks in it before.

There are more aftermarket pigment inks for Epson than Ricoh, but Chromablast is available for Ricoh, or just use the factory ink for pigment transfers.

You shouldn't need a CIS with Ricoh and _some_ Epson models with larger carts. There does exist aftermarket refillable carts for Ricoh that are larger than factory. But again Ricoh's with the factory size carts hold a decent amount of inks too. 

So really there isn't much offered for Ricoh as "CIS" strictly speaking, but the aftermarket carts are sufficiently large enough not to need one.

The Ricohs you will need to dedicate to one ink type or another, _most_ desktop Epson's can be "swapped" as needed. But in most cases best to have 2 dedicated printers.


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## PatWibble (Mar 7, 2014)

Sawgrass are unaffordable in UK now. Last week the SG800 was £890, this week it is £1260 + 20% vat ( tax), all down to the 20% collapse of the pound post Brexit.

Epson 1500 (1430) is £195 including vat.....

For the price of the SG800 I could get 5 Epsons and a gallon of Sublinova ink.


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