# Inkjet vs laser printers for transfers



## JMD (Mar 16, 2007)

Please can some of you more experienced people out there tell (explain) to me the pros and cons of Inkjet vs laser printers for heat transfers on cotton tees. I have read alot thru searches on this site (learned alot) but there doesn't seem to be clear information about the difference in these to processes. So other than price, what are the main differences in these two- like color, brigtness, durability, washability. If a customer had a choice knowing their shirt was processed thru inkjet vs a laser which would they prefer and why. Thanks in advance.


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## bjg4999 (Jun 22, 2007)

if you look at the info at alphasupply.com I thik you will find the info you need
bjg4999


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## AustinJeff (May 12, 2007)

bjg4999 said:


> if you look at the info at alphasupply.com I thik you will find the info you need
> bjg4999



Unless I'm missing something, the referenced site doesn't address the question of laser vs inkjet *at all*. If the site does have the requested information, please post a link directly to it, as it is certainly not obvious (at least to me) where it might be.


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## JMD (Mar 16, 2007)

Yes, it is on Alpha's home page, click on 'T-Shirt Basics' left hand column. But after surfing the Alpha site a little, it seems like thats all they sell is inkjet supply, not laser. Are they giving a fair comparison or just trying to sell product? They say the biggest differnce in inkjet vs laser is the laser washes out faster....let me tell you that most posts on this site say just the opposite. Sorry but I am still confused. I also had a long conversation with a rep at coastal today and they eventually said they couldn't give me a good answer. There has to be some people out there that have experience with both processes that would like to share...isn't there?
Thanks


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## GHEENEE1 (Jan 8, 2007)

Excellent thread. The same thought was going through my mind yesterday.Search turned up nothing comparing the two. I'm currently using an inkjetbut was considering an upgrade if it's better quality. I'll be watching this thread.
MIKE


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

I started with inkjet transfers, but only used it for a very short time because of the unacceptable results that I'm getting. When I tried laser transfers printed on a CLC, I switched right away. Of course, there will always be inferior transfer papers for both inkjet and lasers, but IMHO, if you compare the best inkjet transfer paper to the best laser transfer paper, the laser transfers will always have the advantage when it comes to 1) print quality, 2) durability 3) speed 4) cost 5) ease of use. This good old PDF from Hixcorp, in my opinion, still hold true when it comes to laser & inkjet transfers. http://www.hixcorp.com/pdfs/digital%20info.pdf


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## JMD (Mar 16, 2007)

Byron, Thanks for the link...very intresting, they cover alot of info there. Sounds like from their perspective that both types of printers have their pros and cons, but the laser is for use more in the idustry and the inkjet more for home hobby. I would continue to encourage members to voice their experiences here...especially as helpful as Byrons link is, it seems it may have been written with the technology from 7 years ago. So please share any of your opinions here and it might help to include if you do your transfers for a hobby or business. Thanks again, Joe


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## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

This is something I've always been interested in myself. Most opinions I read here in the forum, don't come from both sides, where someone has used both. A long time ago I had a laser transfer done at Kinkos and I rememebr it being nice and soft. I believe it did fade after the first wash. I think the thing I have read the most here is a bout costs. lasers cost more in the initial set-up, but run cheaper in the long run. The good thing, is that the prices on lasers are always coming down.


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## jberte (Mar 25, 2007)

um......no, not a hobbyist here  i use inkjet. it's what i have, it does beautiful work, but i have a friend who's recently branched out and bought a color laser - we printed the same image, side by side, and i gotta tell ya - my colors were better. i'm using ultrachrome inks - and get almost no fading. and yes, it's more expensive, but i'm not trying to compete with bulk producers pricing, so the difference hasn't been a real issue for me.


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## AustinJeff (May 12, 2007)

jberte said:


> um......no, not a hobbyist here  i use inkjet. it's what i have, it does beautiful work, but i have a friend who's recently branched out and bought a color laser - we printed the same image, side by side, and i gotta tell ya - my colors were better. i'm using ultrachrome inks - and get almost no fading. and yes, it's more expensive, but i'm not trying to compete with bulk producers pricing, so the difference hasn't been a real issue for me.


Keep in mind though, that this doesn't necessarily mean that inkjet produces better results than laser. It may be true in this specific case, but perhaps a different laser printer and different laser transfer paper would produce superior results.

There are many factors including the printer, ink, transfer paper, and press, and it's nearly impossible to isolate one element and judge it against another without taking into account the specifics of each situation.


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

jberte said:


> we printed the same image, side by side, and i gotta tell ya - my colors were better. i'm using ultrachrome inks - and get almost no fading.


 I'll have to acknowledge this, as I also noticed some initial fading on laser transfers on the first wash. My number 1 criteria though is in durability, and very close number 2 is cost, and that is where I think the laser transfers have an advantage, at least for me, or *at least for the inkjet and laser transfer papers available to me.*


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## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

I gues one of the biggest problems with comparisons is that you would need to go out and buy a bunch of machines and paper and test all the combinations. You would also need to have a set of criteria in judging as well. Where is Consumer Reports on this one?


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

Yep, different cases for different peeps. Not all options are available to all for comparisons, and each one has to decide on what criteria is the most important to them.


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## JMD (Mar 16, 2007)

If all things were equal (best performing Trans paper, application technics, etc.) would it be fair to say Inkjet - More vibrant colors but wash and fade quicker / Laser - Duller Colors but less fading after washing. 
Also what size format do you do your transfers on, (NOT for the home hobiest) will 8 1/2 x 11 take care of alot of customer needs (even if it needs to be done in several separte pcs.)?
Thanks Joe


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

JMD said:


> If all things were equal (best performing Trans paper, application technics, etc.) would it be fair to say Inkjet - More vibrant colors but wash and fade quicker / Laser - Duller Colors but less fading after washing.


inkjet-more vibrant color, cracks quicker
laser-some fading after first wash, lasts longer than inkjet



JMD said:


> Also what size format do you do your transfers on, (NOT for the home hobiest) will 8 1/2 x 11 take care of alot of customer needs (even if it needs to be done in several separte pcs.)


Yep, 8.5x11 most of the time, but A3 or 11x17 size laser transfer papers are the cheapest on the market, and cheaper to print on "click charge" CLC's.


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## Dave_S (Jul 13, 2006)

I have used both Inkjet and laser, I MUCH prefer the laser over inkjet, I had enough of blocked nozzles on the inkjet, and the stiffness of the transfer (using transjetII paper) , ok granted it does wear off after a few washings. I use an Oki c5800 and MagicTouch TTC 3.1, Duracotton HT and ImageClip paper, no problems at all, washings are excellent, very minimal fading, softness is great (the TTC paper gives a slight rubbery feeling similar to plastisol transfers which is what I was looking for). Since I tried the Laser, I haven't used the inkjet again, too much grief.

Dave


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## JMD (Mar 16, 2007)

Thanks Dave thats helpful. Do you have many customer that complain about the fading? The Oki you have is an 8 1/5" x 11" if I'm not mistaken, do you have problems doing larger images or larger shirts with it?


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## jki540 (May 29, 2007)

hi there...i too was confused abt the difference. but today i spent a great deal of time experimenting with both inkjet and laser. my experience has shown: 1) laser has fewer options, so there's less to experiment with. most papers are made for inkjet, so you can keep noodling around until you come up with something that works for your specific equipment. 2) inkjet color quality seems to be better since it's real ink that's being transfered (rather than dry toner powder that's been fused to a piece of paper). 3) laser image quality might be crisper. if you're doing very detailed prints, perhaps laser would work better. most inkjets don't have the precision to print in very refined ways. but on a tshirt, this effect is mitigated because the cloth can't really accept all of the detail anyway.

HOWEVER...that imageclip paper rocks the kasbah. It's SOOO much easier than having to trim the image and there's no "box effect."

i tried the everlast/ironALL paper (because everyone on this forum spoke so highly of it), but i was disappointed that it felt "hard" and there was a big box around my graphic. 

btw...i tested on a Canon inkjet and Xerox Phaser 7750 using a Mighty Press heat press.

hope this info is helpful. if anyone has suggestions on how to get a softer hand with the Everlast papers, please let me know!!!


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## JMD (Mar 16, 2007)

Thanks JKI540, and yes your comments do help. I am aware that there is not a large variety of supplies for the laser, but if I can give my customer a good quality product with sharp colors, that doesn't fade or crack right away and I don't have to trim the transfer, then I don't think I need the variety. The information I have been gathering from this forum and other places tells me that the laser is the way to go. I am a little concerned about the small paper format, I am not ready to invest in a large format laser printer just yet... Large format Inkjet would not have been a problem, but inkjets I fear are more work, poorer long term results and more maintanence. Guess I'll have to cut and paste small format lasers for now.


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## Dave_S (Jul 13, 2006)

JMD,

No, no one has ever said anything about the fading, it is only minimal, and as far as i'm aware only after the first washing, after that they are fine. I have T-Shirts done for myself and family that are still fine after 2-3 years (with my previous laser printer Epson C900) and my inkjet with TJII and Magic Mix inks, they both have survived very well with no special care in the wash.
OK, yes, you are correct, it is 8.5 x 11 (or A4 as it is here in England!), the way I get round this for larger images (11 x 17 / A3) is i use a poster printing program, there are many different ones available on the internet for a small amount of $, well worth the money, These work fine as long as you line the two pieces of paper up correctly!, and tape together with heat proof tape... but it's easy enough. I can't comment on presing with a small press, as the one I use is 16 x 20, and presses the whole transfer in one go. Works fine for me.

Hope this helps

Dave


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## Designer85 (Apr 26, 2007)

I've got a Xante Illumina laser which can print 12 x 18 which is nice. I use the Photo trans image clip transfer paper which is the only thing I've ever used. I love the fact that the image doesn't have a "box" around it, but my final results always turn out a lot lighter than I'd like. Plus they do tend to fade a small amount after the first wash, but hold their color well after that.
Is there any way to boost the color to get what you want? It always looks like it's going to turn out great when I print out the transfer, but when I apply it to the shirt it seems like a good bit of the toner stays on the paper and leaves me with a consistant, but lighter final product.
I wonder if there's something you could spray onto the paper or some other way to play around with this to get a darker result.
I'm not overly concearned, because I screen print the majority of my shirts, but for the customer that needs something imediately or the ones that only want 1 or 2 shirts usually get the heat press.


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## meyerlanski (Jun 26, 2007)

Does anyone own or know if the Konica magicolor 2500W Color Laser Printer is a good one for printing on heat transfer paper?

Don't know if this information is useful but they state thatit 'comes equipped with KONICA MINOLTA patented Simitri Polyermerized Toner that produces sharp durable prints, fine text, and smooth halftones, even on coarse or thick media.' 

Does it make a difference what color laser printer you buy?


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## jki540 (May 29, 2007)

hi there...i don't know all that much about t-shirts yet (i'm still learning), but i do believe the type of laser printer you buy is important. most vendors i speak with state that OKI printers are preferred by most heat transfer paper makers. Also, check to see if your printer is OIL or non-OIL based. That makes a big diff on what paper will work.

Personally, i have a xerox printer and i'm not able to print onto imageclip. the xerox has a very hot fuser that melts the paper to the printer and jams it. i'd check whatever printer you intend to buy to ensure that you can adjust the type of paper you feed. this adjustment allows you to indirectly control the fuser temprature.

hope this is useful!


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## meyerlanski (Jun 26, 2007)

Hi jk540,
Well the one I'm currently looking into does not user fuser oil. Is that a good thing?

When you say adjust the type of paper, do you mean via software or change a setting on the actual machine itself?

Between a c88+ printer, everlast paper or a KONICA MINOLTA (color laser) with duracotton ht paper (i read everywhere that it's THE paper og choice!), which would you say is the best way to go?

I'm looking for mainly, no window effect, good overall color and last long without fading in the wash..


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

If you are in range, the imprint show in Long Beach Aug 9-11 will have a lot of vendor for both inkjet, laserjet and direct to garment printers. They have them at various sites in the US during the year.


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## Dave_S (Jul 13, 2006)

meyerlanski,

The Konica Minolta printers and Duracotton HT do not work well together, it's to do with the type of toner that the KM printers use, there is alot of fading with the KM's and Epson printers using Duracotton HT (as they use the same toner, so i understand), until reciently i used an Epson C900 and using the duracotton HT the print was great until it was washed and faded terrible. I now use an Oki c5800 with no problems.

There is a big thread on here regarding Duracotton papers and the KM issue is addressed on there.

regards

Dave


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## meyerlanski (Jun 26, 2007)

Not the kind of info I wanted to hear but thanks!
Would you happen to know the link to the thread?

Is there any other kind of paper that works with KM (one that doesn't leave a film in unprinted areas such as imageclip)?

I'd really like to keep this laser printer and hopefully find decent paper since the price is so low at this time - $170 canadian!


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## meyerlanski (Jun 26, 2007)

Or my other option would be to find a cheap oki color laser printer..

Does duracotton ht work well with any OKI printer, even the less expensive models?

Or perhaps there are other models that work just as good as OKI..


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

For meyerlanski - Any Oki printer should work well with DuraCotton HT even the less expensive 3400


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## Designer85 (Apr 26, 2007)

The Xante Illumina uses an Oki engine and uses most of the same technology, but it can print paper up to 427 gsm (that's nearly cardboard thickness). and prints up to 13" wide which makes it useful for many things. It prints transfers great, and has many different settings to control the fuser heat.

Before I got the Xante I owned a Xerox 7750 and everytime I ran transfers through the first one would print fine and all the rest would melt to the fuser. I ruined a brand new fuser this way (expensive mistake).

The Xante isn't cheap (basic model setup around $8000), but isn't a bad printer if you use the correct paper and profiles.


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## meyerlanski (Jun 26, 2007)

How is the OkI 3200? Is it an old model? Not sure what the difference is between the 3200 and 3400

Man, I thought I finally had it all figured out with the Konica laser printer! Better I find out now then after purchasing it


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## jki540 (May 29, 2007)

hi matt...i have a xerox 7750 too! it's odd to meet someone with that printer. i feel like it's kind of rare  in any case, i appreciate the comments you've posted. i'm getting the EXACT same results out of my 7750. and you're right. fusers are a fortune, so it's best not to toy with them.

i think i'll go out and get an OKI like everyone else has.


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## Dave_S (Jul 13, 2006)

There are some KM printing tricks and tips with the HT paper on the Autoart website:

DuraCotton Papers - KonicaMinolta printers, copiers

It gives a sort of a fix with adjusting the amount of toner the printer lays down. Have a read and give it a try. I swear by The Magictouch TTC 3.1 paper, it does leave a hand but very soft and kind of rubbery. The only other paper I know of that leaves no polymer window is ImageClip, see if you can get a sample from a supplier, I think S.E Speciality does it in the USA, and give it a try, it worked well on my old Epson so SHOULD be ok on the KM's. Right, OKI's, if your looking at an oki with a limited budget I would go for the 3400, the older 3200 has fading problems too with Duracotton HT, not as bad as the KM's, but for the little extra go for the newer model, it'll pay off in the long run.


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## sodrisc (Apr 6, 2006)

this stuff just landed in the UK Keani Ltd. UK Supplier of garment & giftware printing equipment. i have a trial pack on the way and will report back how i got on, looks the part but is it really? we shall see.


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## Cathybun (Dec 7, 2006)

Hi Sodrisc,
Have you spoken to Keani about this paper? I was looking at it this morning, but was thinking that maybe it will only work on whites. Do you know if it will work on darks too? I was thinking that since white doesn't print, if it only transfers the ink, how would white transfer? 

Have you tried the Magic Touch's WOW paper? 

I've bought some equipment for inkjet, but after a good few trial runs, I'm so unimpressed with the results, I'm thinking of the laser route.


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## sodrisc (Apr 6, 2006)

yep its only good for whites/lights as the printer doesnt output white. Like you i have tried all sorts of inkjet papers, all of them have not been upto standard for retail as far as im concerned, this is my last shot as i do have a project this will work with as long as it does what it says on the tin, but after so many false dawns im sceptical, but we will see soon. 
i was tempted to get a laser printer and try out the duracotton but all i see over on that thread are problems in one form or another and i really dont have days to spend getting a technique spot on. Do you have a link on the magic touch wow paper? i cant see it on there site. does it leave any kind of rubbery texture on there like other dark papers? if it does i wouldnt use it, to me thats not retail quality. its like looking for the holy grail at the moment lol


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## Cathybun (Dec 7, 2006)

I can't see it on their site either. I think I'll give them a call today. I have a sample that my husband saw them doing at a show in the UK. It's on dark cotton. The hand is fantastic, no rubbery-ness. It stretches great, we've put it through the wash twice with no fading and white comes out fine. I would like to try it with my own graphics however, as the graphic they used for the sample definitely doesn't do it justice. If it works as well as their sample, it is definitely a direction we are going to go in.


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## meyerlanski (Jun 26, 2007)

I emailed the kisscut manufacturer - They informed me that there will be distributers in Canada within the next 2-3 weeks. They did not mention anything about the U.S. however I'm sure they will (if they don't already).

Perhaps the prices will be cheaper than ordering directly from the U.K. If we do the conversion, they are selling sample packs of 10 sheets for 10 pounds, thats around 20 dollars - plus shipping..

All I could say is that if this product really works, the owner of kisscut will be a very rich man! I'm sure many will be happy to pay that price if it means great quality, no trimming and can be used on light and dark fabric - All with an Inkjet printer!


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## sodrisc (Apr 6, 2006)

as far as im aware its only good for lights/whites unless you mean the foil overlay? which would work well on darks, but still only one metallic colour, better than nothing though, unless im missing something with this?


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## meyerlanski (Jun 26, 2007)

I was just assuming it would work on dark since Cathybun wrote 'It's on dark cotton'..


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## Cathybun (Dec 7, 2006)

meyerlanski said:


> I was just assuming it would work on dark since Cathybun wrote 'It's on dark cotton'..


Hi meyerlanski,

That's the WOW paper that was transferred to dark cotton.


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## Dave_S (Jul 13, 2006)

The WOW paper isnt available to the general public yet, samples will be sent out to current Magic Touch customers first to evaluate (of which i'm one, and not recieved samples yet) and will be freely available sometime after that, not seen samples yet, but read an article in Printware & Promotion magazine here in the UK about the process.....looks a little tricky too..... Your right Catherine, the WOW paper will transfer to any colour, not just whites.

Dave


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## sodrisc (Apr 6, 2006)

kisscut arrived this morning, i have farted about with it for two hours and couldnt get one fairly straightforward black image to release fully the ink onto the tshirt........ followed there instructions to the letter.......... tried a few other settings while i was about it.......... using there light to medium pressure instructions for pressing meant the ink wouldnt relase at all........ self weeding was a bit iffy in places, around some lettering you could see some straggly bits of polymer here and there. Now to be honest im not using the recommended r265 printer and there ink, im using a D88 and genuine epson durabrite ink but im not about to buy those on the evidence i have seen just to test there paper fully, im not convinced but it will be interesting to hear from anyone with a r265 and genuine ink. And thats definately it for me pissing about with these crappy papers, im sticking to pastisol transfers, the end


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## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

sodrisc said:


> Now to be honest im not using the recommended r265 printer and there ink,


So they recomend using a specific printer? That's odd.


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## Cathybun (Dec 7, 2006)

I spoke to someone in Keani yesterday and she said that the number 1 most important thing above heat, time etc is the pressure. She also told me that when I get my sample pack, that if I have any problems to call straight away and they will help over the phone. She spent alot of time on the phone, so they seem to be very willing to help you. I'd give them a call if I were you.


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## sodrisc (Apr 6, 2006)

i will pass. i have been down that route several times before, i dont have the time to spend a couple of days messing about with it. I bet you any money if you cant get it to work properly even after calling them they blame your heatpress, the one which blasts out plastisol/flock/flex and NEVER had a complaint about from a single customer, besides which this stuff sits ontop of the shirt, slighty running a fingernail over it causes it to powder, its the same as all the other stuff out there, great for a DIY stag do tshirt, totally unaceptable for retail. prove me wrong by all means but im stearing clear.


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## fresh010 (Apr 4, 2007)

hey! i was wondering the same thing and look on alphasupply.com, and basically its all about the ink it seems! u can use whatever printer u like but your ink cant be OEM, it has to be higher quality.

it sounded good enough for me to decide to get an inkjet for now and wait 'til business picks up to get the laser!


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## sodrisc (Apr 6, 2006)

if your refering to me then i was using genuine epson durabrite ink, the paper is the same as all the other inkjet papers out there, probably works great under lab conditions, in the real world of variables it sucks, but if your happy with it then good for you...................


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## Cathybun (Dec 7, 2006)

I tried the kisscut yesterday. I printed at about 2pm and at 11pm the ink was still not dry on the paper. However, I was using a D88 printer, which is not recommended for use with the paper. I would like to see a sample of the kisscut, printed on their recommended printer with their inks, so that I could press it. I pressed one, because I couldn't wait for the ink to dry. Even though the image didn't transfer properly, the polymer window was significantly reduced (but not gone) compared to other papers I've used. But, yes Sodrisc, I agree, I would not use it for retail. We're thinking along the dye sub or laser route. Hmmm, got a bit more thinking to do...


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## diane143 (Nov 17, 2006)

I thought the deal with kisscut was that the ink had to be wet still. That's why you have to press within 30 mins.


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## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

Cathybun said:


> I tried the kisscut yesterday. I printed at about 2pm and at 11pm the ink was still not dry on the paper. However, I was using a D88 printer, which is not recommended for use with the paper. I would like to see a sample of the kisscut, printed on their recommended printer with their inks, so that I could press it. I pressed one, because I couldn't wait for the ink to dry. Even though the image didn't transfer properly, the polymer window was significantly reduced (but not gone) compared to other papers I've used. But, yes Sodrisc, I agree, I would not use it for retail. We're thinking along the dye sub or laser route. Hmmm, got a bit more thinking to do...


With Ironall, some have suggested setting it under the press and letting that dry it. I wonder if that would work with the Kisscut. Do they say why you can't use the D88 (or C88 here in the states)?


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## Cathybun (Dec 7, 2006)

prometheus said:


> With Ironall, some have suggested setting it under the press and letting that dry it. I wonder if that would work with the Kisscut. Do they say why you can't use the D88 (or C88 here in the states)?


They say "to enable the full KissCut effect you must follow the instructions procedure carefully", which specifies the Epson R265 or R1800. Having spoken to the seller, she told me that the printer would not affect the printed transfer, but would affect the washability. She did say to call if I had any problems, so maybe I'll try that before entirely dismissing it. But, I'd be very hesitant to go and buy a printer, just to use with one type of paper with one type of inks from one company.


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## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

Designer85 said:


> I've got a Xante Illumina laser which can print 12 x 18 which is nice. I use the Photo trans image clip transfer paper which is the only thing I've ever used. I love the fact that the image doesn't have a "box" around it, but my final results always turn out a lot lighter than I'd like. Plus they do tend to fade a small amount after the first wash, but hold their color well after that.
> Is there any way to boost the color to get what you want? It always looks like it's going to turn out great when I print out the transfer, but when I apply it to the shirt it seems like a good bit of the toner stays on the paper and leaves me with a consistant, but lighter final product.
> I wonder if there's something you could spray onto the paper or some other way to play around with this to get a darker result.
> I'm not overly concearned, because I screen print the majority of my shirts, but for the customer that needs something imediately or the ones that only want 1 or 2 shirts usually get the heat press.


 
I use Imageclip. I think the problem you are having with light colored print transferring on the shirt is due to the way the two papers are pressed initially. I found that pressing the two papers at 225F for 20 seconds is a bit too high of a setting. I found that the polymer tends to get overcooked at 225F for 20 seconds which makes it hard to peel when pressed on the t-shirt. Hence less toner/polymer are transferred to the fabric. I get good result using 210F for 10 seconds. Also increasing the saturation helps put more toner that the polymer can hold onto during the first pressing. I also press really heavy on the second pressing.

Check this photo:
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/p127002-post4.html

Hope this helps.

BTW I use Okidata C5200Ne. Not sure how its toner compares to your Xante CLP.



Luis


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## Andy @ Kisscut (Jun 29, 2007)

Hi Guys,

Just wanted to try and give a bit of advice to any of you with Kiss Cut paper out there. It seems that there is a little confusion as to the process, so I hope that I can help clear things up a little!

Diane is correct in saying that the ink should still be wet on the paper when you press. The paper has an "activation lifetime" we recommend around half an hour. The best results occur if you press pretty soon after printing. We have found the best results are at 180 degrees C, for 7 seconds. However we realise that all heat presses are different (I am not blaming the heat presses, just an observation!), so times may vary. The next variable to look at is the pressure. It doesn't need a really high pressure, just a light to medium. If you have a pressurised heat press, try at 1.5 bar.

Next thing to remember is that it is a hot peel paper, so once you unclamp the heat press, peel straight away with a smooth movement.

People have questioned why we recommend certain printers. Well, a couple of reasons. Firstly, we always recommend the use of Epson products. Our inks have been formulated to work through Epson head technology. Secondly we recommend the use of 6/7 colour printers so that enough ink is put down on the paper to allow the weeding process to occur.

The colour settings on the printer are crucial to get the weeding capability to work. You need to use high quality settings which we have documented for the R265 and the R1800 (can be found on our website).

As some of you have pointed out, we recommend the use of our inks. There is a good reason for this. With our inks, you acheive a high standard of wash fastness to the printed garment, something that you will not achieve with any of the standard inkjet formulations. Our inks have been specially designed to provide wash integrity. 

The last thing I want to point out is that this is a new technology and a new process. Whilst it is a heat transfer paper, it does require a dialling in process for your heat press. Once you have the settings correct, it is very repeatable and I am sure you will love it. It doesn't take long to get the hang of it, but believe me it is worth it!

I hope this helps, if you have any further questions, I will try and answer them.

Thanks
Andy


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## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

Thanks Andy for the clarifying information.


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## bertiewooster (Jul 7, 2007)

I have tried inkjet and laser, without a doubt the laser is best for t shirts.
Colour reproduction is a bit erratic but otherwise I am pleased with the results.
Inkjet is brilliant for sublimation, so long as you are of a calm disposition as the clogging of the inks is a bit testing.
As for the laser losing a little on the first wash, if you put it under the press again with silicone paper or similar product (iron should be OK for this too) the image is revived!
I have had far better results with transfers since I bought a pneumatic heat press, the consistent pressure does make a big difference.

I am looking at buying an A3 size laser printer next, it seems the OKI is getting good feedback.
At present using a Konica Minolta 5430DL, transfers have not been feeding too well, but the print is good.

Tony


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

Same here, feeding problems are the most common when doing laser transfers. My Fuji Docucolor is totally useless at the moment because I had too much jamming.


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## Cathybun (Dec 7, 2006)

Andy @ Kisscut said:


> Diane is correct in saying that the ink should still be wet on the paper when you press.


Andy, do you mean that when you lay the paper down on the tshirt, you only get one shot, since you can't move the paper with wet ink on it?


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## NicMartel (Sep 13, 2007)

I have not read this whole thread yet... so I am putting this in a bit prematurely...

Transfer Paper Less Laser Sublimation

Transfer Paper Less Laser Sublimation


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## NicMartel (Sep 13, 2007)

KISSCUT (answer to some of the comments I saw)

I think the R265 is R260 in the US. (Under $100 Epson Photo 6 color)

For the KISSCUT C88, C88+ or any 4 color will just not be up to par.

The EPson 1800 and 4000 series are recommended, perhaps the 3800 may work?


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## MYDAMIT (Jan 14, 2007)

I Like My Ricoh Gelsprinter, It Print Fast And Vibrant I Use Ironall And Transjet. Very Nice Printer I Recommend It.


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## NicMartel (Sep 13, 2007)

* WARNING!*

* I got a PHISHING WEB SITE warning when I went to the MYDAMIT site...*


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## NicMartel (Sep 13, 2007)

well I am rocking back and forth between starting up with 1 laser printer(OKI 5500) *OR* 1 inkjet printer(Epson 1400)

- an OKI 5500(equivalent of 5600 in Europe) because the 5600 is recommended by TheMagicTouch and I believe will handle Duracotton and ImageClip
Can anyone tell me if I will be able to do sublimation off either of these OKIs?
Swapping from OEM Toner to Dye Sub Toner cartridges/drums?

- an Epson 1400 because I can do sublimation and I can use the cartridges to circumvent some of the clogging problems... and use it for transfers too?

Depending on the answers I get, I may drop to an OKI 3400 and an Epson C88+ if I am forced to have 2 printers. ...or 2 C88+

Of all the claims on ImageClip... I never saw anyone show a color complex graphic or full color(photo)... and I think ImageClip does ok as long as not too many colors and no gradients... it does good on logos basically?

Also, I have not heard anyone mention full color or color intensive designs when talking about the laser versus the inkjet... and even less about dye sub on a laser?

I would hope I get a plethora of answers and discussions on all the points I highlighted in red. Thank you.


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## patchmaster (May 10, 2007)

If you search for imageclip you will find a thread that has a pretty intensively colored comparison. I cen't remember the thread name but it's of a wierd clown type colage I think?

I use this laser dye-sub Automatic Transfer, Inc. - Sublimation Transfer Inks and Heat Transfer Papers I am sure he can help answer your questions on whether the 5500 or 5600 is compatible.

Bill


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## rrc62 (Jun 2, 2007)

Nic...I'm not at all happy with the C5500. It prints vector artwork from Corel OK but the photographic color reproduction from Photoshop is terrible. My C8800, however, is a great printer. Nice color reproduction. My take on it is that the C3400 and C5500 are good office printers where photographic reproduction is not a big deal. I don;t know for sure, but I'm thinking the C5800 will deliver the same results as the C8800.


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## NicMartel (Sep 13, 2007)

Thank you for all the answers you provided... I have had such a monster run at all the forums that I had forgotten to come back to this thread. lol

I am back and still tiptoeing thru this mess.

Can anyone atest to have used or seen used a Laser printer(hopefully an OKI) with Sublimation Toner? and what paper was used?
besides ATI(the link you provided)

Thank you.


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## AustinJeff (May 12, 2007)

NicMartel said:


> Can anyone atest to have used or seen used a Laser printer(hopefully an OKI) with Sublimation Toner?


I have not been able to find anyone who supplies it for the OKI C5500. Would be interested in knowing if anyone has a source.


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## freestylezz (Oct 21, 2007)

which type of printer has cheaper ink? in general?


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## inkie (Jun 28, 2007)

Hi,

FYI, I've found the Oki 3400 to be very reliable, easy to set up and operate and VERY cheap on ink. BUT - the color printing is NOT subtle - most things come out okay, but a lot of it comes out like it was done with Crayola crayons! Messing with saturation, etc. doesn't solve the problem. As people have said, if you are just doing ungradated spot colors, or really bright simple colors that don't require any subtlety, it's a good machine with ink that is extremely economical on a per page basis. If you need accurate painterly color, it's real hit-or-miss, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason why some pics come out good and others horrendous.

Inkie


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## freestylezz (Oct 21, 2007)

inkie said:


> Hi,
> 
> FYI, I've found the Oki 3400 to be very reliable, easy to set up and operate and VERY cheap on ink. BUT - the color printing is NOT subtle - most things come out okay, but a lot of it comes out like it was done with Crayola crayons! Messing with saturation, etc. doesn't solve the problem. As people have said, if you are just doing ungradated spot colors, or really bright simple colors that don't require any subtlety, it's a good machine with ink that is extremely economical on a per page basis. If you need accurate painterly color, it's real hit-or-miss, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason why some pics come out good and others horrendous.
> 
> Inkie


is the name of the printer OKi 3400?


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## inkie (Jun 28, 2007)

freestylezz said:


> is the name of the printer OKi 3400?


Yes, it is the Okidata C3400n laser printer. You can get it for about $350. It is the first one my husband, who HATES printers, really likes. Like I said, my only complaint is that my artwork is very painterly with a lot of subtle gradations and sometimes it does a pretty nice job reproducing them, other times not. Other that that, it's a good machine. A lot of people on the Forum here have the 3400, or the faster version, the 5500. Most seem pretty happy with it I think, and it is FAR more economical than an pigment inkjet.

Inkie


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