# Sublimation transfer paper using regular inkjet ink? Will it work?



## aries

Can you print with regular inkjet printer ink on a sublimation transfer paper?Also will it transfer to shirt after pressed?


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## fat_miao

*Re: Sublimation transfer paper*



aries said:


> Can you print with regular inkjet printer ink on a sublimation transfer paper?Also will it transfer to shirt after pressed?


mine is a def. no, if not why should we be using sublimation inks?? 
the dye ink does not stick to my heat transfer papers, yet I do know some uses the plain 80grms papers to do cheap sub to mugs x3 times for the same papers, just pale.


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## vctradingcubao

*Re: Sublimation transfer paper*



aries said:


> Can you print with regular inkjet printer ink on a sublimation transfer paper?Also will it transfer to shirt after pressed?


I think no. Inkjet Ink will transfer to the shirt but it will bleed almost right away since there's no polymer to hold it. But the reverse is possible, using sublimation inks on opaque inkjet transfer papers.


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## TooGoob

aries said:


> Can you print with regular inkjet printer ink on a sublimation transfer paper?Also will it transfer to shirt after pressed?


No, regular ink will not transfer. The paper is not doing the work, the sublimation ink is.

The sublimation process is accomplished with a special ink that simply turns to a gas which is directed to a substrate using pressure. The special paper we use gives us the detail to see even an eyelash on the finished product.

Hope this explains it.


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## antevante

Can you please give me a tip on what ink to use for sublimation with my printer, Epson 1800 (not just the bulk system, rathe if you can tip me for a not so expensive one).
And what kind of paper.
Thanx


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## charles95405

antevante....if you are going to use sublimation and and you are in the USA...you are going to be stuck with sublijet, artanium from sawgrass. They hold the patent on the ink and sue the pants off anyone who bucks them. The only company to sue back is TOG whose web site is SUBLIMATION AT IT'S BEST The website has into on the lawsuit but so far they are still selling dye sub link cheaper than Sawgrass product. I don't think they have ink for the 1800. you can go here for 1800 dye sublimation -
http://www.johnsonplastics.biz/CGI-BIN/LANSAWEB?WEBEVENT+L0D97050B12149300D77B03E+M37+ENG


The cost is about $75 per cartridge...and I don't think you can switch back and forth between regular ink and sublimation ink..or at least so I was told


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## natsclem

*Re: Sublimation transfer paper*



vctradingcubao said:


> I think no. Inkjet Ink will transfer to the shirt but it will bleed almost right away since there's no polymer to hold it. But the reverse is possible, using sublimation inks on opaque inkjet transfer papers.


What if the t-shirt is polyster-cotton blend? Let's say it is 60% polyster.

The best way is to try to print on one--using dye ink, printing image on sublimation transfer paper, and heat pressing on poly-cotton blend tshirt.


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## charles95405

since sublimation only bonds with polyester...and you are using 60% poly..then only 60% of the strands will hold color the other will wash out...if you want faded look ...maybe


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## natsclem

I made a sublimation experiment of dye-ink printed image on a sublimation paper and heat pressed on a 60-40 cotton-poly blend using 200 degree centi from 25 to 35 seconds. it does not work.


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## azit

*Re: Sublimation transfer paper*



vctradingcubao said:


> I think no. Inkjet Ink will transfer to the shirt but it will bleed almost right away since there's no polymer to hold it. But the reverse is possible, using sublimation inks on opaque inkjet transfer papers.


Can I use sublimation inks with JetPro-SS on 100% cotton white tees?
I have a Epson C90 printer with sublimation inks.
If I want to do inkjet heat transfers, do I need to buy another printer?


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## conde tech

*Re: Sublimation transfer paper*



azit said:


> Can I use sublimation inks with JetPro-SS on 100% cotton white tees?
> I have a Epson C90 printer with sublimation inks.
> If I want to do inkjet heat transfers, do I need to buy another printer?


No, you cannot use the JetPro-SS with sublimation inks. If you want to use it, you will need an ink jet printer with regular ink jet ink.


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## designsbysteph

can you re-configure a Epson 1400 from regular ink to a Sublimation system?


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## azit

designsbysteph said:


> can you re-configure a Epson 1400 from regular ink to a Sublimation system?


Yes, I think it can be done. No big deal.
First you have to get rid of the old ink from your printer.


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## D.Evo.

designsbysteph said:


> can you re-configure a Epson 1400 from regular ink to a Sublimation system?



Yes, you should be able to just flush the old ink out with the help of cleaning fluid and then put in the dye sub ink.


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## HPS

designsbysteph said:


> can you re-configure a Epson 1400 from regular ink to a Sublimation system?


I just converted a 1400 from sub back to inkjet. i bought refillable cartridges and a quart of head cleaner. It used about 2-4 oz of cleaner, just printed several designs with heavy coverage, no ink on paper just wet spots from solution and then put in refillable cartridges with regular ink, printer is performing flawlessly. Cost with shipping for 2 sets of empty refillable cartridges and head cleaner was under 40.00.

I have my sub refillable cartridges saved in case I ever want to try again. I started with an new epson and brand x sub ink with no icc profile and could not hit the mark, bought a ricoh 3300n and brand name ink to replace. I would say it can be done and was quite easy , took about an hour or so to complete.
Good luck.


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## andeesand

*Re: Sublimation transfer paper*



vctradingcubao said:


> I think no. Inkjet Ink will transfer to the shirt but it will bleed almost right away since there's no polymer to hold it. But the reverse is possible, using sublimation inks on opaque inkjet transfer papers.


He is right. You will end up with a mess!!!


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## TooGoob

designsbysteph said:


> can you re-configure a Epson 1400 from regular ink to a Sublimation system?


Yes ma'am, and its easy enough to do.

The Epson 1400 printer is still my printer of choice.

The system to convert it runs around $944 which includes everything you need to get started, including the first 100 sheets of sublimation paper.


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## designsbysteph

Thanks for the information


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## Puddin30

I just received my new printer today and everything is done ciss is installed. Only I donot have any blanks yet they wont be here until Friday!. Is there anyway I can pprint on regular paper NOT TO TRANSFER anything...but just to play and see how the printer works. So basically can I use regular paper? Will the Sub ink set into it or can i only use blanks?


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## sindhu g n

Hi,
we cant print like that.sublimation transfer paper requires sublimation ink.


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## Dekzion

Sublimation ink is a gel. not a liquid. the prints always look 'faded' it is the heat process that brings out the image quality as the gel converts to gas to enter the pores of the polyester that only open under great heat and when cooling shut again to lock in the colour in each micro fibre.
That's why subli products never ever fade.


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## jimc

Dekzion said:


> Sublimation ink is a gel. not a liquid. the prints always look 'faded' it is the heat process that brings out the image quality as the gel converts to gas to enter the pores of the polyester that only open under great heat and when cooling shut again to lock in the colour in each micro fibre.
> That's why subli products never ever fade.


Only Sawgrass ink for the Ricoh is a gel, all other sublimation inks are liquid.


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## Dekzion

jimc said:


> Only Sawgrass ink for the Ricoh is a gel, all other sublimation inks are liquid.


Check out the definition of 'Sublimation'
it is to move from solid to gas without going through the liquid state. exactly the same as dry ice, you never get liquid dry ice it goes straight from solid to gas.
I don't use anything but Sawgrass.


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## jimc

Dekzion said:


> Check out the definition of 'Sublimation'
> it is to move from solid to gas without going through the liquid state. exactly the same as dry ice, you never get liquid dry ice it goes straight from solid to gas.
> I don't use anything but Sawgrass.


I am well aware of the definition of sublimation, you suggested that sublimation ink is a gel and not a liquid.
As I stated gel is only for the Ricoh.
Epson and the large format printers use liquid inks.
Sawgrass also have liquid inks such as Artanium as well as the inks for 7890 and their Virtuoso (Mutoh)


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## WalkingZombie

Puddin30 said:


> I just received my new printer today and everything is done ciss is installed. Only I donot have any blanks yet they wont be here until Friday!. Is there anyway I can pprint on regular paper NOT TO TRANSFER anything...but just to play and see how the printer works. So basically can I use regular paper? Will the Sub ink set into it or can i only use blanks?


Yes, you can run regular paper through it. When I'm not printing, I have about 15 sheets of regular paper in the printer and have my Harvey Head Cleaner software run nozzle checks every four hours just to keep the ink flowing. I keep re-using those sheets front and back, many times before I put fresh paper to use for nozzle checks.

I use a CISS and the cost of every day nozzles checks are almost non-existent. Better that, than getting clogged heads, which I don't have time for.

Yes, the images printed will look "dull" or "muted" but it will also look that way on sublimation paper, as I'm sure you know. It's not until you press it, that the true colors show themselves.

Good luck and have fun!


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## mgparrish

jimc said:


> I am well aware of the definition of sublimation, you suggested that sublimation ink is a gel and not a liquid.
> As I stated gel is only for the Ricoh.
> Epson and the large format printers use liquid inks.
> Sawgrass also have liquid inks such as Artanium as well as the inks for 7890 and their Virtuoso (Mutoh)


Those inks are still more of a liquid. "gel" is a marketing gimmick by Ricoh.

Been in both carts OEM pigment Ricoh and Sawgrass Ricoh carts and extracted inks looking at refill opportunities on both. Nothing close to anything I would call a gel, a gel would be more like toothpaste to me.

What I would state is the viscosity of the inks is what makes them different.


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## hmb

No it won't look right why not use inkjet ink transfer paper it's less expensive


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## Perry Zhi

I think you need sublimation ink.it will work


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## zerg71

Just try to use regular paper instead of dedicated for sublimation. It works but it's not the best option for every job (results may wary from your expectations).

However, some time in the past I was forced to use regular paper because I ran out of sublimation paper. It was about 20 polyester shirts with cyan and magenta signs. Colors were great and vivid. I even made a comparision with dedicated paper later then, and regular 80 gsm xerocopy paper was better


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## mgparrish

zerg71 said:


> Just try to use regular paper instead of dedicated for sublimation. It works but it's not the best option for every job (results may wary from your expectations).
> 
> However, some time in the past I was forced to use regular paper because I ran out of sublimation paper. It was about 20 polyester shirts with cyan and magenta signs. Colors were great and vivid. I even made a comparision with dedicated paper later then, and regular 80 gsm xerocopy paper was better


I think the OP was thinking that the combination of regular ink and sublimation paper could work.

Having said that, if using regular paper make sure it is not recycled paper as most cheap copier papers are. Recycled paper is made from many different papers and will have inconsistent release across it's surface and can leave a "splotchy" pattern.

The way to tell is that recycled paper is not "bright white". A good inkjet bright white matte paper is a decent substitute.


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## chinasubpaper

No ,for sublimation, you could replace sublimation paper with coated paper, but can never do sublimation without sublimation ink.


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