# Anyone have problems with the sg3110dn yet?



## Appstro (Feb 24, 2009)

I just bought the printer. Havent even opened the ink cartridges yet. I read a bunch of posts about the 3300's and 7000's having problems and now I am wondering if I should just return this thing and spend another grand for a screen printing set up (albeit a cheap one). What has been your experience so far with the sg3110dn????


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

Dye sub and screen printing are two completly different markets. One does not replace the other.


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## Appstro (Feb 24, 2009)

Exactly. But I am expanding my business and I have purchased the SG3110DN printer because it does seemingly more than screen printing alone. Was hoping to make money on shirts too  If its a bad investment though, then I will do the screen printing as that seems to be a safer, possibly more profitable option. I dont want to toss my money away on trash. The 3300's and 7000 series printers seem like they were pretty bad....


Have you used the Ricoh SG3110DN? Whats been your experience so far???


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

Realize first of all that it is not the printer. In dye sub there is always this discussion about Epsons clogging or Ricoh failing, etc. The point is the printers are not made for dye sublimation. The printers are not faulty it is the ink that causes issues.

Regardless if you get a desktop Epson or a Ricoh you have to use it frequently on an on-going basis or you will have issues caused by the ink.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

While you can make more than just shirts with sublimation, if you're not doing specific types of shirts that are compatible with the process, then it isn't a good choice. 

People are always trying to bend the technology to print on shirt fabrics that are not suitable for subbing. It doesn't work well with darks (needs a patch material), and for the best results requires 100% polyester. That's not the first, or cheapest, choice for t-shirt material.

If you have to choose, I'd say go with what you know. If you already know t-shirt screen printing -- and more to the point already have a sales channel for it -- that's what I'd concentrate on. Selling the odd sublimated knick-knack here and there is really not the road to profitability. In order to pay for the printer and inks, you really do need a sustained product flow, and continued sales effort behind it. It's difficult to do that, AND try to sell shirts and other stuff that may be interesting to you.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Appstro said:


> Exactly. But I am expanding my business and I have purchased the SG3110DN printer because it does seemingly more than screen printing alone. Was hoping to make money on shirts too  If its a bad investment though, then I will do the screen printing as that seems to be a safer, possibly more profitable option. I dont want to toss my money away on trash. The 3300's and 7000 series printers seem like they were pretty bad....
> 
> 
> Have you used the Ricoh SG3110DN? Whats been your experience so far???


The SG3110DN is too small for tshirts anyway, best to use at least tabloid size. Epson is much much more affordable in tabloid size and you can get inks that are less expensive.


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## Appstro (Feb 24, 2009)

Thanks for your input guys. I appreciate it very much. However the question is not should I sublimate. The question is has anyone had any problems with the Ricoh SG3110DN yet?

I have already weighed the different options and paths to what I want to do. I have a small sign shop that also does personalized apparel and such. I usually cannot compete with the cost of screen printing as most here will do it for next to nothing. My uinit cost on a shirt for sublimation will be about $6.00 IF I dont mess one up. Plus, most people are turned off by polyester. So I know that sublimation for shirts is probably not the way to go. 

My main concern is wasting my money. Its looiking like I will be into sublimation for about $1500.00 so far. I just dont want a boat anchor in a month. I havent seen any posts on the 3110 so far so I posted the question to see if anyone has had issues. Anyone???


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

Appstro said:


> Thanks for your input guys. I appreciate it very much. However the question is not should I sublimate. The question is has anyone had any problems with the Ricoh SG3110DN yet?
> 
> I have already weighed the different options and paths to what I want to do. I have a small sign shop that also does personalized apparel and such. I usually cannot compete with the cost of screen printing as most here will do it for next to nothing. My uinit cost on a shirt for sublimation will be about $6.00 IF I dont mess one up. Plus, most people are turned off by polyester. So I know that sublimation for shirts is probably not the way to go.
> 
> My main concern is wasting my money. Its looiking like I will be into sublimation for about $1500.00 so far. I just dont want a boat anchor in a month. I havent seen any posts on the 3110 so far so I posted the question to see if anyone has had issues. Anyone???


Again you are hung up on a brand of printer and whether it has issues or not. Has no bearing - it all comes down to the simple fact of how frequently you will print. Whether it is a Ricoh XXXX or an Epson XXXX if you use them frequently you will be fine. If you do not you will have boat anchors.


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## Appstro (Feb 24, 2009)

I am not so sure about that after reading the post in here about some guy finding 58 members with dead ricohs. Some people in the threads stated that they thought it was the mother board and others flatly blamed Sawgrass. The obvious issue was that these printers aren't made for this application. But what is then? I don't mind issues of not using the product properly. I assume that if I use my printer every day that it should work great . I have also been told to never turn it off. Other than that I wonder if this printer is a problem or not. There seemed to be an issue with the Ricohs, and one guy even started trying to get a horde together for a class action lawsuit against...who knows.

Well I guess nobody has been having any problems with the Ricoh SG3110DN then.


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## minority1 (Nov 23, 2011)

to answer your question

YES i have been having problems with the Ricoh SG3110DN

i purchased one back in November, i printed no more than 10 sheets of paper and it developed a fault....

i left it turned on constantly as advised but when i plugged it into my lap top the printer kicked into action and started a head clean, the screen flashed 'waiting' but it never stopped doing the head clean and used up all of my ink

i contacted my dealer 'The Transfer press' in the uk and within 3 days i had a new printer sent out and the old one collected. i couldnt believe the customer service. Brilliant i thought

anyway with christmas upon us and me moving offices i didnt get round to setting up the replacement printer untill the beginning of January. everything was fine again untill about a week later.....

again i printed approx 10 pieces of paper at the very most and exactly the same problem again. i plug the printer into my lap top one day the head clean starts and doesnt stop! AGAIN using all of my ink

i contacted my supplier again expecting the same service but 2 WEEKS later i am still waiting for a solid response. i never asked for a refund, i just want a printer that works but after ringing them every day i am getting the same response ''we are waiting for SAWGRASS to authorise a replacement' 

i have now had TWO Ricoh SG3110DN in 2 months and have BOTH had the same problem, only this time SAWGRASS or THE TRANSFER PRESS dont seem to keen to sort this problem out letting them selves down badly after initially been superb

i am now considering just asking for a full refund as it is obvious to me this fault must be common after having the same problem twice with 2 different printers

in a nut shell i have had 2 of these printers since November and havnt made a penny. infact it has cost me money as i am having to use another company to make my mugs and phone covers for me to keep my customers happy and SAWGRASS or THE TRANSFER PRESS dont seem to be in any rush to sort this problem out for me the second time round. for 2 weeks i have been ringing every day only to be told ''we will ring you back in an hour with a solution'' and yet the printer is still sat there now turned off because all the ink has gone for a SECOND time. Not happy is a under statement :/


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## gsewell (Jan 5, 2011)

Yes. I am on my second one as of this week. The unit will go into sleep mode and after about a day it will not come out. You can press every button and it will not even turn off. I use it for subimation, and the only way to get it to restart is unplug it and let it go through a complete power-up sucking down ink. 

Until they fix this (I have loaded the latest firmware and drivers) I would not recommend this printer.

Gary


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## engraver99 (Jul 27, 2009)

6 Months - No problems - Print everyday with it


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## jerseygrl613 (Feb 7, 2013)

mgparrish said:


> The SG3110DN is too small for tshirts anyway, best to use at least tabloid size. Epson is much much more affordable in tabloid size and you can get inks that are less expensive.


i had mine for a few months when i started getting an error code, call tech support and they cleared it for me, a week later it started again. Ricoh sent me a replacement within a few days. I since purchased the 7700 and so far so good (knock wood)


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## Tourino (Feb 15, 2011)

engraver99 said:


> 6 Months - No problems - Print everyday with it


Greetings, so you are having NO problems with it and that is GREAT. What kind of inks are you buying for it and from where if that is not too personal a question to ask? I have a 3110 in the mail right now and mixed opinions:

1.) Should I go with using it for polyester t shirt sublimation (at a limited 8.5" x 14"). 

2.) Or if I should use it for cotton white and light heat transfer paper printing and be stuck with not being able to do "quality" dark colored t shirts?

Can you or anyone advise? I presently have an old, but brand new, Epson sylus 430 also if that helps to suggest what I should do with this 3110 coming.


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