# new to sublimation business



## zelkan (Mar 2, 2014)

*HELP - Sublimation Printer for New Starter*

Hi, i am new to this and have bought an 8 in 1 heat press machine, which can do mugs, T-shirts, caps etc.

i am looking to buy a good entry level sublimation printer and i am looking for some advice. i have a budget of around £200.

can anyone give any advice on what printer i should go for which can have a CISS system, as all the printers mentioned in previous threads seem to be end of life and can no longer be purchased.

can sublimation ink be used in ANY Epson printer?

cannot seem to find a definitive list of ink / printer / ciss sublimation kits.

any help and advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

Carl.


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## pisquee (Jan 8, 2012)

Any Epson inkjet can be used with sublimation inks, assuming that you can get refill carts or a CISS system for it, that you can source sublimation inks in the colours it uses, and get an ICC profile either from the ink manufacturer/supplier or get one made.

I would advise against a CISS, as they are more temperamental than using refill carts. The WorkForce Pros which have 100ml refill carts available for them seem a good solution.


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## zelkan (Mar 2, 2014)

thanks for the reply

i was looking at this website

Cheap printer bundles for Epson A4 series printers | City Ink Express

and was looking at the WF-3520 

also i have found a website which offers the bundle (including ink) for the XP-305 but I havent really came across the 305 on any other websites.

Sublimation Printer (BUNDLE) + Cheap Sublimation Printer - Printer + CISS + 400ML Sublimation Ink

would one of these be a good starter until i make enough money to upgrade.

thanks again.

Carl.


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## pisquee (Jan 8, 2012)

It's the WorkForce Pros not the standard WorkForce's which have the 100ml refill carts available... their model codes start with WP rather than WF.
I have a WP-4515 sat next to me, with 100ml refill carts in it (although with pigment inks in) you could get the cheaper version without the scanner on it though.
I'm assuming you're in UK, PrinterLand have good prices on these models, and for the refil carts- cube1113.


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## zelkan (Mar 2, 2014)

awesome thanks

i think i will go for the 4515, with the replaced blank cartridges.

just one more question.

can i buy any sublimation ink off ebay, or will it need to state "For Epson model(x)" etc?


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## engraver99 (Jul 27, 2009)

zelkan said:


> awesome thanks
> 
> i think i will go for the 4515, with the replaced blank cartridges.
> 
> ...


you will need to use an ICC profile for your specific ink and printer so your colors will print correctly.


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## zelkan (Mar 2, 2014)

Thanks for all your help guys, should be up and running in a few days 

will post a few pics of the items to show the results


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## MAXDesign (Sep 24, 2013)

*Re: HELP - Sublimation Printer for New Starter*

Cool...I'd be interested to know how you get on. I currently do vinyl and heat transfer tees, but would love to get into dye sub for mugs, tees etc. I also live in the UK and struggled with suppliers to approach for dye sub inks, refillable cartridges, paper etc. Are you going to use City Ink express?...


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## battman2036 (Jan 20, 2014)

I just bought the Epson WF30 from Cobra Ink Systems and I'm really happy with it. Did a few shirts, and license plates already. I like the Continuous Ink System as well. Nothing better than being able to see how much ink you have left. Not sure if you can get those across the pond, but I'm sure someone can ship you one.


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## zelkan (Mar 2, 2014)

yes we can get them, but i have been asking a few people, and had a reply on here and other places telling me to avoid the CISS if possible, so i have gone for the refillable cartridge instead. who knows, maybe after a few weeks i may buy another cheaper printer just to test out the CISS 

good luck with your business


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## pisquee (Jan 8, 2012)

If you can get a printer with 100ml refill carts, then why go through the hassel of a CISS which holds the same amount of ink?


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## MAXDesign (Sep 24, 2013)

zelkan said:


> yes we can get them, but i have been asking a few people, and had a reply on here and other places telling me to avoid the CISS if possible, so i have gone for the refillable cartridge instead. who knows, maybe after a few weeks i may buy another cheaper printer just to test out the CISS
> 
> good luck with your business


Hi Zelkan...where did you decide to purchase your supplies from in the end?


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

pisquee said:


> If you can get a printer with 100ml refill carts, then why go through the hassel of a CISS which holds the same amount of ink?


Good point. The Brother models are also capable of sublimation and there are very large carts available for those as well.


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## pisquee (Jan 8, 2012)

... along with the Epson WorkForce Pros with 100ml carts, I think the Brothers are 80ml


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## zelkan (Mar 2, 2014)

MAXDesign said:


> Hi Zelkan...where did you decide to purchase your supplies from in the end?


hi max

i bought the epson printer from here

Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4515DN A4 Colour Multifunction Inkjet Printer

and i bought my sublimation ink from here

dyesubink on eBay

i bought the refil cartridges from 

Refillable Ink Cartridges for Epson Workforce Pro WP-4000 Series, WP-4015DN, WP-4095DN, WP-4500 Series, WP-4515DN, WP-4525DNF, WP-4595DNF

and i bought trupix sublimation paper also.

hope this helps.


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## MAXDesign (Sep 24, 2013)

*Re: HELP - Sublimation Printer for New Starter*

Thanks for the reply. I looked at those inks but they cost a lot more than I initially wanted to spend (£60 for 1 litre of each colour). I was wanting to buy a much smaller quantity of each colour to experiment with. Looking forward to seeing your results...might tempt me into splashing out!


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## MAXDesign (Sep 24, 2013)

*Re: HELP - Sublimation Printer for New Starter*

Just out of interest, why did you decide to go with these inks and refillable cartridges, rather than the ones from City Ink Express?...


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## zelkan (Mar 2, 2014)

*Re: HELP - Sublimation Printer for New Starter*



MAXDesign said:


> Thanks for the reply. I looked at those inks but they cost a lot more than I initially wanted to spend (£60 for 1 litre of each colour). I was wanting to buy a much smaller quantity of each colour to experiment with. Looking forward to seeing your results...might tempt me into splashing out!


have you tried contacting the seller to see if they sell smaller bottles?


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## zelkan (Mar 2, 2014)

*Re: HELP - Sublimation Printer for New Starter*



MAXDesign said:


> Just out of interest, why did you decide to go with these inks and refillable cartridges, rather than the ones from City Ink Express?...


hi Max

people mentioned that the cheaper you go for the ink, the worse the output, as i am just starting off, i didnt really want to pay the sawgrass fees of £50 per 25ml, so i opted for the inktec which is licenced by sawgrass to be sold in the UK.

hopefully in time if profits pick up i can then move on to the sawgrass or artanium (which is sawgrass too)


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## pisquee (Jan 8, 2012)

*Re: HELP - Sublimation Printer for New Starter*



zelkan said:


> hi Max
> 
> people mentioned that the cheaper you go for the ink, the worse the output, as i am just starting off, i didnt really want to pay the sawgrass fees of £50 per 25ml, so i opted for the inktec which is licenced by sawgrass to be sold in the UK.
> hopefully in time if profits pick up i can then move on to the sawgrass or artanium (which is sawgrass too)


Be careful assuming that if something is more expensive then it is better. Remember that Artainium (and most Sawgrass brands) are consumer level inks (their pro ink is called Sublim) aimed at users using home/office type printers, InkTec's sublimation ink is a pro/industrial/commercial level ink aimed at wide format printers. Which do you think needs to be the better quality product?


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## NEILOAKLEY (Mar 5, 2014)

im also new to this business...im looking for 44 inches x 100 meters sublimation paper (sticky surface) and also sublimation inks..thnx a lot guys..


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## zelkan (Mar 2, 2014)

NEILOAKLEY said:


> im also new to this business...im looking for 44 inches x 100 meters sublimation paper (sticky surface) and also sublimation inks..thnx a lot guys..


hi Neil,

that sounds like a giant roll, i'll only be using A4 size sheets, have you tried thetransferpress.co.uk and ebay?


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## NEILOAKLEY (Mar 5, 2014)

zelkan said:


> hi Neil,
> 
> that sounds like a giant roll, i'll only be using A4 size sheets, have you tried thetransferpress.co.uk and ebay?


yup it's roll type sublimation paper for Epson printer. havent tried ebay because its a lot more expesive..


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