# i need a cheap or used or rentable DTG printer



## macdabby

I have tried so many inkjet and laserjet transfer solutions and the only type of printing that is acceptable quality for the product I am trying to get across is DTG. However it's also the most expensive. Does anyone know where I can rent or buy a used or refurbished DTG printer that can print on draks and hats? I think i am willing to go up to $5k and I am in Los Angeles.

If course since I have no idea how much income I will be able to make with it, i would prefer to rent one for about a month and then if things go well buy it or another one. Does anyone have any suggestions or leads?

Thanks


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## sunnydayz

I doubt you will find a machine for $5000 even used. you can keep an eye on ebay or look on equipment zone, I know they sell used but it is very unlikely that you will find one that cheap. As far as renting one, I dont know that anyone would be willing to rent a machine because if maintenance is not kept up properly it could really damage it and I dont think there is anyone who would take that chance, I would not let anyone use my machine hehe, not even my husband. I could be wrong though  There is really alot that goes into the machine and running it, expecially one that prints darks and uses white ink.


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## DAGuide

Bobbie is right, renting a dtg machine is a risky move for the owner. I guess my question to you is do you need the machine to do onsite printing (i.e. fairs, tournaments, car shows,...)? If not, why not just find someone to do the printing for you (i.e. contract the work out). If you are doing onsite printing, then maybe explore using plastisol transfers if the designs can be done in advanced. Otherwise, look at dye sub for custom designs (but you are limited to polyester fabrics which cost more). Just some things to consider.

Best wishes,

Mark


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## charles95405

Totally agree with Mark...I will never buy a DTG, but I sure let the guy a few miles away buy one and do any transfers I need...sure works for me..since I dont have to worry about:
mistakes
overstocks
ink supply
maintenance
insurance
or a huge learning curve


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## adawg2252

yeah. nobody is going to rent one to you.

leasing is one option, and granted you'd probably get killed financially trying to get out of the lease should you not like it, you COULD in theory return it.

US Screen has a 30 day money back garauntee. I don't know how the policy works ( I didn't have to return mine, it works great  ) but as far as I've ready you have a 30 day money back gaurantee on the machine.

...but i read in a few threads on here that some people did and did NOT have such great luck with getting their money back. So I'm not sure how well that works. 

easiest thing is to start by having someone do the work for you on a dtg and then if you get that much business from it, buy one then.

hope this helps


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## oldkush

macdabby said:


> I have tried so many inkjet and laserjet transfer solutions and the only type of printing that is acceptable quality for the product I am trying to get across is DTG. However it's also the most expensive. Does anyone know where I can rent or buy a used or refurbished DTG printer that can print on draks and hats? I think i am willing to go up to $5k and I am in Los Angeles.
> 
> If course since I have no idea how much income I will be able to make with it, i would prefer to rent one for about a month and then if things go well buy it or another one. Does anyone have any suggestions or leads?
> 
> Thanks





Don't think your chances of finding a DTG printer for $5,000 or less is very good. However check eBay at:

printer garment, Office, Printing Shipping, Manufacturing Metalworking items on eBay.com

A number of used t-jets are listed and a chinese printer is also there.

In all honesty, I think you will likely be better off contracting your work out to someone who already has a DTG printer.

Bob


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## macdabby

Thanks Guys

It's not the answer that I was looking for but I guess I do need to farm this out to someone else. I will just be doing the heat press transfers for now since they just need to be photographed, then once my website goes up I will have someone else print it on DTG. The thing I did not like about that is that most people I have seen are charging $4 to $8 bucks for small runs up to 24. But I guess once I get them selling i'll be able to justify a larger qty.


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## charles95405

4-8 dollar a shirt is too high...look around... it also depends on size and amount of ink... I usually pay 2 or less for a normal image


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## sunnydayz

charles95405 said:


> 4-8 dollar a shirt is too high...look around... it also depends on size and amount of ink... I usually pay 2 or less for a normal image


You pay $2 or less for printing with dtg? Wow that is pretty low.


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## tpope

There is no way that I can justify running my t-jet for 2 dollars a shirt.


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## allenr35

i have heard that t's (makemygraphix)
diy printer is printing the same quality as the t jets and flexis, it just doesn t print as fast and for a few hundred dollars and some time you can to


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## adawg2252

allenr35 said:


> i have heard that t's (makemygraphix)
> diy printer is printing the same quality as the t jets and flexis, it just doesn t print as fast and for a few hundred dollars and some time you can to


Yeah it does work, but he hasn't figured out the issue with the capping station so it clogs a lot. Obviously I'm sure the headache is less than the 15,000 a new DTG would cost. But you've gotta take a lot of time and precision to build his machine before you can start printing anything.


Also, I can't beleive anyone would print for 4 dollars. I wouldn't print for less than 8 dollars and that's at over 100 shirts. It's too time consuming. I only have one at a time (just a regular T-Jet 3) so it's loading and unloading. It's more manual labor than anything.


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## DAGuide

Here is the largest cost with dtg printing - YOUR TIME! This includes the time to get the printer ready to print, run a test print and print the shirts. If someone is getting shirts done for $2.00 - don't tell anyone your source! That is a great price and the profit on a 1-off shirt shirt should be a minimum of $15.00.


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## AustinJeff

adawg2252 said:


> Yeah it does work, but he hasn't figured out the issue with the capping station so it clogs a lot.


I still don't fully understand the capping station issue. He's using a C88. For normal printing (on paper) this printer does not have a capping station, so I don't understand why there is such a clogging issue when printing on garments. Is it due to the type of ink being used? Any info would be appreciated.

As for the original question -- if you are willing to gamble a few thousand dollars, the Chinese DTG printers are going for as low as $2800 (plus $450 shipping) on eBay.


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## jtrainor56

Did you try looking at Colorado Timberline, you need to open an account to get their wholesale pricing but I believe their prices are about $5 including the shirt for over 7 pieces.


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## allenr35

the clogging has been resolved with t's printer


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## sunnydayz

jtrainor56 said:


> Did you try looking at Colorado Timberline, you need to open an account to get their wholesale pricing but I believe their prices are about $5 including the shirt for over 7 pieces.


I just looked there and there lowest price is $7.00 on a light garment but that is if you order over 500 pcs. The average order with dtg is 100 pcs or less and their price on that is $9.00 for a light garment and $14.00 on a dark garment. That is probably about average for pricing.


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## tpope

jtrainor56 said:


> Did you try looking at Colorado Timberline, you need to open an account to get their wholesale pricing but I believe their prices are about $5 including the shirt for over 7 pieces.


They are Kornit based. You will not get picture quality prints. You can get cheap tees if that is what ya want....

I do not produce a product that I can't say that I am proud put my name on. I will profit more than 7 dollars a shirt.


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## bob emb

You are partially correct. I have printed 250navy tees with a snake design around a picture of the volunteer companies engine. The customer was in awe that we could reproduce that on a navy tee.

Bob


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## Crystal1983

Hello, maybe someone else can help me. I have a GO UNO printer(CMYK) that I purchased along with the "transfer" paper that is suppose to go with it for light or dark. Basically I print the design on paper a, then press transfer paper A & B together then peel apart and only the ink transfers to the paper that I will press onto garment. OK works great....UNTIL I WASH THE GARMENT. It peels and looks terrible. Does anyone have a gouno or know what is the best transfer paper for this or if this was a smart purchase or a waste of $$$. Thank You! Crystal


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## Smalzstein

You should post on the transers section of this forum, this section is for DTG. BTW transfer printing is low quality printing, those prints are not durable.


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## Revelation1978

Ask and you shall receive  I have a Texmax Solo DTG printer and prints dark garments with superior quality. I no longer use it because I decided to get out of the printing industry and stick to designing. There is however real money to be made and I've made some. I can sell it for 5K. My printer is in good running condition and was bought in 2010. I paid 16k for it at the time but been looking to sell it for a while now however no one wants to pay big money for these machines anymore unless you are a huge company in which case they would use the 100k industrial machines. Hit me back if interested.

Jay Daoust
email: [email protected]


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