# selfweeding transfer paper or cutter plotter



## baezelon (Jan 6, 2014)

Hi guys! Sorry to ask for a noob question. Im currently setting up my heat transfer business and i just want to ask if a starter like me entering the tshirt industry with a very limited budget should buy a cutter plotter or not because i have seen self weeding transfer papers on youtube and forums. i know that heat press is very limited when it comes to colored or dark shirts. Is a cutter plotter a must for a starter? or should i use self weeding transfer paper.. My really concern is for dark or colored shirts... specially when it comes to very intricate designs.. manual cutting is really hard.. 

thanks shirt masters.


----------



## RobertTSS (Dec 4, 2009)

baezelon said:


> Hi guys! Sorry to ask for a noob question. Im currently setting up my heat transfer business and i just want to ask if a starter like me entering the tshirt industry with a very limited budget should buy a cutter plotter or not because i have seen self weeding transfer papers on youtube and forums. i know that heat press is very limited when it comes to colored or dark shirts. Is a cutter plotter a must for a starter? or should i use self weeding transfer paper.. My really concern is for dark or colored shirts... specially when it comes to very intricate designs.. manual cutting is really hard..
> 
> thanks shirt masters.


Hello, if you have access to a newer color laser printer, I would highly recommend the ImageClip products by Neenah Paper for light and dark garments rather than investing in a plotter cutter.


----------



## dkdesign (Apr 9, 2012)

RobertTSS i thought the image clip laser dark, was pretty bad? durability, crack/fade ?


----------



## RobertTSS (Dec 4, 2009)

Lots of people like it, I have garments in front of me that look great no cracking. If someone does it and doesn't do it properly it might look that way but when done properly I think it looks great


----------



## BobR (Sep 26, 2013)

With a cutter plotter you can also cut heat press vinyl, make rhinestone templates, and whatever you think of.


----------



## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

My experience with Imageclip dark is it lacks opacity. Unless the printer prints white toner. I don't have a printer with white toner so I don't use it. The opacity gets even worse when pressed on cotton blend due to dye migration. Yes it cracks and fades. So I am only using the Imageclip Laser for lights. It works with pastel and slightly dark fabric without the polymer window.

If the color of the design is solid color, vinyl is the way to go. However, if the color is more than two and layered the pressed image will have hand. You can use multiple color if the artwork does not require layering.

Most opaque transfer will have hand. Some have plastic feel like a raincoat if the artwork is solid piece bigger than the size of a palm. It will crack eventually.

It is always a good practice to get sample free or purchased and try it yourself that way you have the first hand experience instead relying on others feedback. You need to find a sweet spot that works for your printer, transfer material and heat press setting. So try sample first and go from there.


----------



## baezelon (Jan 6, 2014)

Thanks for the reply guys. I really appreciate your reply. Very helpful tips. But right now im confused. So what do you recommend? cutter plotter or laser printer? I just want to achieve a design like this if this is possible in heat transfer...

[media]http://www.inspirefirst.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Plunge-Womens-Tee-Design-Girl.jpg[/media]

http://www.inspirefirst.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Plunge-Womens-Tee-Design-Girl.jpg

Is this possible with a cutter plotter?


----------



## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

baezelon said:


> Thanks for the reply guys. I really appreciate your reply. Very helpful tips. But right now im confused. So what do you recommend? cutter plotter or laser printer? I just want to achieve a design like this if this is possible in heat transfer...
> 
> [media]http://www.inspirefirst.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Plunge-Womens-Tee-Design-Girl.jpg[/media]
> 
> ...


If you plan on reproducing this type of shirt for SELLING, better get it DTG'd or Screenprinted transfers. You will probably NOT get a sell-able product with transfer papers on dark garments. The hand is horrible and cracking/fading is a major problem as well. Light garments are not bad, and result in a marketable product. Dark garments, not so much. Good luck.


----------



## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

I agree with calhtech have it done with dtg. It will be too expensive to have it done with screen printed transfer if your order is not large enough to offset the cost of setup charges and lower the cost per transfer of multicolor design.

Boy your in for a treat. Unless you are gluten for punishment I suggest not to do it with opaque transfer paper. But if you do. it can be done with either inkjet or laser printer on opaque transfer and contour cut with vinyl cutter. You can't have one without the other to answer your question about which is which laser or vinyl cutter. Unless you have inkjet printer already. However, the hand will be heavy as pointed out by calhtech. You will be spending a lot of time weeding. The small pieces may come off during cutting or weeding. Unless your plotter is super accurate you have to add a thick outline that is the same color as the color of the shirt. To avoid white outline showing. clipping the image and keeping the small pieces larger so they will not come off during cutting and weeding. There is added cost also. You need to use transfer mask to take the opaque from the backing before pressing on the shirt. 

There is a company that will print for you on laser transfer for dark with white toner. I suggest to contact them. Buy a small sample quantity, do wash test and stretch test to make sure it does not crack or fade and meets your expectation before ordering in bulk. The sample can be different design at no extra cost because it is laser transfer.

Watch out when you order in bulk. The transfer they are selling is very hard to marry. Make sure there are no pits and missing pieces before you press the transfer. Let the vendor know about it right away to minimize delay to get the replacement so you can meet customer delivery date. That is the problem with outsourcing you are at the mercy of the vendor. That is why I print my own transfer and not rely on a vendor unless I have to. Pits and missing pieces can happen to screen printed transfer also.

One important thing to remember when using opaque or laser transfer for dark is *"DO NOT USE COTTON BLEND OR SYNTHETIC FABRIC"* otherwise dye migration will be an issue and the image will take on the color of the fabric. Use 100% cotton.

Here is the link to the website: X Press It

They also sell laser transfer for light and dark fabric.
Here are the link: FOREVER Laser Dark Transfer Paper

http://www.digitalheatfx.com/heat-transfers/laser-transparent.html


The company will print the image with white toner, marry the transfers, peel them and ship it to you ready to press on the shirt. Again make sure there are no pits or missing pieces.

When I asked I was quoted $6.00 I believe for a quantity of 25 pieces. You can't get that price for screen printed transfer with design that you have. The website says you can buy 1 piece for $25.00.

If you elect to go this route or buy sample(s) please post your results good or bad so everybody will benefit from it.


----------



## baezelon (Jan 6, 2014)

Wow Thanks Lnfortun. So i guess it is my last and best option to avail of this laser transfer method. So overall, opaque dark transfer paper is really not advisable, as it will fade and have cracks..Better to get image clip transfers for dark shirt for selfweeding... or better yet X Press It custom transfers.. well guys i already bought heat press and an inkjet before i post this.. So with the money i have left, better to spend it on shipping those custom transfer paper with a design right?


----------



## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

baezelon said:


> Wow Thanks Lnfortun. So i guess it is my last and best option to avail of this laser transfer method. So overall, opaque dark transfer paper is really not advisable, as it will fade and have cracks..Better to get image clip transfers for dark shirt for selfweeding... or better yet X Press It custom transfers.. well guys i already bought heat press and an inkjet before i post this.. So with the money i have left, better to spend it on shipping those custom transfer paper with a design right?


My advise is yes try X Press It. Ask free sample pre-weeded transfer, if it is available or buy small quantity of pre-weeded sample. So you are not out of a lot of money, if it does not meet your expectations. Press it on a swatch of fabric similar to the shirt of your choice if you don't want to waste a shirt. Wash and stretch test, fading, cracking etc. 

I have gotten free pre-weeded sample from Graphics One. The company I believe use the same brand of heat transfer. The sample did not crack. Believe it or not I pressed one sample for 6 seconds to avoid dye migration and it worked.

I posted pictures in another thread.

Here is the link: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/p1231955-post9.html

BTW be sure to stretch shirt before and after pressing otherwise the image will crack.

There is a member that built a shirt stretching frame. I made one and it worked.

Here is the post: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/p1250872-post8.html

I forgot about using a CMYK laser printer and swap the black toner with white toner. The link above remind me about it. You might want to go that route.

Read this thread: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/laser-heat-transfer-paper/t215143.html Go over each post and pay attention to positive and negative of the system.

It is the same thread that I posted the shirt stretcher frame but it starts at the beginning.

Contact Al and get free pre-weeded samples only since you don't have a laser printer yet. He is very willing to deal with customers who are interested in his system. Tell him that you are planning on buying a Okidata printer and interested in using his system. If you do get samples press them and do the battery test: wash, cracking etc. Again make sure you stretch the shirt and use 100% cotton..

Again whatever system you decide to use please post your result good or bad. If possible post photos also.


----------



## baezelon (Jan 6, 2014)

Ok thanks . Very useful INFO. Ill post it for a result. Big help. i appreciate it. THanks master !


----------



## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

baezelon said:


> Ok thanks . Very useful INFO. Ill post it for a result. Big help. i appreciate it. THanks master !


You are welcome.

Ask the company if they will print and weed your artwork as a sample. Send your it without the black back ground. Your artwork has a lot of detail small objects and colors. That will be a good gauge to test the transfer.

The transfer does look and feel like screen print if done right. At least the sample I got from Graphics One.

You know the transfer the company uses is hard to marry based on my experience when I did the marrying and others posts who tried and failed that cost them a lot of money. If you let the company print and weed the transfer they have to eat the wasted transfers in the process and send you the good transfers plus you don't have to buy the color laser printer.

But if you still want to buy the color laser printer to use it for laser transfer for lights buy an Okidata brand and use two step Imageclip Laser transfer for lights. You can't miss using the combination. Imageclip laser has limitations. It will not work if the artwork has very light color, gradient and photo but if the artwork is converted to RGB halftone I was able to make it work.

Stay away from one step self weeding laser transfer for lights.

I revisited the company's website and I don't see the self weeding laser transfer for dark just for lights and laser transfer for dark the requires a vinyl cutter. Make sure to specify self weeding transfer for dark.

But if they will cut and weed the transfer at reasonable price it is even better because you don't have to buy laser printer and vinyl cutter.


----------



## baezelon (Jan 6, 2014)

Thats what i plan. I already emailed them but still got no response. I think it would be good if they just do the weeding and printing. But soon i gonna test it myself if i got my investment back. not is not to good time for me not to waste money. i have to import the papers sir here in Manila. I searched for selfweeding or plastisol transfers here but sadly no ones using it now i guess because some here says that its hard to get the right amount of pressure in the heatpress for self weeding. Well that worries me too....


----------



## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

baezelon said:


> Thats what i plan. I already emailed them but still got no response. I think it would be good if they just do the weeding and printing. But soon i gonna test it myself if i got my investment back. not is not to good time for me not to waste money. i have to import the papers sir here in Manila. I searched for selfweeding or plastisol transfers here but sadly no ones using it now i guess because some here says that its hard to get the right amount of pressure in the heatpress for self weeding. Well that worries me too....


Ay ganoon ba? Hindi ba mahal ang koreo mula sa America patungong Manila? Mayroong member dian sa Pinas. Ang ID niya ay Brojames. Contakin mo sya via PM. Baka matulangan ka niya. Kung naandito ka sa states mabibigiyan kita nang transfer para testingin mo ngayong alam ko na ikaw ay kabayan. Aywan ko kung nag papadala sa ibang bansa ang DigialtheatFX. Itatanung ko. Baka pueding gamitin and balik bayan. Anong palagay mo? Mayroon yatang company na ginagamit si Brojames para makatipid sa koreo.

My mistake the company still carry the self weeding laser transfer for dark. I got confused. I swear I went to the website 3 times just to make sure before I told you. Every time I clicked heat transfers the one that was listed was their new laser transfer for dark that requires vinyl cutter. It must be that Filipino wine (Tuba). Sorry not a valid excuse I don't drink.

Anyway I sent an inquiry for you if they export to PI. They probably think I am smoking dope. Not!!! I asked why the transfer was not listed in the drop down list. Now when I click it the transfer that requires vinyl cutter is not listed and Laser Dark No-cut transfer is listed again. (Nakaka ulol).

I should have clicked the heat transfers before I sent the email. Bummer. What is that Filipino saying: "Gamitin mo ang mata mo hindi ang bunganga mo." My mother was always right God rest her soul. She always catched me all the time using my mouth instead of my eyes.

I will let you know when I hear from them.

Here is the link to actual page of FOREVER Laser Dark Not-cut: Heat Transfers. Well if you click Heat transfers in the home page the Laser Dark No-cut is listed.

BTW you should join the mailing list it is in the same page.

Another pinoy member is MyDamit. I believe he is in US and his brother is running the store in Caloocan. Here is the link to his website: http://teestudio.net/index.html

There are probably more pinoy members. There are lots of Pinoy threads. Here is the link: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/search.php?searchid=7321337

I have seen topic titles on Plastisol transfer. You can probably find somebody who makes Plastisol transfer or screen printer. But it will probably be expensive because your artwork has lots of colors. The good part is you are not going to pay expensive shipping and custom costs from US to Manila.

Sorry na lang sa mali ko at nang mga kumidia ko.

Mabuhay.


----------



## baezelon (Jan 6, 2014)

Haha! Kabayan ok lang yan. Parehas lang tayo. May time na angbigay din ako ng direksyon kung pano papunta sa isang lugar. Yun pala mali ung direksyon ko. iba nasabi ng mata ko. naligaw tuloy sila. joke. Ah si bro james. oo kachat ko sya tru pm message. So i should ask him ba? Thanks kabayan ah. i appreciate it haha. Gano katagal ka na ba sa business bro? ok ba yang transfer nila? kung gusto mo bro balikbayan box mo dito ill pay you extra... well depende kung kaya ko un lang. i just hope merong plastisol transfer dito sa manila. mahal kasi bro ng cutter plotter dito 18k pa. tapos pano kung wala pa namang oorder edi nnakatambak lang dun... balang araw bibili ako ng sampung DTG paglumakas na business natin haha. Good to chat with you kabayan ah haha)


----------



## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

baezelon said:


> Haha! Kabayan ok lang yan. Parehas lang tayo. May time na angbigay din ako ng direksyon kung pano papunta sa isang lugar. Yun pala mali ung direksyon ko. iba nasabi ng mata ko. naligaw tuloy sila. joke. Ah si bro james. oo kachat ko sya tru pm message. So i should ask him ba? Thanks kabayan ah. i appreciate it haha. Gano katagal ka na ba sa business bro? ok ba yang transfer nila? kung gusto mo bro balikbayan box mo dito ill pay you extra... well depende kung kaya ko un lang. i just hope merong plastisol transfer dito sa manila. mahal kasi bro ng cutter plotter dito 18k pa. tapos pano kung wala pa namang oorder edi nnakatambak lang dun... balang araw bibili ako ng sampung DTG paglumakas na business natin haha. Good to chat with you kabayan ah haha)


Mula pa 1990 ako magumpisa. Kaya may lumut na ang balat ko ng abo ng transfer.

Huwag kang magtanka bumili ng DTG. Kung ayaw mung magkaroon ng ankla. Ang inkjet printer ay nagkaclog at maaksaya sa tinta para hindi matuyuan ang heads ng tinta gusto mo o hindi kayilangan mag purge ang heads. Lalo na kung hindi ka nagpiprint araw araw. Pag nasira ang heads mahal magpaplit.

kapag walang order magaaksya ka ng tinta para hindi matuyan ang heads. Ankla nga ang kalalabasan.

Pag bumili ka nian susulatan ko ang kamaganak na ko si Pukpuk para pukpukin ang ulo mo. Joke.

Pumunta ka sa DTG forum. Basahin mo ang mga bangungut na dinadanas ng mga may ari ng DTG. Maraming nag bibinta DTG dahil sa sakit ng ulo.

Ang heads ng DTG ay parihas ng desktop printer. Apat na a itinapun kung inkjet printer dahil sa clog at iba pang dahilan.

Ang transfer ng DigitalHeatFX ay parihas ng Graphics One. Ang mga weeded sample na pinadala sa akin ng Graphics One ay OK lang. Pero testingin mung maigi bago ka bumili ng maramin.

Ang Graphics One ay hindi tumatangap ng order ng pre-weed transfer. Kaya itinuro ko syo ang DigitalHeatFX.

Itanong mo kay BroJames kung may alam sya na gumagawa ng plastisol transfer sa Pinas.

Sabi ni MyDamit kapag ang order ay 500 o kaya mahigit pa pinagagawa niya ng Pastisol dito sa American tapos pinadadala nya sa Pinas. Sabi nya hindi sya gumagamit ng self weeding laser dark transfer.

Binibiro ko si MyDamit. Na kapag bumili ka sa kanya ay bigyan nya ako ng comision.

Bakit hindi mo dalawin ang tindahan nya sa Caloocan?

Good to chat to you too.


----------



## bogiesbad (Nov 15, 2013)

This is all "Greek" to me.


----------



## BobR (Sep 26, 2013)

I believe it is Tagalog


----------



## baezelon (Jan 6, 2014)

Im sorry guys! well to summarize what lfortun said, he recommends me to contact DigitalHeatFX in ordering selfweeding transfers in the US instead of buying cutterplotter. Sadly, i tried to contact people here in Manila if they offer selfweed transfers but with no luck. THey said that selfweed is very hard to apply on shirt because you have to get the right pressure which makes it more expensive because of wastage your gonna make in experementing different pressures. I was thinking if the money i had would be spent on silkscreen? would that be a good idea? BTW heres a link were THeres so many cool shirts here and im inspired how they did this. This is made by silkscreen right? 

Cool Mens T-Shirts, Hoodies, And Other Apparel on Threadless

ANy suggestion guys? would i buy silkscreen instead of cutter plotter so i can create my own plastisol transfer?


----------



## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

baezelon said:


> Im sorry guys! well to summarize what lfortun said, he recommends me to contact DigitalHeatFX in ordering selfweeding transfers in the US instead of buying cutterplotter. Sadly, i tried to contact people here in Manila if they offer selfweed transfers but with no luck. THey said that selfweed is very hard to apply on shirt because you have to get the right pressure which makes it more expensive because of wastage your gonna make in experementing different pressures. I was thinking if the money i had would be spent on silkscreen? would that be a good idea? BTW heres a link were THeres so many cool shirts here and im inspired how they did this. This is made by silkscreen right?
> 
> Cool Mens T-Shirts, Hoodies, And Other Apparel on Threadless
> 
> ANy suggestion guys? would i buy silkscreen instead of cutter plotter so i can create my own plastisol transfer?


You failed to mention the topic about DTG and most likely you will wind up with a boat anchor. That if buy DTG I will send my Filipino cousin named "Pukpuk" (the term translates to hit) and hit your head. My version of "Guido".

If you can afford silkscreen equipment that is a better option. Because you can screenprint on both light and dark garments. The print is durable and vivid.

I frown on you consider in buying DTG because of the nightmares that owners had posted in DTG forum. I know how bad is the economy in the islands. However, if you find one in Manila who does DTG printing ask the owner if you can get a wholesale price. So that when you mark it up the profit margin will be reasonable. Also you will not have the nightmares of owning DTG. Leave it to the owner. 

The pastel shirts that don't have white color in the image on the link can be done easily with Imageclip Laser Light transfer.


----------



## baezelon (Jan 6, 2014)

Yeah luis i got you. Better stay away from your cousin lol. Thanks for the advice though. really expensive machine but at least i knew in advance. better stick to traditional printing though lol. Yow da men haha


----------

