# Where To Buy Sublimation Ink & Refillable Cartridges



## GingerSnapsMama (May 15, 2009)

Hi,

I am new to sublimation and need to buy ink asap. I have searched the forum and web but need help with specific sources. WHERE are the best buys for what I need? Feel free to email me at [email protected]. 

I am looking for...

1) Artanium ink -- for refilling cartridges and in smallest bulk size available. I am open to another brand of ink but need a profile that works with Mac computers.

2) Empty refillable Epson printer cartridges with chip resetter -- I have a 3 different models of Epson printers but I am particularly interested in refillable cartridges for C88. 

3) Any tips on how to fill the cartridges and clean the printer.

BIG THANKS


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

why are you looking at Artainium ink? Sublijet has better ICC profile...I have used both..
Another thing..the C88 series is no longer made I believe and I would not invest in a sublimation system for that unit. I am not aware that you can buy bulk artainium ink or sublijet ink because of Sawgrass patent. I guess there ways to work around, but I have never done so. I just pay the price for sawgrass and price the end product accordingly and have never had any issues. I guess that you can buy third party sublimation ink but because of the difficulty in getting the correct ICC profile AND support I would not recommend that for someone beginning sublimation I have been doing sublimation since 1997 and have made all the mistakes. Feel free to contact me direct if you have further questions...there are a lot of sources here and then there is a sublimation forum at DyeSub.org - An educational site for dye sublimation and digital transfer printing.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

charles95405 said:


> why are you looking at Artainium ink? Sublijet has better ICC profile...I have used both..
> Another thing..the C88 series is no longer made I believe and I would not invest in a sublimation system for that unit. *I am not aware that you can buy bulk artainium ink* or sublijet ink *because of Sawgrass patent*. I guess there ways to work around, but I have never done so. I just pay the price for sawgrass and price the end product accordingly and have never had any issues. I guess that you can buy third party sublimation ink but because of the difficulty in getting the correct ICC profile AND support I would not recommend that for someone beginning sublimation I have been doing sublimation since 1997 and have made all the mistakes. Feel free to contact me direct if you have further questions...there are a lot of sources here and then there is a sublimation forum at DyeSub.org - An educational site for dye sublimation and digital transfer printing.


Artanium inks currently and always have been available in bulk bottles, even from authorized retailers. The '907 patent has nothing to do with bulk inks.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

GingerSnapsMama said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am new to sublimation and need to buy ink asap. I have searched the forum and web but need help with specific sources. WHERE are the best buys for what I need? Feel free to email me at [email protected].
> 
> ...


I marked up in your questions above.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Mike...not to be picky...but don't you need to have a wide format printer to buy bulk artainium and be strickly legal? But unlike some, I am content to buy from Sawgrass and charge accordingly...as a result in 15 years I have no problems...just follow the guidelines in printing from Epsons...For the past 5 years I have used Ricoh printers with gel sublimation..since I can now do DTG, I don't need the large printer size

In any case it is whatever the buyer/user feels comfortable with...and works for them..


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

charles95405 said:


> Mike...not to be picky...but don't you need to have a wide format printer to buy bulk artainium and be strickly legal? But unlike some, I am content to buy from Sawgrass and charge accordingly...as a result in 15 years I have no problems...just follow the guidelines in printing from Epsons...For the past 5 years I have used Ricoh printers with gel sublimation..since I can now do DTG, I don't need the large printer size
> 
> In any case it is whatever the buyer/user feels comfortable with...and works for them..


Artanium has always been available **legally** in bulk bottles for small format printers, even from Sawgrass authorized retailers. Perhaps for the last 15 years you missed this?? 

Epson - DyeTrans.com

ArTainium UV+ Bulk Ink Bottle - 125ml (4 oz.)

Sublimation Artanium Inks & Systems | LRi

I mentioned the Ebay resellers since they are half price there as the OP was asking for "best buys".

So in any case the OP can use Sawgrass inks (Artainium = Sawgrass) at half price or full price _and charge accordingly and just follow the guidelines in printing from Epsons_. 

As I have mentioned many times on this forum the carriage size and how the inks are bottled are not patented in '907. See the attached, there is no language to the ink delivery ... bulk, CIS, refillable cart, prefilled not refillable cart, carriage size, large format, small format, etc.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

mgparrish said:


> As I have mentioned many times on this forum the carriage size and how the inks are bottled are not patented in '907. See the attached, there is no language to the ink delivery...


Yeah, but neither is there language that covers peristaltic ink delivery, which does not use heat to expel the inks. But you and I know this hasn't stopped Sawgrass from applying legal pressure to stop the sale of inks that do not have, or require, the "heat shield" to prevent premature activation.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

GordonM said:


> Yeah, but neither is there language that covers peristaltic ink delivery, which does not use heat to expel the inks. But you and I know this hasn't stopped Sawgrass from applying legal pressure to stop the sale of inks that do not have, or require, the "heat shield" to prevent premature activation.


So true, but that is a whole different discussion. And I should have been more consise about "ink delivery", in my context it was how the ink is sold and stored, in or out of the printer. Ink "storage" would have been a better term for me to use. The technology that pushes the ink thru the head I wasn't talking about, but as you mention they were not thinking about piezo when they patented the problem they were trying to solve in the patent ... protecting the ink from heat ... which doesn't exist in a piezo.

However, in this case Sawgrass authorized resellers do sell in bulk for the desktop. If the topic is restricted to "legal" inks then it comes down to a business decision for Sawgrass to cut bulk ink sales off from authorized dealers or not, not a case of of patent over-claim to use against someone else. 

The "someone else" would only be Sawgrass since they supply the bulk inks to the authorized resellers in this case. But it would be refreshing to see Sawgrass sue themselves though!


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## GingerSnapsMama (May 15, 2009)

Woo Hoo! Thanks for the dialogue on this subject.

I asked about at Artainium instead of Sublijet because my understanding is that the Sublijet ICC profile only works with PCs, and not my Mac.

I know the C88 is no longer made, but I have 2 of them (got a couple when on sale and another cause it was cheaper than buying new ink cartridges). I wanted to use refillable ink so that if I do change printers, I can still used remaining ink in the new cartridges. 

I am open to additional options other than Sawgrass, but because of their monopoly I figured that would limit the availability or awareness of other inks. If any one has endorsements for other bulk inks, I would welcome your feedback.

Thanks again for the links and referrals. I look forward to checking them out.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I used Gercutter (Gerprint) off Amazon in the past. Looks like they must have gotten sewed by Sawgrass, cause they only offer sawgrass now. Sorry.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

Gercutter's sub inks are still available through Amazon, and shipped by Dinsink. Their Web site has always (well, for the past 6 months or so) not listed the alternative inks.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

GingerSnapsMama said:


> I am open to additional options other than Sawgrass, but because of their monopoly I figured that would limit the availability or awareness of other inks.


Mike's suggestion of Artainium inks through eBay is a good one. But just be sure the inks haven't expired, or set to expire. A good 9-12 months or so is best.

A decent price you can expect is about $275 for a set of four 4oz bottles. The typical full retail for these is about $600 ($150 a bottle).


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## GingerSnapsMama (May 15, 2009)

I saw Dinsink / Gercutter online but was very nervous about the quality since I had not heard about them before. 

I was hoping to get endorsements about the quality-- that it was as good or better. Do they provide icc profiles? If not, how do folk work around that?


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

I've not used Gercutter inks, so I can't comment on that.

You DO want to find a supplier that can furnish the ICC profiles, unless you plan on making your own.

I've seen Mac dmg files for Artainium inks on the Sawgrass site. You should be able to locate them if you do a Web search.


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## GingerSnapsMama (May 15, 2009)

I was on Amazon looking to make purchase and saw this message from a vendor ..
"BUYERS BEWARE!!! We have received complaints from customers having purchased from "Dinsink" and "Ink727" claiming to have purchased Dynamic Sublimation Ink cartridges. These are fraudulent sellers and are selling an inferior knockoff that plugs printheads. "A Bowl of Cherries" is the only legitimate seller of this product and will also back this product. Our phone number is the one you see in the photo. ...All others will not meet the high standard required by Janeyssublimationink."

I could not find reviews or mention of Dynamic Sublimation Ink or Janeyssublimationink.

Are they desirable? Is this just a marketing tactic?


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I would think it's a Marketing Tactic. All Sublimation, & Pigment Ink clogs the printers. That's why we always have to run a couple of runs a day.


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

Although all ink can "clog" printers there surely is a significant difference between inks not only in "clogging" but in abrasive factors that destroy printheads.


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