# Making my first DTG printer purchase



## KonInk (May 26, 2011)

I have a budget of 15,000 dollars and am looking for a DTG Printer that offers the most value. I will be printing on mostly black tshirts and was wondering what would be the most affordable DTG printer for my company. We are a fairly new clothing company so I am looking to keep cost down but since I have zero experience using a DTG am looking for something that will be fairly hassle free. Sorry I have just been overwhelmed by all the information and any direction would be much appreciate.


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

Where are you located? Have you thought about outsourcing first while you learn the DTG business.. I would use part of your budget for marketing and getting a customer base and outsource to a local/online DTG company that does fulfillment so that you can start making money sooner than spending it on learning the business and the printer. 

the learning curve can be quite expensive and frustrating.. you have a decent budget and there are several good units in the classified area but "proper" training is vital. If I had to do it all over again, I would have bought used and have been trained by an end user rather than the distributor. Also, start outsource for the first several months, while I learned about artwork, software and DTG methods.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

take the 15K and look elsewhere. dtg is the most exciting and at the same time the most disappointing product in this industry. Read posts in the dtg for mums here over the last couple of years and you will see there are good things and bad things but most of all if you don't have a daily dedication to this product then you will be disappointed. 

you would be better off taking your 15K and getting into screen printing or embroidery.


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## KonInk (May 26, 2011)

Thank you for the help. I have not given much thought to outsourcing the work. I am located in Temecula, CA that might be a direction we could go to cut down cost and grow the brand.


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

I would strongly encourage creating a detailed business plan on how one plans to bring this new brand to market and to communicate this to its potential customers. Try to put down real numbers to each item in the plan.

Not sure if your total budget is $15,000 or if you have $15,000 for just equipment. Thus the reason for why I recommend doing the detailed business plan. One can easily go through $15,000 pretty fast if you are not careful. Need to determine whether outsourcing now at a higher price and using the money for more marketing is best or spending the money on getting the equipment. 

Best wishes with your new brand.

Mark


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## Don-ColDesi (Oct 18, 2006)

Mark is dead on regarding the importance of a business plan. If you only have $15,000 - you don't have $15,000 to spend on a direct to garment printer. You will need heat presses (most direct to garment printers today actually print faster than the shirts cure, plus you need to press pretreated shirts and often times need to press shirts out of the box to remove moisture/remove wrinkles), some level of garment inventory, money to cover travel expenses for travel to get trained (unless you choose to limit you printer selection to only those machines that offer training within driving distance) as well as other expenses that we often don't think of - things like tables to set up the machine for optimal work flow, additional outlets/circuits for the heat presses and printers, upgraded versions of your graphics software and/or clipart packages, more powerful computer to handle the new printer, etc.

It is important to get the big picture before jumping in. 

Good luck.


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## [email protected] (Sep 28, 2009)

Konink,
You are undercapitalized for a white ink machine. What everyone else said re: planning, other expenses, learning curve, sample shirts, FU's, marketing..dead on. Get a heat press and start with transfers if if you are dead set on black shirts. You will learn all the above at 10% of the cost. Research the transfers forums here. DO NOT BUY yet. If you can volunteer to work a dtg location for a while and see what really is involved. There is alot of blue sky going out. I have a Brother 541 and am really busy...no blacks..no hassles...still had a learning curve.


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## allamerican-aeoon (Aug 14, 2007)

You are not the first who come up with same topic in TSF. My suggestion is same with FK and DA, Get wholesale service even though profit is smaller than you own dtg. Justin Walker Champion (Printing Contest in this forum) does wholesale printing business at very reasonable price point and no one prints better than him

Starting business, disagree Don Coldeci idea. When all are perfect condition why we start business? Winner often start at bottom, with nothing. I saw so many who start with all and fails so bad. I do not mean I am a winner but I start with nothing catagory. Not even with English (still don't have one). Many immigrants come with lots of money to this country failure rate is 95% while No money success rate is 75%. When people who scare this scare that and complain about shortage of this and that and find excuses why cannot start--- any will never be a winner. Actually never will start any. Comes as John goes as a John.
Napoleon is one of greatest general in history. No one can write better battle plan than he was. He loves to fight, he enjoied victory. My favorite words from his autobiography "at first gun shot all battle plan will changed" but he never scrared any fight. There are no perfect plans which will carry out as planned. Courage, Keep working and keep reinvesting. I did not mean anything about buying or not buying or starting or not starting. You made a goal then push with all the strength you have. Just do not make excuses yourself. Because of that, because of this is belong to the loser.
Winner sees green in desert while loser will see bunch of sands. Best luck to you.


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## allamerican-aeoon (Aug 14, 2007)

I was reading your post again and something hit me. But do not follow this idea before you think deep.
$15000 pay cash is mighty money to start any even Kornit set up.
Epson modify printer: $5000 down you can get any printer. Any lease company will sign you up. If not call me.
Supplies: $2-3000 heat press and etc.
Keep feed your business before profitable: 3+ month. You are the only one knows.
You have change left in your hand for opening Party. Cheers, beers are on me always.


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## ROYAL SAVAGE (Feb 18, 2009)

KonInk said:


> I have a budget of 15,000 dollars and am looking for a DTG Printer that offers the most value. I will be printing on mostly black tshirts and was wondering what would be the most affordable DTG printer for my company. We are a fairly new clothing company so I am looking to keep cost down but since I have zero experience using a DTG am looking for something that will be fairly hassle free. Sorry I have just been overwhelmed by all the information and any direction would be much appreciate.


You don't say how much production you need to do on you proposed machines. A top quality set-up for printing darks will cost significantly more than $15,000.00 . How many shirts per month do you need to print. No DTG machine is completely hassle free. You just want the machine with the least hassles!


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## allamerican-aeoon (Aug 14, 2007)

ROYAL SAVAGE said:


> You don't say how much production you need to do on you proposed machines. A top quality set-up for printing darks will cost significantly more than $15,000.00 . How many shirts per month do you need to print. No DTG machine is completely hassle free. You just want the machine with the least hassles!


I agree with RS is 100% right. Thank you RS, this is the way all TSF member does it. 
Answer could be find very easily in this TSF. I am pretty sure RS was not decent size company at begining. But hard work, reinvestment, plans made now RS. Peace!!!
Cheers, beers are on me always.


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## allamerican-aeoon (Aug 14, 2007)

Kornit set up.
$10,000 down $60000-140000 lease for 6yrs. With decent credit. $980-$2450/month before tax.
You have to make $150/day profit to make even. I don't think thread starter is interest in this angle but ----. Most Epson modify is $82,50-$165/month.


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## ROYAL SAVAGE (Feb 18, 2009)

allamerican said:


> I agree with RS is 100% right. Thank you RS, this is the way all TSF member does it.
> Answer could be find very easily in this TSF. I am pretty sure RS was not decent size company at begining. But hard work, reinvestment, plans made now RS. Peace!!!
> Cheers, beers are on me always.


Ok Peter AA.


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## ROYAL SAVAGE (Feb 18, 2009)

allamerican said:


> Kornit set up.
> $10,000 down $60000-140000 lease for 6yrs. With decent credit. $980-$2450/month before tax.
> You have to make $150/day profit to make even. I don't think thread starter is interest in this angle but ----. Most Epson modify is $82,50-$165/month.


To correct you gently. If you have a $980.00 lease payment on a "smaller machine " you need to generate $49.00 per day / 20 days per month for the payment. That does not include ink, and fixed costs.


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## stix (Feb 3, 2008)

Just theory here: Buy a used machine for 5k (no debt) buy all new consumable parts (1k), buy bagged ink. You wont have to worry about a lease.. You won't have the latest and greatest, but get a used the machine to pop your cherry and get started.


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## kevrokr (Feb 26, 2007)

stix said:


> Just theory here: Buy a used machine for 5k (no debt) buy all new consumable parts (1k), buy bagged ink. You wont have to worry about a lease.. You won't have the latest and greatest, but get a used the machine to pop your cherry and get started.


I see a lot of people doing it this way which is good, we are always eager to help owners get their machine running with our bagged ink system, but I think getting training to use the machine should be added into the initial purchase figures. If you poke around, there are individuals who would be more than happy to train/service on machines that are second-hand and older.


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## stix (Feb 3, 2008)

Yes.. There are several reasons why there are many used machines on the market.

1. Manufacturers built lemons.
2. Customer unable to recover from headaches from the lemons.
3. Customer didn't receive proper training and couldn't service debt.
4. The business plan or lack of a business becomes obvious when the clothing line doesn't work out.

As Mike Tyson said "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth"

There are deals out here but do you want a 2011 AMG Mercedes (Financed) or will a 2004 Maxima (cash) work better for you. There are no right or wrong answers.. it's about the choice that lets you sleep at night.


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## ROYAL SAVAGE (Feb 18, 2009)

The Tyson line is great.

I've said this before and upset people - Are you interested in being a bon-a-fide DTG printer? You can't buy junk and there is no easier softer way. The gear is not created equal. There are a lot of used machines that are available because they are junk - pure and simple. Some of the great used equipment deals are around because companies went out of business because they were sued out of business! The gear didn't work to begin with! Some of the new gear is simply rehashed versions of that gear from outfits that went under.

The DTG sales game is probably the least forthright of sector of the decorated apparel market - i've been in this game for a very long time. I've spent well into the 7 figures on equipment. The sales pitches are inflated pie in the sky stories to get the uninformed to fork over cash. Read the heartache in the forum - brand by brand. No one is immune. Take your time and get educated. It took me a year and my initial investment was a bad one. 

This is not a quick cash easy solution to being a decorator. Being a bon-a-fide decorator is a tough lifestyle. In-fact the people with the most problems have the least experience as decorators. Most people who are already involved in the business have made major equipment purchases prior to getting into DTG. The novice is at risk without education.

DTG is an incredible technological development - but it bears a striking similarity to the wild west and the old snake oil salesmen. 

Most DTG printers will tell you that the business is tough. If you don't have customers - don't buy. Subcontract your work and save for the best equipment your money can buy.


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## allamerican-aeoon (Aug 14, 2007)

ROYAL SAVAGE said:


> To correct you gently. If you have a $980.00 lease payment on a "smaller machine " you need to generate $49.00 per day / 20 days per month for the payment. That does not include ink, and fixed costs.


My school thought me 
Profit = after all the expenses which are include utility, ink, rent, tax, labor, toilet paper, ink pen, paper clips, depreciation, internet connection, golf --. Whatever takes to run business.
Gross sale - all expenses = profit.


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## ROYAL SAVAGE (Feb 18, 2009)

allamerican said:


> My school thought me
> Profit = after all the expenses which are include utility, ink, rent, tax, labor, toilet paper, ink pen, paper clips, depreciation, internet connection, golf --. Whatever takes to run business.
> Gross sale - all expenses = profit.


scarey buy people just look at the machine payment. i wish DTG was that cheap


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## allamerican-aeoon (Aug 14, 2007)

ROYAL SAVAGE said:


> scarey buy people just look at the machine payment. i wish DTG was that cheap


You are early bird. No wonder you have your success. Passion that you have. I have been up for while and working on 3rd cups of coffee already. Do you getting any customers from this forum? My guess is No. If so very minimal. But I do get. 
Often I see you have more involvement than I am. I give fair amount of respect to you. Have a great day! No machine hiccups today!!!! and all show off at work and all AR get paid. It used to be my ideal day. Oh good date was in too.
Cheers! opps it is little too early.


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