# Cheapest site for Sublimation ink



## tdprout (Mar 29, 2008)

I know this question has probably been asked gillons of times...but where would be the cheapest site for me to buy sub ink? Also sub ink and archival ink are different right?


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

I am assuming you have a desktop printer...if so your only source for sublimation ink is from Sawgrass and it is normally the same price regardless of the vendor. Sawgrass holds the patent in US (and I am sure the same for UK and EU...under either sawgrass name or rotech inks)...so there is no cheap source.

and sublimation ink and archival ink are totally different...sublimation is normally used only in certain Epson Printers and the Richol GX5050 and GX7000

Remember sublimation carts cannot be switched back and forth in regular ink in the same printer...you waste too much pricey ink in clearing the ink channels...AND you do know sublimation works only of 100% polyester??? you can do 65-35, but the inks will only bond with the percentage that is polyester...or polymer coating....

Also trying to use a DIY spray does not work for commercial use. I have been doing sublimation for almost 9 years and have yet to find a 'cheap' way to get this done


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## tdprout (Mar 29, 2008)

This is my plan...get a Epson 1100 for pigment inks..shirt transfers and such. C88 for with dye sub inks. and the ink from China...how is that stuff?


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

The pigment ink and Epson is good...the the C-88 is fine for sublimation. The inks from China is LOUSY...I have yet to hear of anyone getting Chinese ink that comes with a reliable ICC profile. You will not get accurate color without the ICC profile. 

Do a search on here and I doubt you will find a thread in which Chinese sublimation ink works as sawgrass. Incidently I think it is technically illegal to import sublimation ink into US because of the patent infringement...If you are outside the US, maybe you could.Remember the sublimation process requires a correct combination of ink/paper/time/temp/pressure. If anyone of the five items is off you will not have a good product


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## tdprout (Mar 29, 2008)

charles95405 said:


> .Remember the sublimation process requires a correct combination of ink/paper/time/temp/pressure. If anyone of the five items is off you will not have a good product


 Is the degree of difficulty for sublimation on hats and mugs more than that of t shirts?


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

I have run lots of testing regarding cost of printing and quality. For the money, I think the sublimation gel inks are hard to beat. One mililiter of gel ink is the same as three mililiters of epson ink, making the Ricoh printers very low cost to print using the Sublijet inks. Also I think that the blacks are the best I have ever seen; I call them harley Davidson black!

China inks are a hit and miss.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

the process is exactly the same for tee shirts, caps and mugs...ONLY you need a mug press for the mugs and a separate cap press...so you will need three presses...a clam shell or swing away for tees, then a cap press and a Mug press...the later are not cheap..


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## tdprout (Mar 29, 2008)

Yes..I have an old old old one for shirts.. Seems like I can get a mug press for about 120ish and cap for about 180ish..


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## tdprout (Mar 29, 2008)

What's the deal with the ink from Echo Store? 20 bucks per bottle! I know a lot of folks have complained but it seems they have beef with the CIS system itself. I just want the ink, as i personally prefer refillable cartridges.


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## IYFGraphics (Sep 28, 2009)

tdprout said:


> What's the deal with the ink from Echo Store? 20 bucks per bottle! I know a lot of folks have complained but it seems they have beef with the CIS system itself. I just want the ink, as i personally prefer refillable cartridges.


None of that ink is sublimation ink......it's dye and pigment ink neither work for sublimation...


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

remember sublimation is often referred to as dye sub...but it is NOT the same ink as dye ink or pigmented ink. to get more info on sublimation go to DyeSub.org - An educational site for dye sublimation and digital transfer printing.


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## GAW (Jan 11, 2010)

You can always check ebay for someone that has ink left over.


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