# chromablast



## cameront21 (Jun 28, 2007)

Ok I will be printing on cotton t's. Using Chromablast can i print on all colored t's except black with no color loss from the original image. Also can i print chromablast ink on opaque transfer paper.

I am just looking for a cost effective way to print quality multicolor designs on all colored cotton t's i do understand that i will have to use opaque transfer paper for designs with white color on non white t's

thanks so much for the help

cameron


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## cameront21 (Jun 28, 2007)

Anybody?

Also how is the quality and durability of transfers using my standard CMYK that come in my epson c88 printer the durabright ink i believe it is called on a high quality transfer paper/ opaque paper for darks.

thanks

cameron


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

To start off with, ChromaBlast is a light transfer paper. This means, the lightest color in your design must be darker than the color of the t-shirt in order to get good color reproduction. Thus, if you take a picture of a caucasian blonde girl and want to put it on a pink shirt, you have to use an opaque / dark transfer paper. Otherwise, it makes it look like the girl has pink hair with a sunburn. So, ChromaBlast is really best to be used on white shirts (and possibly grey or ash color). The window on the transfer is much less noticeable on white shirts then shirts with a color in it.

The ChromaBlast inks are specificially made for heat transfers. So, they are going to be better than the durabright inks. But, it also depends on what transfer paper you use. If you use a light transfer paper with a large amount of polymer or adhesive on it, it could keep almost any type of ink on it. However, it will have a very heavy hand that is usually undersireable. Hope this helps you.

Mark


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## Chainy (Jun 15, 2007)

"The ChromaBlast inks are specificially made for heat transfers. So, they are going to be better than the durabright inks."

So can I use Chromablast inks on say opaque dark paper and get a better result than using Durabright?

The reason I'm asking, is that I'm purchasing a 4800 hybrid with Sublimation/Chromablast inks and if I want to do heat transfers using opaque paper I was considering an Epson 87 with Durabright pigment inks. If I coudl use Chromablast inks, it would save me space (no additional printer), I can print larger images using the 4800 and maybe a few dollars.

Ta,
Greg


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## rahul (Sep 15, 2006)

I am also using chromablast but i have seen that hand on the imprinted area goes away after a few wash. But I am not getting good colors when using ICC profile provided by sawgrass. Instead I convert the original image in bitmap using corel11 and then print it using default settings

Does anybody know that why is this happening. I should be getting better colors using ICC profile


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

I have a chromablast system and while I do not use it now, it does work okay on white/ash...does not do well on dark fabric


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## BRC (Mar 27, 2007)

Chromablast is designed to be used in combunation with the special paper just for Chromablast. You probably will not get good results using it with other papers, but it may be worth a test or two to find out, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it working.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

BRC is correct ...you need special paper from sawgrass....75 cents per sheet!
Cost me almost 900 for the cis system/ink and c88...lousy decision on my part


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## rahul (Sep 15, 2006)

I am using the paper provided by sawgrass


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## townhall1023 (Aug 6, 2007)

I also bought the Epson 4800, using sublijet inks on one side and chromablast inks on the other. I am having a problem with the printer using both sides at the same rate. I use the driver specified by Sawgrass, but it didn't make any difference. Is anyone else having this problem. I have talked to Sawgrass and vendor where I purchased the hybrid system.

Thanks


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## imeccentric (May 13, 2007)

Cameron,
You have to use the chromoblast papers with the inks. The whole concept behind it is that there are binders IN the ink that reacts with the special paper adhesives. That is why you aren't supposed to get any area around your designs. If the area on your paper doesn't touch the binders in the ink, it isn't supposed to stick to the shirt. It works fine for me, but I know others have problems. I have found that chromoblast clogs heads a lot faster and also found that no matter what they tell you, I shut my printer off if it isn't going to be used for a few days. I also found that alcohol works much better for cleaning heads than anything else. Some of the tech support people I've talked to leave much to be desired(Conde' as an example). I do print on light colors but usually limit the designs to black and they come out fine. I also print on blends all of the time with no problem. I think Alpha supply says they have had luck using sublimation inks with some of their paper on cottons, but I haven't tried that yet.

Jim
Embellishments in Thread


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

Doris,

What you are talking about is not a problem with the software you are using. It is something that happens to ALL Epson printers - whether running them as an single ink system (i.e. 8-colors of SubliJet IQ inks) or as a hybrid system (running two different sets of CMYK inks). It has to do with the type type of ink delivery system (i.e. piezo print head) and the Epson firmware. A piezo print head has to regularly spit ink (whether on to a piece of paper or into the maintenance / capping station. The Epson firmware is programmed to have the print head spit ink from all 8-channels into the capping station after the print head has spit ink every XXX amount of droplets it puts down on to your paper. This spitting would happen no matter what ink setup you would have. 

In the past, no one really noticed that this was happening because you were only printing one type of ink. Now with the release of hybrids, it is noticeable if you are printing more from one type of ink or the other. Does this mean running a hybrid is a bad choice? Not really if you take a look at the math behind trying to do the same thing between having two printers (one doing dye sub and one heat transfers) and a hybrid.

- Most people can figure out what the cost would be to setup two separate printers (i.e. two printers, two complete sets of ink, possibly a bulk feed system, software/ICC/RIP to run it).
- Then you need to add into the cost to maintain BOTH of these printers (i.e. keeping the ink lines flowing - nozzle checks, head cleanings,...)
- Then add into it the ink that is used during the spitting. Remember, the firmware is going to tell both printers to spit ink into the maintenance / capping station for ALL channels of ink on BOTH printers.

- Now compare the cost of a hybrid printer (i.e. one printer, 4 cartridges/bags of ink for sublimation, 4 cartridges/bags of ink for heat transfer, software / RIP to drive)
- Now factor in the cost to maintain ONE printer (i.e. keeping the ink lines flowing - nozzle checks, head cleanings)
- Then add into it the ink that is used during the spitting. Remember, the firmware is going to tell the ONE printers to spit ink into the maintenance / capping station for ALL channels of ink (i.e. both types of ink). 

NOTE: The cost to spit ink in a hybrid is going to use 4 channels of sublimation ink (which tends to be the most expensive ink) and 4 channels of a heat transfer ink (which tends to be cheaper than sublimation ink). Thus, if you tend to print more sublimation products...the cost of spitting using a hybrid would be less than the cost of spitting using an all sublimation ink setup because the cheaper heat transfer ink will be spit instead of the more expensive sublimation ink.

So if you compare the initial capital investment to start up a two printer system compared to a hybrid using the same printers - it could be almost twice as much depending on your setup. Then, you could have up to twice the amount of maintenance (i.e. nozzle checks, head cleanings,...) and ink spitting into the maintenance station with a two printer setup than a hybrid.

Saying this, I know several people that are running one of MultiRIP's hybrid solution using only one type of ink and have put cleaning fluid into the other set of ink channels. So, if you don't like your hybrid setup now...you don't have to get rid of it or switch it to an 8-color system. You can easily just put cleaning cartridges into the system. Just something to consider.

Hope this explains things for you. Best wishes.

Mark


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## Buechee (Dec 22, 2005)

Can you use chromablast ink in durabright printer? Or can you convert the printer to use the orther ink?


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

ChromaBlast ink only comes in cartridges or bags made specifically for the C88, R1800 & 48X0 printers.

Not sure what you mean by can you convert the printer to use the other ink? Please explain in more detail.


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## Buechee (Dec 22, 2005)

I have a C88+. Will it work in that printer? It's a durabright printer. I was asking if you could convert the printer to a bulk system that would use the chromablast ink?


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

Yes you can. Here is a link to a distributor that has it up on their website - Chromablast Ink - DyeTrans.com


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## suju (May 2, 2008)

Hi Mark

Thanks for your detailed explanation. I'm new to all of this and have been working on my list of equipment to buy from Josh at Imprintables and then it occurred to me that I need both sublimation ink for mugs and pigment ink for t-shirts. What printers do you use? do you have two printers, one for each kind of ink or do you have a hybrid system? also, who sells the hybrid system?

thanks!


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

I own one 4800 that is setup as a hybrid to run with sublimation and MultINK (for heat transfers and film positives). I prefer the 48X0 series since you can run larger cartridges and not have to run a bulk feed system with it. Not that bulk feed systems don't work, but they need a little more TLC and you need to print on them every day or so. So the investment in a larger printer with less maintenance and cheaper cost per print is why the 4800 is in my office.

As for what companies sell hybrids depends on what type of hybrid setup fits your business model. 
- Almost all SubliJet IQ distributors can sell a hybrid that will work for light colored garments only. It will include SubliJet IQ for the sublimation ink and ChromaBlast for the heat transfers ink. You can find a list of these distributors at Sawgrass Technologies - Home. This system is only available for the R1800, 4800 and 4880 printers right now.
- The other primary type of hybrid is one that uses a RIP called MultiRIP - which is what I came up with. This RIP allows you to choose between SubliJet IQ or ArTainium for sublimation ink and ChromaBlast (light transfer ink) or MultINK (light or dark transfer ink and a film positive ink). You can find a list of these distributors at MultiRIP Screen Printing, Sublimation, Transfers, Photograph and Direct-to-Garment Printing RIP Software. There are hybrid systems for the 1400, R1800, 4800, 4880, 7800, 7880, 9880 and 9880 printers. 

Hope this answers your questions and gives you the ability to complete your research. Best wishes.

Mark


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## suju (May 2, 2008)

Hi Mark

Thanks for your help! Boy, it seems like the more I read and research, the more I realize how little I know ;o( I thought I was all ready to place an order for my equipment, but I think I better do a bit more research now.

thanks again!


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## racso (Feb 3, 2011)

what is the name of the paper to work on dark for chromoblast and where can i founded, please help me out


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