# Printer Query



## Tabz (Apr 9, 2015)

hi.. im a total newbie at sublimation, i was talking to a guy today in the shop i get my pigment inks from, and i was telling him that i wouldnt mind trying out the mug printing side of things.

to cut a long story short, i just need to double check what i was told..ie, that any epson or ricoh inkjet printer can be turned into a sublimation printer just by putting in sublimation inks .. is that correct and as easy as it seems ?

also .. can anyone recommend a printer that wont break the bank ? .. im not after the scanner / fax etc, just a printer that will do a fair job of printer onto sub papers (general stuff like photos etc) and one that is easy enough to get ink refills etc, 

many thanks in advance


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## veetwincowboy (Mar 14, 2015)

Everybody has a favorite, mine is the RICOH SG 3110 DN with sawgrass inks. Conde has a packace deal and can hook you up.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

veetwincowboy said:


> Everybody has a favorite, mine is the RICOH SG 3110 DN with sawgrass inks. Conde has a packace deal and can hook you up.


How Long have you been running that 3110. My 3300 died. I wasn't doing that much sub. mostly just for our store, and few client, as soon as it died I'm getting a bunch of requests. I see best blanks has that printer for about $225 If you buy a set of inks but the ink is a lot more than the 3300s were, which was already painful. Have you used it enough to roughly calculate your print cost?


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

Wow Conde's temp. package is $525 with ink and 100pk of paper. That's probably as cheap as it's gonna get!


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

This is what I got, the Epson WF7110 Amazon.com : Epson WorkForce WF-7110 Wireless and WiFi Direct, Wide-Format Color Inkjet Printer, 2-Sided Auto Duplex. Prints from Tablet/Smartphone. AirPrint Compatible. (C11CC99201) : Electronics

150.00 (free shipping)
Inks and cartridges from Cobra

cartridges 40.00
sub Ink 64.00
Paper 24.00


total $278.... up and running


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## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

lmcawards said:


> This is what I got, the Epson WF7110 Amazon.com : Epson WorkForce WF-7110 Wireless and WiFi Direct, Wide-Format Color Inkjet Printer, 2-Sided Auto Duplex. Prints from Tablet/Smartphone. AirPrint Compatible. (C11CC99201) : Electronics
> 
> 150.00 (free shipping)
> Inks and cartridges from Cobra
> ...



So is this the system you are running?

CalhTech>


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

That's it...you can get the paper cheaper but It was easier getting it at cobra when I bought the inks and cartridges


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## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

lmcawards said:


> That's it...


How is the ICC working for you?

I just setup a 7010 that I had been sitting on and I have been having a bear with colors, esp on photos. I bought my carts and ink from Cobra over a year ago, so they may be the problem! Just wondering. Need to figure that out before I burn anymore chromaluxe!!!


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

ICC works fine, just have to play with them, hold on, I'll upload a couple pics of some mugs I just did


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

The first two mugs were with the aluminum setting and the black just wasn't cutting it so I did the stein in the poly setting and well, that's what I was looking for, that's is black. Also in the ICC the paper setting makes a difference but, I like what I'm seeing with these inks.....


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

Wholy [email protected]! that's like the cost of 1set of sawgrass inks. Mugs are what I sub most.


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## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

lmcawards said:


> The first two mugs were with the aluminum setting and the black just wasn't cutting it so I did the stein in the poly setting and well, that's what I was looking for, that's is black. Also in the ICC the paper setting makes a difference but, I like what I'm seeing with these inks.....


Very cool. My profile for the 7010 has me leaving the Paper settings at Plain Paper, is that the same for you? Also, did you use wraps or mug press?


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

Yeah, no kidding, that's why I stayed away from inkjet sub printing the last bunch of years. Been doing the full color laser since 2004 but that was mostly for metal products, plaques etc...reading about the cobra inks is what got me back into the mug game. I's been less than a month and I've paid for this setup 5 times over already


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

calhtech said:


> Very cool. My profile for the 7010 has me leaving the Paper settings at Plain Paper, is that the same for you? Also, did you use wraps or mug press?


The first two mugs were premium paper setting for aluminum, the stein I changed to plain paper with the poly cloth setting. I printed them in photoshop and burned them in a mug press....


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## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

lmcawards said:


> The first two mugs were premium paper setting for aluminum, the stein I changed to plain paper with the poly cloth setting. I printed them in photoshop and burned them in a mug press....



OK, I was beginning to wonder whether I needed to consider another setup or give it a little time. I spent a couple hundred dollars last week on blanks (chromalux, slate, frames, etc) and I thought maybe I'd jumped the gun when my first chromealux came out horribly saturated.. Anyways, thanks so much for your help. Do you do tees too or just the hard goods?


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

Haven't had a call for tees so much mostly screen print those but I have done these....


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## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

lmcawards said:


> Haven't had a call for tees so much mostly screen print those but I have done these....


Very cool. I do a little screen printing for 1 color large qty. Well again I certainly appreciate your help.


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

Any time, good luck!


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## Tabz (Apr 9, 2015)

will this do ? .. im sure it comes with normal dye inks from the answers on amazon.. if i was to get hold of some sublimation cartridges and use them from the off .. or am i missing something :-/


Ricoh SG-2100N A4 Colour Geljet Printer: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories


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## Tabz (Apr 9, 2015)

lmcawards said:


> The first two mugs were with the aluminum setting and the black just wasn't cutting it so I did the stein in the poly setting and well, that's what I was looking for, that's is black. Also in the ICC the paper setting makes a difference but, I like what I'm seeing with these inks.....


wow, they look mint


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

Tabz said:


> will this do ? .. im sure it comes with normal dye inks from the answers on amazon.. if i was to get hold of some sublimation cartridges and use them from the off .. or am i missing something :-/
> 
> 
> Ricoh SG-2100N A4 Colour Geljet Printer: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories


not sure....it says Gel printer....maybe that's an England thing...also says A4 so I'm guessing that is the size paper it will print on? can't see any other sizes listed and I would want at least the capability of printing 11x17. So I'm still not sure. Hopefully someone who has more knowledge can chime in.


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

Tabz said:


> wow, they look mint


Thanks, the customers loved them


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## Tabz (Apr 9, 2015)

£50 per cartridge  .. £200 just for ink.. myyyyy god, i only wanted to try a few mugs.. they must think i have the word stamped on my forehead


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## veetwincowboy (Mar 14, 2015)

Hi Jay, I've only been using my Ricoh for about 3 months,
trying to figure out how much I am getting from it but I still don't know, handful of shirts and a bunch of mugs, plates and tiles and I still have a pretty good ink level... Also conde gave me $50.00 worth of products free when I ordered my set up from them..


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## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

If you use Sawgrass inks you will pay through the nose.
Not any Ricoh will work. You have to make sure that Sawgrass makes sub carts for that model. You will probably have a hard time finding any 3rd party Ricoh carts.
Being your in UK your options are gonna be different than here in the US. 
There are several posts from UK folks in here about their setups and were they get their stuff so best to do some more in-depth forum research.

Good Luck


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

@Tabz, (This is my first post here so hi everyone), I've been dye sub'n for a year now my partner works out all the details etc regarding costs and it works out at 14pence per A4 sheet and no more than 50 pence on a Full colour page of ink, that's a max, so we build in 75 pence for the cost of printing and pressing per item. The carts do go an awful long way! even when the printer says its getting low it can go on for a couple of weeks before it finally says its empty, then when you pull the cart apart to look, the pouch has really been sucked bone dry.
since the initial set of carts which lost a 1/4 due to priming, I am on my sixth cart in a whole year so thats ten in total.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

Thanks Bob, Larry's set up sounds pretty fascinating with the low ink cost and larger format. I got a little while to listen to all your opinions cus I just blew my toy allowance on an Epson R2000 for film and transfers. The thing is sick by the way.


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## Tabz (Apr 9, 2015)

Dekzion said:


> @Tabz, (This is my first post here so hi everyone), I've been dye sub'n for a year now my partner works out all the details etc regarding costs and it works out at 14pence per A4 sheet and no more than 50 pence on a Full colour page of ink, that's a max, so we build in 75 pence for the cost of printing and pressing per item. The carts do go an awful long way! even when the printer says its getting low it can go on for a couple of weeks before it finally says its empty, then when you pull the cart apart to look, the pouch has really been sucked bone dry.
> since the initial set of carts which lost a 1/4 due to priming, I am on my sixth cart in a whole year so thats ten in total.


10 ..wow, thats nearly a mortgage  .. but as long as its paying its way for you, thats a good thing, i just need to find a 3rd party ink supplier to justify the little use i would get from it i guess


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## Tabz (Apr 9, 2015)

freebird1963 said:


> If you use Sawgrass inks you will pay through the nose.
> Not any Ricoh will work. You have to make sure that Sawgrass makes sub carts for that model. You will probably have a hard time finding any 3rd party Ricoh carts.
> Being your in UK your options are gonna be different than here in the US.
> There are several posts from UK folks in here about their setups and were they get their stuff so best to do some more in-depth forum research.
> ...



thanks for the tip freebird, much obliged, the reason i thought i would have a dabble, was i saw this 

Ricoh SG2100N Sublimation Printer Starter Kit with V1 Mug Press from City Ink Express | Starter Kits

as you can see these chaps do refill tanks, but not the ink  .. so the refill inks must be hiding out there somewhere 

and apparently the ricoh 2100 (which i can get new off amazon for £49) is the same internals and same cartridges as the 3110 which costs 3 times as much.

if that makes sense. it does in my head 

p.s. and the plot thickens, because the same chaps have the same setup on fleabay for £190 .. now im no mathematician, but its like £86 cheaper..and they have ebay and paypal fees to pay out .. which i cant work out the logic either way


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## calhtech (Feb 4, 2012)

Tabz said:


> thanks for the tip freebird, much obliged, the reason i thought i would have a dabble, was i saw this
> 
> Ricoh SG2100N Sublimation Printer Starter Kit with V1 Mug Press from City Ink Express | Starter Kits
> 
> ...


Be very careful with untested sub inks for Ricoh printers. You could end up with a modestly priced boat anchor. Unless you can verify someone has used the 3RD parties inks you could be in a bind. Also, you could be stuck with a printer that you cant use. I don't know how difficult it would be to FLUSH a Ricoh once it has been introduced to SUB inks. To be safe you'd be better off to by a Ricoh with Sawgrass though expensive is tried an true and comes with tech support from the ink mfg. On the otherhand, the Epsons have a pretty successful track record with using 3rd parting subinks. I have had reasonable success with an amazon purchase and ebay purchase of sub inks from an unknown Chinese ink source for C88 and WF30. I currently use Cobra, for my WF-7010, but they don't support Ricoh printers. Good luck.


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## Tabz (Apr 9, 2015)

calhtech said:


> Be very careful with untested sub inks for Ricoh printers. You could end up with a modestly priced boat anchor. Unless you can verify someone has used the 3RD parties inks you could be in a bind. Also, you could be stuck with a printer that you cant use. I don't know how difficult it would be to FLUSH a Ricoh once it has been introduced to SUB inks. To be safe you'd be better off to by a Ricoh with Sawgrass though expensive is tried an true and comes with tech support from the ink mfg. On the otherhand, the Epsons have a pretty successful track record with using 3rd parting subinks. I have had reasonable success with an amazon purchase and ebay purchase of sub inks from an unknown Chinese ink source for C88 and WF30. I currently use Cobra, for my WF-7010, but they don't support Ricoh printers. Good luck.


yes.. your very right, i dont want to create more expense by skimping on the basics.. god i sound like my old man


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

Tabz said:


> i just need to find a 3rd party ink supplier to justify the little use i would get from it i guess


Keep in mind, if you don't use your sublimation printer regularly, and I mean regularly, it will clog up and cause you to become an alcoholic as you try to unclog the heads and get things back to normal.....if your already an alcoholic this will give you more reasons to drink! )


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

Printor said:


> Thanks Bob, Larry's set up sounds pretty fascinating with the low ink cost and larger format. I got a little while to listen to all your opinions cus I just blew my toy allowance on an Epson R2000 for film and transfers. The thing is sick by the way.


The R2000 is sick already?


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

no... LOL. I mean .. in a good way....It's freakin AWSOME! Been burning screens all day and this is the best I've ever had it. Rich transfer prints as well. And photos that look better than real life, which is good cuz REALITY SUCKS!...hey, is that a shirt yet? probably.


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