# Ricoh SG3110DN with Sublicotton paper - blotchy print and colours not matching



## sotheysaid (May 3, 2016)

Hi guys,

I recently got the Ricoh SG3110DN printer with Ink Pro inks (came free with the printer) and the Sublicotton paper/polymer in order to print onto cotton tee's.

The problem I am having is that when I print onto normal paper, the printer is giving me the correct colours and the print is fine but when I print onto the sublicotton paper I am finding the black is coming out blotchy and the colours don't match those of the image on screen or those printed onto standard paper.

I am unsure if this is due to poor quality inks maybe being too thin and so bleeding/not printing properly onto the paper or if there could be another issue?

I have tried using RGB as well as CMYK files, I have the correct ICC profile, correct drivers and have changed settings such as photoshop manages colours/printer manages colours.

I've put some images below to show what I mean (it isn't the garments as this is exactly what it looks like when it comes out of the printer)

http://i.imgur.com/haNQtVw.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/jbSdSGN.jpg

The images below show the difference between the prints on the sublicotton paper and on standard t-shirt transfer paper. You can see the colour difference and the difference in quality

Printed on Sublicotton paper
Printed on standard t-shirt transfer paper

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

Hmm,, I use a lot of sublicotton but only use sawgrass inks. the sublicotton paper isn't permeable, so perhaps your ink is forming blobs on the surface?


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## sotheysaid (May 3, 2016)

Yeah, it looks like the ink may be forming blobs on the surface, would this be due to it being too thing?

I've looked at the sawgrass inks but have also been advised that InkTec Sublinova inks are great so was debating on picking up the set of those as the Ink Tec are £30 cheaper than the Sawgrass Sublijet inks.

Also, do you know if there is a difference between sublimation ink and dye sublimation? Are they both the same thing? I presume they are but was just wondering as you see them referred to in different ways.

Sorry for my ignorance, I only recently decided to start printing this way as I used to screenprint but lack the facilities to do so at home now.


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

The sawgrass inks are more gel like I believe. and I'm pretty sure that this method was designed with sawgrass in mind.
Everyone says that the sawgrass is expensive but I don't find it is and doesn't present any problems with the Ricoh.
As you know 'sublimation' means going from solid to gas without becoming a liquid, the same as dry ice does. so if it's got the word sublimation it technically must become a gas, not just dry up when heated. They could be the same thing,, not sure.
I'm pressing a reunion shirt tomorrow with a photo of a ship in it on a pocket with subli-cotton, I'll post the result eh?
I may be a bit strange but I do go original with products as I know when even something like an engine is designed on the drawing board it is designed with specific parts to work correctly. you cut costs at your own cost in the end.


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## sotheysaid (May 3, 2016)

Dekzion said:


> The sawgrass inks are more gel like I believe. and I'm pretty sure that this method was designed with sawgrass in mind.
> Everyone says that the sawgrass is expensive but I don't find it is and doesn't present any problems with the Ricoh.
> As you know 'sublimation' means going from solid to gas without becoming a liquid, the same as dry ice does. so if it's got the word sublimation it technically must become a gas, not just dry up when heated. They could be the same thing,, not sure.
> I'm pressing a reunion shirt tomorrow with a photo of a ship in it on a pocket with subli-cotton, I'll post the result eh?
> I may be a bit strange but I do go original with products as I know when even something like an engine is designed on the drawing board it is designed with specific parts to work correctly. you cut costs at your own cost in the end.


hey man,
just wondering how you got on with the sublicotton and the sawgrass inks?
I'm currently waiting for new refill cartridges so I can flush my Ricoh printer and use the InkTec Sublinova inks I received which I believe are really good and have seen recommended by professionals too)


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

Oh Yes,forgot ta,
Attached.
put it on the pocket of one of my old shirts as he's not had one done by me before, yep, he loves it, wants the flag a lighter red and the sea a bit blue-er and the 30th Reunion on the top seam section which will allow for a slightly bigger photo. Not bad from a scan.


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## sotheysaid (May 3, 2016)

Is there any chance you could post the original image at all?
I only ask as the black around the flag looks like the way my solid black lines are printing out so am wondering if yours is a choppy line or a solid black line?


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

yeh it is chopped about, it's his design and low res after it's been back and forth from phone to email with his shipmates and then printed off which I got a copy of which was also stretched sideways (fit to page). don't ya just love 'em? but he loves it and that's all that matters. (I dont think he wants to incite clean up fees!)
Here's the adjusted (sea blue-er and flag lighter red) (deleted previous) and it's ready for printing tomorrow. it's only 3.75 inches wide so unless there's a magnifying glass handy it'll look fine. and that's the point, we're attempting the virtual impossible with this method. if you must have full HD it'll have to be on photo paper I'm afraid, and start off as an HD pic, thank you very much Sir, (sound of ringing till,,,)


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## sotheysaid (May 3, 2016)

ok cool, I see how it is the exact representation of what they have sent you.

The images I'm printing are mostly bold colours with bold black outlines but the bold outlines are coming out like the ones on that flag you've printed so that's why I'm guessing it's the inks being too thin on the sublicotton paper because obviously the paper isn't porous, so it is just spreading out on it


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## Laxmi (Nov 5, 2020)

Dekzion said:


> Hmm,, I use a lot of sublicotton but only use sawgrass inks. the sublicotton paper isn't permeable, so perhaps your ink is forming blobs on the surface?


Hi,are you using sawgrass ink with which printer .i started sublimation with sublicotton paper with epson printer .i would like to know about sublimation which printer is best ...

thanks


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