# Best printer for transfers...



## GenericErich (Sep 29, 2006)

newbie shirt guy looking for the best printer for transfers. My buddy is using the HP deskjet 9800 and is satisfied. I don't mind spending $300-$400 on a printer but I need it to the job. Any suggestions? Thanks GE


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## Elite Images (Aug 12, 2006)

I use Epson Stylus, they work very well for me


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## Twinge (Apr 26, 2005)

Most people use Epson printers with some variety of pigmented ink.

This thread may have some more information: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/showthread.php?t=4605


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## stellargraphics (Aug 21, 2006)

I use the epson cx7800. I heard a couple of people here using it and Lou does some good videos and uses it in one of them. Took his advice and think it does just fine.


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## jdr8271 (Jun 16, 2005)

The c88 is about $80. For an extra $20 you can have a warranty for two years. Thats $100 for a gauranteed 2 years of printing, plus the printer comes with one set of ink, which costs about $50. To me, the c88 is the best deal out there.


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## badalou (Mar 19, 2006)

> Thats $100 for a guaranteed 2 years


I totally agree. It might seem like a big additional cost but because of the amount of transfers I was doing and the fact that my Iron all (at the time**) were clogging up my printer I took my cx7800 back to best buy 4 times for replacement in 6 months. Oh and of course the ink was used up and I got new ink every time so I made out well beyond the extra money for a warranty. **I had my printer on a TV stand and the thing would rock. I think this caused most of my problems as the paper was do a little James Brown shuffle in the machine. it is now on a sturdy table and I have not had a single problem..


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## wendan137 (Nov 24, 2006)

Badalou,
Does Epson make a wide format printer of equal quality to what you are using? Where I live, I am limited to what I can actually demo unless I want to drive an hour. I am currently looking at 2 wide format printers, both HP (Photosmart 8750 and Deskjet 9800), but to get a wide format Epson I would have to order online. I am very new to t-shirts and I want to make the right purchase the first time. We recently purchased a Mighty Press 15"x15" and we are looking forward to putting it to work. From what I have been reading, folks with Epson printers seem to have better luck with ink issues. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

-Dan and Wendy Carbone


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## TaylorTees (Nov 8, 2006)

wendan137 said:


> Badalou,
> Does Epson make a wide format printer of equal quality to what you are using? Where I live, I am limited to what I can actually demo unless I want to drive an hour. I am currently looking at 2 wide format printers, both HP (Photosmart 8750 and Deskjet 9800), but to get a wide format Epson I would have to order online. I am very new to t-shirts and I want to make the right purchase the first time. We recently purchased a Mighty Press 15"x15" and we are looking forward to putting it to work. From what I have been reading, folks with Epson printers seem to have better luck with ink issues. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks in advance!
> 
> -Dan and Wendy Carbone


I too use the same printer as Lou - the Epson 7800 - It is the same as the 9800 but it is cheaper and has more features.. the card slots.. AND it can scan negatives if needed, I had called the Epson customer service line, and I wanted to get the best one, and told her I couldnt deicide between the 2 - she suggested the 7800 because of the extra features for less money.. 
we really wanted a wide format printer as well - so we could print larger transfers.. but we went with the smaller on so that we could just try it.. I believe it was $140 from espon.. If you search the net for .. Epson discount code I found a code for 10% off if you purchases $150.. so I bought some extra inks, since I knew I would need them eventually anyways...
So far.. if we need something larger than the 11x8.5.. we just print.. like.. the main picture on one.. and the words/title etc.. and phone number or whatever on a 2nd transfer - but most of the time, the smaller size is efficient.. We can get a good size pic with words on top and bottom.. and it fills the back of an entire shirt fairly well.. Needless to say.. if you did need 2 sheets - yes it would cost more.. but the larger transfer papers cost more anyways =) 

So far we haven't found the need to purchase a larger format one, another reason we didnt go with like.. the epson 1280 larger format.. is it did not come with the pigment inks.. so all the oem it came with.. would need to be replaced.. so another "waste" of money so to speak..


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## TaylorTees (Nov 8, 2006)

jdr8271 said:


> The c88 is about $80. For an extra $20 you can have a warranty for two years. Thats $100 for a gauranteed 2 years of printing, plus the printer comes with one set of ink, which costs about $50. To me, the c88 is the best deal out there.


Is the c88 a regular size or large format??... I'm thinking it was regular just not an all in one.. just cant remember..


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

I use a canon pixma mp500, the transferrs come out beautiful, and so far wash wonderfully on my test shirts. The latest count on washings is 24, and 2 bleachings. Still very nice.

...ink is alot cheaper for this printer than for the epsons.


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## azorable (Dec 10, 2006)

> I use a canon pixma mp500, the transferrs come out beautiful, and so far wash wonderfully on my test shirts. The latest count on washings is 24, and 2 bleachings. Still very nice.
> 
> ...ink is alot cheaper for this printer than for the epsons.


Does that machine use photo ink? I have a Canon pixma ip4200 and it has 4 photo inks and 1 black pigment. Prints really nicely for its price. Was told its best to use pigment. Were the tshirts that are on your website done with the pixma? If so they look good


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## cookster (May 10, 2006)

I currently run an OKI 5200N Laser and love the prints. The only downfall is it is not a wide format which will be my next purchase. It has 4 seperate large ink cartridges CMYK, and I have been reading they are working on a white ink also. Hopefully the next one will print on darks also. Good luck


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## wendan137 (Nov 24, 2006)

Thanks for the info, guys! This forum has an incredible wealth of information! Now it's off to the other side of the forum to find a good t-shirt supplier. We just started looking and came across blankshirts.com. Any feedback on them?

D & W


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

azorable said:


> Does that machine use photo ink? I have a Canon pixma ip4200 and it has 4 photo inks and 1 black pigment. Prints really nicely for its price. Was told its best to use pigment. Were the tshirts that are on your website done with the pixma? If so they look good


I honestly dont know.....I just refilled all the cartridges on wednesday...and thursday was garbage day. So I cant check the boxes for you. But its just the stuff I picked up at office max. There regular inks. The photos on the website are mostly vinyl heat press. The transfer paper using the pixma shirts are the "floral explorations" and the shirts with buffalographix in the black oval on the grey shirt.

Give me a few minutes and I'll post some pictures of my "tester" shirt, and what the inks look like after many washes. Dont mind the wrinkles, I just pulled it out of the laundry basket 

Alright, the first photo has been washed well over 30+ times(all items in 1st, are heat transfer paper and pixma ink), the second, about 25, plus with the graphic printed overtop in vinyl ...several with that ontop of it. The 3rd, is freshly pressed, and hasnt been washed yet.

Studying the shirts of the girls side by side, I can see a bit of pink has faded. The first photo appears yellowed....its not, its from my lamp.


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## azorable (Dec 10, 2006)

Robin said:


> I honestly dont know.....I just refilled all the cartridges on wednesday...and thursday was garbage day. So I cant check the boxes for you. But its just the stuff I picked up at office max. There regular inks. The photos on the website are mostly vinyl heat press. The transfer paper using the pixma shirts are the "floral explorations" and the shirts with buffalographix in the black oval on the grey shirt.
> 
> Give me a few minutes and I'll post some pictures of my "tester" shirt, and what the inks look like after many washes. Dont mind the wrinkles, I just pulled it out of the laundry basket
> 
> ...


Ahh cool thanks for that, the vector looks good from what I see but the right photo in the first pic looks a little dotty (could that be due to the photo being resized or due to the camera used??)

I just checked out the specs for your printer and the inks are the same as mine and it has 1 picolitre like mine as well. 
Just recently bought another ip4200 (now taken over by ip4300) because I totalled my last one after refilling the inks myself (didnt have a clue what I was doing) and I must've ruined the printhead after trying to clean it lol. 
But cos it was cheap and graphic prints on paper are excellent, sticking within a budget I decided to buy a new one.

I havent started transferring yet, I'm still sourcing a good transfer paper supplier to NZ and I'm thinking of buying a RoboCraft as starters. But I think I'll do a few tests prints with my nifty canon before buying anything else. Will definately post some pics in here when I got my gears sorted.


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

good going. Ive tried a few different papers, and for me, the transjet II works best. Mind you some others prefer papers that dont work for me. So its a bit trial and error once you get going. 

Im looking forward to your pictures.


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## yummymom007 (Dec 10, 2006)

I wondered the same thing. I was looking into the Epson C88 but I am not sure. 

Thanks


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## rags16 (Jun 12, 2007)

Lou would you say Iron all is the best transfer paper out there?


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## badalou (Mar 19, 2006)

I would say it and all the papers sold under the different names and are formulated like iron all are the best printer quality paper are the best papers for lights and whites.


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