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Sublimation issues with D88
Hi there
I purchase an Epson D88 printer a few months ago, I also purchased a bulk ink feed system and some rotech sublimation inks.I am wondering if anybody else has had this setup or one using a D88 with sublimation inks and experienced a problem with speckles of ink being splattered across the page.
I have tried 2 different printers with my kit, cleaning etc. I then sent it back to the supplier who phoned me to advise that he tested 3 different d88’s, 3 different ink kits and sublimation inks and had the same problem on all of them……he has just refunded my money.
The questions I have are:
1. Has anybody else out there succesfully used this setup?
2. Can anybody recommend a cheap(ish) alternative (has to be cheap as I have invested a fortune into getting setup and as yet haven’t started earning anything back so money is V.tight.Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards
Luke Taylor -
11 Replies
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Hi Luke,
What are you doing, mugs, t-shirts etc?
I will be collecting some equipment next week for sublimation but at the moment i use vinyl/flock/glitter with excellent results.
I have also been using xpres 3133 paper for garments, you print on your design using normal printer and inks then heat press the design on. Contact them and ask for samples.
hope thats some help
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I wonder if the problem is related to the paper? The Rotech sublimation inks aren’t normally used with a desktop printer such as the D88. I’d normally expect an Artainium ink to be used rather than Rotech (both of which are part of Sawgrass).
Which paper are you using?
We’ve a number of customers with D88’s using Artainium sublimation ink and using TruPix sublimation paper (and Rotech high release paper for textiles/ fabric items) without problems.
The Artainium sublimation bulk feed system is £199 +vat and comes with 4x 100ml of inks and the profiles for use in Photoshop 7/ Corel Draw
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Hi there, it definatley isn’t the paper….I have tried on different types of paper. My current use for the printer is for mug printing but will be starting T-shirts and other merchadise in the near future.
I have now been refunded for the printer and ink feed system and am waiting for a refund on the ink also…..
I have been looking at alternative printers, I think I would like to go for the Epson 1290. I have noticed quite a few people have used this setup but can anybody offer any advice on whether it is a good option?
Cheers
Luke
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The Epson 1290 is fine as a sublimation printer. The print quality is excellent but if it has a downside it is that the heads are prone to clogging and therefore head cleaning is required reasonably frequently. The 1290 is getting more difficult to source new now and personally I won’t try sublimation with a second hand 1290 – the sublimation ink being more viscous than normal ink may be difficult to get though a worn print head that may appear to work fine with normal inks.
Maybe others have views on the 1290?
The Epson D88 is a fine printer for up to A4 prints. If you’re thinking of t-shirts then you may need an A3 printer occasionally. The other A3 printer to consider is the R1800. The benefit of this printer is the use of a cleaning fluid as one of the cartridges nearly eliminating head blocking which the 1290 was/is more prone to.
The decision always comes down to cost, the A3 printers are much more money. The Epson 1290 with an Artainium bulk feed system (6 colours with 140ml of each colour ink = 800ml in total) is around £539 +vat. The R1800 with an Artainium bulk feed system (8 colours with 100ml of each colour = 800ml in total) is around £695 +vat. The R1800 is a faster printer as well when compared to the 1290. You’ll find that the bulk feed systems will come with the colour correction profiles on CD as well as instructions on how to use them with Photoshop and Corel Draw.
Our own R1800 prints excellent quality prints and even when not used for a week or so prints a perfect print without the need for a head clean or nozzle check prior to printing. We mostly supply sublimation equipment and printables rather than print a great deal ourselves, hence it’s not used daily.
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Hi there thanks for the response, I have managed to source a 1290 from a place called subli-nation.com. Which is £570 for printer, ink feed system, sublimation inks, paper, and other sample imprintables.
This place is fairly local so I can collect so will probably be going for this option. Do you have a website I can have a look at if you sell sublimation stuff?
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Hi,
Not sure if we are permitted to post our website on the discussion forum as it may be against the rules. If you go to Google and type BMS Sublimation you will find us at the top of the list.
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Hi
just been reading these posts….
I used to do a lot of subli….
Anyways…my comments/advice
Epson 1290 – clog too often – I would give them a lifespan of 6 months to a year – and if you are gonna use a 1290 – keep a spare! They always clog just when you have a nice important job to do.
R1800 – very very reliable for subli printing – might be a bigger outlay, but you will have a good return for the money.
I have had mine for ages, and no problems yet – at all.
Artanium inks and truepix paper are the best combo imho.
Hope this helps.
Martin
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Epson print heads are designed for Epson inks and constantly get blocked using sub inks if left unused for a sort period of time. They also have a limit to the number of cleaning cycles they do before they stop printing.
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quote luke_187:Hi there
I purchase an Epson D88 printer a few months ago, I also purchased a bulk ink feed system and some rotech sublimation inks.I am wondering if anybody else has had this setup or one using a D88 with sublimation inks and experienced a problem with speckles of ink being splattered across the page.
I have tried 2 different printers with my kit, cleaning etc. I then sent it back to the supplier who phoned me to advise that he tested 3 different d88’s, 3 different ink kits and sublimation inks and had the same problem on all of them……he has just refunded my money.
The questions I have are:
1. Has anybody else out there succesfully used this setup?
2. Can anybody recommend a cheap(ish) alternative (has to be cheap as I have invested a fortune into getting setup and as yet haven’t started earning anything back so money is V.tight.Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards
Luke TaylorHi,
Yeah the D88 spotting is a known issue. It had us all scratching our heads for a good while, but eventually we discovered that there’s a problem with the D88. It’s only noticeable when you’re leaving a lot of white, IE if you’re printing a full wrap mug you won’t usually notice it, but a small image on a mug & it’ll look like someone has sprayed a fine mist of black over the mug! Not good.
The D88 is fine for certain things, IE substrates on which you wouldn’t notice the spotting, such as T-shirts, mouse mats, full wrap mugs etc, but if you’re wanting great results, better going for the R1800. It’s a big jump in cost, but with the 1290 being discontinued, there aren’t a lot of options.
The epson R265 CIs systems should be ready soon, & also the epson 1400.
Cheers
Kev
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Hi there, I believe I am the founder member of the D88 problem, is that right kev?
What I did eventually was purchase a second hand 1290 off a well know auction site and a new bulk system for it. Not the ideal solution but the only one that was available at the time. The 1290 isnt that fast but the quality is fine, and of course gives you the advantage of A3 should you need it. To be honest, Im glad it worked out how it did as I do now often print larger than A4.
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Had a 1290 for 18 months now and sure it clogs but you clean it and its fine again, I havent had many problems at all with it and its still going fine, got an R1800 I will use when the 1290 packs up finally then will buy a 2400 for my photos and use the 1800 for sublimation.
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