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Magic Touch Laser or Sublimation?
This subject might have been covered before, but would welcome any input
I’m in the market for new printer for garments etc,
I currently print tees/caps / HiViz vests with both cut film and subli for vests
I’m using generic subli inks with CISS , but supplier has discontinued these inks.
Now its a choice between the Magic Touch laser system or staying with sublimation with either Rotech or Artainium inks
The problem I have is that the garment end of business can be slow and printer might be not used for a week or more.
With current system the lack of use leads to blockage etc and have to spend time cleaning nozzles etc. hence the move towards a laser set up
My questions are
Can laser produce sharp prints after a period of down time
What inks/systems should I go for
Will laser prints work on mugs as I’m planning to get mug press
Any pointers/ advice would be appreciated As I’m going to NEC show in March and intend purchasing there
I’m limited to A4 printer as I have 38×38 platen
thanks
Pat -
9 Replies
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I have a Panasonic laser printer which came from TMT and I use it with TMT papers for shirts and at one time mugs (mug press still for sale)
The laser is more practical as you can use it for office work, proofs etc. and doesn’t need to be used regularly as nothing will clog BUT unless there has been some radical advances in the process the quality is no where near as good a sublimation.
Alan D -
We had a konica minolta printer from TMT….. its now in the skip.
Print quality was terrible, had three magenta toners replaced under warranty (probably all 90% full) Again dont know if the technology has moved on but I was very much less than impressed with it when we got it, probably only 2 years ago, something like that anyway.
I think sublimation system have really got the market covered, try xpres as I think this is the bulk of their business.
Andy
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I use TMT’s oki 5600, for what i do it works fine, I have got a banding issue now but that can happen on any printer!
i’ve never used sublie because i don’t do the volume, the printer also comes in handy for good quality prints, letterheads, business cards and other things.
Hugh
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I have had the panasonic printer from tmt and an oki 5600, they work like trojans in the summer and rest all winter due to the tourist season where I am, they have never given me problems and I have never had any complaints about quality. (been working with the panasonic since 99)You have to lighten the images before using the transfer paper, but like anything new there is a learning curve to get the best results.It is about to retire due to the fact that the toner is so expensive compared to the oki.
I do not have subli set up so cannot comment.
cheers
Dan
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Ive got an Oki 5600, Oki 5800 and a Subli setup. If I HAD to pick one it would be the Subli setup everytime. I use the Epson 1400 and CISS from XPres and even when left for 2 weeks it worked perfectly first time when starting back up.
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I’d agree with Paul. We have both 1400 with Artainium Ink (same inks as Xpres) and the Oki 5750 for general office use and tmt. Quality is far better with sublimation for many items, but colour laser gives you the option of printing onto cotton based products which sublimation doesn’t. The laser process is probably less prone to problems of printing and many of the parts of the oki are replaceable at lower cost to the sublimation process (e.g. drums). However, as the laser printing process sticks the transfer onto the top of the items rather than infusing into the polymer coating then, imo, the quality is better overall with sublimation – seems to give a better gloss finish, smooth to the touch, no residue of paper transfer.
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Tried the laser route just to see how it compared with sublimation, decided to stick with sublimation.
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Hi,
I had an Epson 1800 for sub work quality was A1, but I did not use it every day and it clogged up over and over and I used more ink cleaning than I ever printed. I now have an Oki 5750 and the quality is great (but not as good as sub ink) you can print onto all most any thing fabric wood metal ect.
If you are not using the printer every day I found the Epson to be a pain.
Ricoh have a gel printer that is used for sublimation in the states reading the other forums people are raving about how good it is.
Ian
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quote :Ricoh have a gel printer that is used for sublimation
I’ve spoken to Sawgrass about the Ricoh printers and as far as I can gather the Ricoh option is using standard sublimation ink, just in a large cartridge rather than a gel (although several US sites talk about gel, but this may be Subli-Jet as opposed to Artainium). At least when this comes to the UK it will be supported by the distributor network with Artainium ink cartridges as opposed to a bulk ink system. The Ricoh printer models don’t change as frequently as the Epson’s making life easier than trying to get newer models of the Epson range to work (with profiles etc). Apparently the Ricoh printers use the same piezo print head as the Epson and that’s why they are being supported.
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