johnson4

From my understanding, you need to buy an additional license for each additional type of printer, at the same price as a normal license. The same applies if you want to use two of the same printer at the same time. I ran into this issue myself, Andy would be much more helpful on the costs/ process.

My confusion comes from your relentless claims that this “ DTF” ink doesn’t exist, that it’s the same as standard DTG inks, as multiple previous posts from you point out. you even have the OP ( original poster) asking if he can just use a regular DTG printer with standards inks with it now. now your saying it could be different, which is confusing, thus, “ my not understanding “. I agree, it seems to be a better ink in terms of clogging, but as I said I’ve only used it for DTF, the DTG application was only read on a website in another country, so I have no idea. It would be great if it worked for that, and if it will, I’m sure Andy or someone else will soon release that information. it would be nice if you clarified your point, so a bunch of people don’t go buying DTG ink for film printing and finding out the hard way it’s not the same based on your posts.

I’m not understanding, if your saying it’s the same as DuPont ink, what is the benefit? or are you saying this DTF ink also works as DTG ink, not that DTG ink ( like Kodak or DuPont) can work on film? if so, yes that’s what I read. The “ DTF” ink works as a DTG ink as well. But standard DTG inks won’t work as DTF inks.

Okay, well good luck with it. I’m telling you point blank, it’s not, I tried, the white ink peels away and bubbles after coagulation after the excessive ink bleed, at least with DuPont ink.

That’s cool, then where are you from? I have no way of knowing that, so sorry for any presumption. I know Andy posted a link to a place to obtain this stuff in another area at some point. I don’t remember which. the process was advertised to work as DTG ink on one of the websites selling the ink in another country ( for a much higher price), I don’t see why it wouldn’t, but I do not know how it reacts to pretreatment, etc. it would be nice to know but I’m not going to do all that to test it unfortunately since it’s already loaded in a standard printer. it’s a new Process, i would reach out to Andy and see what he can help with if you need it for a different area.

I’m not sure what your talking about, the original post said he was going to load DTG ink for DTF, which he later said was a typo, and I was just clarifying it won’t work. Yes, then the pet film has a coating on it that makes it different. Using PET film as a “ medium” and then using different “ coatings” to achieve different products. pet has a huge variety of “ mediums” or bases including inkjet transparency’s for screen printing, however the coating isn’t the same, one is designed to hold Pigmented ink, one is designed to release it, only the coating being different. I don’t understand the reason to try and tear down the process and re-make it via random products. The DTF ink is the same price as DTG inks, the film is cheap. Your not going to find it anytime soon, and if you do it won’t be any cheaper than the offerings here. Its already broken down as a kit, or process and for sale here. I love the DTF ink, and I tried over 12 different versions of PET film I had from other types of transfers because it “ looks” the same, all of it being more expensive than this stuff. It’s a waste of time.

You can try, like I did if you need to, to convince yourself they are completely different. The DTF white ink after a week still hasn’t “ air dried”. Personally the ink has quite a few characteristics of plastisol ink. The ink doesn’t even wash completely away with water, even repels water a bit while still wet. I’m not going to write another long post about it, but unless you have proof, please don’t confuse people coming in here about this. It’s for sure not going to work, especially the white ink. it’s not from China, it’s from India I believe. to anyone reading this, I’m an end user, I don’t work for opendtg, and the ink isn’t the same as standard DTG inks we are used to.

If you are using EKprint, I can send you the channel color layout to use for the configuration. I only set it up that way because I noticed it went to the printhead backwards compared to the p600, and obviously the ink order in the ink bay is backwards also. My set up works, but a better configuration may exist, I just guessed based off the fact they were swapped, to keep the original configuration I have been using.

You need DTF inks to print on DTF film.

Yes the matte black is always filled with solution. yea, I don’t see a chipless option for the 3800, so if available, you should use auto reset chips or a resetter . If not, that’s going to be expensive. the printer will need the corresponding/original color configuration to remain correct, no matter the ink color/type/order you put in there.

DTG inks don't work with DTF. Mine are set up on the P800 backwards( Compared to the P600), Like WWWW_KCMY( From left to right looking at the ink bay) With EKprint.

You do not need " extended" carts. the stock 80ML work just fine, but if you want those bigger cartridges and overhang, thats up to you. If that was my only option, I wouldn't have used the printer itself. Honestly, It's very hard to use those 80ML carts up to a degree refilling is an annoyance, Specifically for DTF. You don't need a "white mixer" Just pull and shake the cartridge daily, Unless your going to redesign the entire printer ink system, and have it recirculate white ink throughout the entire ink system, its rather pointless and a waste of time/money. Just like DTG for the p600/800, you need to use the printer often with white ink, or do " ink charges" when you decide to. It's not going to be like a regular printer once you load any white ink in them. The P800 uses a pressurized ink system, so unless you remove that, and the "checks" that the printers built in firmware makes, and run your own system, I just don't see this as being an option. You can add a waste tank, personally I didn't, since it has one built in. I removed the cotton pads, and put a cover over it and notched out a " drain" on the corner so I could dump it every couple of days. 1. Not much, remove the rollers and make an output tray. 2/7. Kothari works well from what I understand, EKprint is cheaper, and for the most part works for me. I haven't tried Kothari just yet. I have never had any luck with Acro-rip for any type of good, repeatable, reliable, quick prints. 3, 4, 5, Those are the supplies you need. 6- Any heat press will do, What Andy offers is a reputable brand. buy what fits your budget, and your requirements. 7. a Belt dryer is what Andy used, You can also use a heat gun, Or a hover heat press. Depends on what you are doing. I don't see dropping the amount of money on a conveyor dryer just for DTF. It's a pretty simple process, 1.remove the " pizza wheels" make an output tray 2. remove the cotton from the waste tank 3.make the printer chipless, ( something you left out) 4. get some refillable carts. Load your ink, use a reliable RIP software, and print. Wipe the capping station down daily, with cleaning swabs, and shake your white ink carts- daily. Use a heat gun/ Heat press to cure the transfer. ( or a belt dryer). a Sifter helps with the powder, plus whatever you decide to use to do that step in. If you leave it sit for a day or two, be pre-pared to do an ink charge or several head cleans to get the white ink going again due to it's settling and separation. If you don't intend on printing with it often, it would be cheaper/easier to batch print once a week so you don't waste as much ink every other day doing cleanings.

I pushed the front Manuel feed tray so it would pop out easier. Then you pop rollers off on one side, let the front tray open(lift) and it falls out. I used a flathead screwdriver on one, and my hands on the others. You just need to slip the black bracket off the metal bracket on the side facing the back of the printer.

Are these DTF inks the same thing being used for M&Rs Digital Squeegee and like technology? I have no idea what that is, I'm sorry. If so, I saw a digital white (I believe on PolyOne) that they are offering for inkjet applications - That’s a possible white and perhaps, so is discharge white, I also saw a new, no powder transfer white - Still no idea. Never mind making these two processes work together, it matters, for my model, that I don’t run white through the inkjet heads if I don’t have too.. You don't have too, as mentioned above. CMYK only works just fine. There are a million ways to get what you want done, I have tried like 20 of them. I would recommend you pick one that is already set-up and documented, since none of it is " easy". you will have to learn any method you choose, which takes time and money to get to printing and getting used to it, instead of figuring out why it doesn't work the way you want by yourself. whatever that is worth to you. Screenprinting is the most cost-efficent way, and my original method. I use this all the time. Transfers are the next best thing, But still require more effort, and being the most expensive. Still getting used to it. DTG is by far the quickest and easiest for small runs, but expensive compared to screen-printing. for CMYK only prints, this by far is a no brainer for me, and use it the majority of the time now. I have NEVER had 1 bad customer experience with this process. It all depends on the effort you are looking to put into it, how much money, what kind of print runs, quality- I mean almost endless things. This website supports DIY DTG/DTF mainly. Some people will help with UV and Solvent types of things, but again revolving around epson printers. The DTF method has been very well explained, as well as the DTG method. In my opinion, no other method exists better than these two, other than screen-printing for larger runs. Any other methods, you probably won't get much help here. As I said before, DTG sounds like the best, quickest, cost efficient way to go, unless you want larger runs- even then, it depends. DTF will cost you more, since your adding the Transfer Film, This was mainly designed for White/CMYK prints in my opinion, since CMYK printing is so basic and easily maintained in comparison with a million options available. You will be VERY limited to what you can print. For example, yellow doesn't show at all on a light gray shirt. So your prints might as well be black ink only. Definitely not worth re-inventing the wheel over. Been there, done that, not worth it, at least not for the " trial and error" crap, my time is worth more than that now. I'm all for saving money by making my own screens, or creating tools to aid me in the process. But the process itself, Not me. Not worth it, unless you plan on capitalizing from it. Good luck!

I also forgot to answer the thickness question. It's not really thick at all. The thickness comes from it sticking to the shirt instead of being absorbed into the shirt. Reducing/removing the white ink won't really help, And the powder is 100% required. The print feels like a plastisol printed shirt, or a plastisol transfer. My personal opinion, I like the hand on DTF better than any other method.

Sounds like your looking for DTG then You don't have to use white ink, as long as you lay down enough color for the Powder to stick to. The polymer powder sticks to the DTF ink, You cure the ink and it sets the powder into the ink for good, once it's ready for the garment that polymer powder gets heated Via a heat press and then sticks to the garment. No other way about it exists. So yes, The powder is 100% necessary. Once the ink dries, it's dried. If wet ink touches the shirt, it will need ALOT more than the DTF film can hold, plus it'll need a barrier to really make colors pop( pre-treatment). The release coating is also some sort of heat sensitive coating. Anyway, If The white ink and powder isn't something you want, just go with DTG, Screenprinting, Or some form of inkjet transfers Like Jet-Pro Soft stretch. Print it with an inkjet printer, heat press it to a shirt. This removes white, and the powder. Still, it will need cut out, unless you want a transparent box on the shirt. If it was as easy as printing on a piece of paper ( or some other film of this form, still just a piece of paper) and sticking it to a shirt, Then i'm pretty sure none of this stuff would exist. That is why most people start out with vinyl, You cut it, weed it, and press it. Done, cheap to start. Any method you choose, it has a downside. Vinyl offers a terrible hand compared to DTG, and even wash fastness. you also have to weed it. But with DTG, You have to pre-treat, and learn how to use a rather expensive machine. Jet pro, Needs contour cut and weeded, or deal with the box that is left. Deal with the quality loss and again. If you want to go an even EASIER route. Try the LASER printer tranfers for LIGHT garments. NO weeding, No powder, NO pre-treat. Nothing except a regular laser printer, and a heat press. Again, It will experience cracking eventually, since a laser printer is basically micro-plastics. Buy hey, It's easy and cheap to do. and follows your directive. Anyway, Good luck with whatever you are trying to do!

You just remove the pizza rollers and make an output tray, yes it works. you still need a rip program for it as well.

Yes.

A machine that has a way to reset/remove the ink chips, and a RIP program, not necessarily just an older one. Ekprint wouldn't support it, so If Kothari supports any 24" printer's I'm sure he'll let you know what models. Good luck, sounds like a cool endeavor!

The only pizza wheels are after the printhead. Remove them.

On the p800 I worked with they just clip on. I didn't even take mine apart I just popped them off. From what I read the 3880 is the old version of the P800, so if it's anything like the p800 it should only take a few minutes to pop them off without any type of disassembly needed.

That’s really cool! I bet that was an awesome experience. At the end of the day I wouldn’t trade any of it though, it has given me experience irregardless of the cost. It’s just a notation on “ been there done that” type of thing trying to be cheap, find cheaper suppliers, make my own stuff etc. while it works for most things, some things just are wasted money and time in this type of field, ultimately making it cost more than it should have. personally I don’t have the “ guts” to put myself in debt for the business ( potentially making for a huge profit) . If I can’t pay for it with profits, I don’t pay for it.

Any platform that will hold it in the correct position should work.

The P400 has 14ML ink cartridges, and the 1430 has 11ML ink carts from what I can find, so not too far off from each other. I used the refillable, and I remember immediately needing to use a CISS. If the CISS had ink in it before, it would probably be best to buy a new one. I guess you could flush it with distilled water, then flush out the distilled water with air and let it air dry. I Strongly disliked the Ciss, for already mentioned reasons, Plus the fact that it was almost impossible to "shake" the white ink. I ended up making a " shelf" for it to sit on with a " strap" that held it on the shelf so I could take it off daily and shake it and it could go back in the exact same position.

You can look in the " store" and purchase the things you need. But yea, Refillable cartridges and get the OEM ink out would be the goal. I'm not familiar with the R3000, But if it doesn't have a replaceable/ external waste tank I'd be careful with that also. Not trying to make it more complicated on you, just know those ink pads fill up fast when flushing. If I hadn't used a P800 with a user replaceable waste tank I would have ran it to a waste tank.