WDeBlase

HAHA.........

I just started laughing at the end after reading the short answer.

Your philosophy is spot on. I did as much research as i could before buying a printer and converting it myself. There's no way i could afford one already done by someone else.

I also tried the white toner, I bought a laser printer used off ebay and white toner. Quickly it sucked. Found DTF and thats where i'm at.

Are you going to break down and buy one?  Didn't you build your own?

So then in your opinion what should i have my color set to and what should my white be set to?

What does mix do?  or medium + Large?

also does anyone have the instruction manual for acrorip 10?

Acrorip - What is the difference in Color / White Ink dot size?

What do the different settings actually do?  Mix, Small, Medium, Large, Small + Medium , Medium + Large ????

Thanks

I'm still using sheets, I don't have enough business to switch to a roll yet.  After its coated, how are you going to cure it?

18 hours ago, johnson4 said:

Just making an area to look back on key points on what I’m doing. I’ve made a “ prototype” shaker for the automatic DTF build. Almost everything is made from reused components. with the powder bin, I’ll be in this about $20 with the not shown speed controller. It’s very crude, and I’m sure could easily be made better. My point is to see if it works. I’m halfway done with the curing portion, it’s going to heat the film on both sides at the same time then on to the take up roller, I’m going to try and make an attached “reel” that connects to the film as soon as it comes out of the printer so no film is wasted. It’s estimated to cost around $20 as well using “ reused” components. I don’t have an estimated cost on the take up roller yet. 

Build 2, I'll give you the $20 bucks.  Looks great!

https://dtfsuperstore.com/r?id=76n8v1

DTF superstore has the better products and customer service.

3 hours ago, elliotiscool said:

Thank you for the help guys. It was a bit of a dumb moment for me when I realized there is a roll feed slot for the printer. I got that all working fine now.

One issue. I feel my print is ejecting way too much film between each print. My dimensions for the printer and EK print are 13 x 14 and it seems to eject way too much film between each print. What is the best way to address this?

Also remember there are no stupid questions, although it is stupid not to ask.

I also have not printed with the roll.

50 minutes ago, Kuipersh said:

Does anyone have problems with the medium powder not brushing off the design before cure?  As in its sticking to the transfer film and not just around the ink and this causes it to show up on dark colored shirts or anything other than white I should say with the white medium powder.

I found that if i let the image dry for 15 min, then powder, i didn't get that happening.

10 hours ago, elliotiscool said:

I pulled out the roll and inserted it just like I would a sheet. Is there a different way I'm supposed to feed it? On EK Print, I couldn't find any dimensions for an actual roll.

Are you tring to insert the roll through the same place you put a sheet?   There is a light grey compartment on the back that you pull down and the roll paper goes through there.

1 hour ago, Frank said:

where can i find it to turn off auto paper 

 

2 hours ago, elliotiscool said:

How do I find this setting?

Physically on the printer, In System Administration, then Printer settings, then paper size check.

1 hour ago, johnson4 said:

I appreciate that and you are absolutely right. Me, and many others are more than happy to offer what we know to the end of our skill set. Why? Because it’s awesome helping people and keeping those “ misinformed businesses” at bay, more than likely those helping as well fell into that roll at some point of being “ had”. I know I have, and it sucks losing hard earned money. We all started out new once, and if you put in any type of effort, me personally, I’m willing to help in anyway I can. I am wrong sometimes, as anyone could be. But I’m open minded and always verify what anyone says before spouting it myself or shooting it down. 
 

the hard part isn’t even producing the stuff, it’s selling it, in my opinion. 
 

how are you liking DTF? 

Its only ok, since i haven't completed a shirt yet. Defiantly has the chance to be a hell of a lot better than white toner printing. Printing, and using ek print are totally fine now. I was able to talk to someone and she sent me videos of her ek print screens so i could set it up.  I have printed about 20-25 films. I am currently working on curing the powder correctly.

I'm using a flash dryer. Also last night i started letting the films dry for 15 min after printing, then i do a one pass on the powder. I put powder on one side of the film all the way across then slide to the other, but i don't go back across the film.

I noticed that when powder was applyed after it printed, it was getting clumpy and lumpy. Had to flick off a ton. Then was having issues with how long they took to cure.

Now i am tring to lower the temp and get the right timing down. I am still getting some small bubbles. And i don't know if that will hurt the print.

bubbles are near the word eagle, thats also the side of the film that i slip under the flash dryer first and it goes farther under it.

10 hours ago, johnson4 said:

Yea, a couple things he said, I do daily, and have for quite awhile.  Some of his statements on the three processes, are incorrect. Some things are spot on.  It's probably one of those people who try to make a " Cash Grab" on the next "Hot Seller" in the industry, exactly what I warn people about. If your going to get advice from someone, it shouldn't be the same someone trying to sell you something, unless it's AFTER the fact, as in customer service. It honestly sounds like a car salesman, trying to sell a 16 year old on why a 2003 dodge neon is a high end sports car, just no one knows it yet and he's offering him the deal of a lifetime because it has a " hood scoop". 

 Andy for example, Is upfront, and tells you both ways. "You can do it yourself, I'll help you with what I have provided, or you can purchase it outright, Whatever works for you" type of thing. In the end, if your not going to be paying a technician for repairs, you should know the " in's and out's" of your machines anyway. Everything needs maintenance, everything breaks, eventually. So learn it at the time it breaks, or beforehand, the wrong decision will definitely come back to haunt you. alongside going with the " cheapest". Something I have learned about the " cheapest" is it's cheap for a reason. More than likely quality, or support. Sometimes both, which at the end of the day is definitely worth a few bucks. A well establish self respecting business wouldn't do what this person did, is what I'm saying, so the trustworthy score plummets. 

my favorite part, is the part about the DTF powder though. All of these automated systems do exactly the same thing your hand does. It trickles powder onto the film, or " reloading" the powder in various ways, typically by dropping small random amounts, but in the end it all accomplish the same thing.There is a bellow, or U shape in the film, the powder sits in the bottom of that U and the film rolls through it, with the weight of the powder holding the film down in that U shape. As the film comes up from the film roller pulling it, a couple plastic ( or whatever) fingers smack the back of the film as it goes up, and then it proceeds to go under what I just basically call a " temperature controlled flash dryer". After that, it's just a take up roller rolling the film up for you to cut later. 

If you can find ONE outright lie so quickly, there are many more hidden in the details. All in all, I'd hope it would be obvious to people, But it is what it is. Right now, a TON of people are tearing the walls down trying to get into the " supplier" side of this new " system" so they can make some money and will say/do anything to get a piece of that pie. Just like consumers are trying to " get in early" so they be the first on top offering the product. Specifically with everything going on in the world today and with some people having money to burn, at home. Hopefully these people are still asleep, since they stayed up all night buying the TV offerings at 3am. "BUT WAIT, WE WILL INCLUDE 2 FOR THE PRICE OF ONE IF YOU CALL NOW".  At least, those are the type of people that I would imagine that would prospect from a business that would say/do something like this guy/gal above did at the tune of $15,000. 

 

Personally, I'm going to stick with someone who didn't just hit the market looking for a cash grab, someone who is well experienced with printers and the overall " process". Someone who will stand behind what they sell, and someone who takes the time to test what they sell. After all, Your investment is practically worthless if your supplier disappears and you need support. Even then, 2nd hand, it's value will plummet if you ever decided to sell it if the " manufacturer" just disappears. You want someone that will still be here once the " craze" has gone. Andy has on multiple occasions helped me out for NO monetary gain, including changes he may have made to his products that would fix a particular issue, even years later. To this day, I'm sure I annoy him with my questions, and yet, I always get a prompt, honest, informative, and courteous response. That alone, is worth choosing a supplier over. The best part is, I can even DIY a machine and get that kind of support. Basically, someone who looks out for the little guy, not LOOKS FOR the little guy. The great part is, I'm just some random guy, wasting my time typing all this out, because this is how well this business has treated me, being a random person looking to get into adding on to my business. 

 

All I'm saying is, 

 

Good Luck and Happy Printing!

Great post Johnson4.

You have been a huge help to me. I have also talked to a few other people in dtf. And by other people I mean people who don't sell printers. Most of the people I have talked to have been great. They will answer questions as best they can. And the typical answers sound like this " I do this step, this way, but others do it differently" Because there are more ways to do each step.

You can choose from a few printers, then there are those people who ask everyday if you can convert some random model printer.

Convert yourself or buy it from someone already converted

You then can choose which ink to use. Although most are probably the same with a different label.

Then which type of film, sheets or rolls, and size.

Powder, fine, medium or black

Then how are you going to cure the powder and ink? Oven, griddle, flash dryer, conveyor, heat press, or heat gun.

Then apply to a shirt, then choose only press it once, do a 2nd press and with parchment or butcher paper or a rubber press pad.

Everyone will need help with at least 1 step even after you do as much research as you can.

I really hope this industry doesn't grow to much more to include more and more suppliers. They seem to spread some of the worst information. Some are great, some are confused, and some believe their own BS.

Current ramble finished.......

Yes for sheets, you have to turn off the auto paper size check on the printer.

Ok lets at least poke the bear. He said you can not apply powder for dtf by hand.  Um......most people are.

Are you using DTG or DTF?  This is the DTF forum.

I can't understand the video because i don't speak the language. I would love to know the differences in all the powders too.

Where did you see this black powder?

Anyone?  I'm looking for basic settings to get started. 

What should the typical settings be for this software? Color and White settings? Which cartridge setup should i use for best results? YMCK WWWW or something else?

I am building a P800 for DTF. I will be using the ink and films from Andy.

But my questions are related to cleaning.

I understand that I should have an extra set of cartridges for cleaning. What solution should i use in them?  Is this a home made mixture or is this the Printer flushing fluid that Andy sells? 

Should I put the Kodak wet capping solution on the capping station? Nightly or only when I clean. This is sold by Andy. 

Do these solutions work for DTF even though they say DTG on them?

Is there anything else that needs to be done regularly?

If the nozzle check shows something not working, then do a head clean with ink. When would i use the cleaning solution cartridges?

Thanks

Do you shake your cartridges daily?