Dye Sublimation Printing : Dye Sublimation Printing A fun hobby or business that requires very little investment and can be done in your home! Presented by Bruce Milne
There’s no limit to the kinds of things you can print using dye sublimation : There’s no limit to the kinds of things you can print using dye sublimation Tile Box Travel Mug Ceramic Tile
What is dye sublimation? : What is dye sublimation? Dye sublimation is the transfer of pigmented ink to a hard or soft substance. Dye sub tiles have a coating on them. The pigmented ink when heated turns to a gas and goes through the coating and reforms underneath.
Examples of substances to use in dye sublimation are ceramic tiles, mousepads and mousepad coasters, plastic frig magnets, shirts, tote bags, jewelry, and the list goes on.
What do I need to start this business? : What do I need to start this business? A good graphics program, such as Adobe Photoshop or Corel Draw.
An Epson printer. Possibly a laser printer.
A heat press, mug wraps or mug press.
Pigmented (sublimation) ink for the printer.
Special high release transfer paper.
A convection oven for mugs and travel mugs.
A good imagination!
Where can I sell my products? : Where can I sell my products? Internet
Flea markets and Farmer’s Markets
Stores
Gift shops
From your home…custom work for private individuals
Graphics Programs : Graphics Programs Your work is going to be judged by the quality of your artwork. A good graphics program is essential. Many of the community colleges have online courses on Adobe Photoshop and Corel Draw. (Free to seniors)
When a customer hands you artwork, you’re probably going to have to clean it up.
Graphics Programs (continued) : Graphics Programs (continued) These higher end programs will allow you to enhance what may be a mediocre picture or graphic image when you receive it.
When doing dye sublimation, you MUST reverse the image before you make the transfer.
Printers : Printers The Epson printers use a special technology that makes them better suited for dye sublimation.
The Epson C88 (shown in picture) is less than $100 and will work well for dye sublimation. Larger printers are available if you need them.
Printers (continued) : Printers (continued) Because of the high cost of pigmented ink, laser printers can be used to transfer images, but this is NOT dye sublimation, unless special dyesub ink for laser printers is used.
Ceramic tiles, tote bags and other cloth materials lend themselves well to laser printer transfer. The Okidata 3200 and 3400 are popular printers for this use.
The Heat Press : The Heat Press There are several brands and sizes of heat presses. If all you are going to do is smaller items such as tiles, etc., The Hix Hobby Lite at around $290 is an excellent choice. Larger models for larger jobs or heavier production runs are available for more money. I recommend that whatever press you buy, that it be a “swing” type, where the heat element can be rotated away.
The Heat Press (continued) : The Heat Press (continued) Pressure adjustment Temperature adjustment Open/Close Lever Heat Element Swing Away Arm The Hix Hobby Lite Press
9” x 12” Heating area. Meant for hobby or light production.
Mug wraps and Mug presses. : Mug wraps and Mug presses. If you wish to do coffee mugs, travel mugs, etc., you will also need mug wraps or a mug press. If you use mug wraps, you will also need a convection oven. Just starting out I would suggest the mug wrap/convection oven as they are considerably less expensive than a mug press.
Mug Wraps and Convection Oven : Mug Wraps and Convection Oven There are many brands of mug wraps, but the Cactus wrap has an excellent reputation. Click on the Cactus wrap picture to go to a website that has an excellent tutorial on how to use these wraps. It also recommends a convection oven to use. This oven is available at Walmart for under $100.
Mug wraps are about $30 each.
Mug Press : Mug Press This Novachrome Mug Pro Plus Press is highly rated, and costs about $800. Mug presses work very well, but are not cost efficient for medium to low production figures. Do a search on “Google” for discussions of the advantages or disadvantages of these presses.
There is an excellent forum for dye sublimation that has a wealth of information on it. http://www.dyesub.org/forum/
Dye Sublimation Ink : Dye Sublimation Ink Now for the bad news. Dye sublimation ink is very expensive. Using the Epson C88 printer as an example, a set of four cartridges of Artainium pigmented ink costs $296. You can save money by purchasing a bulk ink system for your printer. Click the link below for more details.
http://www.artainium.com/v.php?pg=80
More information about ink : More information about ink Due to the high cost of dyesub ink, many have added a laser printer to their inventory, to insure that the dyesub ink lasts a bit longer by printing some materials on the laser printer.
As noted before, laser printing is NOT dye sublimation, UNLESS you buy special dye sub inks for your laser printers.
More information about ink : More information about ink One advantage of laser (OEM) ink is that if you don’t use the printer for a while, nothing happens. On a dyesub inkjet printer, if you don’t use it at least once a week, the printer can clog, causing ink to be wasted due to having to clean the heads. Significant improvements have been made in these inks, and clogging is not such a problem now.
High Release Paper : High Release Paper To do dye sublimation, you need a high release paper, available from most vendors.
I’ve been using EZ-Trans paper from Laser Reproductions
(http://www.laserreproductions.com/Sublimation-Transfer-Paper.html)
Most vendors carry a suitable transfer paper.
You will also need some special heat tape to tape tiles, etc. to the paper.
Also a felt pad to place on the platen to cushion your materials.
Tape and pads are available from most vendors.
A Good Imagination Is Required! : A Good Imagination Is Required! One of the things I love about this business, is the creative side of it. People LOVE personalized items. A picture of their house, children, boat, camper, etc. are instant sellers.
Look for an “angle.” I happen to live in a city that was the first colonial capital of North Carolina. Tiles, coasters, etc. of New Bern’s hisoric homes and buildings are popular.
Good Imagination (continued) : Good Imagination (continued) Look around your area for ideas and pictures that will sell. Then find a place to sell them.
It helps to make up a few samples to show people the nature and quality of your work.
Advertise on the internet. Even though you may not sell much there, you will be surprised at how many people look, and then come to buy at your location.
Conclusion : Conclusion I’ve been doing this for about eight years. It’s not only been profitable, but I’ve met a lot of wonderful people along the way.
My website: www.carolinaimpressions.com
If you love art, printing, graphics work, this is a perfect business, with low overhead, low initial costs, and it takes up very little room.
My “factory” is our condo in New Bern, N.C.
Dye Sublimation Vendors : Dye Sublimation Vendors Laser Reproductions - http://www.laserreproductions.com/
Conde - http://www.conde.com/
Paramount Services - http://www.dye-sublimation-products.com/
Starline Pacific - http://www.starlinepacific.com/
Cactus Equipment - http://www.cactus-equipment.com/
Alpha Supply – www.alphasupply.com
Artainium Ink = http://www.artainium.com/
Hix Heat Press - http://hixheatpress.com/
JBL Graphics - http://www.jblgraphics.com/
Aftosa - http://www.aftosa.com/
Future Presentations : Future Presentations Preparing an image for dye sublimation printing-tricks of the trade.
Using the heat press-techniques-things to avoid.
If you would be interested in these sessions, would you please let me know via email. wb2qap@yahoo.com