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Sawgrass SG Series Printers: An Introduction

Sawgrass SG Series Printers: An Introduction
Built on the road tested Virtuoso SG400 & SG800 printers, Sawgrass currently offers its SG500 & SG1000 printers for desktop sublimation transfer. Sawgrass’s solutions have matured to be much more than just printers and ink, separating them from the rest of the market. Their approach offers an interesting, high value, and holistic solution that benefits the beginner as well as the experienced sublimator.

Sawgrass is perhaps the best known name in the industry, since they were one of the earliest pioneers to create a desktop ink solution for sublimation decorating. At first, Sawgrass' ink production was focused on Epson printers with piezo print heads, but now they have expanded their operations.

SG500 & SG1000 Printers

Sawgrass has continued its strategy of offering two printer sizes: one with up to 8.5" media width and the other with up to 11.7" media width (13" with its optional multi-bypass tray).

Excluding print size, both printers are built from a chassis that includes a next generation Ricoh printhead and an upgraded print engine for increased performance and improved image quality. Both are CMYK printers and use a new state-of-the-art sublimation ink.

The built-in tray for both printers is quite flexible and will accommodate smaller, specially cut sizes of paper including those for 11 oz. and 15 oz. mugs.

Sawgrass SG500

An incredible value, the SG500's smaller size and low cost makes it an ideal choice for those that are new to sublimation, only want to produce small sized substrates, or want portability for producing products at remote events.

The SG500's built-in paper tray supports a maximum paper size of 8.5”x14”, making it uniquely qualified to be a drinkware transfer workhorse. Add an optional bypass tray to gain an additional paper source and the ability to print on extended length paper sizes. Conde offers an 8.5”x21” paper size that is great for printing transfers for socks and other long substrates.

Sawgrass SG1000

Since its print size accommodates the vast majority of substrates, the SG1000 is the ideal sublimation printer for most shops. The larger of the two printers, the SG1000, can print up to 11.75”x17” paper from the bottom built-in tray and up to 13"x21" from its optional multi-bypass tray (the existing bypass tray for the SG800 is compatible with the SG1000). The 13"x21" paper size is incredibly versatile as it maximizes the transfer area of heat presses, such as Geo Knight's 16"x20" DK20S, and increases the number of products that can be produced.

Ink & Paper

The SG500 and the SG1000 support four color printing with individual CMYK ink cartridges. While the SG500 only supports standard ink cartridges, the SG1000 supports both standard size ink cartridges and extended capacity (double capacity) ink cartridges for a very attractive cost savings, with the ability to mix and match sizes as needed.

To support the printers, Sawgrass offers its next generation Ultra HD SubliJet ink that provides excellent color gamut, functionality, and image durability. The inks were designed for both hard and soft (fabric) substrates and are matched to the high performance Ricoh piezo print head, using a higher viscosity formula. By our testing, 1 ml of this gel type ink is the equivalent of 3 ml of other brands of sublimation ink, resulting in an attractive cost advantage.

Sublimation Release Paper

The purpose of sublimation paper is to carry the ink from the printer to the heat press, and then let go of the ink as it turns into a gas and diffuses into the substrate. Be sure to only use papers that are supported by the printer, as some generic papers dry too slow and will create moisture and streak issues.

Another bonus of the many generations of these printers are the outstanding family of sublimation release papers supported by them. I recommend the Dye Trans SPP, as it has minimal dot gain and superior release characteristics and is available in many different sizes.

Click the image to view our DyeTrans sublimation papers.

Unpacking and installing your printer

Printer setup is similar to most printers: unpack, install ink cartridges, and turn on. Each printer takes about 6 minutes to charge its ink system. Your ink cartridges will show reduced levels as ink has been moved from cartridge into the ink tubes and print-head. After the ink lines have been charged, it is time to install the printer software.

Driver software is downloaded from the internet, but I recommend calling your sublimation distributor and allowing them to remotely set everything up. This may seem odd, but it is quite important to optimize the setup for whatever applications you are using. Paper is loaded with the print side face-down for the built-in tray and any additional bottom trays. For the bypass tray, it is loaded face-up. I recommend using the bottom trays when possible.

Do not panic if your first prints look dull and faded. The dyes will become vibrant once activated in the heat press. I recommend hooking the printer up to a UPS/surge protector and leaving the printer turned on at all times. Also, do a test print every few days if you are not using the printer.

Grow your business with more trays

Both printers can be expanded with optional paper trays to provide convenience and cost savings. Two extra bottom trays and a bypass tray can be added to each printer for minimal cost. This extreme expandability is right out of the Ricoh copier play book, with a maxed out printer having a total of four paper sources!

As an unexpected bonus, all existing extra trays for the older SG400 and SG800 are compatible with their replacements. Access to multiple paper sizes allows the user to select a size that reduces waste and production time; no need to cut paper for drinkware or swap back and forth paper sizes.

Warranty and Support

Both printers include a surprising two year warranty and lifetime support. In the event of an issue with the printer that cannot be solved through trouble shooting, Sawgrass will ship a replacement to you. Keep in mind, Sawgrass sells these printers through their authorized distributor network. Thus, your distributor should assist you with setup and installation and be your first point of contact for support.

Choose a distributor that specializes in sublimation and provides an A-Z approach, not one that is just a box mover. Sublimation issues can occur in three places: computer, printer, and heat press (oven), so great support is critical to trouble shooting issues, especially for beginners.

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