Sublimation Case Study: Pressing Matters

I had been making heat transfer tees but my old t shirt transfer press was worn out and would not heat up. It was barely a year old and only 15x15 and I now have a bigger printer so I wanted on that would accept large transfer paper to match my printer, the Epson 4880.

Now I wanted a dye sublimation press. Not that it was especially for dye sub, all heat press t shirt printing uses the same type press, it’s just a heat transfer tool. I started looking on the web for the best heat transfer machines for t shirts and was immediately interested in the Digital Knight heat press line. Warranted for a full year and three years on the digital controls, exploring George Knight and sons immediately led me back to Conde Systems, who have a complete heat transfer catalog and recommend the Knight presses as the best heat press line.

Conde is a reputable company located in Mobile, Alabama, but known far and wide for their extensive catalog of supplies. I found other heat press machines for sale on ebay, but they were mostly the Chinese one just like I had previously, with no warranty or technical support. I already know the folks at Conde are dependable and great for their extended support network, so I was satisfied I was on the right track. And Conde gave me the best heat press price I could find.

I started checking on the various presses, I checked into an air operated press, an automatic press that would spring open as needed. That was the DK25S, a bit pricey for me ($2770). I did want the 16” X 20” platen, so the DK20S seemed to be the model I wanted most, at on $1250, I had enough left over to also get the heat press stand that goes with it, for only $275.

Now that I had my new t shirt transfer press, I also got all the t shirt heat transfer equipment and heat press supplies I needed to do other things, like tiles and plaques. Doug Dewitt at Conde helped me look into every heat transfer application my new equipment could handle. Plus, when I ran the heat transfer numbers, the cost of the sublimation heat press paper and other heat press material, I could see how lucrative this would all be, soon I would be doubling my money.

Heat press printing is the way to go for a small business, that’s for sure. Not just a t shirt press machine, now the heat press numbers lead me to the full array of heat transfer application.

Stay tuned and we will discuss the many great things you can make with the heat transfer printing machine set-up.