Screwed Up!

[Stitch Up]

Everything's been working just fine with our DTG printing. We've produced some great shirt designs and people have absolutely loved them. Then, you get your biggest order and get cracking with some confidence.

Well, it turned into a nightmare! Half way through we ran out of pre-treatment fluid and needing to source some quickly we checked alternatives with some UK suppliers. We checck the suitability of their pre-treat with the Dupont ink we use - Yes, it'll be just fine they tell us. So off we go back into production again and then we notice a colour shift in the printed image! Do a nozzle check and find we've lost Cyan! No problem, we'll do a powerclean to get the ink flowing again, but powerclean just won't start :mad:

Why does all this happen when you're on your biggest order? Then we do some wash tests and the image breaks up and that horrible 'sinking feeling' sets in. Of course, I have a trip to FESPA in Hamburg planned too so we're trying to get the order complete beforehand and we fail.

In the end, you have to put your hands up and surrender, a horrible feeling but has to be done or you get so upset.

The upshot:
We let down the client.
We let down ourselves.

Everything had been going so well too! But, we have to take a few steps back, learn from these horrible experiences and try and rebuild our confidence once more.

We've learned a lot from this experience, a hard way to learn too, but I hope it will make us better for the future.

Shit happens - I hope not to often!

[Kaz]

That's not so good :(

Do you think it was down to the different pre-treatment fluid or something else?

[Stitch Up]

It was down to 3 things Kaz

1. We should have had sufficient stock!
2. The DTG Printer had a firmware fault preventing me from doing ANY sort of cleaning. Regular cleaning is absolutely required.
3. The pre-treatment supplier was wrong to suggest their pre-treat worked with Dupont Inks - it doesn't.

The only little comfort we have is that, even if we had gallons of the 'proper' pre-treat solution in stock, it wouldn't have changed the final outcome - we couldn't complete the order.

This has really been a nightmare for us! The client has been great and understanding throughout. They are screenprinters and have suffered equipment malfuntions themselves.

[gstk]

We've all been. There. Smart arses call it a learning experience. Chin up chalk it up and move on

[purpledragon]

been there seen it done it bought the t shirt (and that mucked up) these things never happen on a single or tiny order and never on an order that theres plenty of time on. I feel for ya stichy that feeling you get in your stomach as the realisation dawns that you're gonna fail to meet the order and then having to face a customer. Remember this though everyone on this forum has experinaced similar and if they havnt they will . gstk said it best chin up chalk it up and move on ,

[Stitch Up]

been there seen it done it bought the t shirt (and that mucked up) these things never happen on a single or tiny order and never on an order that theres plenty of time on. I feel for ya stichy that feeling you get in your stomach as the realisation dawns that you're gonna fail to meet the order and then having to face a customer. Remember this though everyone on this forum has experinaced similar and if they havnt they will . gstk said it best chin up chalk it up and move on ,

Yeah, I'm quite philosophical about the whole experience and we'll move on and hopefully be stronger for the experience. However, I don't like letting people down and until either Angie or I run the business full time, I think we'll have to slow down a little and sometimes perhaps, say "No". We

I must say, All American, the supplier of the printer were absolutely brilliant and helped us fix the firmware issue.

[mrs maggot]

Stitch up, it shows you care by posting it on here, glad you have it sorted now, and a nice flea in the ear for the supplier that suggested it was compatable ??

[Stitch Up]

Yes, I do care & that's why I get that horrible 'sinking feeling' when all starts going pear shaped!

[Kaz]

I was going to PM you about doing some black tshirts for me aswell, will wait a while until you're sorted

[AdamB]

I feel for you John,

When I do a shirt and make a mistake I'm gutted and that's only a couple of quid down the drain ....................... not like your costs!

Hope all get's sorted soon John - I know I wind you up about the DTG machine (as I am really envious) but I wouldn't wish any problem on anyone.

Besides that, I thought that sticking the pins into the DTG machine I made of plasticine wouldn't work - sorry mate (hey, it's a joke - trying to give you a smile!)

[Stitch Up]

We should have all the ingredients by the end of the week Kaz, then I'll test over the weekend to ensure EVERYTHING is working including the wash! I don't want this happening again.

Email the images if you wish and I'll use them for testing :)

john@stitch-up.biz

@AdamB - we probably trashed 100 black shirts but that wasn't really what concerned me most, it was the messing around of a customer. They were really understanding.

[Kaz]

John, email sent, thanks

[Stitch Up]

Well, I think I've got it sorted .....

Printed on a Gildan shirt.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v111/datasafe/Printing%20and%20Dye%20Sub/Neoflex/DTG%20Examples/SimonWoodFlamingGuitar4.jpg

[AdamB]

NICE!

You could get away with posting this in your first post John and say that you had enough so set fire to a t-shirt! (it looks so realistic).

Glad everythings sorted mate :-)