New here, question about printing onto iPhone covers..

Hi guys. I understand this question has probably been asked a million times but after browsing the forum for quite sometime I cant seem to find the best advice..

I'm interested in pressing personalised iPhone covers using my photographs, could someone explain all the equipment needed.. my budget is around £1000 but less if possible.. i've checked out a few sites including BMS who have a press at £214.80 would this be good enough? also Adkins and Xpres.

I also just came across this on eBay, seems like quite a big bundle for the price therefore i'm guessing it wouldn't be great quality stuff? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15x15-Heat...item2ec1a4adaa

Any info to help me get the ball rolling would be much appreciated,

thanks guys

It depends on the types of phone cases. If you wanna do it properly your use full wraps and want a 3d sublimation vacuum machine. If your happy to print on an insert and stick that on the blank case then you can use a heat press.

Hi DJG,

For speed, consistency and output I personally prefer the cases utilising the printable insert. I have one myself so can't say fairer than that! ;)

Scott

Has no-one ever come up with a polymer case insert rather than the metal? Or, alternatively, why not a full one piece polymer case with jig insert to allow printing over the back?

Sorry....I'm answering my own question here.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZEYS4F0bDM

Looks like a good mid-way solution, no metal insert but no 3d print. Anyone doing this? Another option for the OP. I guess you're just using the 3D cases in a normal press?

Regarding their add, having a look at the bottom of the page to see what they say about leaving negative or neutral feedback. Most tittersome!

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Originally Posted by Justin

Sorry....I'm answering my own question here.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZEYS4F0bDM

Looks like a good mid-way solution, no metal insert but no 3d print. Anyone doing this? Another option for the OP. I guess you're just using the 3D cases in a normal press?

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This isn't quite what you were asking Justin, but yeah... I've created a phone cover using a polymer on a jig, in a flat-bed. Worked okay but there's a slight overspray where the image is trimmed and no way to take care of it unless you go right around the edges with heat tape.

BUT...

When I had problems with my 3D press at the weekend, I was in the middle of a run of jobs. I had no choice but to get them out the door as Amazon don't leave much time between purchase and shipment, so I had to improvise. As the 3D press still had perfect heating, just without the vacuum, I treated it like a regular oven and dealt with the vacuum side of things manually. While I wasn't (obviously) able to create an actual vacuum, I taped the image to the cover/jig using twenty separate pieces of tape so that there was no gas escape. It was an experiment, but I was desperate. As it happens, it turned out perfectly and I was able to get the covers boxed up and ready to be shipped. Diagram of how it was taped...

Attachment 2640

The problem is, it's not an easy process. Having to pre-tape the printed design, then making sure you get the jigged-up cover on to the correct point of the image and hold it TIGHT while you pull up all the tapes (again, very tight) is a real pain. It does show that you can do 3D sublimation on polymer covers without a vacuum press but I honestly wouldn't recommend it unless it was an emergency situation and you have a lot of time and patience... and a decent oven. To be honest though, I know many people who sell the printed-insert type of phone covers and make a lot more money than I do using the 3D method. In my experience, there's pretty much no wastage as every one works first time whereas with the 3D method (if you're as fussy about quality as I am) then you could end up with 30% wastage if the cover prints a little blurry or you're unlucky enough to get mottling.

My advice though - buy from a reputable retailer rather than someone on eBay, unless they're an actual retailer who is listing on eBay. I've bought heat presses on eBay in the past, along with guillotines, printers and even just rolls of vinyl, and getting them to deal with faults or problems is a nightmare.

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Originally Posted by Scotty@BMS

Regarding their add, having a look at the bottom of the page to see what they say about leaving negative or neutral feedback. Most tittersome!

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I almost want to buy from them just so I can fall into their 'scum' category. So tempting.

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Originally Posted by Frostee

It depends on the types of phone cases. If you wanna do it properly your use full wraps and want a 3d sublimation vacuum machine. If your happy to print on an insert and stick that on the blank case then you can use a heat press.

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so we have proper iPhone cases now and unproper ones? :cool:
how about mugs? is 10oz more proper then 11oz? or opposite?
Im sorry. only pulling your leg :P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DJG

Hi guys. I understand this question has probably been asked a million times but after browsing the forum for quite sometime I cant seem to find the best advice..

I'm interested in pressing personalised iPhone covers using my photographs, could someone explain all the equipment needed.. my budget is around £1000 but less if possible.. i've checked out a few sites including BMS who have a press at £214.80 would this be good enough? also Adkins and Xpres.

I also just came across this on eBay, seems like quite a big bundle for the price therefore i'm guessing it wouldn't be great quality stuff? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15x15-Heat...item2ec1a4adaa

Any info to help me get the ball rolling would be much appreciated,

thanks guys

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Thanks for the replies guys, so whats the minimum I should be spening on a heat press and/or a 3d printer without it being a cheapy one? also is there anything else I would need, such as what types of inks etc?

Thanks again

Buy a cheap 3D machine it will probably fail sooner rather than later. For printing inserts for phone cases and tablets you'll find perfectly reasonable presses at around the £200 mark. Yeah, and you'll need a printer, ink, paper heat tape etc. I'd go for the Ricoh SG3110, inexpensive and hassle free to use. Be sure you purchase from a licensed Sawgrass dealer or you'll not get aftersales support (or worse, non-sublimation carts!)

DJG....It might be worth you taking a look at our Premium Membership scheme, for £10 per year we give you 10% off with some of the major suppliers, Xpres & Listawood, Longforte for phone cases etc.

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Originally Posted by Paul

so we have proper iPhone cases now and unproper ones? :cool:
how about mugs? is 10oz more proper then 11oz? or opposite?
Im sorry. only pulling your leg :P

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bitch please. anything less than 24oz definitely aint proper :P

you know what I mean though ;-) if you gonna go a phone case you wanna do it fully and have the whole thing printed. not just a picture inside another case. (which is all I could currently offer with my setup unfortunately :P)
if you getting into the game just to do phone cases though you'd surely want to go for the full 3D option.

yeah. of corse i knew what you mean :)

but i actually like inserted cases. :)

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Originally Posted by Paul

but i actually like inserted cases. :)

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me too...I find the good ones are nice and sturdy...guess it's personal preference though!