Going mad, want to scream/cry/break something etc!

[danzab]

Hello

I have been sublimation printing for the last year or so, me and the wife have been printing in our spare time to get started and hopefully lead to bigger and better things. Have been offering printed items on facebook through some selling pages.

Just getting a few decent orders in and things going nicely, went to print a few items out last night and two of the ricoh ink cartridges ran out half way through. Not too much of a problem, but cant afford to buy any for a few days until I get paid.

Next thing this moring, the wife set out to heat press a few cushions, now the heat press has died! I set the temp and time etc but as soon as I press the go button, its telling me its at 255c already and wont heat up. Looks like the heat platen is knackered, tried a smaller platen that I have and that heats up ok. It looks like its a fairly old press and afetr a quick google I cant find spare parts! I can barely just afford new inks let alone a new press

Finally to top it off we have been offering canvas prints, been subbing them out to a local firm and putting a few quid on top. Have about 5 orders for canvas prints, emailed them to him only to get no reply. Wife has been down to the shop this morning to see him only to find the shop deserted with no sign of life!

Sorry if I have bored you with my troubles but I have orders that I cant print, orders that I cant press and canvas orders I cant supply!!

Does anybody have any advice of where I can purchase a heat press pretty sharpish, looks like I'm going to have to hammer the credit card to get one. Really need to spend as little as possible to dig myself out of a hole

Thanks for reading

Dan

[Justin]

Complete set=up for sale in our Classifieds section. Several of the Suppliers on our list have good price presses. In an ideal world it's great to have back up presses, just a cheap A4 size press in the back of the cupboard can give piece of mind....but then who has the money to sat with redundant equipment nowadays?

Hope you get sorted, sods law everything goes wrong at once

[danzab]

Thanks for the reply, have had a look on bms as get all our supplies from them but all presses are showing out of stock! Seen a few cheap ones on lovecut and sublimagic but have seen bad reports on them so dont really want to risk it!

[Justin]

Try Coralgraph as well.

[danzab]

Thanks for that, will have a look

[purpledragon]

i print canvases if that helps

[smitch6]

sorry to hear of your problems hope you get sorted quickly

lovecut are cheap yes and you get what u pay for :~
i have 1 of there's and tbh it's ok it's still working a yr later
but others haven't been so lucky they are ok as long as it all works if it doesn't they are a nightmare to get hold of

coralgraph brill place Henry has always been great with me and any breakages he's credited me for my next order

BMS well what can we say about them i've NEVER seen negative feedback for them, but as you say they out of stock??
although if you contact Martin direct he might be able to sort you out

good luck with your search and hopefully you'll be back up running soon

[gstk]

I think most of us have been there or somewhere similar. Take a deep breath, think it through and dont rush into anything. If you are making profit the cost of the press has to be spread out over hopefully a few years so its real cost is small (hurts now though) Inks are something you have to have - no ink - no print. Just make sure you are earning enough out of it all and not being a busy fool. Check your prices. I know from experience that being busy doesnt always mean making money. Good luck and chin up and dont let the b**tards grind you down.

[John G]

I'm sure there'll be a few people on this forum that would help you out, if in you area - put out a request for printing and include all details!

went to print a few items out last night and two of the ricoh ink cartridges ran out half way through.

What happened to the money made off your items sold on facebook - surely there's enough factored into your prices to be able to buy new ink and never run out?

[danzab]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like we will have to review the prices, making a little profit but not a great deal. Have tried to keep prices low to gain customers but as we work from home space is limited and cant keep a lot of stock in so have to keep paying out for postage. Going to do a load of googling today regarding presses

Purpledragon, I will message you regarding canvases thanks