$$$$Cermark$$$$

[Dane Fuller]

Does anyone know of an alternative to Cermark that isn't as expensive?

[Frank Corker]

If you search through using the search engine you will find plenty of suggestions in previous posts.

[Mike Null]

Dane

Once you get involved with the process you'll not think Cermark is expensive. I think it's one of the great bargains on the market. The little jar that I bought for about $150 will return well over $7,000. Buy the bulk rather than the spray can for better economy.

I'm doing a $1500 job today that won't use more than 4 tablespoons of my diluted solution.

[Scott Shepherd]

I agree with Mike. Cermark is only expensive when you don't have a job for it. Once you have work for it, it will flat out make you some good money.

[Dee Gallo]

I have tried several alternatives and will stand behind Cermark. The main reason is reliability. You know what you are going to get. And as Mike said, the price is not high if you figure it out at a per use rate... especially if you get a couple of free samples!

cheers, dee

[Chris DeGerolamo]

I used to hate working with it. Now that I have the settings down and how to apply [that best works for me] I love it. Any alternate/homemade solution will not yield as good of a result and will take more effort to perfect. Trust me...

[Dan Hintz]

Try this thread...
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...0-for-one-year

[Dane Fuller]

Thanks for the info. I had already done a search but most of those threads were fairly old. I thought maybe something new had hit the streets that I was unaware of.

A short fuse job (I hate those) came in this morning shortly after I posted this question. Since I live in Popcornfarte, TX and can't just go pick some Cermark up locally, I may have to go the $20/year p.o.p. route this time.

[Richard Rumancik]

Every once in a while someone suggests an inexpensive alternative to Cermark; there is a lot of initial enthusiasm, people try lots of experiments, and then it seems to die. Although it can be possible to get a mark to "stick" using alternative solutions, I don't think anyone has really come up with an inexpensive alternative that works as well as Cermark. Most of us don't have the lab requirements nor the access to chemicals that would be necessary to do any real research in this area. And it may end up violating Ferro patents.

Ferro marketing made a mistake with some of their advertising some years ago by telling people both how good Cermark was and how it costs hundreds of dollars a pound for the material. (Not that most people purchased that much at a time.) That seems to have left a perception that it was very expensive to use. But as other members have suggested - you need to look at the big picture.

Sublimation inks are also very expensive. Why do people still buy them? Because they can still make money with them. And the manufacturers know that.

[Dan Hintz]

Sublimation inks are also very expensive. Why do people still buy them? Because they can still make money with them. And the manufacturers know that.

I would posit that they're expensive because there are few (no?) reasonable (legal?) alternatives... same with standard printer ink when the companies started chipping their cartridges for single use only. Market pricing being what it is, and all...

If sub inks are expensive or cheap, it probably doesn't matter... the money to be made is in the final product, not the ink itself. Granted, a more expensive ink will mean lower number of garage-based manufactured products, but the ink cost is roughly the same for everyone, a fixed cost.

Same with Cermark and POP alternatives... one's cheap, one's expensive, but so little is used the fixed cost per item is essentially the same (and practically zero). When you step back and look at the cost of material used, the cost comes in with the extra application work involved, and it's that cost that leads to higher cost of final product. Since some don't want to do the extra work, those who do can charge a premium for offering the service, i.e., we make money.

[Belinda Barfield]

One more vote for Cermark. You can make back the cost of Cermark pretty quickly.

[Dee Gallo]

You know, around here they make maple syrup which is fantastic... and they are getting $40-50 per gallon... AND selling out fast! It's all in the supply and demand for any product. I don't begrudge Ferro a penny. Their product does what they say it will and nobody is forcing you to buy it. But when you want it you can get it, they ship quickly, which is good enough for me!

[Gary and Jessica Houghton]

Since I live in Popcornfarte, TX and can't just go pick some Cermark up locally

Wow, that far, huh?!
You can buy it from a place in Arlington, TX and have it shipped to you and get it the next day. PM me and I will tell you where to get it. ;-)

[Martin Boekers]

I haven't worked with it since they improved it. "Invested" $100 or so in a bottle then set up an airbrush
and couldn't get it to work reasonably and consistantly. When they came out with their new and improved
version a few years back, I believe they initially offed a 25% discount. I called and asked if I could return
the old product that I couldn't get to work to try the new version one word NO. So to make a long story longer I don't use it. Instead of bringing a new customer into the fold they lost one.

I don't know I guess I'm getting cratchety in my old age, but I have started to quit dealing with
those that don't meet expatations for good service. There are a handful of vendors out there that go the extra
step to make sure everthing is right there are many more that really don't care. I know
many here have had good luck with the product so that's great. Maybe I just got a salesman
on a bad day.

As you can see many have tried to come up with different formulas but they never withstand the test
of time. So as others have said if you can make money with it I guess it's worth it.

[Dane Fuller]

Wow, that far, huh?!
You can buy it from a place in Arlington, TX and have it shipped to you and get it the next day. PM me and I will tell you where to get it. ;-)

Thanks. PM sent.


I thank all of you for the advise. I don't mind paying for something as long as it works as advertised. This particular project was a quick turn type of thing and I just didn't have time to get cermark in here. I'm sure that I'll be using the name brand stuff in the future.