I'm pretty new with full color printing on T-shirts (I'm using vinyl and am sick of weeding) but I've been reading forum for a while. The problem with border on white T's and/or white background on dark shirts is my main concern. I haven't decided between sublimation and pigment inks but also between laser and ink-jet printer.
I like how ImageClip paper works but would like similar for inkjet, since tabloid format laser is too expensive. Anyway, I've noticed that ImageClip paper comes with transfer sheet that "eliminates the background plastic polymer". What substance is it covered with?
Wouldn't it be possible to print on a regular transfer paper, then, instead of cutting excess material with a cutter, just cut one stencil sheet in a shape of design (using stronger material like mylar or cardboard) and then use it to spray excess area to block it from transferring onto fabric. Even if you have intricate design, you have to do weeding only once.
I need your help to figure out if such substance exist than can effectively block polymer and white backing from transferring.
I don't think that is going to work because the polymer / adhesive will stick to your stencil. So, you will only get one use out of the sentcil and then the inkjet paper will be stuck to it. Depending on the thickness of the stencil, you might not have good pressure on the transfer to cure it to the shirt enough to give it a strong washfastness.
The way ImageClip works is that the toner sticks to one sheet (inkjet will not stick because it is kinda slick - hard to explain) and then the other sheet is where the polymer is. The polymer will only stick to the toner as it will not stick to the slick side of the rest of the paper. The only other process that I have seen that compares to this for inkjet is a beta version of ChromaBlast that was shown at the SGIA Show in Orlando last October. They used a solvent based checmical that was sprayed at the same time as the colors. The solvent went down on the part of the paper that has no CMYK on it. Then, you have to cure the paper with a UV conveyor dryer. Finally, you press the shirt. Again, this was in beta testing and there is no clue when it would be released, what the price is to buy it and what the cost per a print is. It could easily cost more and take longer than to use the print-cut method that most people are doing right now.
FYI - Since you posted this in the sublimation forum, you should know that there is no window of adhesive when you do sublimation.
Wouldn't it be possible to print on a regular transfer paper, then, instead of cutting excess material with a cutter, just cut one stencil sheet in a shape of design (using stronger material like mylar or cardboard) and then use it to spray excess area to block it from transferring onto fabric. Even if you have intricate design, you have to do weeding only once.
I need your help to figure out if such substance exist than can effectively block polymer and white backing from transferring.
I think this would work. I don't see why the stencil would stick to the polymer/adhesive, since you are just using the stencil to place on the cold transfer to spray on your "blocking" material.
So, as you said, the key is figure out what this substance would be. And it would have to be reasonably priced. I have no idea.
I don't think that is going to work because the polymer / adhesive will stick to your stencil.
Thanks Mark, but I don't see why would it stick to the stencil, when you spray on completely dry transfer paper.
Sorry, I didn't know how Imageclip exactly works, I didn't know that printed toner will transfer to a new paper with polymer on it, I thought it's vice versa, second transfer contains blocking substance, not polymer.
It's a matter of positive-negative image approach and I believe that may work. Maybe if I use "negative" image stencil on a paper that has not polymer on it, like regular paper and then apply polymer where the image will be printed on (+/- some margin) and then after polymer is set, print the image and transfer it. The area below stencil will stay clear. What do you think?
Thanks Mark, but I don't see why would it stick to the stencil, when you spray on completely dry transfer paper.
Sorry, I didn't know how Imageclip exactly works, I didn't know that printed toner will transfer to a new paper with polymer on it, I thought it's vice versa, second transfer contains blocking substance, not polymer.
Darkorns
Nope, it is the polymer that is transferred on the toner. That is a common mistake of some first time users. They are trying so hard to make the toner transfer to the polymer paper. On top of that they are using the polymer paper to press on the shirt. Then wonder why the image does not transfer on the shirt.
As far as stencil goes, how about using teflon material? The thing is it is going to raise the cost. Teflon is not cheap. For one time order use it is not cost effective. Unless it is a large volume order. Or how about using PhotoEZ stencil. I believe it is reusable and durable that it can be cleaned with paint remover. Question is will the coating flow behind the screen filaments?
There is actually a spray coating that is being sold by BestImageSolutions.com. It is supposed to be sprayed on the shirt and then press a laser printed ( image) release paper over the spayed area to tranfsfer the image. Maybe spraying it on the transfer paper masked with stencil will work as suppose to spraying it directly on the shirt.
Another way to remove border? 
CorelDRAW macro author
