I have been doing 11 oz mugs for 2+ years and this if a first, now I have weird gaps with the image along the bottom only of the mug. I have not changed any thing, paper or temp, any thing. It happens about 40% of the time, ouch! Please look at the picture and see what I am talking about. I am using Cactus Wraps and the same mug supplier, paper etc. I make sure the paper is snug on the mug and lint free.
After applying the mug wrap, I can see the wavy gaps in the edge of the paper on the bottom of the mug, if I take off that wrap and look at the image (before it goes in the oven) you can see the wavy folds in the edge of the paper and it's a blemish paper mark that can not be smoothed out. With lighter tension it did not help and it compromised the deep look of a vivid image. I have tried it as tight as I can go with the mug wrap and only having 1m of bottom edge of paper showing and it helped but it still happens and the gaps are smaller. Do mug wraps wear out? If any body has had this happen I am all ears
There are three key things: time, temperature and pressure. Since the top portion is fine, the time is probably not the problem. Since you are using wraps, the temperature is also probably not the problem as well. It looks like a pressure issue. Since the dye sub ink turns from a solid state to gas, you need to have the pressure to keep the gas from spreading. So the issue could either be the wrap has been stretched out or the mugs are coming down into a cone like shape at the bottom. Take a ruler and place it vertical up the side of the mug. Is it flat all the way from the top to a bottom of the mug? Does it have a gap at the bottom where you are getting this mistake? That is where I would start with. Otherwise, you might want to buy a new wrap and see if it corrects the problem. Not sure if you are using the same ones that I have seen, but they are only around $30. After paying for the mugs, shipping and ink... it is not long before the mistake costs far exceeds that.
Might want to also talk with your dye sub distributor as well. Hope this helps.
Mark has a good point there. Put your wrap on a mug. make it tight. Use a set of spark plug feeler gages and slide them in between the mug and the wrap. Did it slide in real lose and then get tight? If it did its wore out.
I think your paper is krinkleing at the bottom of the mug, where your mug tapers in. The krinkles make it so you can't get good pressure and the sublimation gases are escaping out and not going directly into the mug coating. Tape your transfer to you mug, and then dip a couple fingers into a container of water. Lightly rup your damp fingers over the transfer paper around the bottom of the mug to lightly moisten the transfer paper. This will make the paper conform to the shape of the mug without krinkleing. Apply your mug wrap as normal and heat in the oven as normal.
I found an number of mugs company's mugs differ slightly in shape because their molds are not exactly the same. If you are using a different brand (even from your normal supplier) you will find some mugs have a more beveled bottom and your paper won't fit right no matter how tight your wrap is. Check your mug lot numbers if you have older mugs in stock try them to see if there is a difference. I prefer using the more expensive mugs from my vendors and I stopped running into this problem.
Thanks. You know what I am talking about, yeah! Has this happened to you? How much paper should I leave past the image line to get it a little wet. It's very, very frustrating to be losing money.
I will let you know how it goes. Thanks again.
Is there any way to turn the wrap upside down to see if the "bad edge"s in the wrap or the mug, assuming that its not the coating ,which it sunds like its not
"After applying the mug wrap, I can see the wavy gaps in the edge of the paper on the bottom of the mug, if I take off that wrap and look at the image (before it goes in the oven) you can see the wavy folds in the edge of the paper and it's a blemish paper mark that can not be smoothed out. With lighter tension it did not help and it compromised the deep look of a vivid image. I have tried it as tight as I can go with the mug wrap and only having 1m of bottom edge of paper showing and it helped but it still happens and the gaps are smaller. Do mug wraps wear out? If any body has had this happen I am all ears "
I haven't gotten into dyesub or mugs yet but I am pretty good at figuring out mechanical things and that is what it sounds like to me. Hope I'm not just wasting your time and materials with this suggestion, but will be very interested in knowing the answer when you get it figured out. Good luck.
Terry
Is there any way to turn the wrap upside down to see if the "bad edge"s in the wrap or the mug, assuming that its not the coating ,which it sunds like its not
"After applying the mug wrap, I can see the wavy gaps in the edge of the paper on the bottom of the mug, if I take off that wrap and look at the image (before it goes in the oven) you can see the wavy folds in the edge of the paper and it's a blemish paper mark that can not be smoothed out. With lighter tension it did not help and it compromised the deep look of a vivid image. I have tried it as tight as I can go with the mug wrap and only having 1m of bottom edge of paper showing and it helped but it still happens and the gaps are smaller. Do mug wraps wear out? If any body has had this happen I am all ears "
I haven't gotten into dyesub or mugs yet but I am pretty good at figuring out mechanical things and that is what it sounds like to me. Hope I'm not just wasting your time and materials with this suggestion, but will be very interested in knowing the answer when you get it figured out. Good luck.
Terry
Thanks Terry. This is an excellent suggestion. I will try turning the mug wrap around and let you know.
Many thanks,
Diane
There are three key things: time, temperature and pressure. Since the top portion is fine, the time is probably not the problem. Since you are using wraps, the temperature is also probably not the problem as well. It looks like a pressure issue. Since the dye sub ink turns from a solid state to gas, you need to have the pressure to keep the gas from spreading. So the issue could either be the wrap has been stretched out or the mugs are coming down into a cone like shape at the bottom. Take a ruler and place it vertical up the side of the mug. Is it flat all the way from the top to a bottom of the mug? Does it have a gap at the bottom where you are getting this mistake? That is where I would start with. Otherwise, you might want to buy a new wrap and see if it corrects the problem. Not sure if you are using the same ones that I have seen, but they are only around $30. After paying for the mugs, shipping and ink... it is not long before the mistake costs far exceeds that.
Might want to also talk with your dye sub distributor as well. Hope this helps.
Mark
Hi Mark,
I look at the mug with the ruler, thank you very much and yes there is about a 2 ml taper in on the bottom of the mug. These mug are the best quality I have ever tried. I am very lucky the Co. is driving distance 6 hours round trip and I can get 15 cases in my Volvo. I save hundreds of $ in shipping. May be I can build something around the bottom of the inside of the mug wrap. Any suggestions?
I love this form
Diane
I think your paper is krinkleing at the bottom of the mug, where your mug tapers in. The krinkles make it so you can't get good pressure and the sublimation gases are escaping out and not going directly into the mug coating. Tape your transfer to you mug, and then dip a couple fingers into a container of water. Lightly rup your damp fingers over the transfer paper around the bottom of the mug to lightly moisten the transfer paper. This will make the paper conform to the shape of the mug without krinkleing. Apply your mug wrap as normal and heat in the oven as normal.
Hi Kevin,
The problem is the mug is cone shape. I tried the damp fingers and it didn't help. Also it was very, very labor intensive trying not to get the image damp.
Thanks for your help.
I love this forum
Hi Mark,
I look at the mug with the ruler, thank you very much and yes there is about a 2 ml taper in on the bottom of the mug. These mug are the best quality I have ever tried. I am very lucky the Co. is driving distance 6 hours round trip and I can get 15 cases in my Volvo. I save hundreds of $ in shipping. May be I can build something around the bottom of the inside of the mug wrap. Any suggestions?
I love this form
Diane
Diane,
I am not aware of any way where you can still do the full mug print without getting a problem with the color. The key that you need to do is taper the paper to match the mug. The only way that I can think you can do this is to make small vertical slits at the bottom of the paper to allow it to taper. However, the color is most likely to be distorted where the slits are.
You might want to talk to the manufacturer to see if there might have been a bad batch of mugs. That is where I would look first.
Mug wraps has weird gaps with the image. 
Re: Mug wraps has weird gaps with the image. 
