Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
I'm having an issue with fibrelation (got that term from searching posts here) on my shirts when I pull the transfers. I've adjusted the pressure to almost where there is no pressure at all and I'm still having the problem. Some of the designs are coming out almost perfect, other's have tons of fibers pulling up when I peel. These are American Apparel Shirts and my own manufacturered organic shirts. It's happening on both; and I use a Phoenix Phire heat press.
The problem is really taking away from the quality of the shirts and I'm getting frustrated as all H*$@&!
Anyone have any suggestions? Is there any type of solution that can be sprayed on a shirt prior to printing to eliminate this issue? I've talked to some local printers here and they have never had the problem that I'm having.
Your using photo transfers printed with an inkjet?
Which paper?
What is your time and temp?
Try this. Keep your pressure set to medium. Let your transfer cool down just a bit. It will make the transfer a little more solid before you peel the paper. The threads will stay in the transfer.
How long to wait before peeling?
Take a printed transfer, cut it into 5 or 6 strips, lay them out on a test T-shirt. Press with your normal settings. Peel the first strip, then wait 10 seconds and peel the second strip, 10 more seconds for the third and so on.
The last strip might not come off at all, that's ok, part of the test.
Look at the quality of each strip. The longer you wait to peel, the smoother, thicker the transfer. When you wait to long, the transfer starts pulling off the T, or won't come off at all. That's waiting to long. Decide which time increment gets the best results without risking damage to the transfer. You will also notice less transfer material left on the back of the paper you just peeled.
Your using photo transfers printed with an inkjet?
Which paper?
What is your time and temp?
Try this. Keep your pressure set to medium. Let your transfer cool down just a bit. It will make the transfer a little more solid before you peel the paper. The threads will stay in the transfer.
How long to wait before peeling?
Take a printed transfer, cut it into 5 or 6 strips, lay them out on a test T-shirt. Press with your normal settings. Peel the first strip, then wait 10 seconds and peel the second strip, 10 more seconds for the third and so on.
The last strip might not come off at all, that's ok, part of the test.
Look at the quality of each strip. The longer you wait to peel, the smoother, thicker the transfer. When you wait to long, the transfer starts pulling off the T, or won't come off at all. That's waiting to long. Decide which time increment gets the best results without risking damage to the transfer. You will also notice less transfer material left on the back of the paper you just peeled.
Give the test a try and post your results.
They are plastisol transfers that I get manufactured at First Edition.
The problem with waiting too long to peel the transfer is that I will get the cold peel effect, which is what I don't want. I want the softer feel of hot splits. The more the design looks like it's part of the garment the better.
The temp is set to 375 and I've tried from 7 - 15 seconds to press and have gone down to 365 in temp. I'm getting bascially the same results no matter what. One time the print will come out perfectly; I'll do another exactly the same and the fibers come up on the next.
No one invented a solution or something to prevent this? I've read in the posts here that this sometimes happens in screen printing as well due to pressure. My problem doesn't seem to be with the pressure.
Last edited by true genius; January 24th, 2007 at 05:21 PM.
What kind/brand shirt are you using? Maybe it happens with some blanks more than others?
We're using American Apparel and then also we have our organics manufactured by Wooly Lamb Organics out of Georgia. We are having the issue with all of the shirts, doesn't matter the weave or style; long sleeve, short sleeve, cap sleeve, interlock, rib, California fleece.
I'm desperate to get these prints to come out prefectly. We cannot find a screen printer in the Phoenix area to take on our business until we hit huge minimum quantities and I need to send some perfect samples to potential sales reps by next week. We have a few who are interested in taking us on, but need to see the quality of our products. I cannot send them samples with fibers sticking up all over the place.
I've not worked with plastisol, but here are my thoughts from what I've learned with photo transfers and vinyl.
Can you try a 'warm' split and see if your quality changes?
Are you pre-pressing to warm up the garments? After the first pre-press, lay a piece of clear plastic or glass on the shirt and see it it fogs up. I sometimes have to press a shirt a couple times to get all the water out.
I've not worked with plastisol, but here are my thoughts from what I've learned with photo transfers and vinyl.
Can you try a 'warm' split and see if your quality changes?
Are you pre-pressing to warm up the garments? After the first pre-press, lay a piece of clear plastic or glass on the shirt and see it it fogs up. I sometimes have to press a shirt a couple times to get all the water out.
Are you using a lint roller before you press?
Would you please explain "warm" split? (thanks!)
I do pre-press the garments to get the moisture out. I press until the garment stops steeming. If it still feels a little damp then I press for a few seconds more until it feels nice and dry.
I'm not using a lint roller at all. I've looked closely at the garments before I press them and they do have tiny fibers sticking out all over the garment; very tiny, and all of them are like this; but it gets much, much worse once I peel the transfer off. I would think the ink would smooth them out rather than pulling them up. I'm not prewashing the garments either.
Maybe the press has to do with the problem, as suggested. Maybe it's not retaining the right amount of heat from shirt to shirt and this is why one is coming out perfectly and the next is not; but I've tried higher temps to lower temps and I'm getting the same results.
I appreciate all of your suggestions thus far! I just really need to find a screen printer, I think.
Awesome! Thank you SO much, John. I'm going to give the instructions on that post a try and see what I get. I'll post again here and let you know how things have worked out. THANKS!
Well, I went to US Screenprinters here today in Phoenix and we've decided to purchase a direct to garment printer. These machines are AMAZING! Why do people even bother with screen printer? No more fuzz issues with the transfers.
I really appreciate everyone's feedback and suggestions here.
Good way to check John! I'm going to try the same thing, because that is hapening to us as well!
Thanks!
Peel Cold.
Re-press for a shorter time with a rubber mat. David from ACE transfers showed me how he does it at the ISS show. It reduces the the cold peel effect. I don't know what it's called but if you get in touch with them I'm sure they'll sell you one.
Your using photo transfers printed with an inkjet?
Which paper?
What is your time and temp?
Try this. Keep your pressure set to medium. Let your transfer cool down just a bit. It will make the transfer a little more solid before you peel the paper. The threads will stay in the transfer.
How long to wait before peeling?
Take a printed transfer, cut it into 5 or 6 strips, lay them out on a test T-shirt. Press with your normal settings. Peel the first strip, then wait 10 seconds and peel the second strip, 10 more seconds for the third and so on.
The last strip might not come off at all, that's ok, part of the test.
Look at the quality of each strip. The longer you wait to peel, the smoother, thicker the transfer. When you wait to long, the transfer starts pulling off the T, or won't come off at all. That's waiting to long. Decide which time increment gets the best results without risking damage to the transfer. You will also notice less transfer material left on the back of the paper you just peeled.
Give the test a try and post your results.
Thanks you just helped me out alot, I'm having the same problem and thinking I'm loosing it. I'll try the test right away
Fibers sticking up after peeling transfer 
I was watching the DTG machines print at the tradeshow and they are much slower than an automatic screen printing press.
Re: Fibers sticking up after peeling transfer 
