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engine9yfd · January 30th, 2007

I am new to this and have read these pages daily for some help but today has hit rock bottom. I just had some shirts droped off and went to my heat press machine for the first time. I have a Geo Knight hp 14. I warmed up the machine and decided to start off with a few samples I got from first edition. Well here goes the thrill of my first shirt! I did a hot split first and nothing stayed onto the shirt, it peeled right back onto the paper. Here is the first of many questions! How do you determine the correct pressure to use? Seond, is how do you do hot splits? I grabed another shirt put some more pressure on and tried again. Second time I had some stay and the rest come off. I took a deap breath and reread all of the instructions, checked the temp and tried a third time! Same thing nothing stayed and then i realized i got some print on the top platen of the machine! I stopped and unplugged the machine and am letting it cool so I can clean it. So ghere are some questions from my first attempt. How do you know how much clamping pressure to put on the machine? what am I doing wrong with these transfers? The instructions on some say I need a cover sheet, what is that? Any help from some seasoned vets. here would be great. Very frustrated and confused!!

Jasonda · January 30th, 2007

Are you pre-pressing the shirts to remove the moisture?

engine9yfd · January 30th, 2007

Yes I have done that everytime , well the three times I had tried. Is there something that needs to be peeled of before I press?

badalou · January 30th, 2007

Lets start with the shirt. 1. Was it 100% cotton?
2. Did you pre-press shirt? The biggest problem found with hot splits not sticking.
3. Is your tempeture reading correct.
4. Is your pressure correct. (Now I am going to assume that your a guy. Now I am 235 pounds. When the instructions say medium pressure that would mean my wife could not close or open the press. for me it is one hand.. Most of what I do in med to heavy pressing.
I know first edition always sends more transfer than ordered so I get out my test shirts and go to work. I don't know how many times I put the instructions aside to find I found what I need to do by testing. Test, test, test.. I hope this helps. badalou

T-BOT · January 30th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by engine9yfd


	I am new to this and have read these pages daily for some help but today has hit rock bottom. I just had some shirts droped off and went to my heat press machine for the first time. I have a Geo Knight hp 14. I warmed up the machine and decided to start off with a few samples I got from first edition. Well here goes the thrill of my first shirt! I did a hot split first and nothing stayed onto the shirt, it peeled right back onto the paper. Here is the first of many questions! How do you determine the correct pressure to use? Seond, is how do you do hot splits? I grabed another shirt put some more pressure on and tried again. Second time I had some stay and the rest come off. I took a deap breath and reread all of the instructions, checked the temp and tried a third time! Same thing nothing stayed and then i realized i got some print on the top platen of the machine! I stopped and unplugged the machine and am letting it cool so I can clean it. So ghere are some questions from my first attempt. How do you know how much clamping pressure to put on the machine? what am I doing wrong with these transfers? The instructions on some say I need a cover sheet, what is that? Any help from some seasoned vets. here would be great. Very frustrated and confused!!

Relax its not easy at first.

hummm I don't know where to start.

I find that when the press is Hot it is easier to Clean Off the Plastisol Inks.

By the sounds of it (If your transfers are not printing on the shirt), I would guess you need to increase the Heat Temp. and Pressure. This is the most common problem with the NO-STICK to the shirt sceenario.

OR, may be they are cold PEEL transfers and you are Hot Peeling them.

What I do is cut up a transfers in 3 pcs. Press it on SCRAP fabric at the same time, then do a quick hot peel with one, a semi-hot/Cold peel with the other and a cold peel with the last one.

This way you get to see and feel 3 different results.

Also, Examine the Transfer/Realease sheet after you press..... look to see how much ink is left on the sheet. The Ideal perfect press should leave NO ink at all on the sheet.

Give it a try.

engine9yfd · January 30th, 2007

After relaxing a bit and getting something to eat I decided to give it another round. Well things are getting better! Thanks to Lou I realized I did not have enough pressure and then realized I was peeling way to quick. I did about 6 shirts and they came out alot better than before. I got ink on the shirts this time. One thing I noticed is that when pulling off the transfer, it really needs to be tugged. Is that common to really have to pull. The other thing I noticed is sometimes the paper gets stuck to the shirt. How do I prevent that? I had a few shirts come out really good except for where paper was stuck to the ink.

Law Dog · January 30th, 2007

We see what happens when there is not enough pressure, is it possible to use to much? Is too much pressure better than not enough?

Mark

Annushka · January 31st, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-BOT


	Also, Examine the Transfer/Realease sheet after you press..... look to see how much ink is left on the sheet. The Ideal perfect press should leave NO ink at all on the sheet.

Lucy, does this apply to hot split transfers too? I thought hot splits were supposed to have some ink left on the paper.

Annushka · January 31st, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Law Dog


	We see what happens when there is not enough pressure, is it possible to use to much? Is too much pressure better than not enough? Mark

I've been meaning to ask that too. From what I've read so far it sounds like it is better. In that case what are some of the exceptional cases where "medium" really should be medium (maybe puff or glittery transfers)?

MotoskinGraphix · January 31st, 2007

Hot-splits split the ink so yes there is ink left on the paper. Hot peel dont leave ink.

Yes there is such a thing as too much pressure. I have a transfer that when med/heavy pressure is applied the texture of the lower platon rubber tends to appear in the print even with a teflon pad.

I think most problems are heat related and dwell time or not enough pre- press time.

KayDubLLC · January 31st, 2007

I had some issues with hot split and could not seem to get them right no matter what I tried so we are just going with hot peel. They worked very well and have held up to multiple wash and dry cycles.

I thought the purpose of hot peel and hot split was so that some of the ink stays on the paper giving your design a less glossy look.

Annushka · January 31st, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by MotoskinGraphix


	Hot-splits split the ink so yes there is ink left on the paper. Hot peel dont leave ink. Yes there is such a thing as too much pressure. I have a transfer that when med/heavy pressure is applied the texture of the lower platon rubber tends to appear in the print even with a teflon pad. I think most problems are heat related and dwell time or not enough pre- press time.

Thanks David

KayDubLLC · February 1st, 2007

I mean we are using hot split.

Also I have found that the time is usually longer then they say. I go about 5 seconds longer and turn the heat up a little more.

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