Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
I'm hoping that someone might be able to help me out.
I have finally got all my equipment together and today for the first time I tried a transfer on lights.
Printing and transfering was not a problem but i realised that the press as leaving a pale yellow sqaure on the t-shirt like when you leave an iron on for too long. The transfer paper instructed a 200c heating with 18 second press. Is this too higher a setting or could i go down to 130c and increase the press time to say 25 seconds. Saying this though, do i need to use greaseproof paper or a teflon. I'll be honest, i did buy a cheap heat press but only because of budget and the guy has had a good feedback on the products he sells.
So, do i
lower the temp and increase the press time
use grease proof paper
get a teflon
any other method setting?
I am happy with the transfer itself, just the markings I am concerned about unless it washes off but I dont really want to wash every garment I press before I post them.
I am using jetstream paper and onto white t-shirt.
The paper dont seem to be problem, it seems to be the heat on the shirt for the length of time unless you think the settings are wrong. (am I right in thinking that this would happen on dark shirts like black, red?)
To be very very honest I am a complete newbie to this apart from the basic iron on transfer.
Fingers crossed I will get this right. took me a while to sork out the ink issues.
Its not really the paper that seems to be the problem, its the shirt itself. I have a 40x40 plate and an A4 sheet in it dont fill the plate, so when i press the print onto the shirt (transfer paper) the print seems fine but all around the outside of the image you can see the yellow/light tan burn.
I must admit though, i have forgotten about re-pressing but i think this would have burnt the shirt a bit more.
I dont know if it makes a difference but I am using 100% cotton shirts.
I use 100% cotton most of the time. Are you sure the temp gauge on the press is correct? Could be it's reading higher than it is set for. It does sound like it's scorching especially if it's not washing out.
I know my old press was nowhere near accurate! This one was about 16 degrees off till I recalibrated it. Which, depending on the temp you need for your paper, may be enough to kill a shirt.
Amor, did you read my other post to you in the other thread? What you are having is common when the shirts is scorching. Cotton does scorche around'ish 400, somewhere near it, and with the paper I use, jetprosofstretch, we press at 375 degrees for 30 seconds. That is a long and hot dwell time. I would only press at this temp and time with my teflon. Convert the numbers I just gave you and compare to what you are pressing for.
Also, it is possible your machine is running hot, like mentioned above by Diane. It is not a big deal, and if it is, you just find out how far off it is and adjust for it accordingly. Just verify the temp, find a sensor on Ebay or at a local tool shop, and adjust accordingly.
To find out if you are getting even heat across the platen, cut up a full size design into 9 squares, spread them out over a shirt or scrap fabric that is cotton and check that each image transfers similarly. Then you know your platen is conducting heat evenly.
A machine that runs high is not a lemon, one that doesn't heat at all is.
Just remember, cotton does in fact scorch, so telfon, or silicone sheet (from kitchen store) may be all you need. Silicone absorbs a little heat I hear from someone who uses one, so just expect it to reduce your press temp on the image.
A little tweaking and you will be fine, don't give up, and don't worry, all is good!
A little tweaking and you will be fine, don't give up, and don't worry, all is good!
I hope you are right GirlznDolls. I have spent a few months looking at this and it is something i ant to get into considering that I have had 7 years in graphic desining and printing.
I was only wondering if i had a lemon becuase it did smoke heavily at one time (while it was open/not pressing) and when I move the swing or close the platen the temp drops quickly and then raises again once released, sometimes to a higher temp...
Smoking has a tendency to make me nervous, but some people have said they've seen a 'vapor' when pressing. I have no idea. I do pre-press my shirts to get the moisture out, you have to really so they are dry when you are transferring the image, maybe this is why it's different, I have no clue.
Here is a link to a thread dedicated to Ebay presses. Folks are gathering their models and feedback in this thread. Maybe you can join them:New "Cheap" Heat Press Arriving Today
If you are wondering about your model, maybe you will find it in there and see other people's experience with it, or problems they had and solved, or not, but let's look on the upside and suppose your machine will be fine. Gotta run, good luck!
Just verify the temp, find a sensor on Ebay or at a local tool shop, and adjust accordingly.
Is there a particular type of sensor i should look out for and how would i adjust it? Are you talking about a sensor that i can use like a temp cocontrol or a sensor that just reads the actual temperature. Sorry for sounding dumn but this is where i am hopeless and dont have a clue but your patience is welcomed and i do appreciate your time as well as everyone elses.
Is there a particular type of sensor i should look out for
No, just one that does the job and is in your budget.
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and how would i adjust it?
Regarding adjusting the temperature on your press. If your press is set for 375 degrees, and the heat sensor measures your press at 385 degrees, your press is running too hot by 10 degrees. When you want to press at 375 degrees, only turn your press up to 365 degrees.
With your heat sensor, you will be able to verify if it is in fact reaching 375 when you set the temp for 365.
(I'm sorry, I think in degrees, but it's just the theory we're talking here.)
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a sensor that just reads the actual temperature.
Just like a thermometer that reads a fever temp. For your press, one that is a heat sensor gun that you point at the upper platen and read the temp is the best scenario.
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Sorry for sounding dumn but this is where i am hopeless and dont have a clue but your patience is welcomed and i do appreciate your time
Don't worry, there are no dumb questions, only dumb answers, hahahahaa, okay, just a little late humor for me there. You are welcome, don't worry about it, but please think about buying some sort of teflon or silicone or parchment paper first, it may be the cheaper solution, and if it solves it, you won't need to buy the gun as well, unless you want to. Personally, I like the teflon, but it's what I'm used to using and the heat flows right through, unlike the silicone I hear, sucks up some of the heat.
PS: When you lower your platen to press, it is normal for the temp to take a slight drop as the shirt itself and the lower platen are absorbing some of the heat.
Heat pressing & transfer problems 
