Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
My main use for the heat press will be plain text. Maybe some images every now and then. Looking at some of the pictures of others shirts, you can see the border from the transfer paper. Now, I REALLY don't want any of that since I think it looks kinda bad (almost like a glorified iron-on), I just want the letters to be there. I was thinking of going with screen printing at first, but that seems like too much work if I'm only going to make 5 or so shirts with one design. What would be the best choice for printer + paper to make this happen? And is there anyway to manufacture your own platisol images, because the results I've seen with those are what I want, but I don't want to have to rely on another company, especially if I want a one day turn around on the goods.
Thanks in adavance.
Edit: Just seen the thread at the top of this forum. With the positioning its easy to skip over, woops.
Last edited by Roger The Turtle; March 23rd, 2008 at 09:15 PM.
Reason: Answered my own Platisol question.
here is some infore from MAD Scientist JR. AKA MS2
site name is Infortun
Now you are getting into the good stuff. Warning! Imageclip does not do very well with very light color design. Like pastel colors especially light pink and light gray of all colors. Most of the users have been having this issue. So be aware of it before you get hot and heavy on this paper. So far thought most of pastel color designs I have pressed on the shirts had come out good. Knock on wood. It is very well suited for light color fabrics unlike other laser transfer paper.
Here are some threads that will help you a lot and not waste time and money to become successful with the product:
For lettering and quick turnaround times (one offs and small runs) is heatpress vinyl. You need a vinyl cutter for this process so I dont know it thats going to work for you or not. You can order plastisol transfers and gang sheet different phrases on a single sheet. Have them printed in quantity and press as needed. You can get a one color silk screen set-up, create the screens and print small runs or one offs as needed.
Yeah, the first thing that came to my mind for this is heat press vinyl, too. If you don't want to invest in a cutter and rolls of vinyl, look for pre cut vinyl letters. I am sure cutting them yourself will over time be more cost effective, but if start up is low, this could be your answer.
Something I saw someone doing with Jetpro sofstretch inkjet heat transfer paper is......
They were printing the sheet in one color and cutting into smaller blocks. They picked up on of those scrapbook die cutters for letters and were punching the letters out with that. It left no polymer edge when they transfered. Some of the more sophisticated scrapbook cutters are said to handle certain thicknesses of vinyl. You'd have to research this info on your own, but at least you are aware of these alternate uses of these machines and mediums. Good luck.
Sorry, forgot to add, to make plastisol transfers yourself you need the screen printing equipment and the release paper (backer paper) to print them onto.
Best choice. 
