Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
Ok so Ive spent the last 2 hours searching all over the place for info on 3 specific clamshell presses and hadnt even know the existance of the "pinch" effect on thicker items untill a few minutes ago. I will be using the press I buy for t-shirts and hoodies, I dont know exactly how thick a hoody is really but Im assuming they are considered a thicker item. Can I even do hoody applications on a clamshell? will it be inconsistant? The presses I am looking at are the Geoknight DK20CS and the HIX HD-600 or HIX Presto 20. Can somebody please be so kind as to enlighten me as to whether or not either of these presses will do the work I need. Thank you.
Re: Press brand for no "pinch" effect on hoodies??
A press with a floating upper platen is designed to negate this problem. Another feature designed to help is when the pressure knob is centered on the upper platen. If one of them has these features, that will go along way to helping with this. Good luck.
__________________ Please ask Q's in the threads as I may not see your PM. A many wonderful folk will be willing to help you. Apologies to those not answered, as I sign on sporadically these days. Thx 4 undrstnding. Have a great day.
Re: Press brand for no "pinch" effect on hoodies??
Thick items are no problem with any press that has any floating platten. Our HIX HT-400D has a floating bottom platten (as opposed to floating top platten), and we use a thick teflon pad along with all sweatshirts, etc, with no problems.
So as long as the press you buy has a floating platten you will be fine and you won't have that pinching problem. Basically any new name-brand press will have this feature.
Re: Press brand for no "pinch" effect on hoodies??
And good tip to use the teepadit.com mouse pad type of insert to raise the imprint area above the seams and/or zippers. Recently someone was trying to do a zip up sweatshirt without anything under the imprint area, it was a mess. Even uncorrogated cardboard works, but teepadits are the correct kind of mouse pad material that withstands the heat of the press, so note that in anything you choose to use. Gdlk.
__________________ Please ask Q's in the threads as I may not see your PM. A many wonderful folk will be willing to help you. Apologies to those not answered, as I sign on sporadically these days. Thx 4 undrstnding. Have a great day.
Re: Press brand for no "pinch" effect on hoodies??
wow thanks everyone, I did notice the hix mentioned it had a floating lower platen, but for some reason the geo knight didnt mention anything of the sort, I think im going to have to go with the HIX after all.
Re: Press brand for no "pinch" effect on hoodies??
When I first got set up, TeePadITs weren't out yet, and I bought a set of Teflon "pillows". They seem to work well for me. I use them religiously for close to seam transfers. I do alot of custom work so I am often working along seams. I do not think you can work effectively without something like TeePad ITs, and you do need more than one size.
Re: Press brand for no "pinch" effect on hoodies??
I really don't see hoodies being a problem with any press that has a floating platen (top or bottom), however the top floating platen does negate the pinch effect on thicker items such as mousepads and any item that you would have to build up to being thick with a teepadit.
The top floating platen actually levels off before it meets the item on the press, whereas the bottom floating platen levels off after contact between the top and bottom platens have been made.
Each press can also accomodate different thicknesses in general - I have seen anywhere from 1/4" thcik maximum to 1 1/8" thick maximum on different clamshell styles.
Press brand for no "pinch" effect on hoodies?? 
