Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
How can I get rid of that rectangular heat platen iron mark on a shirt, epecially on white cotton shirts. I usually press it for 10-15sec. with 350degree when i am running JPSS papers. But I get this annoying iron marking around the transfer. I do clean the heat platen regularly... Any suggestions, what do you guys use to prevent this??
We hear this more often with polyester shirts. I'm not sure what kind of shirt you are using but, there is an item out there called a teflon pillow. You slip this pillow inside the shirt, increase the pressure a little bit, but keep your time and temp the same. This should help with that problem.
Actually we order our supply through you guys^^
I've been using 17-JPSS(Inkjet Light Sofstretch Jetpro) & 17CIJO(Coastal Inkjet Opaque).
and AAA(All American Apparel) and Griffin T-Shirts.
If you have a yellow box the size of the platen, that sounds more like scorching than a dirty upper platen. A dirty upper platen wouldn't give such a uniform discoloring.
If you can't solve the problem any other way:
1. Check the temp of your upper platen to ensure it is not running too hot.
2. Buy a teflon sheet, larger than your platen, to place between the upper platen and the shirt/transfer.
3. You can raise the image area, to minimize the area size that is affected. You can use the pillow Clay suggested, you can use mouse pad material, or you can use some uncorrogated cardboard. All will accomplish basically the same thing.
Good luck, hope it resolves.
Oh, a few more things:
If you use the teflon, use a magic eraser by Mr. Clean to keep that clean, ink will get on it, and eventually transfer to the next shirts. You can try parchment paper to keep your shirts clean if you feel it is a dirty platen... but if it is a scorching issue, teflon works better to help resolve that. But a second press with parchment paper does give JPSS a very nice silky soft feel, gets rid of the gritty texture.
If you have a dirty platen, you can try EZ OFF platen cleaner. This product is not EZ off oven cleaner that you are used to. It comes in a tube and is made to clean platens. I hear it works really well.
Thank you all for the responses... i have geo knight dk20s and my temperature is set at 350, is this too high? and i usually press it for 10-15sec because sometimes paper doesn't peel too clean, leaves some of the transfers on paper...
Get a taflon pad on top of ur bottom platen if u do not have one yet. 350 too high? mine is at 375 for 25 seconds, I have a geoknight as well.... hmmm... make sure u got the bottom platen teflon pad!
Hmmm.... I used to use teflon sheet for dark transfers but switched to silicone paper(i think that's what they call it). Isn't teflon too thick for the heat to go through when used on top of light transfer(the one you don't peel)?? and I lay the shirt on top of the bottom platen instead of sliding shirt in, is this not good?
You can use a teflon sheet over top of the shirt/light paper combo. I do it all the time. It helps protect my cotton fabric from scorching and keeps my upper platen clean. Ya just have to keep the teflon clean!
But for the second press, I really prefer parchment paper when it comes to JPSS. It leaves a nice soft, grit-free finish.
Anyway to get rid of that iron mark?? 
