Discuss the many aspects of plastisol (screen printed) heat transfers. Topics include where to buy, how to put them on t-shirts, quality, pictures, stock (pre printed) transfers and more. Read the definition of a plastisol transfer here.
I have some very nice transfers from First Edition, who have been a pleasure to work with.
Even after much experimentation with time, pressure, and temp, I am still having a problem getting the transfer to fully stick around the edged (the very top, bottom, and the piece of the design around the sides).
It doesn't take away from the shirt, as they have been promo so far, but we would like to start selling these and can't until we can get 100% of the transfer to stay.
What happens is, around the edges, it doesn't completely transfer. pic below.
We have white transfers cold peel printed on dark.
i have tried putting them in for 5-15 seconds, less pressure, more pressure, running over the design with the edge of a cd case right after we press it to try to get the ink to get sucked in more and i still can't 100% beat this. the ONLY thing it prints on perfectly is super super thin bandanas. ideas?
you can see at the edge of the leaf there, it doesnt get fully transferred.
also: are there products that help us line up the design on the shirt? we eye ball it now.
thanks all! this forum is great and has been really helpful.
You may want to get a temperature gun and check the heat on your press, see if you are getting consistant readings across the whole heat platen, you may have some cold spots or use a metal straight edge to see if your platen is warped at all. What type of press are you using and how old is it?
its a mighty press and its basically brand new. we got it a few months ago if that, and have used it a few times. yea it seems the edges are not getting as much heat, which is why i have left if on longer (20 seconds sometimes) but this still happens.
Hold the transfer up in front of a light source and look at the ink deposit in the troubled area. Does the ink look consistent throughout that area? When opening your press make sure you dont have so much pressure that you are popping the thing open. The press sort of creates an air vac. and can lift a corner of the transfer.
Hold the transfer up in front of a light source and look at the ink deposit in the troubled area. Does the ink look consistent throughout that area? When opening your press make sure you dont have so much pressure that you are popping the thing open. The press sort of creates an air vac. and can lift a corner of the transfer.
good idea.. it does pop a bit... i will try releasing it with the pressure lessened. i will also look at the transfers in the light, but from what i remember they look uniform.
the temp is 375-400. i think i turned it up when i had issues. so its probably around 400 now.
Hotter is not necessarily better. I accidentally set my press too hot and pressed a transfer from F&M, part of the image lifted and I realized I had the press too hot.
Try ordering samples from other vendors and see if you have the same problems.
also: are there products that help us line up the design on the shirt? we eye ball it now.
I finally broke down and bought the T square it and the logo it. It does take extra time to line it up, but it works great to get things on just right. If I recall it was about $60 for both. It's paid for itself already. I know there are some videos on YouTube with badalou showing how to use it.
Someone on here made their own out of yard sticks. There is another one out there that does the same things as the T square it, but I'm not sure what it was called.
The easiest way to center your transfer, beside eyeballing it (which I do most of the time), is folding your shirt in half, pressing to make a crease, folding your transfer in half (align the printing, not the paper) and pinching the top and bottom to make small creases in the paper (not the image). But I only crease the shirt for smaller transfers that are difficult to eyeball, I've started creasing the transfers almost every time, mostly to get them vertically straight.
The easiest way to center your transfer, beside eyeballing it (which I do most of the time), is folding your shirt in half, pressing to make a crease, folding your transfer in half (align the printing, not the paper) and pinching the top and bottom to make small creases in the paper (not the image). But I only crease the shirt for smaller transfers that are difficult to eyeball, I've started creasing the transfers almost every time, mostly to get them vertically straight.
this is an excellent idea!
i assume the crease comes out when you press the design?
I have to say prop's on that idea as well Rick, I am about to receive 76 sheets of transfers from First Edition and several from Versatrans (just getting into transfers)and was thinking of ways to align the transfers without any tool.
Great idea!!!
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I use First Edition all the time and I think Moto hit it on the head about opening the press to fast or it popping up because of the pressure. If you do many cold transfers the coolers they have can be really handy, but they wouldn't cure the problem of the transfer coming up hot. For darks I use the cold peels when I have time, but when I'm in a rush I just get double print hotsplits and then I can speed right through them even though they cost a bit more. Really prefer hotsplits anytime I can use them.
The fold works pretty well in a pinch for alignment, but its pretty time consuming compared to the TSquareIT.
Need Help with Transfers from First Edition 
and i still can't 100% beat this. the ONLY thing it prints on perfectly is super super thin bandanas. ideas?
