Discuss the various aspects of heat pressed vinyl transfers. Popular and new types of vinyl media, suppliers, vinyl cutters /plotters, press times, quality, how to instructions and more can be found in this heat press sub forum.
Anyone out there using reflective vinyl? I bought a roll from Imprintables in reflective silver vinyl. The roll says Siser on the inside of the roll and also a tag that says Thermoflex. I'm thinking COOL !!!!
So I tried it today for the first time. The stuff weeded not so great but that was more from cutting with a 45 degree blade instead of a 60 and probably not quite enough pressure. It didn't cut clean and some of the letters wanted to lift with the excess vinyl I was weeding.
Anyway, I got it weeded and pressed per the instruction sent with it from Imprintable. Pre press, then press at 330 degrees for 2 seconds peel hot.
This stuff peeled worst than if it had been glued on!!! I liked to never got a corner lifted to start peeling and when I did it was a real struggle to get it to peel. It didn't lift any of the graphic and the designs come out great, but man what a pain to peel. The shirt was just in a messed up wad by the time I got the mylar peeled.
Followed up with a second press for 15 seconds and teflon and like I already said the design looks great.
My question is this. Is the reflective vinyl just this way? I sure would hope that Thermoflex is better than this. I've never used it before but was considering it with all the trouble with the white Spec Cut II I been having.
I'd love to hear from someone who has also used this reflective vinyl. I just ordered a roll of gold. This will be the first time that I've used this vinyl myself. Can't wait to try it out. Any special advise will help!
Terry, I'm not at my press right now and that is where the instructions are. I'll have to look again to make sure I read it right but I'm just sure it said 2 seconds and I know it said peel hot. Then press again for 15 seconds with teflon.
I'll double check later on to make sure that is right. I could have read the directions wrong!!!!!
The online instructions were preheat for 5 seconds at 305, then press for 5 seconds, peel warm then repress for 5 more seconds. They probably changed them after they were printed.
The sheet of paper they sent with it said to preheat then press for 2 seconds peel hot press 10-15 seconds with teflon sheet. All temps at 330 degrees.
I only had a problem with the mylar coming off, the design looks good. I'm wearing the shirt that I made as I type to show off at a meeting I have this morning with other fire departments.
David, is the material you got Thermoflex? And did you buy yours from Imprintables? I was tickled when I seen the reflective I bought from Imprintables said Thermoflex on it. And you can tell a definete difference between this roll of reflective and the SCII vinyl I've been using.
I'm thinking it is probably some misprint or something in the instructions sent from Imprintables that caused the problem. At least I hope this is not the norm with reflective vinyl as I am planning on selling alot of this to fire departments.
By the way, I bought some white Thermoflex from Specialty Graphics yesterday. I'm tired of ruining shirts with SCII. I hope to try the multicut as well.
Thanks for the good luck and I have not got my reflective yet. I will be getting it from my local distributor and I will be sure and ask him what he recommends for press time. I wouldn't buy anything off Imprintables ever again after the way they have handled their SCII white problem, which from the sounds of you is still ongoing.
I'm not sure if it is thermoflex or not, honestly it does not say in the catalog I got from my distributor, but that's the only heat applied vinyl he carries is thermoflex so I would assume (I know what assuming does. ) and will be asking him if it is thermoflex. Definitely try out mulitcut, I think you will love it.
Just got my "reflective gold" from "Imprintables" last night. I cut it and found that needed 30 grams more pressure than my regular vinyl since it's so thin (150 grams/pressure with my US Cutter Refine). Weeding was easy with that pressure of a cut and it didn't come even close to cutting the clear transfer backing.
The instructions that came with mine were to press for 10 seconds at 300 degrees, and to peel warm. I did exactly as instructed and the letters still wanted to stick to the clear transfer. I let it cool a bit longer and it seemed to adhere better.
After the initial press and peel... I needed to press with a teflon sheet and seal it up... again 10 seconds at 300. It worked perfectly. The seal is nice. It doesn't quite melt to the material like normal heatpress vinyl... but it seals up well. I have to put it to the laundry test to see how it washes.
I have found that if you pull off the pink backing and lay the roll flat for a week before cutting it cuts alot better - hopefully you have the space to leave it laying around.
Any more tips for using Imprintables reflective vinyl? I was forced to order a roll of their black reflective yesterday because EVERYONE is out of black Ref-Lite, including suppliers.
I'm a little afraid to use it, but it's integral to the design we need to do this weekend.
A friend of a friend of a friend of a friend just passed over that bridge before it collapsed, but everyone I know personally hasn't been affected, thankfully.
Anyone out there using reflective vinyl? I bought a roll from Imprintables in reflective silver vinyl. The roll says Siser on the inside of the roll and also a tag that says Thermoflex. I'm thinking COOL !!!!
waitwaitwait...
The Siser vinyl is just retagged Thermoflex?
Can anyone confirm if this is true or not (is it too much to hope that someone has two rolls of the same color lying arround to compare?) ?!
Reflective vinyl question???? 
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Re: Reflective vinyl question???? 
