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.
I posted this on screen printing but didn't get any response:
I want to create stencils on my vinyl cutter. If anyone has done this, I'd like to know whether plastisols or water-based inks work better with the vinyl.
My hesitancy with vinyl probably relates to how well the vinyl will hold up. I'm thinking one type ink may make the vinyl last longer? In terms of image placement on garments, does one ink tend to seep under the edges of the vinyl more than the other? And is it best to place the stencil on top of the screen, or mirror image and place it on the bottom?
What I'm trying to do is to eliminate the emulsion stage if possible. I've seen the YouTube video where somebody screened w/ vinyl stencils, and it appears to work. I just want to determine how well it really does work. Does the vinyl degrade? Is a certain ink better than another? Is a really good image able to be placed on the garment? I used to do screen printing, but need to find an easier, less messy way in order to teach others to screen print with a minimal amount of labor involved on their part. Thanks for the input.
I do this often. I use cheap intermediate vinyl and mirror cut it, then I stick it to the outside of the screen. It's great for short run, single color silkscreening. Just make sure that you squeegee the vinyl down good to the screen and you will never have a problem.
Thanks for the info. Have you ever done more than 1 color? That was another question I had. If you do 2, 3, or 4 colors will things register properly given that the vinyl doesn't imbed itself into the screen like an emulsion does? In other words, does the vinyl tend to stretch or shrink ever so slightly when applying it, so much so that it can't possibly register properly?
i have done some 3 colors jobs. its good for small runs cause the ink will eventually make the vinyl curl up. i tried this step cause i needed a job done fast and could not wait for emulsion to dry. just put registration marks as usual. its the some concept.
Use paintmask / stencil mask vinyl. It will hold up longer since it is solvent resistant while most vinyls are not. It looks just like vinyl and can be cut on any vinyl cutter just like your regular vinyls.
Works great!
You should not have any problems doing more than 1 color. The only thing I would stay away from doing using the vinyl method is if two colors are touching and need to trap. I'm sure it could be done, as long as you give one of the lighter colors enough bleed. But, to answer you multi color question, yes multiple colors can be done using this method. I never had any problems with the vinyl shrinking or warping.
I have a few long use screens that I've used heat-press vinyl on. I've done 20+ shirts with them and have had no problems. The heat-pressed vinyl (thermoflex) melts pretty solid to the screen to fill the negative space. I wouldn't use it for a one time use with sticker vinyl as it would likely lose adhesion and allow ink thru some of the blocked areas. Just my opinion.
Thanks. How are you pressing the Thermoflex to make it melt? In a standard press w/ the screen in the frame?
How do you get the vinyl out of the screen once you're done? Does the melted vinyl in the negative space come out when you pull the vinyl out?
I have a small heat press that I used to use that fit's within the frame that I was using. I press the vinyl negative to form a stencil and fill any excess with a blocking solution. The process yields great results... however the screen is permenantly adhered to the vinyl image. I'm sure that you can use a solvent to remove it, just like on a shirt... however, it'll probably do more damage to the screen than it's worth. This is by no-means a way of doing every job... however there are some instances where this might be useful.
I posted this on screen printing but didn't get any response:
I want to create stencils on my vinyl cutter. If anyone has done this, I'd like to know whether plastisols or water-based inks work better with the vinyl.
My hesitancy with vinyl probably relates to how well the vinyl will hold up. I'm thinking one type ink may make the vinyl last longer? In terms of image placement on garments, does one ink tend to seep under the edges of the vinyl more than the other? And is it best to place the stencil on top of the screen, or mirror image and place it on the bottom?
I plan on doing something along those same lines...
Instead of "vinyl" though, I plan on using polyester, it is similar, but it has no adhesive on the back, but you can put it on there if you need to.
These will last forever too, I have used some polyester stencils before, they are firm and it takes some doing to cut them.
It can be done with vinyl cutter machines, and x-Acto knife, they make a heat tool that cuts it too, it's just a soldering iron really, I wouldn't say it's for detailed work though.
This is the same kind'a material that they use painting wall trim when decorating, maybe it's called "wallpaper stencil"...
Using a pin system, you can do as many colors as you need, just make sure it's all registered.
Register pins can be bought at Michael's (I think) and Hobby Lobby, and possibly your art stores like Asel's if you have them.
The register pins are used, or 'were' used by the printing and art industry before computers, and drafting places may have used them too.
The idea is to align the polyester stencils with your register marks, then use the pins to keep it registered.
That may confuse you more actually with me telling you, but I can go into detail if you need me too, I don't want to tell you of a way that you may not be interested in.
To keep the ink or paint from weeping underneath, it can't be too thin, and it definitely has to be flat against the shirt/piece, you'd have to try a test piece to see.
It can be done though, not for large runs, but small to medium ones should be fine.
I tried a vinyl cutter today to make the mask for a screen. It's really hard to remove the premask from the vinyl, it just wouldn't stick to screen very well.
Once I got the premask off, I loaded the screen onto my homemade rig, works really well! Did a couple of t's, cleaned the screen with water (speed ball water based ink), went to eat. 30 mins later I came back. Did a couple more t's. After washing again I lost a section of vinyl lettering. Just fell off. The mask was ruined with this as the section when down the drain. So I took the mask off, all the vinyl peeled with ease as it was still wet.
After cutting, weeding and removing the premask I think I could have sent a transparency through my old HP Laser Jet 6p and burned the mask into emulsion in the same time frame.
Would I do this again? Doubt it, but it does work!
Cutting screen stencils with a cutter? 
