[ctandt]

I am trying to sublimate stainless steel sports water bottles using a mug wrap and convection oven. More often than not, my image comes out blurry or faded in areas like the ink didnt transfer all the way. Mostly on darker colors.

I have been doing 400 deg, 6 minutes - tightening wrap with drill

I then submerse in water after it is done...

Please help! These blanks are not cheap and I'm going through them too fast with mistakes!

I've attached pics of the streaky fading and the weird patterned fading where the clamp is on the back...

 

[ctandt]

If anyone else is having the same issues - I did samples with different times and temps all day and finally have a solution! Believe it or not - 400 degrees using a wrap and convection oven, for 10 minutes! Sounds like too much time I know, but 5 min ink did not fully transfer, 6 min was still splotchy... so I just kept adding a minute until I liked it! Hope this helps someone out there!

 

[lben]

I've always done them at 400°F for 5 minutes in the convection oven and never had a problem with parts not printing. Are you using enough pressure on that wrap? Aluminum heats up really fast so 10 minutes is overkill. Make sure you let the wrap cool down between uses or it gets stretched out of shape.

I also stand them up rather than lay them down in the oven.

 

[ctandt]

Thanks... I tighten the wrap all the way until the clamp is touching itself... I tried the 5 min thing, because that seems to be the standard - it was horrible... could be my oven! Anyway - the ten min thing was amazing, so for now, at least until I get a new oven - think I will stick with it

I appreciate your input!

 

[superD70]

Are you starting with a cold oven?
I always preheat mine for 10-15 min before I use it.

 

[lben]

Clamping too tightly can cause the water bottle to kink and that will cause issues too.

 

[montu]

Does anyone know where I can order some customized plastic bottles?