[TeddyRocky]

I just received samplesfrom Crown Leaf of fabric foil (Gold & Silver). I just tried testing gold, and it is not going well.

I printed white ink (which was previously mixed with 10% Wilflex Finesse, not sure if this matters). I did a print, flash, print,flash. (Print was smooth as butter).

Took it to the heat press, layed foil facing up and teflon on top, pressed for 15 seconds on 375 degrees F on high pressure. Released, let cool for 2 minutes (I made sure it cooled all the way). I started peeling, and it is coming out spotty, and missing lots of places.

Should actual foil adhesive work better? Im using a cheap heat press from ebay. Not sure if that has to do with anything. Any suggestions?

 

[ocuriel]

i dont think that the press has anything to do with it...as long as your reaching the right temp and pressure and keeping it on for the right amount of time you'll be fine.

i've done a few gold foil jobs and i've always used adhesive never ink and i've never had a problem. Union has the best adhesive and foils. Give that a shot.

 

[SLEEKTEES]

try rubbing a shirt on top of it while it's hot to cool it down. Something I've tried that has always worked for me.

 

[Daffy]

You should try using foil adhesive. I use Unions. If the entire print is foil and you are using a manual press then I suggest printing the foil adhesive directly onto the foil ( make sure the design is backwards) and pressing it like a heat transfer. Before I got an auto this got me the cleanist results.

 

[since1794]

You should try using foil adhesive. I use Unions. If the entire print is foil and you are using a manual press then I suggest printing the foil adhesive directly onto the foil ( make sure the design is backwards) and pressing it like a heat transfer. Before I got an auto this got me the cleanist results.

So Daffy, to make sure I'm clearly understanding you... Your saying to first, create a screen with your design burned backwards. Then using your manual press, press normally with the foil adhesive as you would with ink (plastisol, etc.) directly onto the foil. After pressing adhesive onto foil, then take foil and press normally with heat press onto fabric to achieve desired result. So with your method your using heat from the heat press to fix the adhesive to the fabric? Is this what you mean? THX

 

[Dan K]

Awesome. I am pretty sure that is what Daffy means. That is exactly the same way we did it in our shop when we were just manual...

I'd say definitely use foil adhesive.

If you plan on doing it the way you were doing it when you posted this, try using a gold ink (close to the color of the foil) under it rather than white. This way if/when the foil gets pocked after it's pressed on, at least you have gold (metallic preferably) ink showing through, rather than white, and the inconsistencies are harder to notice...

 

[klemmprinting]

Dan K's suggestion is good. that's what we also do here in the Philippines. We use here the TULCO foil adhesive and TULCO Foils, they are of high quality products.

What we do here is, first color the adhesive close to the color of your foil then screen print it to the fabric. air dry it for 4 to 8 hours or more (the longer the drying the better). After the air dry, attach the foil and press it, after the press, use a round bottle good enough to the size of the design and roll it over the foil when it is still hot. roll it with pressure, peel off the foil when its cool already and press it again on the back of the fabric for 4 seconds. You will notice the thread of the fabric in the foil print, it is the indication of a good adhesion.

 

[Daffy]

You should try using foil adhesive. I use Unions. If the entire print is foil and you are using a manual press then I suggest printing the foil adhesive directly onto the foil ( make sure the design is backwards) and pressing it like a heat transfer. Before I got an auto this got me the cleanist results.

Just make sure that you are printing on the back side of the foil.

 

[Unik Ink]

I must be missing something?!?! I have tried using Matsui SP Top, tried Wilflex HD clear, and tried Union Ink plastisol as well, and I still can't get a complete foil when I send the shirt through the dryer first. I have tried 300 degrees for 1 minute which is the top ink manufacturers suggestion, as well as 320 for 1.5 minutes for waterbased curing. Heat press at 325 for 10 seconds, and rub the top of foil after pressing. When I take the shirt straight from the print press to the heat press, it foils perfectly. Something about sending it through the conveyer dryer is affecting the results. I'm using Crown Roll Leaf foils. Anyone have any ideas? Matsui doesn't have any suggestions.
edit: tried 60, 83, and 110 mesh screens

 

[Dan K]

I must be missing something?!?! I have tried using Matsui SP Top, tried Wilflex HD clear, and tried Union Ink plastisol as well

I don't think those are foil adhesives, but I could be wrong. Matsui SP Top is a hot melt flock product, no? If you tried to use this with foil that would explain why it did not adhere. Wilflex HD is a high density ink used for top coats, gloss, etc... If these inks require a higher temp to cure, then that is probably why your foil is not adhering in the heat press at 325 degrees for 10 seconds...

Ask those manufacurers specifically about foil adhesive, I think it may solve all your problems...

Plastisol works, but foil adhesive works way better. Plastisol will work for highlights or a nuggeted effect, but if you're trying to cover any decent sized area, use adhesive specifically. We use Union's foil adhesive here and don't have any issues with it.

and I still can't get a complete foil when I send the shirt through the dryer first. I have tried 300 degrees for 1 minute which is the top ink manufacturers suggestion, as well as 320 for 1.5 minutes for waterbased curing.

Cure it like you would other plastisol inks. The heat press should remelt it which is when the foil adheres to it, and you don't want your other colors printed on the shirt uncured either... Then again, if you are trying to get foil to adhere to those other specialty inks, that is probably your issue...

Foil does not adhere to water base, at least it's not supposed to.

Heat press at 325 for 10 seconds, and rub the top of foil after pressing.

Try more pressure, turn the heat up a bit (you do want to remelt the adhesive in the heat press) and keep it in there for longer, sometimes we get up to 17 or 18 seconds depending on the size of the area that needs to be covered. Foil adhesive though, not the other inks mentioned above

When I take the shirt straight from the print press to the heat press, it foils perfectly.

Probably because the inks you mentioned above have not been cured in the dryer in this case, therefore the heat press does not have to work as hard to remelt them.

Something about sending it through the conveyer dryer is affecting the results. I'm using Crown Roll Leaf foils. Anyone have any ideas? Matsui doesn't have any suggestions.
edit: tried 60, 83, and 110 mesh screens

I'm just now noticing that TeddyRocky posted originally 3 weeks ago so he probably has already handled it.

I am part speaking from experience (what works for us), part from speculation (trying to figure out why it's not working for you). If there are any pros out there who know what they're talking about with foil, I'd be super interested to see what they have to say!!!

 

[TshirtGuru]

I just gel the adhesive. 300 degrees might be too much and nearly curing the adhesive or ink, try flashing it instead just so that it is easy for you to transport from press to heatpress.

 

[Unik Ink]

I would just gel it, but I am printing waterbased ink as well which must be cured before I foil. I tried to run it through at a temp just enough to semi cure the waterbased ink, but if any of the waterbased ink was still wet, it stuck to the waterbased ink in spots.
Dan,
I will try the Union Ink adhesive. Top Ink was recommended by Matsui for foil, so that is what I have been experimenting with. I was trying everything I had to find something that would stick. The HD spec sheet said something about holding beads, so I tried it for foil.

 

[select1]

We do foil all the time and we either use wilflex hd clear or union foil adhesive. We print one hit hd clear 100 mesh, flash, 1 hit hd clear 110 mesh. Through the dryer at 360* at 16 speed. Take to the transfer machine at 60 psi at 25 seconds 350 degrees. wait one minute and peel slow. Should come out perfect.

 

[Caroldavis]

I am so new to all of this. Foil scares me, but I love it. I have a Brother Scan N Cut. Is anyone familiar to this? Thank you. Love this forum.

 

[Printer in 757]

I am operating an Anajet mP10i. When using gold foil I can't seem to produce a solid application. I've tried laying down more ink, rolling and rubbing over it while it cools, the amount of time it cools but nothing seems to work. It still comes out unacceptable. Any suggestions? Should I be using an adhesive of some sort? Does foil not adhere to water based ink?

 

[WGiant]

I am operating an Anajet mP10i

You really need to be able to add foil adhesive to your inks, or just use foil adhesive inks, or it's just not possible to get solid results.

You can try using more pressure, as even with the right ink this is important, and doing a cool peal helps too, but I really don't think this is a good process for a DtG printer.

 

[jeannekay]

I've never had consistent results with foil over inks. I have gone to just using heatpress goil foil, heat transfer warehouse sells one that looks just like the foils. Some I've tried don't they look different.