[Mdrake]

I'm having a difficult time figuring out how to stop this from happening. I'm using heat tape to attach my printed images to aluminum plates, and the tape is somehow going under the plate and preventing the image from sublimating completely onto the plate.

I reuse my tape to save some money because I'm cheap like that, and the old used tape does not give me this problem. Only new fresh tape causes this to happen. I've wasted MANY plates, ink, and paper because of this.

I've tried stretching the plate out so the tape is sort of stretched...I've tried doing the opposite of that so that the tape is loose....I've adjusted the pressure of my heat press. Nothing is working. Attached is an example of what's going on. The white part is where the tape was on the other side of the plate.

Anybody have this problem and found a solution to it?

 

[uncletee]

we use spray adhesive, very lite mist. good luck uncletee.

 

[CrazyLarry]

Where are you buying your heat tape from? That's pretty odd. I've had it happen on a few plates but not enough to where I would actually complain about it.

Do you use Conde's heat tape?

 

[Mdrake]

Where are you buying your heat tape from? That's pretty odd. I've had it happen on a few plates but not enough to where I would actually complain about it.

Do you use Conde's heat tape?

I believe I bought it from Amazon a while ago. It's very thin (maybe 1/6 of an inch). It just looks like it somehow gets under the plate while it's being heated.

Uncletee, regular spray adhesive? It still allows full sublimation with no loss of quality?

 

[pisquee]

We found spray adhesive leaves a residue on aluminium (3M high temp repositional adhesive - number 75 IIRC) so only use it on textiles work now - would love to find a spray that's OK for aluminium!

 

[uncletee]

we buy ours from conde, very very lite mist.

 

[padrino]

what i did was , i measure the holes and printed them with the image paper, only the top 2. I eliminated the use of the heat tape.

 

[jpkyle]

I would definitely try different heat tape. It's hard to say what the quality of the tape was that was purchased on Amazon. I have never experienced this problem with the heat tape that we supply. I would shy away from using spray adhesive on hard substrates. In many cases it will leave a residue or spotting.

 

[Mdrake]

I would definitely try different heat tape. It's hard to say what the quality of the tape was that was purchased on Amazon. I have never experienced this problem with the heat tape that we supply. I would shy away from using spray adhesive on hard substrates. In many cases it will leave a residue or spotting.

d.

Can you recommend a place that offers good tape? I really didn't think there would be a difference between them aside from how strong they hold but I'd be willing to try a good bran

 

[jpkyle]

My initial concern based on the pic you posted is that maybe the adhesive on your heat tape is too aggressive.

I would recommend to always buy supplies such as these from known reputable sublimation suppliers that have tested the product as opposed to rolling the dice on Amazon. I'm sure there is some good supplies available there, but you never know.

 

[Anchor room]

Could it be your pressure is to low?

 

[dim116]

Try folding/taping the paper transfer so that the tape is farther in towards the center of the back of whatever you are sublimating. In other words, try not to use the tape close to the edge.
Otherwise buy new heat tape from a sublimation supplier.

 

[skdave]

NEVER use any TAPE ON METAL .