[dairyoukojin]

Hello everyone. Last saturday I made my very first heat press printing and was not so happy about the results.

1/4 showed good result. I need some suggestions on how to do better on these:

1. image positioning (all 4 designs didn't perfectly positioned)
2. the edges of my image did not stick to the shirt so I did a second press (it burned the print)
3. most of my designs have a lot of void spaces, how to print them using dark transfer without so much manual trimming?

also, I tried to recycle t-shirt by removing the print using the teflon cover and flat iron. Is there any better way?

Thanks a lot folks and more power !

JC

 

[tang3]

Re: Help on heat press printing

For positioning, you can use a regular ruler or this:

http://www.heatpressessentials.com/

I'm not so sure what you mean for number 2, but it seems that there is not even pressure on your platen. What press are you using?

And for the third, you have to buy a vinyl cutter. If you don't use one, you will spend all your time with a pair of scissors or an exacto knife.

 

[dairyoukojin]

Re: Help on heat press printing

Hi tang3,

I am using a china made heat press. I tried to transfer a full A4 size image but the edges of the image did not stick to the t-shirt maybe because, as you have said, the heat is not equally distributed. Any idea how to resolve this issue?

I watched that tee square video and i guess it will solve the alignment issue. Also, next time I need to buy a vinyl cutter.
Thank you for your suggestions.

 

[tang3]

Re: Help on heat press printing

Well the fact that it's made in china explains everything. You can never rely on those presses. You would probably have to buy a new one. Does your press have a pressure adjustment knob?

 

[dairyoukojin]

Re: Help on heat press printing

Yes there is a pressure adjustment know on top of the machine. I need to familiarize myself on that and temp settings.

If you don't mind, i have another question here. Is it possible to heat press a combination of vinyl and transfer paper or transfer paper and screen print??? Is there a way to combine all of these on one t-shirt?

I appreciate all your help tang3!

 

[Twanabee]

Re: Help on heat press printing

JC: It is possible to heat press transfers and vinyl on the same shirt. Make sure you put the higher temp on first. Usually this is the transfer. I am not sure about the screen print as I do not do that process. Hope this helps.

 

[tang3]

Re: Help on heat press printing

Is the pressure adjustment knob in the middle of the upper platen? And you can have custom plastisol transfers made which is basically screen printing with a heat press. You find a website, and you either give them your design, or sometimes they'll have some of their own. Then they screen print it onto to a special transfer paper, and you heat apply that. I'm not too familiar with this process, so don't take word my for it.

Here are some sites that I found on another forum that make plastisol transfers:

vendors

 

[tang3]

Re: Help on heat press printing

Chuck,
I've never dared to try this because I thought the transfer would stick to my platen: Can you press another transfer while there is one already on the shirt? Or do you have to cover it with something?

 

[Twanabee]

Re: Help on heat press printing

I press the transfer first and then the vinyl. When you press the vinyl, cover the transfer with parchment paper. This will protect the upper platten from any ink.

 

[tang3]

Re: Help on heat press printing

Ok. That's what i've always been doing, I was just wondering if you could do it without transfer paper, and you can't.

 

[dairyoukojin]

Re: Help on heat press printing

I press the transfer first and then the vinyl. When you press the vinyl, cover the transfer with parchment paper. This will protect the upper platten from any ink.

The heat transfer will not stick to the parchment paper once you press the vinyl?

Thanks guys, so far I already learned a lot.

 

[tang3]

Re: Help on heat press printing

No, the parchment paper doesn't stick to the transfer. The parchment paper is specifically made not to stick to anything, thats why you use it for baking.

 

[dairyoukojin]

Re: Help on heat press printing

Is this the same parchment paper you can find at the bookstore? How about using the teflon sheet?

 

[tang3]

Re: Help on heat press printing

Yes, regular parchment paper you find at the grocery store. I've never seen it at a bookstore, but I guess in some places they have it. And teflon shouldn't stick either.

 

[dairyoukojin]

Re: Help on heat press printing

Ok. Thanks again.

 

[tang3]

Re: Help on heat press printing

Your welcome.

 

[100%pinoy]

Re: Help on heat press printing

If you don't mind, i have another question here. Is it possible to heat press a combination of vinyl and transfer paper or transfer paper and screen print??? Is there a way to combine all of these on one t-shirt?

I appreciate all your help tang3!

i usually screen print the plastisol, then flash, laid out the vinyl transfer and press for 3 sec with parchment, pull out the carrier sheet and final cure with fresh parchment paper

 

[dairyoukojin]

Re: Help on heat press printing

The red letters are the vinyl part right? Nice job!

 

[tang3]

Re: Help on heat press printing

Looks good.