My first attempt at Dye Sub

4262 Views 21 Replies 5 Participants Last post by CUSTOM UK, Oct 8, 2008

Harison

Discussion Starter · Oct 2, 2008

My first attempt at dye sublimation today.
Unfortunately I don't have any poly-coated T-shirts yet, so I used a 100% polyester T-shirt that I had.

The CISS system that came with my printer was already full of non dye-sub ink, so I had to drain all the ink out into plastic bottles and then print lots of pages till I was sure that all the ink was gone.

Then I poured the dye sub ink into the CISS and printed out a few more pages onto plain paper till the colours came out vibrant.

Then I printed a design onto dye sub paper but it soaked the paper with ink and ruined it! So I moved the CISS down to be level with the printer and tried again. This time the design looked ok, on the dye sub paper.

But when I heat pressed it onto the T-shirt, it scorched the t-shirt and the design didn't transfer at all. I wondered if I'd printed on the wrong side of the paper so I tried again on the other side and the colours were really dull and non-vibrant so I tried a third time, on the other side of the paper.

By now the T-shirt was going brown and crispy and I was running out of white space on the shirt to practice on!

But at my last attempt the design looked kind of ok, just quite faded, I think that might be because the dye sub ink is still being diluted by the last few drops of non dye sub ink still in the system.

I can't really practice anymore now tonight though as the T-shirt is too badly scorched and I don't want it to melt everywhere.

Hopefully when I get some proper dye sub t-shirts and the dye sub ink has been flowing through the system a couple more times I'll be on the right track.

There's no way I would even have got this far without all the help and advice from the people on this forum.

Thank you

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plan b

· #2 · Oct 2, 2008

First thing check the temp on your press,, if you are in the usa make sure your press is in f, and not cels. also make sure you are printing the correct side of paper and watch your press times and pressure.

CUSTOM UK

· #3 · Oct 2, 2008

Hi. When you print onto dye sublimation transfer paper, the colours do look dull, that is normal. The colours will also look a little different to what they do on the screen, that is also quite normal. When heat is applied to the transfer paper the vibrancy will return to the colours as they are pressed onto the garment.

One hundred percent polyester garments are essentially what sublimation garments are, so you should be able to use those without any problems.

Your scorching is either a result of too high a temperature, or you are cooking them for too long. You are ideally looking at a temp of 190 degrees centigrade for around fifty to sixty seconds.

Hope this helps.

Harison

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 2, 2008

Thank you. I don't have any numbers on my heat press, it has a dial of 1-10 and I don't have any teflon paper I'm afraid. I wonder if greaseproof paper would work? It's designed to go in the oven I suppose so maybe that would work?

I've found a polyester coat that is too small for my son now, so I'm going to try and print a disney design on the back of it!

I ordered some T-shirts from both Xpres and Ebay so I could compare the results. The Ebay ones are Gildan. But Xpres called me and said they had a minimum order of £50 for a first order so they're just going to send me a single sample T-shirt instead so I can still compare the results before I place any bigger orders though.

I'll have another go now while my son is out with his dad - it's too dangerous with a toddler running around so I can only do it when he's sleeping or outside of the house!

CUSTOM UK

· #5 · Oct 2, 2008

Hi. Greaseproof paper will work, preferably the siliconised product.

The Gildan tees are cotton, so cannot be used for sublimation, just transfers and vinyl.

Xpres tried the minimum £50 first order with me, then tried to up that figure to the first two orders.

Unless you press has a temperature display on it, you are going to find it hard to get good consistent results. You really need something that is telling you what temperature the heat platen is at.

Harison

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 2, 2008

ow ow ow! Burned knuckles, melted fabric...

I put the greaseproof paper both underneath and over the fabric but it's totally discoloured and melted - and the design didn't transfer either! Well, just very faintly.

I'm going to take the advice from here and go and buy a few yards of cheap polyester fabric from the local market to practice on.

I suppose I'll have to mess with the dials and timing till I get it right but I thought it it was hot enough to melt the fabric, even through the protective paper that it would at least be hot enough to transfer the design!

It's going to be a long day!

CUSTOM UK

· #7 · Oct 2, 2008

Have you figured out why I like swingaway presses now.

If it is warm enough to burn your fingers, at least you know it is getting hot.

The greaseproof paper will discolour, but it shouldn't melt. You can also use regular copy paper too.

The cheap practice fabric is good advice.

Harison

Discussion Starter · #8 · Oct 2, 2008

DREAMGLASS said:
Have you figured out why I like swingaway presses now.

Yep!

DREAMGLASS said:
If it is warm enough to burn your fingers, at least you know it is getting hot.

and I have the burned knuckles to prove it!

DREAMGLASS said:
The greaseproof paper will discolour, but it shouldn't melt.

Sorry, no the greaseproof paper is discolouring but the fabric in between the two layers of paper is what is scorching and kind of melting, it's becoming stiff and brittle.

The heat press is a Hotronix Sprint. I just need to work out how to tame the beast I suppose!

conde tech

· #9 · Oct 2, 2008

I strongly recommend you buy all of your sublimation supplies...shirts, ink, paper, printers from a reputable vendor. You want a vendor who will stand buy their products and has a tech support department that can guide you through the process of setting up your printer and software to actually subliamtion to a t-shirt.

What printer and inks are you using?

Are using sublimation paper and if so what paper are you using?

Are you using a t-shirt designed for sublimation?

As the ungreased paper, I use UNCOATED butcher paper. In the US, you can buy it from a store such as Sam's Club.

For a normal t- shirt(prepared for subliamtion), do a pre-press for 20 seconds and then press for 46-55 seconds. You can put the butchyer paper between the two layers or you can use a telfon pillow.

Please feel free to contact me directly.

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charles95405

· #10 · Oct 2, 2008

You can tell which side of the paper to print on...it is the bright side...the dull side is not printed on and Will is correct.. the print will be dull...

From the sound of things, I would suggest the problem is your press...if you can't set correct temp...nothing is going to work well...why not take a print to some with a press and try it..?

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Harison

Discussion Starter · #11 · Oct 2, 2008

Thanks Sonya, well...

conde tech said:
What printer and inks are you using?

It's an Epson D92 with Rotech Dye Sublimation inks.

conde tech said:
Are using sublimation paper and if so what paper are you using?

I'm using Signal Dye Sublimation Paper

conde tech said:
Are you using a t-shirt designed for sublimation?

No, not yet, just white 100% Polyester fabric. I've ordered some T-shirts but they haven't arrived yet.

conde tech said:
As the ungreased paper, I use UNCOATED butcher paper. In the US, you can buy it from a store such as Sam's Club.

I'm in the UK but I had some greaseproof oven paper that I was using but it didn't seem to stop the fabric getting scorched.

I've noticed that the design on the sub dye paper looks really bright and vivid sometimes and other times it just looks really faded and banded. It's getting better though, the more copies I print the better it seems to be, but it's not yet giving me a decent looking picture on the fabric.

It's still quite faded looking.

It says on the sub dye paper that I should print on the 'coated/whiter' side of the paper but both sides of the paper look the same to me!

So I'm just printing on the side that is face-up as I take it out of the packet. Assuming they didn't pack them back to front!

What's quite frustrating is that I can only attempt it when my son takes a nap as I wouldn't dare be using the heat press while he was running around! I can't really do anymore today until he goes to bed now!

It's easier during the day when his dad is around as I can get him to take him to the other room and play with him and keep him occupied while I dance around the living room, squealing and cursing and waving my burned knuckles in the air! Our son doesn't need to hear that kind of language...

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conde tech

· #12 · Oct 2, 2008

I would hold off until you get shirts that are designed for sublimation. You are just wasting ink. Make sure you use a paper that is uncoated...no wax..or you can just use regular copier paper.

You print on the bright white side

conde tech

· #13 · Oct 2, 2008

You need to do a nozzle ck. One or more of the colors are clogged. If you have a bad nozzle ck, do two head cleanings back to back then a nozzle. DOn't do any more printing until you have a perfect nozzle ck.

Harison

Discussion Starter · #14 · Oct 2, 2008

charles95405 said:
You can tell which side of the paper to print on...it is the bright side...the dull side is not printed on and Will is correct.. the print will be dull...

From the sound of things, I would suggest the problem is your press...if you can't set correct temp...nothing is going to work well...why not take a print to some with a press and try it..?

I wonder if the quality of my paper is the problem then Charles? Actually I looked at some cheaper paper, but decided to go with this one instead as I wanted to use the better stuff but I'm not sure now.

It is supposed be coated and whiter on one side but both sides look the same to me. It is made by Signal and it's 120gms.

My heatpress is a Stahls Hotronix Sprint Clam Shell. It has a dial that goes 1-10 but I'm not sure what temperature each number represents.

I quite like it though. I've got a feeling that it's just one of those things that I have to get used to before I get better results.

Also, I think that the quality of the prints is a big part of the problem, because sometimes they come out looking faded, with banding and it doesn't transfer onto the fabric.

But when the print comes out looking bright and vivid and vibrant then it does transfer to the fabric and looks almost ok - but just not as bright as the print, and it's still too faded I think.

Harison

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 2, 2008

conde tech said:
You need to do a nozzle ck. One or more of the colors are clogged. If you have a bad nozzle ck, do two head cleanings back to back then a nozzle. DOn't do any more printing until you have a perfect nozzle ck.

Is there any chance it could be the position of the CISS?

When the CISS is above the printer then the colour is brighter but too much ink seems to come out and makes stains/puddles on the print.

But when the CISS is level then the ink seems to flow too slowly and there are gaps in the tubing where no ink is there and the print looks faded as if not enough ink reached the paper?

CUSTOM UK

· #16 · Oct 2, 2008

My CIS sits on the same base as the printer. The ink levels in the containers are actually about two inches below the level of the print heads, but I never have any problems.

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charles95405

· #17 · Oct 2, 2008

I am told...and practice this...that the ink should not be above the level of the printhead. Also to check the paper...moisten your finger..touch a corner..the side you print on will be a bit sticky...when the back side will not be

conde tech

· #18 · Oct 2, 2008

Not raising the CIS above the pronter is correct. It will flood the print head. Inks should be level wit the printer.

As for the paper, you are referring to the Jet Col High Release paper. The Jet Col paper is an off white colored paper with a blue markings on the back. Sometimes the manufacter does not always get the marking on every sheet. So if you tap two wet fingers together and run the paper between the fingers. The side that sticks to your finger is the side you print on.

Harison

Discussion Starter · #19 · Oct 3, 2008

That's a good tip. Honestly the paper doesn't look any different whichever side I look at it. It doesn't look any whiter whichever side, and it doesn't seem to have any visible coating either.

But when I lick my finger and test it that way, I can see which side is 'sticky' and which is smooth.

I've actually (finally) got a decent looking print onto the fabric. It could still do with being a bit more vibrant but I think it is just taking a day or two to get the dye sub ink running smoothly through the printer.

Also, I don't think I was leaving the press to heat up for long enough before trying to use it.

For some reason the fabric isn't getting scorched now, I'm not doing anything else differently.

Maybe by this time tomorrow I'll have got the hang of it and be ready to try on the dye sub T-shirts! It's a bit awkward bcz I have to wait till my son is having his nap before I can practice.

That was great advice about buying a few metres of cheap white polyester fabric to practice on!

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CUSTOM UK

· #20 · Oct 3, 2008

When you get the print quality right with sublimation, this is the type of result you can expect.

I am moving away from sublimation on garments to dtg, as I want to be able to offer cotton garments to my customers. At the moment there is only Xpres offering the lower priced garments in white only. Once you move up to Vapor then you are paying around £5 for pastel garments.

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