[zensan]

Hi everyone, I started my company recently and doing some graphic design and supplying t-shirts for martial art related market. I am trying to build my brand with screen printing and plastisol transfer also but I am having a trouble with custom plastisol transfer.

I ordered custom plastisol tranfer and ganged up 4 designs. The instruction said 390 F, 7- 10 sec. "50 - 60 lbs pressure", Hot Peel. I did exactly that (well except pressure - I was not sure so I started off with mid-high with the knob). My graphic looks great but when I do a "scratch test" next day with my finger nail, it kind of flakes off a bit. I played with the temp (higher) and more pressure and little loger press time and so on to make it more durable. It seems working but still I can scrape the ink off with my nail.

When I do scratch test, nail is pressed but not too hard to scratch. Since my target is martial arts chools/ Westling/sports gyms and so on so I don't want the print to be rubbed off that easily. Someone told me that with the plastisol tranfer, when it is done correctly, little bit of the ink from the transfer should be shown (soaked through) on the back of the t-shirt fabric... Is that true?? Mine is not showing on the back and more like ink is sitting only on top of the front of t-shirts. With more temp, pressure, longer time, I kind of see more penetration but not as strong as I wish.

How do you test your Plastisol transfer on the t-shirt and how can you be confident enough to put on the market?? I already made my label, hang tag and good designs so I just need to make the print right (or, I am gonna have to stick with screen printing only). Please help!!!

 

[wormil]

I never heard of a scratch test until about a week ago. I learned to stretch the print laterally and if it cracks it isn't cured; that way you can just finish curing it. If you scratch pieces off, you risk ruining the print.

 

[zensan]

I never heard of a scratch test until about a week ago. I learned to stretch the print laterally and if it cracks it isn't cured; that way you can just finish curing it. If you scratch pieces off, you risk ruining the print.

I waited until this morning for more scratch test for the ones that I pressed yesterday. I put temp to 400 F (the highest temp for my Hix Swingman) and did 12 sec, 14 sec, 16 sec... (the instruction was 7 - 10 sec.). Also slightly increased the pressure - worked much better. 14 sec. seems to be the best. With 16 sec. the print line it not as sharp perhaps start melting the outline with too high heat??

I'm worried about the pressure a bit since I manually adjusted the knob for the pressure and as I increased the pressure, it seems to "jumps off" (when I release from locking to open the top platten). I read the thread jumping a little is high pressure but how big is the jump?? I am quite strong so closing the press is not hard for me (but need to close with both hands). I also tried the "$10 bil" trickl to make sure every spot is firmly closed but is it possible to break my precious heatpress if you have too much pressure??

Also, please someone let me know how do you check your plastisol (and how far you go) to make sure your product is good to be sold without rubbing off... I am maybe paranoid side but since I am putting my company name on it and tring to build my brand. The last thing I need is everything comes back as return because of the print rubbing off... If it is discussed already, please let me know which thread I could read.

Thanks

 

[brentonchad]

I would check with the company that you received your plastisol transfers from. I have never tried a scratch test on my prints that I receive from First Edition. However the quality and durabililty have been great - especially the hot peel. But I would expect the company that created the transfers will have a better ideas on what's going since the difference in ink and process is usually specific to that company.

 

[zensan]

I will check with my supplier next week. My print is much better with all the slight adjustments so I will try more over the weekend and try to hit the perfect setting for my heatpress. Thanks.

 

[wormil]

Who did you buy the transfers from and where did you get the idea for the scratch test?

Did you try stretching it to see if it cured? Its either cured or it isn't, I don't know that scratching will be a reliable test of either.

 

[zensan]

Who did you buy the transfers from and where did you get the idea for the scratch test?

Did you try stretching it to see if it cured? Its either cured or it isn't, I don't know that scratching will be a reliable test of either.

I am not sure if I read from this forum or somewhere else but I thought that was good idea to test the print so that especially thing part of the design could not come off just with one light rub. My plastisol is from Red Rocket from Ontario and they are their transfer seems very nice. I was very impressed with their sample and their customer service is excellent and I am very happy with talking to those people. Just I am very new to this and I am still figuring out how to apply plastisol transfer. I did some orders with regular transfersheet (print with Epson printer) and after some practice, I could print quite good. But this plastisol is whole new game.

 

[Leatherneck]

I have never heard of a scratch test either. The plastisols that I have used I stretch. I would think that scratching them is always going to get the same result which is the peeling or cracking. I would speak to the supplier and ask them how to check to make sure the plastisol has cured. I hope this helps