[Scassidy77]

Hello, I'm new to heat pressing. Got my first order of plastisol heat transfers today. I set up I'm my living room and started pressing a few shirts. I noticed that on each time I put a transfer on the shirt, it would produce a decent amount of smoke after reopening the press and peeling the transfer. By the 5th transfer my living room was hazy and my nose, throat, and lungs were irritated to the point I had to stop, get out, and let the room air out. Is this normal or am I doing something wrong?? I'm following the directions, pretty closely for the transfer except maybe going like 2 seconds longer than it says to.
Also, is there any rule of thumb for height placement of transfer on front side and backside of shirt? thanks
Also wanted to add in case It matters. The directions were 390 degrees for 9 seconds, and 400 degrees for 12 seconds for the transfers I got.

 

[into the T]

i'd say your heat-press is severely out of whack (temp-wise)

take a piece of your paper/carrier sheet left over from a press
re-press at those settings and report back what happens

 

[tfalk]

We have a shop set up in our basement, I installed an exhaust fan directly over the press just for such occasions... We duct it into another room that has a bilco door to the outside and use fans to push the smoke out. Not the most elegant solution but it works for the few times a year we use plastisol transfers. We don't experience the problem with HTV.

 

[PatWibble]

Plastisol does give of fumes that build up, and transfers are no different. Maybe the glue makes it worse.
You will need some form of extraction. Do you haveany extractor in the kitchen?

 

[Scassidy77]

I pretty much decided that I have to do the heat transfers out in the garage and wear a respirator. If I do even one transfer without the respirator on, my throat and lung will bother me for the rest of the day. I think I am also allergic to something in the transfer fumes to have this reaction. I have an older Stahls hotronix MCL2 16x20 clam style press. The date says it was a 2004 model. I called Stahls for trouble shooting and the tech told me to take it apart and make sure there isn't a loose wire or something that is causing the smoke. The smell is sort of a burning smell, so it is possible. It doesn't smoke when the clam is open, only while pressing transfers.
For example, if the transfer calls for 10-12 seconds pressing time, it will start producing a slight burning smell and light smoke after about 7 seconds and then when I lift the clam to take item out, the smoke rolls out. I don't know if its normal or not? I don't know why I smell a burning smell? The shirt and transfer will smell like a burnt smell after the shirt is done, but it fades after a day of airing out. It's as if I'm over heating and burning the transfers, but don't believe that the case. I've checked temperature between my machines built in thermometer [it's like a built in meat thermometer style], and 2 inferred laser thermometers at the same time and all are consistent with each other? The inferred thermometers are both consistent with each other, and they are within 10 degrees of the built in thermometer on the machine. I never have used a different heat press to know if there is a difference. Once fully heated, my entire platen is within a few degrees all across the platen and top to bottom.

 

[into the T]

have you tried pressing only the carrier sheet to see if it still smokes?

 

[Scassidy77]

have you tried pressing only the carrier sheet to see if it still smokes?

No I have not tried that. That's a great idea though. I will try that tomorrow evening and see what happens. Thanks for the idea. Surprised I never thought of that hehe..

 

[splathead]

Just press some blank shirts. If it still smokes, it's the press.

 

[Scassidy77]

have you tried pressing only the carrier sheet to see if it still smokes?

I didn't use a carrier sheet, but did just put a plain blank t-shirt in the press. I pressed it a multiple different times and each times steam/smoke/vapor would come out. It wasn't as much as when pressing a transfer and it didn't smell like anything burnt like when doing a transfer. I'm not sure where the vapor or smoke is coming from. I'd say it would be possible that it was moisture vapor at first maybe, but I pressed it multiple times so I don't see how it could have been moisture still from the shirt still the last couple times. Guess it's just an unsolvable mystery, since nobody else seems to really be having this happen.