[Albie1]

Hey guys I'm having a problem sublimating iPhone cases. I tried my first one and it came out perfect is was shiny like glass.. Then the next 4 I did the following days are comming out dull .. The dullness isn't affecting the colors in anyway it's just when you look at the case in the light certain areas have a dullness to them . I didn't change a thing from my first case I did so I'm clueless.. My setup is gx7000 printer fusion heat press set to light pressure #2 on meter 400 degrees for 35 sec. I'm using sawgrass inks and trupix paper.. My powerdriver is set up for trupix paper, white metal, saturated- intense. I have a cover sheet on the platten the blank facing up the trupix paper facing down and a teflon paper on top.

I contacted my supplier who suggested no Teflon on top cause it holds moisture in .. So I used a regular sheet of paper on top and I still have the problem .. One case when I used some heat tape to hold the paper to the blank after the pressing I could see the dullness in the shape of the heat tape... It's baffling me I rewrote the supplier who suggested lighter pressure and no top sheet at all .. Im yet to try the no top sheet but lighter pressure didn't fix it... Any suggestions guys? Albie

 

[Albie1]

Wow no suggestions? Just to update I tried no top sheet and still the same problem!!

 

[Queenkutie]

I had a similar issue with dull and blurry pictures. I figured out on my own that I was printing on the wrong side of the paper. I didn't realize that there wad a difference until I held the paper up in the light. Hope that this solves your problem! Good luck!

 

[MrRudeDog]

On my Conde iPhone blanks I use Conde's generic dye sub paper, heat tape the metal to the paper, leave the metal side up, sandwiched between two pieces of Sams Club butcher paper, press at 400 degrees for 45 seconds at medium/medium high pressure. I've done many this way and they come out beautifully. Hope this helps.

Ray

 

[dhearn]

I just did my first ones from Conde last week. Almost printed one before I noticed there is a clear protective coating that needs to be removed before hand. You are taking that off, right?

 

[iainlondon]

I just did my first ones from Conde last week. Almost printed one before I noticed there is a clear protective coating that needs to be removed before hand. You are taking that off, right?

I was going to mention the same when I read this this morning,but didn,t want to offend........

 

[Albie1]

No offense taken.. Yes I remove the clear plastic before pressing and when I check it for dullness there is none!!!! So my dullness is happening during pressing...
So mrrudedog your pressing them white face down? I saw that sawgrass does the license plates like that I'm pressing them white face up ... Albie

 

[dhearn]

Definitely not intended to offend anyone. Just educate. I don't remember anywhere where it said that there was this plastic protective coating on the metal piece. Right before I was about to tape my design to it, I just happened to notice that it looked a little dull so I scratched it with a fingernail and sure enough, up came the coating. Of course thinking back on it, if I had gone ahead and pressed it, it probably would have made one hell of a mess when that plastic melted!

 

[Albie1]

I appreciate the and any help...

 

[MrRudeDog]

So mrrudedog your pressing them white face down? I saw that sawgrass does the license plates like that I'm pressing them white face up ... Albie

Yes, the metal is such a good heat conductor, I press all my thin metal projects "upside down". So far, everything has come out nicely. Definitely need protective paper on top this way though.

-Ray

 

[Albie1]

I'm gonna try it today upside down ray and thanks...

 

[iainlondon]

Two Points 1/I also Press mine "Upside Down" & 2/ You would think the Suppliers would tell you there Is a protective plastic on there for removal....

 

[mel58]

Step-by-step:
If bottom platen is cold, begin by preheating for 15 seconds.

1) Lay protective paper on heat press platen.

2) Remove protective film from insert.

3) Lay insert imaging side face-down on transfer. Use heat tape or Pro Spray to keep it in place.

4) Add a piece protective paper over your transfer and insert.

5) Press. Add 2-3 seconds for each additional insert imaged at the same time.

NOTE: iPhone inserts for rubber and plastic covers are NOT interchangeable. The insert for the rubber cover has a black line on the back.

they say 385 for 45 sec but I had to increase the time some.

when I tried like I do other aluminum I got the dullness in spots like you (400 for 50 and image on top).

 

[mel58]

oops, forgot to say those are condes instructions

 

[mel58]

well darn still forgot something

when I did at 400 degrees I got dullness like you. lowering it to 385 and slightly longer time cured it.

 

[Albie1]

so put a cover sheet on press then the transfer paper on press iphone case face down cover sheet and press?

 

[mel58]

I kept the teflon on the bottom so teflon then cover paper then image then iphone then cover sheet and that took away the dull spots (wierd isn't it how little things can change it).

 

[skeelc]

We also tried the following with good success:
-385 degrees-F
-Teflon on bottom
-Cover sheet on Teflon
-Image face up on top of cover sheet
-iPhone cover face down onto image
-Cover sheet over iPhone cover
-Press for 45 seconds using light-to-medium pressure

 

[Albie1]

Gonna test in the morning guys thanks...

 

[jfish]

Could you post a couple images of your good one and your bad one? Maybe that will help identify the issue?