[metalbone]

I posted this over in the heat press section but got no response so thought I would try here:

I am having issues when curing ink or drying PT on Geo Knight DC16 heatpress. I like to thread the shirt to do either but i am finding on the smaller items that I can't thread the shirts without stretching them because the bottom platen support column is centered on the platen and not to one side.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to thread shirts on the DC16 without stretching them out?

 

[lazographics]

What do you mean by thread the shirt? Are you talking about putting the platen inside the shirt to only heat one side of it?

 

[metalbone]

Are you talking about putting the platen inside the shirt to only heat one side of it?
Yes sir

 

[lazographics]

Are you talking about putting the platen inside the shirt to only heat one side of it?
Yes sir

With smaller shirts your just gonna have to lay them flat on the platen so that you don't risk over stretching them. I also do this but with polo shirts so that the buttons don't affect the back side of the shirt. My platen is 16x20 so when I get down to a size small polo that doesn't stretch over the platen, I use a piece of card board on the inside of the shirt instead.

 

[lazographics]

Are you talking about putting the platen inside the shirt to only heat one side of it?
Yes sir

Were you just worried about heating the shirt to much? Is that why you're doing that?

 

[metalbone]

no i have noticed that i get ghosting of images on the opposite sides if i dont separate the sides of the shirts.

So just started sleaving them by default. Lititle more work but worth it in the end. I will try the cardboard, i was a bit leary of doing that, didnt know if there was anything in the card board that would bleed into the shirt.

 

[lazographics]

no i have noticed that i get ghosting of images on the opposite sides if i dont separate the sides of the shirts.

So just started sleaving them by default. Lititle more work but worth it in the end. I will try the cardboard, i was a bit leary of doing that, didnt know if there was anything in the card board that would bleed into the shirt.

I know what you mean by ghosting. I usually only experience issues with that when I pretreat the back of the shirt after I had already printed on the front. A ghost of the image on the front will appear on the pretreatment on the back side of the shirt and it creates a different surface of pretreatment on that ghost. If you don't have pretreatment on the back of the shirt and your still seeing the ghosting then all it is is the moisture evaporating. It will eventually dry and disappear. From my experience anyways.

 

[metalbone]

HAHA just did a bone head move. Had some plexi glass sitting here and thought "OOOHH that would work great". Sure it worked but the plexi pretty much melted. DUH!!!!!!!

Need more coffee.

 

[lazographics]

HAHA just did a bone head move. Had some plexi glass sitting here and thought "OOOHH that would work great". Sure it worked but the plexi pretty much melted. DUH!!!!!!!

Need more coffee.

Ha! Oh well. No harm in trying.

 

[metalbone]

BTW cardboard worked great.

 

[lazographics]

BTW cardboard worked great.

I may have already said this but works good with polos and vnecks.

 

[MrFingerz]

You can get a interchangeable drop in bottom platen for smaller shirts etc
They have lots of different sizes.
May cost a few pennies more than scrap cardboard lol but the easiest dependable option.
DCA-1012TBL : Digital Combo 10" x12" Drop On Table : Geo Knight & Co Inc
I need one or 2 for my dk20A
my issue is the sleeve seams/collar etc often leave burn like marks

another option is one of the pillows Ive been debating on trying
Pillow Accessories for Heat Printing | Stahls’