[dopeandsoil1]

Hey,
I'm new to Sublimation and was just wondering if anybody in Aus has any tips on how to successfully sublimate a polyester polo shirt (Hi-Vis Yellow/Navy or Orange/Navy). I've tried many times and always seem to get double printing from the Teflon sheet used to protect sublimation paper. The shirts seem to burn also as the temp is at 200 degrees Celsius. If you have any suggestions that would help it would be greatly appreciated. Cheers

 

[Forry]

Hi Tom,

When you say double printing, do you mean ghosting of the image? This is often caused my shrinkage when the garment is heated and or movement of the transfer paper. I found using spray adhesive is the best way to stop ghosting. If you have a spotlight or lincraft around you can pick up a can for around $10, lightly spray the image side of the paper and then go ahead and press like normal. it last ages and saves you on wasted garments.

An other quick tip (hey, they are free) if you haven't already, print out your PMS colour chart and sublimate it onto a scrap orange and scrap yellow fabric, then you can see what each colour prints like when mixed with the garment. Easy way to make "coloured"prints by mixing the ink with the garment. I have a turf company that we sublimate nice green prints on yellow/Navy hi-viz shirts by printing the image in blue. It takes the guess work out.

I press at 204c for 42 sec. I doubt you are burning the garment, more likely when you are heating the fabric you are drawing salt or other chemicals used when the supplier pack the garment, this often looks stained. There are good garments to sublimate and there a some that no matter what look terrible.

I hope this helps.

Damo.

 

[wiggum]

If it's burning it's almost definitely shrinking. Have you tried a different garment?

 

[dopeandsoil1]

Thanks a lot for your quick responses.
Perhaps it is burning because I got told to press the shirt for 90-180 secs? I will give it a go at 42secs. I have found though that pressing it for a shorter time doesn't give a dark result. How tight should the heat press be? I use a Rioch SG 7100 Sublimation Printer and a Geo Knight Heat Press. By double printing I mean, when I put the teflon sheet over the sub paper, then do it again on another shirt, the ink from the previous paper seems to sink into the teflon sheet and you can see it on the other shirt. Do you use a teflon sheet or baking paper? I also have a Brother Gt-541 that I use to print but after sublimation on the hi-vis it doesn't compare. Sublimation is MUCH darker and doesn't fade at all. Thanks heaps for the extra info, much appreciated!

 

[Forry]

Interesting,

I haven't had a problem with ink in the Teflon sheet, I'm not even sure if it's possible. I have a Teflon cover over the bottom plattern and a Teflon sheet to go over the transfer paper. Here is a quick run down of my print process for the manual press I have (stahls hotronix) things are a little different for my air press.

1, print out logo,
2, hang the paper up and spray contact adhesive over the paper
3, put the garment on the press and straighten
4, apply the paper to the garment and smooth over with my hands
5, teflon sheet over the paper and close th press with a medium pressure.
6, timer goes off, open press and remove the Teflon sheet. Remove the transfer paper hot peel in one smooth motion. (Careful it'll be hot)
7, hang to cool.

I've used this to process for the last 7 years. I can't recommend the spray adhesive enough. Try wiping the Teflon sheet over with a DRY clean chux after each press if you think the sheet is the problem.

Hope it helps, he me up if you need some more help.

Damo

 

[dopeandsoil1]

Cheers, Mate
I'll definitely grab some of that
I've been at it again today. Sometimes it will be fine but other times its a faded mess haha
I use the brand Blue Whale for the hi-vis shirts (il attacha photo of the shirts I'm trying). The back turns out great as I can feed it under the press. Having a lot more problems with the front as it has to sit on the press rather than be fed under it, making the surface area rougher than it should be. And it seems no matter how smooth (no bubbles or creases) I get it, it still turns out extremely dull

 

[Forry]

When you're doing the fronts are you using a Teflon pillow, the foam or just putting the shirt on the plattern?

For instance when I press a front pocket or chest logo, I use a Teflon pillow, or better yet some of the printing foam cut to size inside the shirt and lay it on the press. This stands the print area off the plattern, so it's the only area getting heated and also puts the placard/buttons of the the shirt lower then where I'm pressing, so there is no in-evenness you can also ramp the pressure up a bit more without damaging the area of the shirt you are not printing.

Fronts are ALOT harder to get the hang of. The easiest way to get your head around doing fronts is, " the transfer needs an even, constant pressure" things like collars, pockets, piping,buttons even an extra layer of fabric can cause different levels of contact with the transfer paper. Working out the best way Eliminate these problems and you should have trouble free printing ahead of you.

I have a pile of visitec polo'is that I left the navy collar down and the navy transferred onto the yellow, so stupid.

Sorry if you are already aware of all this, just putting it all out there.

 

[dopeandsoil1]

I was not aware of a Teflon pillow. Any idea where to purchase these from? I think that is my main concern now. I feel like a bit of a moron after reading all this info lol. You have been a lot of help! More so than any techs I've dealt with

 

[Bugs]

Hi Tom, I made my own pillows. Just go to a place that sells foam and get the green foam about 25mm thick. Then cut to size and cover in Teflon. I made various shapes to suit.
Now with your double image, I had this trouble when using a cheap transfer paper. The ink seemed to come through the top of the paper and onto the Teflon. Then when you press another image you get a mess.
Another problem I seem to have overcome, is when you press the shirt, you get the imprint of the paper edge into the shirt. To remove this, after pressing the image, remove the paper and I use a small hair brush and brush around the imprint and then press for a few seconds (I don't even use the Teflon)and the lines are mostly gone.
Hope that helps.

 

[Forry]

Brian I think is onto your image problem, paper quality makes a huge difference. I've never used the Ricoh equipment before, but I do remember get some bad paper for my 4880 and it was hell.

I bought pillows from GJS, as with most stuff there, it's dear. They do last though. I might give Brian's DIY ago next time.

 

[dopeandsoil1]

Thanks guys
I use Tex Print R Sublimation Paper
What paper would you recommend?
Brian, what kind of hair brush? I have noticed pressing after sublimating the image to the shirt it fades
I can get a teflon pillow that is 40cm x 40cm .. would this be suitable?

 

[dopeandsoil1]

Also are there any tutorial videos on how to use it? I've tried YouTube but can't find anything. When you use the pillows, do you feed the shirt through the heat press and position the pillow underneath (pocket area) or do you just sit the shirt on the press and put pillow in desired location? Sorry for all the questions

 

[Bugs]

The hair brush I use is an old broken one. How do I explain....... arr.. about a shoe brush size, semi stiff bristles. Has a flat brush face, not curved. Hope all that makes sense.
The Tex Print is the good paper. I have used other paper from suppliers in NSW, though paper was not cheap price wise it did not perform well. So far I have found Tex Print the best. I am sure there are other great brands around.
What I do to stop the print paper moving when I open the press is to use sublimation tape on 2 corners.

 

[dopeandsoil1]

Do you have a Teflon sheet on the actual iron itself? I will give the brush a go. All seems good, just a bit worried the print will ghost on other parts of the shirt

 

[Forry]

Hey tom,

The pillow, I just slip into the garment and lay it on the plattern. I have a half size pillow that is pretty much the width of a pocket, I slid it up underneath the pocket. So only the pocket side of the shirt is raised up. Pop your transfer on then your Teflon sheet and press. Your press will have a lot more pressure because of the pillow, this is ok, you want the pillow to crush under the pressure and level the pocket out and create the even surface for the print to transfer.

Your 40x40 pillow is great for big prints get a smaller one for chest or pockets, or fold your current one in half and press it. The foam holds up but over a few months it'll start to flatten out.

If you are worried about ghosting from the transfer sheet, wipe it over with a clean dry chux. I've never had it transfer from the Teflon. I have the Teflon attached to the heat plate on my stahls clam and use a sheet from my air ram press.

Of course with anything new test on scrap.

 

[dopeandsoil1]

Hey mate,
Cheers for the info
I got a pillow and it works a lot better but I keep getting ghosting from the Teflon sheet. I actually got the sheet from gjs so it's good quality. I tried wiping it over after pressing but it's as if it is imprinting itself into the sheet. I've attached a photo for you to show you what I mean. I am pressing at 204 degrees Celsius for 42 seconds. If I can get rid of the bloody faded print I'd be right haha. Thanks heaps for your help!

 

[Bugs]

ok humour me....... Take the sheet of and on the same orientation. Try not to rotate it around.
I have had this before as I said with low quality paper. But I have found that printing solid black you can still get it like you have. Just take the Teflon sheet of and on the same way.
I use the 200 degrees and 45 seconds.

 

[dopeandsoil1]

It's really to line it up exactly because the print that doubles on the Teflon sheet is barely visible. I'm gonna try putting baking paper down and then the Teflon sheet over it. Dunno how great that will be as the baking paper is very thin but I will let ya know. Cheers for the help

 

[dopeandsoil1]

So I had success with the baking paper laid down before the Teflon sheet. When you fix one problem another arises. The heat resistant tape is now leaving marks on each corner. Think I may try the adhesive spray

 

[dopeandsoil1]

Hey Damo,
What brand is the contact adhesive you get from Spotlight?