What are some tips/advice on buying a heat press? Where to buy heat transfer paper and t-shirts?

2079 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by JrLey05, Mar 22, 2012

survivorfan1985

Discussion Starter · Mar 21, 2012

I'm new here and wanted to ask some questions about getting started. I've been searching my local Craigslist adds and I've seen several used Heat Press machines locally. What are some tips/advice on buying a heat press?
I guess me first question is, where is the best website to get transfer paper from? I've been checking out coastalbusiness.com and some others for paper. What do I need to look for to get the best quality t-shirts? What sites do you guys recommend for ordering in bulk in different colors? I have a color laser printer, but want to know if inkjet looks better? I have many more questions, but I'll see if anyone can help with these first.

-Keith

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lben

· #2 · Mar 21, 2012

Re: Rookie questions

Must haves for a heat press: Make sure you have a digital temp. I have one that I paid a small fortune for that doesn't regulate the temp all I have is a thermometer that tells me how hot it is. It takes forever to heat up and then even longer to cool back down. I rarely use that press and prefer to use my cheapo Chinese presses with the digital settings.

If you have a laser printer then you should get the laser heat transfer paper. I've never used it so I don't know what they look like, but I have seen self weeding paper for the laser printers and that's a definite plus.

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survivorfan1985

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 21, 2012

Re: Rookie questions

Ok great advice. What does self weeding mean anyway? Oh and I thought of something else too...if you have an image with a white border, will that white border show up on the t-shirt once it's been pressed? Or will only the image itself show up? Does that make sense?

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Rodney

· #4 · Mar 21, 2012

:: edited thread TITLE to be more descriptive and moved to a more appropriate section of the forum

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Rodney

· #5 · Mar 21, 2012

It sounds like you may have been looking for your answers to all be in one post, but generally they are separate questions that are answered in different posts in different sections of our forum

We have a section on heat transfers, printers, heat presses, buying blank t-shirts wholesale and more.

As you search and read more posts in the forum, you'll find that many of your questions on starting out have been answered in past discussions.

What are some tips/advice on buying a heat press?

You can find some great heat press buying tips here:

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/t-shirt-crossover-diary-heat-press-newbie/t9682.html

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/t-shirt-articles/t27945.html

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-presses-equipment/t148313.html

I guess me first question is, where is the best website to get transfer paper from?

Many of our preferred vendors on the left hand side menu there sell transfer paper and some offer discounts specifically to t-shirtforums.com members

What do I need to look for to get the best quality t-shirts?

Can you explain more here? Do you mean the blank t-shirts themselves? Most all the brand name (Gildan, Hanes, American Apparel, etc, etc, etc) t-shirts out there are constructed well. Quality usually boils down to "personal preference". Some customers will prefer a heavier t-shirt like a Hanes beefy tee and think it's top quality. Others may feel that to them, a Hanes Beefy tee is too heavy and boxy and make call think the "quality" is less than a lighter weight fashion t-shirt like American Apparel.

It's a good idea to buy samples of a few different blank t-shirt brands and styles so you can better educate and advise your customers (and yourself) about which particular t-shirt brand to use for a particular project.

What sites do you guys recommend for ordering in bulk in different colors?

There are many to choose from

Some of them are our preferred vendors over to the left hand side (American Apparel, TSCApparel.com, AlpahShirt.com, shirtspace.com, etc) There are more if you search the forum for wholesale blank t-shirts or check the wholesale blank t-shirts section of the forum.

I have many more questions, but I'll see if anyone can help with these first.

It's best to start a new topic for each new question. That way you can put each question in its proper section of the forum and give it an appropriate and *descriptive* thread title. This will also bring up related threads before you even post that might answer your question

:welcome:

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lben

· #6 · Mar 22, 2012

Re: Rookie questions

survivorfan1985 said:
Ok great advice. What does self weeding mean anyway? Oh and I thought of something else too...if you have an image with a white border, will that white border show up on the t-shirt once it's been pressed? Or will only the image itself show up? Does that make sense?

Self weeding means only the image transfers and not the film that coats it. White is not a color, it is a background. White will not transfer unless you have paper made specifically for dark fabrics and it is white. I've never used it before, though I do have some. It's thick and I don't think I'd want it on any of my clothes.

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JrLey05

· #7 · Mar 22, 2012

Rodney said:
There are many to choose from Some of them are our preferred vendors over to the left hand side (American Apparel, TSCApparel.com, AlpahShirt.com, shirtspace.com, etc) There are more if you search the forum for wholesale blank t-shirts or check the wholesale blank t-shirts section of the forum.
:welcome:

Just a recommendation that I did not see over in the preferred vendors column... Bodek and Rhodes are another great wholesaler of blanks. Not sure if they have been mentioned before but just an FYI if not...

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