[splathead]

Is there a shelf life to plastisol transfers?

 

[splathead]

This may be a sill question but I was going to try some of this plastisol stuff and was wondering, once you get your transfer is there any cutting involved (aroudn your image? or can you just lay the whole thing down and press?

SORRY NEWBIE!!!!

You just lay and press. Then you simply peel away the entire paper transfer backing and you're done.

 

[splathead]

Re: machine's cost

can i know how much it cost for plastisol machine?

Plastisol transfers are made with a standard silkscreen press. So if you are silkscreening now, you already have the machine. All you need now is paper, possibly special ink and some powder stuff, I think.

It's not an easy process, even for an experienced silkscreener. That's why most people farm it out to companies who only do plastisol transfers.

 

[splathead]

What are the sizes of your designs?

Since full color is the most expensive design to print (transfer or direct), you can order a higher quantity to bring your per transfer cost down.

 

[splathead]

My idea was to print maybe 300 for Xl-XXL people, and 300 for small to large. But we made a couple prints here in china and the size looked too small at around 12 inches x 9. We also think we should purchase our own machine as would give us more control over what and how to print. We cannot figure out what we need to print. You say on vinyl? To do this we would need a solvent printer? Any solvent printer? How many colors needed, and what about the problem for printing on black needing white. Do all solvent printers have white? Or on vinyl maybe the problem does not exist for printing on black? We are close to figuring this out and was told all we need is a solvent printer, and a cutter. If i understand this we would still need to do weeding correct? Or am I wrong is there a solvent printer that prints direct to transfer so no need to weed? If not then a solvent printer must be the way, and must use special vinyl transfer paper i am guessing. But important is the ability to print on black.

Master makes a good point. If you already know what you are printing, you can always print directly on the shirts and not have to worry about transfers. Was there a specific reason you wanted transfers vs. direct?

Secondly, a 13X17 plastisol printed back and a 11X14 front is considered large by anyone's criteria. The fact that you want to have different size prints for different size shirts means you will need two sets of screens, adding to your cost. I size my designs where I just need one set of prints to print sizes S-XXL.

Also, if these areas are 100% covered with ink, the shirt has less breathing room and could feel hot and retain moisture next to the wearer's body.

 

[splathead]

hi there
my name is darren,i am from south africa,need some advice.you guys are a bit more advanced than us.if the world had to end we would still have ten years to live its bad

i am trying out transfer printing with plastersol does the transfer have to be wet for application because if it is dry it doesent stick

im finding that the transfers dont have a lot of stretch after pressing them

what tempreture should i set my press at, and how long must i press it for. as i am used to curing with a tunnel

is there something to mix into the ink to help it strech more?

thank you!

Are you trying to make your own transfers or are you trying to apply plastisol transfers you have had made?

 

[splathead]

OK, off the top, it seems like you may be curing the ink on the paper too long? You don't want to fully cure. Only gel the ink. It does not get fully cured until you apply it with the heat press.

what type of material are you applying it to where you need it to stretch? There are inks especially made for stretchy material. Otherwise, a plastisol transfer should stretch the same as a direct print.

Did your paper or your ink come with any instructions on press temperature and time? I have seen temperature recommendations anywhere from 325-375 degrees and a press time of anywhere between 7 to15 seconds. It just depends on the supplier. Check with your ink vendor. Or you will have to experiment.

Also check out this thread http://www.t-shirtforums.com/t-shirt-articles/t14049.html

and http://www.screenprinters.net/articles.php?art=66

 

[splathead]

1. Can I send my JPEG images to Ace or First Edition and have my logos set to Plastisol?
2. I keep seeing white being an issue to print on a dark shirt. Can I have a white logo in Plastisol to press to a black shirt?
3. Confirming what I thought I read...I can have multiple logos printed on a "gangpage" (sp?). Would I then just cut them out in a generic fashion (i.e. not touching the logo itself) and press?
4. If I have a Plastisol logo in the shape of a circle, after I press, only the circle will be showing on the fabric? No outer residual glue, adhesive, etc?
Thank you in advance to any and all who can help me! I can't wait to get started!
Oh wait! One more question! Any ideas on quality blanks? I already have looked at American Apparel and looking for something a little cheaper but relative quality!
Oops, one more....any thoughts on the heat press and crystal transferring?
Sorry!
Thanks Again!

1. You should check with them directly for their artwork requirements. Different vendors have different requirements.

2. Definitely. You simple tell the transfer co. that the design is for a dark shirt and they will add the white underbase to it.

3. Yes, you are correct.

4. Correct. The transfer paper is like wax paper. The only thing that transfers is the ink. No residue whatsoever. It the same as if you had printed it directly on a silkscreeen press.

5. blanks. Alstyle makes a good cheaper alternative to American Apparel.

6. Heat press. Popular brands are Stahls, Hix, Hottronix, Phoenix, George Knight . You should get at least a 15 X 15 to cover all your bases on transfer size.

 

[splathead]

do plastisol transfers have to be cured after the heat press?

also

i am looking for this effect but slightly thicker. does that require the ink to be printed thicker on the transfer?

thnak you,

No, the heat press cures the ink.

 

[splathead]

sorry for reviving this thread, are you referring to silkscreen printing? or what kind of screenprint will i use?

Fatal,

Who is your question directed to? Are you asking how you would make transfers?

 

[splathead]

Not sure I saw this asked and sorry if it was, but what is the shelf life of a plastisol transfer?

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t48382.html#post285387

 

[splathead]

sir Rod, what paper do we need to use in using silkscreen?

Here are some sources http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t15703.html

 

[splathead]

I found lots of sources to buy stock plastisol transfers, but havent found anything on companies that I can outsource pressing on the shirts. Rather than use my employees, I'm thinking may be better off just outsourcing it. About 100 piece orders. any ideas?

Even if you were charged as little as a $1 a print (the rate is probably higher), 6 jobs and you would have paid for a press. This is why you don't see many heat pressing outsourcing.

If you need to do it, I would contact those places who naturally have a press. Even retail souvenir t-shirt shops.

 

[splathead]

Here you go http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t92843.html

 

[splathead]

Ok so it seems that plastisol is the way to go for custom heat transfers on a small scale. Big Question: Is there a window or white outline on plastisol transfers?

Nope. No window, no polymer, no outline. It's as if you screen printed directly on the shirt.

 

[splathead]

Hello,

I have some quick questions about plastisol transfers;
can you get them with a soft feel?
do bigger graphics mean you'll get a rigid shirt?
do these crack and/or peel off like other transfers or do they 'bind' with the fabric like regular screen printing? (I know plastisol 'sits' on the fabric, but it kinda binds in too, right)
Seeing how these are printed on transfer paper and not directly onto textile, can you get finer lpi with these?

Transfers inherit the same characteristics as direct print. If you can get a soft direct print, then you can get a soft transfer. The darker the garment, the more layers of ink, the thicker the print. But that's true with direct print too.

You can theoretically get a finer line screening to paper than on the garment, but it's gonna get lost when you do the transfer.

 

[splathead]

More ink comes off the paper with cold peel. A little less comes off with hot peel. That's why you use the cold peel technique to get a more opaque print.

 

[splathead]

Do you have to trim the paper? Is it like Jet Opaque where if you do not trim, the excess is white? And how long, at what temperature, what pressure do you press it at, or does it differ for each company?

Nope. No window, no polymer, no outline. It's as if you screen printed directly on the shirt.

Instructions vary by transfer company.

 

[splathead]

is that technique similar to one we can see very offten now on the market ,where designe on tshirt is very thick and you feel like rubber ??

No. If the print is very think and rubbery, then it was intended to be that way. You achieve this effect with special screen print inks.

 

[splathead]

"Screen printing equipment" here does it refers to the actual silk screen printing equipment with a frame with polyester over it as a stencil and with a squeegee forcing the ink thru the screen onto the transfer paper?

Yes, the term 'screen printing equipment' consists of the polyester mesh frames.

Isn't there any printers that print with plastisol ink so we don't need so much equipments and screen can be avoided?

There are no printer machines that can do plastisol printing. However there are DTG printer machines that do water-based ink printing. Pricing starts at around $15K.

Since plastisol ink can only be cured by high temperature, how can we complete with the plastisol transfer when finish screen printing?

You semi-cure the screened transfer with the same heat source that you use to cure your shirts. Either an oven or a flash dryer.

Besides, does transfer paper for inkjet and laser printer respectively can be printed with normal inkjet/ laser ink?

They can, although some inks are better to use than others. Epson inks are a favorite with most.

I was told that hot peel and hot split are the same, but from the 1st post i saw here is different. Can anyone advice? Is there a standard for this?

I have always known the terms to be different. Hot peel means you peel the transfer immediately after pressing. Hot split also is peeled hot, but it literally splits ink from paper resulting in a more rough surface. I prefer hot split transfers because it is indistinguishable in looks from direct screen printing.