can anyone help please with trying out screenprinting?

[Lee Ballard]

Where did you hear the anti-vinyl rumours? We use vinyl for garments with no problems, as do many others on here and for qty’s less than 25 screen will be an expensive way to go as I’m sure many of the screen users on here will confirm.

Lee

[TimHarding]

Was froma close friend who has a family member i believe who has used vinyl in the past, apparently there was issues with the vinyl pulling away from the shirt after washing, maybe incorrect vinyl being used.

Just got a couple of quotes from screen printers and ay the costs they have quoted I cant knock it!

[Lee Ballard]

Sounds like incorrectly applied vinyl, not enough pressure/heat/time.

[Lee Husselbury]

I use vinyl and flock on my t-shirts, if the heat/pressure/time is right they are fine, no problems, even on a t-shirt washed at 6o by mistake!

Flock is very very easy to work with, weeds fantastic and is very durable, costs a bit more but worth it. I even layer it for colour on colour on a few designs and still ok. Not too good for very small letters though.

I think some suppliers state you can even dry clean?

[TimHarding]

Hmmmm, just rang vinyl corp and added some flock to the order I made at lunch time.

I’ll have a try of it and see how easy it is to work with, I’ll just do a few simple web address’s onto a t-shirt and see how i go from there. Can it be applied with an iron temporarily until i see how things go and i get a t-shirt press?

Is there any vinyl you can use on mugs?

[Martin Pearson]

Tim I didn’t actually do "T" shirt printing myself but I did read quite a bit about it on these boards. From what I have read an iron is not really suitable for applying these materials because of things like temperature and pressure required. Maybe that is why you friend had a problem with it lifting.

If you do a search on the boards for "T" shirt printing you will probably find quite a lot of info on the subject.

[Lee Ballard]

An iron is not really suitable as you can’t guarantee the temp and you will never get the pressue high enough or even enough though for a short term trail may be ok. I done some stag t-shirts for a mates stag o years ago with an iron as we were pre-heat press and they lasted fairly well.

I’m sure as you are a uksg member you may be able to contact another member whom could send you a bit of fabric with some vinyl on for you to assess.(I’m just a lowly gold member til I get off my a**e and upgrade)

[Robert Lambie]

grafityp, victory, xpress and magictouch do allot of this sorta thing… dont have details handy but vic and graf have adverts on homepage.
both do garment materials/vinyls and also the presses for t-shirts mugs caps etc…
i wouldnt go the screen route. i cant see you getting short notice, short run jobs of 5 t-shirts quick or cheap.

irons can be used but have downsides like have been stated. still, if you just want to see well cut glitter films and the like go… its easy done.

[Lynn Normington]

Tim to do t shirts effectively and give long life you do need a heat press, mugs are a different method have a look at themagictouch.co.uk

Lynn

[Lee Husselbury]

I used an iron for the flock when trialing, just heated full temp for 15 seconds, cool 10 seconds, peel off carrier, then heat again pressing hard for another 25 seconds ish. First one still going after 2 months but if selling i would use correct equipment.

The chrome vinyl stuff looks good but is easy to melt! B careful.

I used magictouch vinyl/flock and found to be good quality.