does anyone have any Heat press vinyl weeding tips please?

[John Wilson]

I get this from time to time, normally by setting the depth a little higher it seems to solve the problem.

Good luck

[John Wilson]

Also try using different blades for flock since it blunts the blade quicker

[Matt Hards]

Ive got my blade just right i think to be honest, as it weeds around really really easily. Its the actual middles that seem to be a pain to get out, takes forever, i think because of the sticky backing it doesnt want to come up so easy. I did think maybe weeding out the middles before pulling off tha majority of vinyl may help. as any loose bits dont restick themselves in other places.

[Chris Wool]

we are in the same boat matt. the high stick makes the outside weed very easy but the middles are a pain.
my problem is i cant see the middles with out the out side off need new glasses,
only help so far to stop my hands sticking to the weeded bits is to use a scrap of release paper to rest your hand on whilst picking on the bits.

chris

[Lee Husselbury]

hi all,

there are vinyls that don’t have sticky carriers and xpres easy cut has more like a paper backing. Comes in sheets not rolls
It’s very easy to weed but you have to be careful you don’t rip the design because until it’s applied it is more fragile. When applied it’s great, good matt finish, tough, stretchy and can be ironed, tumble dried and washed up to 90 degrees.

Some of these types are screen print inks with pigment on a carrier so not vinyl.

Contact all the manufacturers and get samples, i got loads when i started and it helped me to choose the one that i could work with best.

Cheers

Lee

[Garrie]

I know what you mean about the middle of letters, I have the same struggle but also I really struggle to see the cut lines lol, It must be my age 🙁

[Barbara Eden]

There’s a tip somewhere on the boards for weeding ‘ordinary’ vinyl by using builders chalk to show up the cut lines – then wiping off before applying – maybe that could work with the textile vinyl (?)
Or,like me,invest in a good magnifying glass 😀 😀

Babs

[Pat Byrne]

Hi Barbara,
While the chalk dust will work with ‘ordinary’ vinyl I would’nt use it on textile film as it might impede the bond between film and garment.
Also, any small lettering could lift off backing sheet when wiping off.
Pat

[Barbara Eden]

I hear you Pat, it was just a thought.
To be honest though,the vinyls described here do have a very sticky backing,so much so that I have sometimes rinsed them under the tap to get lint etc off,with no adverse effects.

Magnifier it is then guys 🙂 🙂 🙂

Babs

[John Wilson]

I hate when you weed the outside first and the inside bits drags the actual design all over the place…….. that’s why I’m building a lightbox for my workshed and using it to weed

[Steve Underhill]

What are you weeding with?
I use a weed tool I got from xpres and its the best weeding tool ever.
I get the middles of letters out just as easy as the outsides, just get as close to the cut line as possible and press down and scoop up towards you, you can go along several letters or shapes like this to save pulling the vinyl off each time,it speeds things up immensely.
I use super flex for T shirts its not very sticky backing wise.
where are you buying the vinyl from as some companies use flexi cut or ultra cut which has a very sticky backing, and when cut you can hardly see the cut lines.
Is this what you are using?

[Lee Husselbury]

i think that’s what they are using Steve, i don’t have and probs weeding or seeing lines etc, i have used the sticky ones but never had problems.

i mostly use easy cut or superflex as you do.

Lee

[Steve Underhill]

I just had to use ultra cut to weed out a real complicated design, my usual colour of super flex was out of stock and I needed it urgently, I was thinking about getting a crocodile in to get it off the backing paper its so tough.

[Lee Husselbury]

I got some pink poli-flex i think from somewhere, don’t know if a faulty batch or what but i couldn’t get the backing off after i applied and ruined the t-shirt. It eventually pulled the flex back off the t-shirt and stretched it all. Followed the instructions 100% ( which isn’t like me ) so it went in the bin!

[Chris Windebank]

just a small tip that most of you already know, have a piece of application tape folded at the ends on the table so the sticky side is facing upwards (stuck down at the ends) as you weed the smaller bits just dab your scalpel or tweezers on the tape and the bit come off easier, saves loads of time
Hope you understood that!

[Steve Underhill]

quote :

just a small tip that most of you already know, have a piece of application tape folded at the ends on the table so the sticky side is facing upwards

Yep,that’s exactly how I do it too, on lots of small pieces anyway good tip