Heat presses

[Kevin Flowers]

Dewi
air presses do save arm work ideal for large repeat orders, if you are doing singles then manual unit is fine. Some air presses have very little clearance as in cloth is fine but dye sub plagues and the like won’t fit so it is a case of horses for courses.

Dewi am hoping to attend show, perhaps now so many of us are going we should arrange meeting place or swap mobile numbers etc..

Kev

[Bill Dewison]

Tis arranged Kev 😀 2pm at the Europoint stand, hopefully easy enough to find, just going to look for a large gang of gents with dextrous looking hands 😉

I’m half considering this heat press lark, I got some literature through from Xpress and Magictouch, and it turns out I have half the equipment I need already with regards to printers/cutters. Just thinking along the lines of one off TShirts for ppl coming into the shop, nothing too serious, I’ve been asked a couple of times whether I do.

Cheers, Dewi

[Lorraine Buchan]

pneumatic heat presses are great for long runs, but i doubt you’d ever need to go that far. The other thing to consider is the cost, a pneumatic press is very expensive on it’s own, and you have to get the compressor too.

I’d advise to keep your eyes peeled on ebay and in Loot for one. The are generally very sturdy items.

If you can go for an Adkins swing press, rebadged by xpres or Magic touch. You can get them second hand for around £300- 500 £1000 new

Don’t for get it’s not just t-shirts you can do!
Mouse mats, Place mats, Umbrellas, Luggage tags, Golf Kiltys, Book marks, Award Plaques, Penants, Tea towels, Metal badges, Foam Pvc, Magnetic, Jigsaws

[Bill Dewison]

I already have the compressor, but I thought maybe there was something else a pneumatic was good for other than the long run stuff. Sounds as if the good old manual will do the job just fine though 😀

There’s quite a range of stuff that can be done with it then. Wasn’t sure whether you had to buy the specially shaped heat presses. Obviously another new area for me to explore, not something I’d initially thought would be the direction to go in, but the custom seems to be there for this type of stuff.

Cheers, Dewi

[Lorraine Buchan]

Mugs and caps are the only real things you need a special press/attachment for.

As long as it’s flat really, the swing presses are adjustable so you can get quite thick things in them.

My advice, give magictouch a call and ask when they are next doing a traning day, they are free, and you will be able to see how quite a variety of products are done. Both xpres and TMT will be at SignUK so you’ll be able to see the full range of products you can produce.

[Alan Drury]

Dewi, have a look at the Jarin Industries/Europa Leisure presses, they have a Teflon coated head so don’t require paper sheets – much easier for double presses/multi colour work.
May well see you Wednesday.
Alan

[TaylorMade]

I have Jarin/Europa mug press and flatbed press and both are excellent as is the customer support.

But I would question the not using a sheet on your garments/items.

If you are considering sublimation you would definitely need some form of blowout sheet to prevent colour getting on to your platen and then transferring on to another item in error.

Also some inks can migrate to your platen so I always use some form of blowout sheet or additional teflon sheet over the item I am pressing.

It can also protect the item you are pressing from scorching (had that happen more than once!)

Would definitely recommend the presses though, they are excellent, they also have a buy back facility from what I remember seeing in my paperwork.
You can get them through the Transfer Press as well as direct.

They are easy to use and for one offs I wouldn’t spend the extra on Pneumatic press. Even on large runs I find ordinary press is great.

[Alan Drury]

Good point about sublimation printing, I don’t do that so never a problem. I use Victory’s Hotmark or Magic Touch Flock – do multi pressing all the time, no sheet no problem. I have never experienced scorching either, what temperature do you use. You are right about the service, Geoff and Kevin very helpful and good with advice.

[TaylorMade]

temperature depends on what I am pressing, if I am doing subli work then we are looking at temps in region of 200 degrees depending on the substrate,

If pressing ready made tshirt transfers then again depends on type of transfer, plasticol, soft feel whatever.

Metals, again different.
Laser, again different?

Sorry not being obstructive but varies between 140 and 200 degrees.

But even with things like hotmark/flock etc some suppliers recommend that you put some form of blowout sheet on. You can get bits on the backing paper that can mark your upper platen!

Some ready made transfers can have rather a lot of ink on them and I have known them to migrate.
There is nothing more annoying than going to press the last item in a batch for a customer order and finding that a slight mark from the platen has come through, and of course it only happens when that item is the last one you have in stock as well!!!!!!!!!

But can’t fault the presses, they are excellent, and have no hesitation in recommending them, I started with a hix, and it was a pile of rubbish in comparison to this Europa/Jarin one.

Sam

[Alan Drury]

Sorry not being obstructive but varies between 140 and 200 degrees.

No need to be sorry, your use is more varied than mine and I take onboard your comments, I’m interested in any pitfalls I may encounter.
Alan