t-shirts help needed

[J. Hulme]

Hi
dunno, does an iron go up to 140C – 170C ?
Thats what you need for pressing textile films

[Dave Springate]

Hi,
I know you are just starting out but you really need a heatpress mate, they can be had second hand but they are few and far between. I borrowed a Hix heatpress when i was starting up but the guy got funny with me when he realised how much i was doing and took it back. had to bite the bullet and buy a new one ouch!

Best rgds
Dave

[paulo]

cheers guys, many thanx 🙂

[Paul Rollason]

Hi Paulo

Have a look on ebay they sometimes have heatpresses at reasonable prices but not very often.

We looked all over for a buget heatpress and found these guys very helpful http://www.rasmart.co.uk/HeatPresses.html

We bought a jetpress14 I think as a temporary thing to get us going and it has done really well and is in constant use. It’s very simple with not much to go wrong.

We get our garment vinyl from victory design 01246 570570 as, imho it’s the best you can get but get samples from other companies all the same.

I’ve never tried applying garment vinyl with a domestic iron but get some samples sent to you and give it a go.

Paul R(Mackerelbus Design)

[Liam Caulfield]

The main problem with applying with an iron isnt so much the temperature but getting the pressure. I got some samples of garment vinyl and messed about with an iron, they stuck but Im not sure how long they would last. Not more than a wash or two I bet. You need the pressure to melt the vinyl into the fabric.

I saw lots on eBay and bidded on a few but lost everytime, and to be honest the price they were selling for you could buy a newer one. Maybe it wouldnt be top of the range but you would know how long its been working for.

I tried victory for a heat press but they quoted a three week wait, Im far to impatient for that so I rang around. Came across novachrome and orderd the basic basic little press

http://www.novachrome.co.uk/clampress1.htm

they delivered next day, and to be honest any heat press bigger or fancier would have been a waste of cash for me. 13″ square is plenty for the stuff I do at the moment.

[FreddieFunk]

Could someone explain the correct way of applying 2 colour or layered graphics to Tshirts. I guess it must require covering the first colour applied but what with? etc. A sort of step by step explanation from start to finish would be much appreciated.

[Jim Clough]

Hi Liam
There is one thing you need to be careful about with the press you have just bought, the temperature dial is only foil and the heat will loosen the adhesive after a short while causing the foil to move. Not such a problem if you are using the same temp. all the time but a pain if you use various temps for different applications, in this case a Temp. Heat Gun would be neccessary.
Cheers
Jim

[Liam Caulfield]

A Temp. Heat Gun….would that measure the heat of the plate? If so I would be up for one of those if you know where to get one from, just so I can be 100% confident in the temperature.

[Jim Clough]

Hi Liam
Ring Peter Clarke on 01908 370000 firm called Raytek. It is a laser beam temp gun which I believe is very accurate. A heat press can be way off temp. I think it costs about £69. Been meaning to buy one but not got around to it as yet.
Cheers
Jim

[J. Hulme]

RA Smart have them in stock ( heat presses), small, couple of hundred quid starters to the larger pro ones, I saw them when buying their most of T shirt stock up earlier this week.

http://www.rasmart.co.uk

Ask for Kev
01625 576255

only ’round the corner from you mate, miles away from me.

[Dave Bruce]

Get some samples from Graphityp the PU Extra stuff. It is brilliant to weed and can be applied with an iron (I’m sure).

I am looking to sell my heat press soon as I am doing more and more garments so I want to go up a level.

Anyone know how to reduce the marks from the button area when you do the back of the shirt?

Cheers

Dave

[Paul Rollason]

Hi Dave

Have you tried the hotmark from victory (vinyl corp also do one that s similar). It is thin like the PU from grafityp but is has a sticky carrier so when weeding very small items if a bit lifts it can be stuck down again.

As for doing the backs of polo shirts, our heatpress has a couple of holes drilled in the base at the back. I think these were used to secure it in transit.
I have drill corresponding holes about 100mm from the edge of the bench and have bolted the press down hanging over the edge.
Polos can now be slipped over the bottom platen and only the back is pressed.

I hope all of this makes sense.

Paul R(Mackerelbus Design)

[Dave Bruce]

Thanks Paul, I was actually looking at doing that 5mins ago.

I haven’t tried Victory stuff yet just got samples in last week and not had a chance to cut some. I have just had that very problem yesterday, the centre of an o came out (only 2mm long) and wouldn’t stick back, just wet it though and it held long enough.

Cheers

Dave

[Nigel Pugh]

Dave,

Just to let you know that the PU Flex should be applied using a heatpress as you would normally. The application temperature is slightly lower than normal flex, you need around 155 deg of temp for 15 seconds.

Where the iron comes in is that you can iron directly over this material without it melting not like the normal flex where you need to turn the garment inside out prior to ironing and then wearing down the disco.

Regards

Nigel

[Liam Caulfield]

Hey ho this is a great thread, just repeating a question…anyone got any top tips on tshirt allignment? I just do it by eye, but thats ok as I do one or two at a time of different designs. If I had a run of the same design I would like them all to match up.

[Paul Rollason]

Hi Liam

I use an aluminium rule with asking tape on one side.

On the masking tape I have marked the widths of the armpit of all the sizes of shirt we use and a centre line, so it is easy to get prints level and in the middle.

we also have the position of breast prints etc marked on the ruler.

If we are doing a larger print run I will mark up a ruler especially for that job.

The other side of the rule is left bare (no masking tape) and is used to take the heat out of the print quickly so we can take the carrier film off sooner.

Paul R(Mackerelbus Design)

[David Norris]

I dont suppose any of you guys fancy doing a demo of the whole process for us newbies ?

Would be greatly appreciated 😀

[Liam Caulfield]

I like the ruler idea, do you use heat resistant tape to hold it in place? If so can you reccomend a place to get it from victory dont sell it.

I’ll do a demo over the weekend, take some photo’s while I press some and do a write up. People can see what Im doing wrong and give me some streamlining tips! 😀

[Paul Rollason]

Hi Liam

We do sometimes use the heatproof tape from grafityp 01827 300500 around £6.00 a roll lasts ages if you use small amounts.

Keep it on a tape distenser nex to the heat press.

I might put a small demo together if it’s ok with rob and i can find the time.

What I do is what I’ve learned from trial and lots of error it is a way not necessarily the way to do it.

[Johnny S]

Hi all
We sometimes use a cardboard template that fits around the collar and along the top seams, takes mins to cut and set up…. saves hours!

Cheers

Johnny

[Robert Grant]

Hi
Ive used flock by applying it with just a household iron it worked out fine, I got it from expres it comes in a variety of colours

Cheers Boab

[Kevin.Beck]

If the 2 colours aren`t on top or overlapping each other in any way, I just print out a colour version on paper, then weed the design, place over the printed template, align the 2 colours and tape together using heat tape.

It does depend upon the design, it works if the colours are pretty close together, if they are further apart you could waste alot of material.

I have use the above idea when they are further apart, buy using a piece of the clear backing from a used transfer to bridge the gap.

[Dazzel]

Just bought a press for trainee to play with ? any demos / tip would be great.
Paul

[Dave Springate]

Hi,
Here is one i did earlier for a local maggot farm, guess the boss had a sense of humour, it was a bit fiddly but charged accordingly. Whole design cut on my Roland camm 24 using Extra-flex from Xpress.

[Dazzel]

nice one racer..If The Rooney had seen that ! he might have signed for the gills :lol1:

[paulo]

hi guys.

could someone please put a small demo together , would help me loads and would help a few more peeps i thinks.

cheers, cannot keep off this forum , bags and bags of helpfull info, loving the game :lol1: :lol1:

[druiddesigns]

Hi All

I to am getting in the market for a heat press {starter} I am wondering what is the price range for heat transter material and transfer tape..

I have a Versa Camm so i may be able to get a material for printing , but i need a rool of black first for Hi vis Jackets. What is the pricing structure for this kind of work . very basic outline..

Cheers

Richie

[Paul Rollason]

Hi Richie

We got our heatpress from http://www.rasmart.co.uk we got a jetpress14 just as a starter press but it copes very well and is in constant use.

Victory do a good range of garment vinyls they also do a white and a clear printable garment vinyl 01246 570 570 ask for glynn for advise and say hello from me.

Grafityp do a heatproof tape to aid positioning 01827 300500

We use silicone baking paper fron local supermarket to place between top platen and garment when pressing.

Paul R(Mackerelbus Design)

[Gordon Forbes]

I can recommend the print stuff from victory the newer stuff they have 60degree wash is excellent nice and thin though it does curl on its own but really good with the PC600 I might just post an example I did.