# Forgot to put teflon down - half of the transfer stuck to top platen - what to do?



## Stoney1 (Jun 22, 2010)

DEAR GOD I knew this would happen !!!! I laid the transfer on the shirt, lined everything up, noticed the transfer was curling ??? Hmmm.. what the heck ? Never gave it a thought.. closed the press, waited 25 seconds and THEN realized I NEVER put Teflon over the transfer !!! Now I have the nicest HALF transfer on the shirt, and the other half ( looks GREAT ) on the inside of the top platen.. LORD,.. how do I get this off ??? Very first t-shirt on the brandie new press ! HEEELP !!!!! Rookie mistake ? Any help is GREATLY appreciated !
Stoney1


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

*Re: UH OH !!!!! A newbie disaster !!!!*

Many veterans make the same mistake....at least once. When the heating element is warm try wiping most of the ink off with a dry cloth. You may also try some scouring cream or ez-off iron cleaner. You probably won't remove it all but at least enough so it does not appear another garment. Good luck.


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## Stoney1 (Jun 22, 2010)

*Re: UH OH !!!!! A newbie disaster !!!!*

Thanks proworlded. We'll give it a try... I know it was stupid.. Live n learn..
Stoney1


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## bern (Feb 14, 2007)

*Re: UH OH !!!!! A newbie disaster !!!!*

Happens to a lot of people that is why Lou has the instructions on his website for just this situation . 

EZ Off Instructions


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## Stoney1 (Jun 22, 2010)

*Re: UH OH !!!!! A newbie disaster !!!!*

G'Day Bernie....
Ace, thanks... I guess I better lay in a healthy supply of EZ-Off platen cleaner ! I'm like an "Old Dog ", sometimes it takes me a bit to learn a new trick. I'm sure it'll happen again.. old age ya' know :~)))
Stoney1


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## IYFGraphics (Sep 28, 2009)

*Re: UH OH !!!!! A newbie disaster !!!!*

After cleaning it with the Ez-Off fire the press back up to temp take a scrap shirt and press the shirt without cover sheet to try to get the remainder to transfer to the scrap shirt, also will remove any Ez-Off residue left of the heating element to the scrap shirt.

I did the same thing once with vinyl, it took a plastic chisel to get it all off...LOL!

Hope this helps.


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## Stoney1 (Jun 22, 2010)

*Re: UH OH !!!!! A newbie disaster !!!!*

Hi Jon
I just happen to have a " plastic chisel " laying in my shop :~)) But the EZ-Off sounds like a more efficient way to go. Oh, the scrap shirt.. shouldn't be a problem. I have one with half of a transfer on it :~)) Thanks again my friend.
Stoney


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## Stoney1 (Jun 22, 2010)

*Re: UH OH !!!!! A newbie disaster !!!!*

Howdy guys, Stoney here.
Thanks for the help on this one.. However, I didn't have time to wait for a week to get the EZ Clean by mail.. So here's where the purist Heat Press guys should quit reading.. Down -n- dirty.. I let the press cool, dowsed a clean cloth with Acrylic Automobile reducer, got some 0000 Steel Wool, soaked the transfer to soften it, used the steel wool to remove it. I can still see a lighter spot where the transfer USED to be, but I got rid of every trace without any damage to the Teflon covered platen. No scratches, dents, dings, or residue... Now I try it again.. If I blow the house up.. I may be late getting back to you guys...but I'll be back !
Stoney


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## IYFGraphics (Sep 28, 2009)

*Re: UH OH !!!!! A newbie disaster !!!!*

LOL.....so did it blow up Dave?


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## Stoney1 (Jun 22, 2010)

*Re: UH OH !!!!! A newbie disaster !!!!*

Howdy Jon
NOPE.. Just a little " poof ".... lol.. Wife ain't got a clue what happened... Best to keep it that way  As for the press.. seems to work like a champ ? I WILL lay in a supply of the EZ Clean platen cleaner for future disasters... and I know there WILL be some.. I can't thank the folks here on TSF for their coming to my rescue each time I do something dumb. 
Maybe I just need to get out of this line of " hobby? " I have another post on Ink Jet printer ink NOT adhering to the transfer paper, but I haven't gotten any replies yet ? Anyhow.. take care Jon and thanks again for your help..God bless...
Dave


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

:: edited thread TITLE to be more descriptive and moved to a more appropriate section of the forum  :: ​


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> I have another post on Ink Jet printer ink NOT adhering to the transfer paper, but I haven't gotten any replies yet


It's possible that people missed out on your question if your title wasn't very clear. The people with the answers may not have clicked through to see it if they didn't know what the question was by looking at the title


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## 34Ford (Mar 19, 2010)

I bought my press with this burned on it.
Ez-off worked.
Go-Jo will work to some extent.


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## Stoney1 (Jun 22, 2010)

Hey Dennis
That SUCKS !!!! I'm glad to hear that you got it off. Makes mine look pretty insignificant :~)) Thanks for the spirit lift... God bless...
Dave


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## shopkeeperjim (Jul 14, 2010)

Is there any way to repair the teflon if (when) it gets scratched? I found a product called Dritz iron-off hot iron cleaner that did a great job of cleaning an image residue, but I have some scratches from trying to get the opaque image off the platen. Can those scratches be repaired?


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

I don't think so but it should not harm the application of a transfer.


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## Stoney1 (Jun 22, 2010)

Hello Jim, Stoney here...
Not sure I'm the guy you need to ask about this ? When I did this, I removed my burnt on transfer with a Green Scotch Brite scrubbing pad and some Acrylic Enamel Reducer. DON'T use Lacquer reducer !!!!!! Anyway, mine came off with absolutely no damage to the Teflon coated top heat platen.. Now I'll tell you, it will take some elbow grease and depending on how much transfer you have stuck there, it may take up to a half an hour of scratching with the reducer and pad. Please wear Nitrile gloves when you do it.. The reducer can be a real problems on your hands. It's not caustic, it'll just dry the natural oils out of your skin. Hope this helps to some degree ?
Good luck.
Dave


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## Erinfish (Sep 13, 2010)

I was in a pinch and used oven cleaner...it got everything off, and quick, but it also took some of the teflon coating off the platen  It doesn't seem to effect the function, but it just doesn't look new anymore! Oh well, live and learn. At least I didn't go out and splurge on a crazy expensive press for my first one!


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## Stoney1 (Jun 22, 2010)

*Re: Forgot to put Teflon down - half of the transfer stuck to top platen - what to do?*

Hi Erinfish
I *was* the stupid one who went out and bought a brandie new digital press for my first attempt, should have looked for a used one ? 
I thought about the oven cleaner route, but I was afraid of exactly what happened to you. The caustic nature of oven cleaner is a bad idea for anything with a Teflon coating. I've seen what it can do to metal, paint, and SKIN ! As you may have seen in my previous posts, I was able to get the transfer off with Acrylic Enamel reducer and a Green Scotch Brite pad. It required elbow grease, but it did the trick with NO damage. I've been busy with the band and haven't really had time to use the press, but now with Winter coming on and the band slow, I'll get time to do some pressing. The good news is, I'm a teacher at a Vocational Technical school with a printing department, and our print-shop uses nothing but Plastisol inks. So the teacher said he'd make me all the transfers I want for nothing. It's kinda' bittersweet... I don't do this for a business,and I have a great connection for transfers ? If I was doing it for a business, I'd have it made  Keep on pressin' and God bless...

Dave


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## Erinfish (Sep 13, 2010)

LOL Stoney1, I got an Illumapress off ebay for $200 bucks...I figured it was going to be my "crash test" press. I'm going to order some of that stuff that people were talking about in the earlier posts for the next time...yes, I'm sure there will be a next time. I was right in the middle of doing an order and was in a panic. I came on here to find out what to do, but then got my own bright idea hehe. The press seems to be working fine, but it's not something I would recommend doing! Cheers!


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## Stoney1 (Jun 22, 2010)

Hi again Erinfish
We all make mistakes whenever we try something new for the first time. It's human nature to " throw away the manual " until we say [email protected]*$()&)*@ I should have read the book  And of course we all scramble for an answer, AGAIN without thinking and looking at the " book." So we all end up here, where the answers are .. Well, I have some painting to do, so good luck with the " pressing " issues  God bless...
Stoney1


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