# laser printers and self weeding transfers



## InnerKingdom (Jun 20, 2016)

What are the downsides of using self weeding paper and laser printers for making heat transfers.


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## Paradigmwg (Feb 23, 2014)

InnerKingdom said:


> What are the downsides of using self weeding paper and laser printers for making heat transfers.


My opinion .... depends on what you're using it for.

If you're looking to go into a high volume tshirt printing operation, they're awful. The cost for high volume will kill you.

If you're looking to do low volume printing - perhaps orders of no more than 12-24 at a time (or one-offs), they're superb.

The issue is that there is little/no difference in hard costs between printing 1 or print 500 transfers so your cost is flat across the board regardless of volume. With screen printing, your cost declines as the volume gets higher. 

(An upside to the transfer printing is "no EPA involvement" as there is with screen printing. A quality heat press and a quality printer is all you need to have to get up and running!)


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Imprintables has a no weed laser that we saw at the NBM show.


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## jleampark (Sep 6, 2007)

My biggest downsize is that you're limited to 8.5" x 11". Sometimes, I want a bigger design.

Also, with Image Clip, it's labor-intensive. You've got to print the images, press them at one temp with the other sheet, adjust your pressure if you get a bad peel, change your time and temp for the second press (to the tee). It's not horrible, just more than some other methods.


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## Paradigmwg (Feb 23, 2014)

jleampark said:


> My biggest downsize is that you're limited to 8.5" x 11". Sometimes, I want a bigger design.
> 
> Also, with Image Clip, it's labor-intensive. You've got to print the images, press them at one temp with the other sheet, adjust your pressure if you get a bad peel, change your time and temp for the second press (to the tee). It's not horrible, just more than some other methods.


Laser transfers are "not" limited to 8.5 x 11. I regularly use 11 x 17 transfers and, now, 12.5 x 19 is available. 

Obviously, a tabloid printer is necessary.

In terms of labor intensive .... Image Clip "is" certainly that. 

They're not the only paper on the market, nor, in my opinion, the best choice.

Forever Low-Temp for Dark can use the same press temp as the marriage temp and, unlike other papers I've used, is very forgiving in terms of temperature variations. I've found that a successful A-B marriage process can take place anywhere between 285 & 315 degrees and the transfer to garment process can take place anywhere between 260 and 325 degrees.


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