# Making my own Transfer



## jennjenn97 (Jul 30, 2007)

I am making transfer's for the first time, and have both hot peel and cold peel transfer forms.
Trying to understand what is the best temp for them to be at when the paper comes out the conveyor. I read it should be somewhere around 315. Is it the same temp for both cold and hot peel?
What is the best temp for the Heat press for the 2. I was told 340 for cold peel, and 370 for hot peel?


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## Dtag1971 (Oct 2, 2011)

The proper cure temp is 220 degrees. There is another website called T-Biznetwork run by Scott Fresener. He has some really good articles on printing transfers. Most of mine are single color hot peel transfers. Mesh counts of 110 to 125 so far might try some on a 156 mesh count. I use the adhesive powder on the transfers that I will be ironing on dark colors. My heat press temp is 360. With mediumn pressure. With black and dark colored inks that I will be pressing onto light colored shirts I set my heat press temp to 390 and go heavy pressure. I hope this was of some help. Feel free to contact me if you have anymore questions. One last thing is the type of paper you will be printing on..... Ultrastrip 3000 from Ace Screen Supply.....IS THE BEST!!! Good luck!!


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## TshirtLover929 (Jan 20, 2010)

Check out Ryonet's Official Blog | screen printing transfers Plastisol Heat Tranfers
There is a video and information on making your own Plastisol Transfers
This is the Best Tutorial I have found.
Hope this helps.


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## parengjo (Mar 31, 2011)

Thanks for the link. It really helped a lot.


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## TshirtLover929 (Jan 20, 2010)

Glad to be able to help.


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## uliari (Jul 2, 2009)

TshirtLover929 said:


> Check out http://www.ryonetblog.com/screen-printing-plastisol-heat-tranfers/





thanks a lot, your video gave me some ideas, nice work dude


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## Dtag1971 (Oct 2, 2011)

Have you done any transfers yet? The one thing I'm going to push here is the Ultastrip 3000 from Ace Screen Supply. I'm using a flash unit and have been for about 2 years now. I think the one thing that helped me the most was that paper, coated on one side .....hands down the best on the market. You have no idea how many people said it could not be done on a flash unit. When I get off the road doing shows I'll post some videos on how I make my transfers. I keep it simple ONE color stuff and no halftones. And whatever you do DO NOT put adhesive powder on the black ink. It will slow production rates down. On my setup I can do 200 transfers an hour using black ink. When I go to the white ink and use the adhesive powder I can only get about 100 an hour.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Dave, I'd love to see your Videos. Sounds intriguing. I'd love to start printing my own. 

Still don't understand why people don't print directly to t-shirts though.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

selanac said:


> Still don't understand why people don't print directly to t-shirts though.


For me it is about being more flexible and making more money....


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## Dtag1971 (Oct 2, 2011)

I'll try my best to explain why I use transfers...not to great at the typing thing....lol......I started printing transfers because of my airbrush biz. I have around 150 designs in my shop. If I direct printed every design on youth and adult sizes...the money I would have wrapped up into it all would break the bank. Now not all of my designs are transfers, it will take me some time to get to that point. So now when you walk into my shop an order a design I just pull the transfer and Iron it on and fill in the color with the airbrush. Saves alot of time for me also. Now another reason I print transfers is I'm setting up at gun shows selling zombie shirts. Single color stuff...I always like to keep it simple. I'll print a 100 transfers and as I need shirts for the next show I'll just Iron them on. I have done a couple of designs that I though were pretty kick ***....but did not sell at the shows. So I'm only out the cost of the paper and the ink and some time. What if you direct printed a 100 shirts and they did not sell.....ouch on the wallet. And you might have to sell them at cost to recoupe your money. And yet another reason to print transfer is you can gang up a design on one piece of paper. Now if a design is hot then direct print them. In a nutshell transfers are a great way to test the market.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

If I could print on paper instead of t-shirts I'd make more money.


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## TshirtLover929 (Jan 20, 2010)

I am glad everyone likes the video but I can not take credit for it.
I just found it and wanted to share it with everyone.
It is a great video and I follow it to make my own transfers.
I buy all my supplies for making transfers from Ryonet's.


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## Dtag1971 (Oct 2, 2011)

I tried there paper but had issues with it transfering onto the shirt. Get some supplies from them. But as far as the transfer paper Ultrastrip 3000 all the way!! I also have a pretty large transfer storage bin and when pulling transfers from it the ink would have a tendancy to roll up on the paper when pulling the transfer out. No problems with the Ultrastrip 3000. To date I have sent 4 other people the Ultrastrip 3000 and they loved it. I'm not bashing Ryonets product here ....I'm just telling people what has worked for me. As far as the adhesive crystals go I just think it's a waste of time and material to use it on black ink. My heat press is set on 390 Deg. for 10 sec. I then airbrush the shirt and seal the paint in for the same amount of time. Washed them used and abused them. Not one problem.


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## TshirtLover929 (Jan 20, 2010)

I will have to try the Ultrastrip 3000.
I am on a tight budget.
So I like the Free shipping that Ryonet offers when you spend $100.
RyOpaque inks are great for making Plastisol transfers also.
I have not had any issues with their paper.
I press at 350 degrees for 10 sec and Hot Peel.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

15 cent One Color Heat Transfers


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

selanac said:


> Still don't understand why people don't print directly to t-shirts though.


You've said this before and gotten lists of reasons, if none of them make sense then you're probably not in a position to benefit from transfers.

An example I've brought up several times... in a previous shop I worked we printed transfers for our hat jobs. It was much quicker to print ganged sheets on a vacuum press then have cheap part-time labor cut and apply them. We did the same for anything with a liner because we didn't have good hold-downs. Some people like them for customers who frequently order the same design. Some of that depends on how busy a shop you have, if you aren't busy then it doesn't matter. But I've worked in a shop where it wasn't uncommon to work 6-7 days/wk for 10-12 hrs shifts for months at a time. Anything you can do to cut down on press labor is highly welcome both by the pressmen and payroll. Then there are the obvious benefits to fulfillment work or booths at shows, unless you want to take a press on the road with you... I've seen people do it but a stack of transfers takes up a whole lot less space. If you can't see the benefits after all the times you've asked and been answered then I don't know what to tell you.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

selanac said:


> Still don't understand why people don't print directly to t-shirts though.


I just got another reminder of why I like transfers......

I did an order of 250 shirts a couple weeks back.....Imprint used up about 2/3s of a sheet....In the remaining space I placed 3 different cap size logos from art I had on file to create a gang sheet.....

I pressed a few sample caps and t-shirts and put them in my car.....Today while I was out and about I dropped off the samples to 3 clients....I explained to the clients what I had done.....

By the time I got home there was an email asking me if I could deliver some caps and t-shirts for an event on Sunday.....It will be an 800.00+ sale.....

Transfers essentially cost me nothing....Caps and tees (already in stock) were bought on sale for less than 225.00....Close to 600.00 profit for a couple hours work.....

I never waste an inch on a gang sheet.....All those extra inches often turn into extra sales......At very little cost......


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Good example Royster. 

I should rephrase it though. Though it's easier for you to Make transfers, and to sell them, it's an extra step for the person buying them. He or she still have to buy the t-shirts, and press them. 

It would be easier to just order the t-shirts already printed. Then, he or she doesn't have to lug the heat press around, and press them. 

Hey, I sell and buy transfers (already completed and print on blanks). I just think people are adding steps they don't need to. They could be doing something else like marketing. 

Obviously I'm hitting a nerve. Some people don't want me to take away from their business. 

As far as for those of us who screen print, doing it on paper is alot easier. It's like a t-shirt on Demand.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

selanac said:


> Obviously I'm hitting a nerve. Some people don't want me to take away from their business.


It's just that you've been making the same remark for a long time despite posts from multiple people in multiple threads giving you reasons why it is advantageous in some situations. It feels disingenuous like you're trying to passively aggressively belittle transfers and anyone who uses them.

You're not taking any business from me, I have no vested interested in selling transfers but I have a long time familiarity with them and understand well their advantages... and yes, disadvantages, about which I think I've been very honest.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I'm not asking why people don't do it. I'm just making a comment about it. No need to let it bother you. People make comments all day long and I don't post back trying to get them to think my way.


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## dazzabling (Sep 21, 2011)

selanac said:


> It would be easier to just order the t-shirts already printed. Then, he or she doesn't have to lug the heat press around, and press them.
> 
> As far as for those of us who screen print, doing it on paper is alot easier. It's like a t-shirt on Demand.


Of course it would be easier but wouldn't be more profitable to pull a transfer from a drawer and press on any size any color shirt instead of trying to sell printed shirts you thought would sell.

Makes more sense to me.. 

To think if you do it right all you are doing is lugging the press back. Instead of left over inventory you gotta sell


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Yes, but if you're doing it right, you wouldn't have any inventory or press to bring back. 

I'm sure the more experienced transfer sellers, would know exactly what sells and what doesn't. 

I'm sure they're several things to keep in mind. One, some people are using transfers to make custom t-shirts for their customers or for themselves. Others, are selling them at Flea Markets, Swampmeets, Fairs, Carnivals, Weddings, Fun Raisers, etc. 

Now I know many transfer people that take the Heat Press, Computer and Printer to these places, but I know two screen printers that actually take manual screen printing presses. They even go to weddings.


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