# Sublimating Vinyl



## CraSYDiamond (Mar 28, 2011)

Hi, love this site and the forums, looking for help. I've been in the vinyl sign business for a long time and I'm just now getting into the t-shirt and printing business. My big question is: I have an epson 1400 and wanted to know if I could sublimate print onto vinyl to make stickers, like bumper sticker and whatnot, and what additional things I might need for it? What kind of vinyl can I use to print on? 
Thanks,
Jason


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## LB (Jul 25, 2009)

Sign vinyl can't be sublimated. First of all it is not a coated product and also it would not stand up under the heat that is required. There are some thin plastics and the like that are on the market and made for that purpose. I believe Johnson Plastics has one called Subliflex. There are probably other things also, just Google sublimation blanks.


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## CraSYDiamond (Mar 28, 2011)

Thanks for the reply. I can't find anything that I'm looking for, I realize regular sign vinyl wouldn't work but wondered if anyone knew where or if there was some type ove printable vinyl I could get that I could make things like bumper stickers out of with a sub-printer.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

bumper stickers and sublimation are not a match made in heaven..reason is that sublimation is not UV resistant and will fade before you would like..


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## CraSYDiamond (Mar 28, 2011)

if I put a clear laminate over top would it hold up to the UV? Just curious, I've been reading through thread after thread here, finding alot of great info, just few things I haven't found yet that I'm asking about here.
Thank again


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## mn shutterbug (Mar 19, 2009)

I really doubt that anything clear would block UV lights. The sun is pretty powerful.


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## CraSYDiamond (Mar 28, 2011)

I didn't think so either, but you never know unless you ask right? 
Thanks so much for all your help and replies. Look forward to talking with you all more in the future.


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## okiebruce (Dec 15, 2009)

There are some vinyl materials that you can sublimate, but UV will fade it. I have used it for some indoor projects.
I have seen some people sublimate vanity license plates knowing that the plates will fade, but there is a market for them.
You can get vinyl paper that has adhesive back and will print with a regular inkjet printer, laminate it, and cut with a vinyl cutter that has an optic eye or something that can read a registration mark or use a paper trimmer.

Bruce


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## CraSYDiamond (Mar 28, 2011)

Thanks Bruce, I guess I'll just have to keep looking. Obviously you can't stick it under the heat press, but thought there might be a vinyl product out there that you could just print to directly with a sublimation printer, then peel and stick. I keep seeing about the fading, how long would you be looking at for it to show fading? Wouldn't it have the same effect on shirts, hats, umbrellas and whatnot?


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## okiebruce (Dec 15, 2009)

If you have a sign shop, I assume we are talking about the same type on vinyls such as Oracal and Avery.
There is a vinyl film that can be sublimated and it will hold up in the heat press.
As for fading, depends on exposure to UV sources,,,,6 months-6 years or longer,,, don't know for sure

Bruce


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## LB (Jul 25, 2009)

okiebruce said:


> If you have a sign shop, I assume we are talking about the same type on vinyls such as Oracal and Avery.
> There is a vinyl film that can be sublimated and it will hold up in the heat press.
> As for fading, depends on exposure to UV sources,,,,6 months-6 years or longer,,, don't know for sure
> 
> Bruce


Bruce..if you know the name of the product your speaking of would you please post it. I would also like to know what it is. I'm just getting into sublimation myself and am looking at all the different substrates that are available.


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## okiebruce (Dec 15, 2009)

The one that I use is Schein-chrome. A print-polyester vinyl film. I get it at SignWarehouse.
I have sublimated to it, cut it to size and wrapped trophy columns for custom trophies


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## 8th Day (Jan 16, 2009)

Johnson Plastics has SubliDecal and Conde carries Rowmark adhesive labels and vinyl sheets, which are for sublimation.

Here's Conde's vid for the Rowmark vinyls:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-KsyhZiIZI

However, looking at the brushed aluminum SubliDecal that I have here is making me suspicious of just how different it may be from the metallized polyester sign vinyls that I purchase in 24" rolls...
Before I burn down my press with it, has anyone tried sublimating on metallized polyester sign vinyls (the ones that look like thin sheets of metal) before?


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## Teamwear (Mar 12, 2007)

Cost makes something like this a lttle out of question in my opinion.

I have thought about and looked at a lot of these types of things. Sublimating the substrates made to sublimate for a single piece works, but people are not willing to pay $20 for an item. If it takes you 30 minutes to set it up and produce and the cost of the item even $20 may be a losing postion.

When we need decals in qty we outsource it to someone with a ECO Solvent printer/cutter. I have bought it for a little as $2 a sq foot. The only way to reallty make it work in my opinion unless you can justify buying the printer/cutter and doing it yourself.

Just my two cents though.


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## scuba_steve2699 (Nov 15, 2006)

if the material does not say it is specifically sublimation ready, I would not try and heat press it. You can laminate the sublimation ready products with clear shield uv protectant spray.


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## uncletee (Feb 25, 2007)

subli-decal from johnson plastics works great, we use it to make magnets for short runs. outside use it will fade overtime. also there subliflock is great for sublimationg on dark shirts. good luck uncletee.


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## nicheconcepts (Jan 26, 2011)

Just looked at the Schein Chrome on SignWarehouse; says it can only be printed with thermal resin printers.


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## okiebruce (Dec 15, 2009)

It also says it is a metallized polyester.
If you are goint to print directly to the Schein Chrome, then use the thermal resin. I am not printing directly to the Schein Chrome, I am sublimating it because it is a polyester based material.
If my epson c88 had read that about only with a thermal resin printer a couple of years ago, it might not have tried a new material.


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## agensop (Dec 11, 2008)

do you get yours for joto, or johnson plastics or neither (subliflock that is)




uncletee said:


> subli-decal from johnson plastics works great, we use it to make magnets for short runs. outside use it will fade overtime. also there subliflock is great for sublimationg on dark shirts. good luck uncletee.


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## Teamwear (Mar 12, 2007)

If you are looking for a metal like substate that is like vinyl (if that makes sense) Romark marks it in several different types of configurations. They have precut 2" circles for medallions, 8.5 x 11 sheets and I believe it comes in rolls. 

We use it to do custom trophy columns and custom medals for awards.

It comes in brushed gold, brushed silver, bright gold and silver and white-if I recall. 

Conde.com would have it and so would JDS Industries (trophy supplier)


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## nicheconcepts (Jan 26, 2011)

How is the uv protectant working for you Steven? I am running a test now on the new SubliFlex from JP, printed both sides and coated with protectant, so far no fading; of course it's only been a couple of weeks and the weather hasn't been real intense yet.


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## nicheconcepts (Jan 26, 2011)

Good point, do you happen to know of a sublimatable metal that would come at least 18" x 24", pref white?


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## scuba_steve2699 (Nov 15, 2006)

nicheconcepts said:


> How is the uv protectant working for you Steven? I am running a test now on the new SubliFlex from JP, printed both sides and coated with protectant, so far no fading; of course it's only been a couple of weeks and the weather hasn't been real intense yet.


The laminate with UV Protestant works great! We have projects that have been outside for over 3 years with no fading.


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## agensop (Dec 11, 2008)

how do you apply it?



scuba_steve2699 said:


> The laminate with UV Protestant works great! We have projects that have been outside for over 3 years with no fading.


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## scuba_steve2699 (Nov 15, 2006)

agensop said:


> how do you apply it?


I print and cut with a Versacamm so we apply our laminate with a roll laminator. I also just did a static cling job where we used a spray laminate. Clear shield spray laminate comes in an aerosol can and works pretty good also.


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