# sublimation transfer very grainy



## maryellen1234 (Mar 4, 2010)

I have an Epson 4800. I am having problems with the transfers coming out very grainy AND there is a shadow around the lettering. I have pressed one cup that turned out blurry and grainy. I have tried printing several transfers and they look blurry before I even heat press them. Here are the steps I have taken...
1. Designed in CorelX3. I can enlarge 300% and still clear.
2. Printed Transfer ( I went over all Color Profiles 2 weeks ago with Conde). 
3. Pressed onto mug (380 degrees for 30 seconds, this time/temp has been working for 2 years) and it looks terrible.
4. Did copy/paste into Photoshop and just on the screen it was terrible. 
5. Exported out of Corel and opened in Photoshop 
and printed again. I still have the shadows but not as grainy. 
I printed a transfer right after the first mug transfer I did and heat pressed onto a clock and it came out very clear.
I am also keeping up on my nozzle checks and they come out good.
I am not sure what my next step should be. Any suggestions would be appreciated. 
Thanks,
Mary Ellen


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## jpkevin (Oct 22, 2007)

I sounds like a head alignment is needed. It could also be some debris on the head that is deflecting the ink coming out of a nozzle.


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## mazinger (May 17, 2007)

hi are you using the right side of the paper....


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## maryellen1234 (Mar 4, 2010)

Yes, I am using the right side of the paper. I am trying to do the alignment and having troubles. But I think that may be my problem. 
Thanks
Mary Ellen


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## mimic (Nov 28, 2011)

I am guessing but it sounds like your image is too small.

300% is alota enlargement.


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## maryellen1234 (Mar 4, 2010)

I guess I did not explain too well...I just enlarge on the screen to make sure that the print will not be grainy and to look for added lines I may have missed in setting up the file. The graphics brought in to Corel were high dpi and then I added typing. I printed the file to a regular printer and it was clear and crisp.
Thanks
Mary Ellen


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## mimic (Nov 28, 2011)

Oh, I see. I misunderstood what you were saying. Any chance you have a low ink cart?

If you try printing the image onto regular paper with the 4800 on default settings that will help narrow the culprit down.


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## maryellen1234 (Mar 4, 2010)

mimic....I have printed it onto regular paper and sub paper. Both are grainy. I was away from my desk much of today and hope to contact Epson tomorrow to see why my alignment is not working. Boy if it is not one thing its another.


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## maryellen1234 (Mar 4, 2010)

Well I contacted Epson about my sub printer. It was just a waste of time. I was attempting a head alignment. My machine will not recognize any type of paper I have, so I thought Epson could walk me thru it. The process only went so far and stopped. The Epson rep stated that she could not help any further. She did not know what else to try. Thanks Epson! I did contact Conde and I have gotten a call back from David Gross and hope to talk to him next week. My printout is worse after I tried to do the print head alignment. Sometimes you just get deeper and deeper in and then (I hope) all at once what ever you do works. That is what I am hoping for right now.


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## avee2010 (Jun 7, 2011)

I just bought a new large format printer for dye sub (transfer + direct, it handles multiple ink sets) and i had a very similar problem just a week ago. Turns out the shipping of the printer shook it up badly enough to introduce air into the ink lines. One of my colours was spraying ink like a little kid learning to pee, all over the place. Sure enough i opened the covers and there was air in a few of the lines. I did a couple ink charges and voila! back to perfect. I don't have a 4800 so i don't know if you have an ink charge as an option, just my 2 cents, hope it helps. I've been running dye sub printers for years and air in the lines = evil hamsters.


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

Did we already talk? What is current situation?


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