# Ace Transfer Co. = No Thanks.



## battman2036 (Jan 20, 2014)

I'm not normally a complainer but wanted to share an experience with ACE. We've been getting transfers from them after changing from our last vendor. The multi-color work is great, the lines are clean, and the instructions easy to follow.....until now. We received an order for a single color job. Went to Ace as normal and the transfers arrived. Pressed out 41 garments. Shipped and the client called saying everything was peeling. We called Ace and determined it was more than likely our fault for pressing at 380 when the instructions said 375 (preset on the press and it hadn't been changed). We ordered a second run, bought all new shirts, and pressed again making sure we at their time, temp, and pressure. Result? The shirts began peeling after sitting a day. I double checked the press for temp with a laser gauge. Dead on. Pressure was as high as we could get. Called ACE and they suggested we maybe needed to press with their pad. They sent out a pad, and we did some tests. Result? PEELING! Called again and now it's something wrong with our press. First they said we pressed too hot. We pointed out we followed the instructions. Then it was too long. Nope, followed the instructions. Then the press must heat un-evenly. OK we spun the design around and pressed on a clean shirt. Result? PEELING. They then said they'd do a test and get back to us. They pressed at 6 degrees cooler for 4 seconds less than we did and they say everything is fine. Now personally if I was trying to duplicate the result I'd follow the exact info my customer provided, but hey what do I know.......? I know this, I've paid for transfers twice, shirts twice, and they are unwilling to even consider something is wrong on their end. We've pressed additional jobs with their transfers before and after these shirts with the same settings and no issues. It's sad that rather than trying to find a solution they choose to tell me it's my problem but they'll make me new transfers for 50% off. No thanks. Versatrans you have my business.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

We used them for a while but have been happy with Versatrans and F&M. We have used Transfer Express in the past but right now we get good turns from both Versatrans and F&M. There was one company we used we didn't like and I don't remember who they were but the prints had ink all over them and we had to discard a number of prints with no refund, only a credit on a next order.


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## 2020 PrintWorks (Apr 22, 2011)

A 5 degree difference in temperature should not make any difference. I've pressed transfers anywhere from 325 to 375 and always had good adhesion to the shirt. The only difference is long term wash ability.


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## battman2036 (Jan 20, 2014)

2020 PrintWorks said:


> A 5 degree difference in temperature should not make any difference. I've pressed transfers anywhere from 325 to 375 and always had good adhesion to the shirt. The only difference is long term wash ability.



I agree. The directions cite 365-375. They said at 380 it was too hot. Since it was outside the recommendation I conceded we made a mistake. The second time I can't believe it's my press or process. My biggest issue(s) are the fact it happened twice after I paid in full and their response is "not us, must be you". Then saying its everything under the sun. I've lost confidence in them and their service. Every order we placed came with a phone call saying something may not look right or come out properly. The art provided is eps format and not a lot of the stuff was fine detail. Very disappointed over all since we were moving into repeat orders as well as new designs.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

I once had a similar problem and the company told me to drop the press temp by 15-20°f, I did and the transfers stuck fine after that. Keep in mind that plastisol cures at 325f and traditional pressing temp was 350f for 8-10 seconds. Many companies put 375°f in their instructions I think because of ink additives but also because of abundant cheap presses that can't maintain temperature. My hypothesis is a too hot press cures the ink on contact, before it has a chance to bond with the shirt fibers. This is all going to depend on the ink, the additives, the press, the day of the week; that's why they have to give a range of temperatures. It is possible Ace is over-curing the ink or it's possible that 375-380 is just way too hot for their ink formulation. I would drop the press down to 365f and press another sample. Also try stretching after to see if it adhered to the shirt.


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## Kenneth59 (Sep 28, 2013)

we make our own transfers and the only things that would make ours not work good for the end user would be if we OVERCURED them and the end user doesnt get a good remelt when they are transfered OR if the end user isnt using enough pressure on their heat press.

Also by the way a 5 degree temp difference isnt going to make or break anything, there is a pretty wide variance on time/temp/pressure with transfers.


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## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

battman2036 said:


> I'm not normally a complainer but wanted to share an experience with ACE. We've been getting transfers from them after changing from our last vendor. The multi-color work is great, the lines are clean, and the instructions easy to follow.....until now. We received an order for a single color job. Went to Ace as normal and the transfers arrived. Pressed out 41 garments. Shipped and the client called saying everything was peeling. We called Ace and determined it was more than likely our fault for pressing at 380 when the instructions said 375 (preset on the press and it hadn't been changed). We ordered a second run, bought all new shirts, and pressed again making sure we at their time, temp, and pressure. Result? The shirts began peeling after sitting a day. I double checked the press for temp with a laser gauge. Dead on. Pressure was as high as we could get. Called ACE and they suggested we maybe needed to press with their pad. They sent out a pad, and we did some tests. Result? PEELING! Called again and now it's something wrong with our press. First they said we pressed too hot. We pointed out we followed the instructions. Then it was too long. Nope, followed the instructions. Then the press must heat un-evenly. OK we spun the design around and pressed on a clean shirt. Result? PEELING. They then said they'd do a test and get back to us. They pressed at 6 degrees cooler for 4 seconds less than we did and they say everything is fine. Now personally if I was trying to duplicate the result I'd follow the exact info my customer provided, but hey what do I know.......? I know this, I've paid for transfers twice, shirts twice, and they are unwilling to even consider something is wrong on their end. We've pressed additional jobs with their transfers before and after these shirts with the same settings and no issues. It's sad that rather than trying to find a solution they choose to tell me it's my problem but they'll make me new transfers for 50% off. No thanks. Versatrans you have my business.



I am guessing you were using a hot splilt transfer. I honestly do not use those anymore. Not sure why but if you take your finger nail its so easy to pick them off regardless of what company you go with.. Try that on non hot split transfer like acetransferco's elasto flex or most other company's transfer that uses crystal adhesive instead and your finger nail just wont get good enough to scrape the transfer edges off... Which is a good thing.


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## battman2036 (Jan 20, 2014)

bradyboyy88 said:


> I am guessing you were using a hot splilt transfer. I honestly do not use those anymore. Not sure why but if you take your finger nail its so easy to pick them off regardless of what company you go with.. Try that on non hot split transfer like acetransferco's elasto flex or most other company's transfer that uses crystal adhesive instead and your finger nail just wont get good enough to scrape the transfer edges off... Which is a good thing.


These were the elastoflex since we were doing different blends. I will never use Ace again. Their customer service is poor and their response to this issue, even after I submitted the same order twice, was horrible. The biggest problem is we had two different orders, both the adhesive type, and one worked while the other didn't. Since writing this, and a ton of experimentation, I got the transfers to work at a temp below their recommendations. I sent them a message on this and they never responded. The read receipt shows they opened the email. This shows me they either don't want to admit fault or they simply don't care. Either way, I've moved on to better and more reliable suppliers.


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## lilsuz (Oct 16, 2007)

Great to know! Thank you.


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