# Sublimation Transfers - how to get rid of the press line



## theteeshop (May 26, 2006)

Hello All,
I am trying to find out how to rid my tshirts of the press line around my sublimated transfer.
It looks great however there is a pressed line that takes the shape of the transfer.
I dont want to repress, or is that the way to get it out?
You guys have been such a major help thus far and I want to say thanks for all the help and assistance. 

Roz


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*

You need to raise the image to where the edges of the paper doesn't do a full force contact,, buy some t pads from lou, his handle is badalou on the forums here, shoot him a pm he will take care of that problem, tell him Roger sent you


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## MYDAMIT (Jan 14, 2007)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*

Yes, or you need to place a teflon sheet above the image


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## D.Evo. (Mar 31, 2006)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*

From my experience, the tinner your transfer paper is - the less impression you get. After a lot of experimenting I have settled on 70 gm paper and don't have any issues with paper lines any more - not sure though if it comes in sheets.

Rodger is right - raising your print area and letting the paper over-hang your insert/pad is a very good way to go. This method is especially great when you press logos or work with polo shirts - if you have a pad of a size of your logo it saves you from pressing the whole garment.

Make sure you've played around with your set-up enough to find out what is your optimal combination of pressure and dwell time - you may want to press some things a little longer but at a lighter pressure or vice versa.

A lot depends on texture of the fabric you are working with and sometimes re-pressing for a few seconds will help to solve the problem too.


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## theteeshop (May 26, 2006)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*

Hello All,


Thanks for the info, but I should have let you know, that I don't do my own sublimation transfers. i contract it out to someone who has more knowledge about t the color and the process. It comes to me ready to print.
But when i cut the image off the sheet, and pressed. They was a line around. So if i am correct, you said to raise the image or place a teflon sheet on the transfer , is that correct?




D.Evo. said:


> From my experience, the tinner your transfer paper is - the less impression you get. After a lot of experimenting I have settled on 70 gm paper and don't have any issues with paper lines any more - not sure though if it comes in sheets.
> 
> Rodger is right - raising your print area and letting the paper over-hang your insert/pad is a very good way to go. This method is especially great when you press logos or work with polo shirts - if you have a pad of a size of your logo it saves you from pressing the whole garment.
> 
> ...


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*

I use this Vapor Foam Kit made by vaporapparel. I got it from the Paper Ranch. It comes with some sample t-shirts and the pad with instructions.


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## MYDAMIT (Jan 14, 2007)

is this vapor apparel the same with Teepad by lou?


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

I am not sure about the vapor apparel kit...because..there was a thread about a foam kit that you would use a certain number of times...say 8-10 and then you had to replace...is this the same?? it sue sounds like...I am pressed for time now so will try to chase this down later...


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

Don't think the foam pad from vapor is the same ,shoot lou a pm he is the best to answer that question.


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*



theteeshop said:


> i contract it out to someone who has more knowledge about t the color and the process. It comes to me ready to print.
> But *when i cut the image off the sheet*, and pressed. They was a line around. So if i am correct, you said to raise the image or place a teflon sheet on the transfer , is that correct?


Do not cut the image out of the paper. Press the whole piece of paper. You do not have to trim DyeSub transfers like you do inkjet transfers.


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

MYDAMIT said:


> is this vapor apparel the same with Teepad by lou?


No, it's not the same.


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

charles95405 said:


> I am not sure about the vapor apparel kit...because..there was a thread about a foam kit that you would use a certain number of times...say 8-10 and then you had to replace...is this the same?? it sue sounds like...I am pressed for time now so will try to chase this down later...


The vapor foam will wear down over time, but you can use it more than 8-10 times.


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## brand resistant (Mar 21, 2008)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*



theteeshop said:


> Hello All,
> 
> 
> Thanks for the info, but I should have let you know, that I don't do my own sublimation transfers. i contract it out to someone who has more knowledge about t the color and the process. It comes to me ready to print.
> But when i cut the image off the sheet, and pressed. They was a line around. So if i am correct, you said to raise the image or place a teflon sheet on the transfer , is that correct?


Hey There,

I use Vapor Apparel exclusively as they are sweatshop free and what I have found to work perfectly for that stock is:

Light/Medium Pressure on the heat press
60 secs of pressing
teflon sheet over transfer paper
repress for 6secs afterwards
tug the shirt when it comes off the press

I know it may seem like extra work re-pressing but to achieve a result of no paper or press lines I think it's worth it.


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*



brand resistant said:


> Hey There,
> 
> I use Vapor Apparel exclusively as they are sweatshop free and what I have found to work perfectly for that stock is:
> 
> ...


Actually, there's a lot easier way to avoid paper lines. Just don't let the edges of the paper be pressed. Re-presssing will just cause image deterioration. There's also no need to tug on the shirt afterwards. The fabric is dyed. There is no material in between the fibers to stretch as there might be with an inkjet transfer.


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## Moo Spot Prints (Jul 16, 2006)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*

A slight tug sometimes helps stretch out the fibers while they're soft and does help reduce the lines somewhat. 

My experience is that of what's been covered so far. To reduce the lines you should: 

1. Use the thinnest paper you can.
2. Set the lowest possible pressure you can get away with.
3. Use pads (I use the vapor foam) and letting the paper overhang so the edges aren't pressed.
4. Do a short second press (without the transfer paper) if you still see lines to try and even things out. You're looking to heat up and re-heat the material, not re-sublimate. 

Some fabrics will leave lines no matter what you do. You'll have to experiment to find out for sure.


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*



Moo Spot Prints said:


> A slight tug sometimes helps stretch out the fibers while they're soft and does help reduce the lines somewhat.
> 
> My experience is that of what's been covered so far. To reduce the lines you should:
> 
> ...


Bottom line: If you end up with even a single paper line, you are not doing it right. If you do it correctly, it's impossible to get a paper line. And of course it's better to avoid the paper lines completely than to try to figure out how to get rid of them by re-pressing them or stretching them (neither of which I've had any success with).

The "thin-ness" of the paper is irrelevant if done right. And the pressure is not really an issue either. Anything from light to medium will be fine as long as it's not so heavy that it leaves a shine over the whole shirt. And the type of fabric is also irrelevant when it comes to paper lines. If done correctly, the type of fabric does not matter.


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## brand resistant (Mar 21, 2008)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*



rusty said:


> Just don't let the edges of the paper be pressed.


Not always possible and cost prohibitive if your print area is small.



rusty said:


> Re-presssing will just cause image deterioration.


I have never experienced this.



rusty said:


> There's also no need to tug on the shirt afterwards. The fabric is dyed. There is no material in between the fibers to stretch as there might be with an inkjet transfer.


Polyester is quite robust in that when tugged the fibres containing the press/paper line will bounce back. It only takes 2secs and if it improves your product...why not.

Rusty you said if done correctly there shouldn't be any lines at all. Anecdotedly this hasn't been peoples' experience. Perhaps you could expand on "correctly"


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## Moo Spot Prints (Jul 16, 2006)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*



rusty said:


> If you do it correctly, it's impossible to get a paper line.


Please elaborate. Say, when you only have a c88+ and your artwork goes edge to edge. What's the correct way for that?

Not only will you have to deal with paper edges, but you may also have to deal with foam edge marks (those occur when your paper overhangs the foam too, btw).

Not all fabrics are the same. Thicker poly fabrics are more forgiving. The thinner or more fragile weaves can be more problematic.


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*



brand resistant said:


> Not always possible and cost prohibitive if your print area is small.


I would disagree. It's very possible no matter what size your print area is. The cost factor is practically negligent.



brand resistant said:


> Polyester is quite robust in that when tugged the fibres containing the press/paper line will bounce back. It only takes 2secs and if it improves your product...why not.


I tried that, among other things, back when I started DyeSubbing and was never able to get any paper lines out completely.



brand resistant said:


> Rusty you said if done correctly there shouldn't be any lines at all. Anecdotedly this hasn't been peoples' experience. Perhaps you could expand on "correctly"


Yes, I realize that most people never figure out how to DyeSub shirts without leaving paper lines. And so most either give up DyeSubbing or they just continue to sell inferior products with paper lines. I've written in these forums a couple times explaining how it's done. Here's the key.
* You must cut your vapor foam to a size that is just smaller than your paper size you are pressing, yet larger than your print area.

For example, if you are printing a 7"x10" image on a 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper, the you need to cut your foam to about 8" x 10.5". This way the paper edges never get pressed, and therefore it's impossible to get a paper line if you line up the foam inside the paper edges.

Another key is that you need to apply even pressure across the press area. This is very easy to do with a swing-away press, but not so easy with a clamshell.

Since the paper is bigger than the press area, there's no need to use teflon on top of the paper. I do use a sheet of teflon between the shirt and the foam. This keeps my foam clean and prevents DyeSub ink from transferring through the material into the foam, and then onto the next shirt.


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*



Moo Spot Prints said:


> Please elaborate. Say, when you only have a c88+ and your artwork goes edge to edge. What's the correct way for that?
> 
> Not only will you have to deal with paper edges, but you may also have to deal with foam edge marks (those occur when your paper overhangs the foam too, btw).
> 
> Not all fabrics are the same. Thicker poly fabrics are more forgiving. The thinner or more fragile weaves can be more problematic.


You are correct that you cannot do an "edge to edge print" without paper lines. That's just one of the restrictions. Of course I've been DyeSubbing for over 2 years and have never had a need to use an "edge to edge" print on a shirt. If you have a C88, then you are limited to about a 8" x 10.5" print if you want to avoid paper lines.

And of course if you are serious about DyeSubbing, you won't be using a C88 for long. The print size is very limiting. I rarely ever DyeSub a shirt with an image that is smaller than 8.5" x 11".


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## rrc62 (Jun 2, 2007)

You can sand the edge of the paper with a sanding block. That tapers the edge and eliminates the line. Just a few passes on each edge is enough. I've had paper lines, but they always come out. If not from a little time wearing the shirt, they certainly come out with the first wash/dry cycle. I tried the sanding block thing and it works, but at shows when we're pressing product non-stop, there really isn't time.

I just give the shirt a good shake after removing from the press which fluffs up the pressed area a little. Lines have never really been an issue.


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## Moo Spot Prints (Jul 16, 2006)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*



rusty said:


> And of course if you are serious about DyeSubbing, you won't be using a C88 for long.


A 1400 or better will set you back over a grand. Throw in a decent swing away and you're looking at over two thousand dollars. Not many people are going to drop that kind of change just so they can tinker around with. A lot of people have smaller format printers because it suits their budget and needs.

I used my 88 for over a year (albeit not heavily) for over a year. It's a capable unit and if I could have solved the darn line problem on the fabrics I'm using I wouldn't have needed to buy a wide format printer. 

Instead of putting a teflon sheet over your foam, try putting the foam under the pad cover. It'll keep it put and make lining up the transfers a little easier.


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

rrc62 said:


> You can sand the edge of the paper with a sanding block. That tapers the edge and eliminates the line. Just a few passes on each edge is enough. I've had paper lines, but they always come out. If not from a little time wearing the shirt, they certainly come out with the first wash/dry cycle. I tried the sanding block thing and it works, but at shows when we're pressing product non-stop, there really isn't time.
> 
> I just give the shirt a good shake after removing from the press which fluffs up the pressed area a little. Lines have never really been an issue.


The severity of the paper line depend greatly on the material being pressed. The thin athletic wicking materials are very prone to paper lines that will not come out. I have a few shirts that I pressed 2 years ago and wear to work out in regularly that still have the paper lines in them. And I tried the stretching technique on them.

The thicker materials, such as the Vapor Basic-T's and the Hanes Softlink are much more forgiving when it comes to paper lines. But for me, about 90% of my shirts are of the athletic variety.


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

*Re: Sublimation Transfers*



Moo Spot Prints said:


> A 1400 or better will set you back over a grand. Throw in a decent swing away and you're looking at over two thousand dollars. Not many people are going to drop that kind of change just so they can tinker around with. A lot of people have smaller format printers because it suits their budget and needs.


You are right, a professional DyeSub setup is not cheap. Of course this is true with most professional garment decorating setups.



Moo Spot Prints said:


> I used my 88 for over a year (albeit not heavily) for over a year. It's a capable unit and if I could have solved the darn line problem on the fabrics I'm using I wouldn't have needed to buy a wide format printer.


I guess it depends on what kind of designs you are doing. My typical design is about 12" wide by 9"-10" tall on the front and about 10" wide by 14" tall on the back. I can't even remember the last time I made a DyeSub image smaller than 8.5" x 11".

And of course the paper lines only become an issue when you have to do an edge to edge print. I started out with an R1800, which you can buy for about $500 last time I checked. Now I have 4800. I won't even mess with a printer that maxes out at 8.5" x 11" for any type of garment decoration.


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## grannmomm44 (Apr 16, 2009)

Have you ever used the material that looks like mouse pad material that blanks.com sells? I don't get a line, now I get an area mark the size of the mouse pad rubber.


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## Cjoe Design (Jun 3, 2008)

I use both the teflon pillows and the vapor foam. The pillows set up faster and last longer but they don't work for every size print. I love the small left chest pillow. I print all the left chest logos in the center of a 8.5X11 transfer and slip the small pillow in between the shirt. The teflon makes it slip right in and the pillow protects the other side of the shirt. No lines! The vapor foam needs to be put underneath the whole shirt and you need to slip a protective sheet inbetween the shirt. At least with the lighter Vapor shirts. I don't use the sheet when pressing Softlinks. Also remember to cover the foam with a sheet when doing 2 sided prints as the underside will transfer onto the foam and does not wipe off like the teflon pillow.

The foam also works great when pressing items with piping or stitching that causes uneven pressure. I just make sure the pad fits inside the piping allowing only the printable surface to be elevated.

The Vapor foam has allowed me to start pressing more expensive shirts with confidence. It does add time and money to the process.


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## Susie (Oct 19, 2007)

The vapor foam kit solved all my press-line issues. Here is the method I've been using: 

You cut the foam approx. 1/2 inch bigger than your image. 
Make sure the paper is 1/2 inch or more bigger than the foam and hangs over the edge.
Bevel the edges of the foam to 45 degrees and put it on the bottom plate. Cover it with teflon.
Put the tee on that.

I put teflon on top of everything to protect the platen. I don't put anything inside the shirt. You can get blow through to the underneath of the shirt if using heavy/dark images with thinner materials but you can put teflon inside if you need to.

I give the top teflon sheet a quick wipe with alcohol after each pressing.

I tried mousepad too, but what I discovered is that the rubber(?) pad takes in way more heat than the rest of the thing and that part of the shirt will be lighter than all the rest. You will be able to see where the mousepad was. Some shirt colours are more susceptible to heat than others, esp. oranges/reds and will be more noticeable. Plus it seemed kind of toxic - I didn't like the odour.

Once you get this down, you can confidently and consistently get good results. It doesn't really take a lot of extra time and to me it's worth it to get even results every time.

You can get way more pressings than 8-10 in my experience. I was using one piece for probably 40 shirts before it got noticeably flatter.

Good luck!


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