# printing on ceramic coasters and mouse pads



## HOOSIER DADDY (Jan 8, 2008)

Anyone have good tips on DTG printing onto ceramic coasters and mouse pads. When I did the first coaster, I put it into the heat press and closed it just like for a Tee. The coaster came our with black smudges on it and there were black smudges on the top of the heat press clamshell. I found out that for coasters (and mousepads?) that you don't actually close the heat press into full contact but close enough to dry the ink. Any other tips to be aware of (i.e. heat settings, dry times, etc)?
Thanks-
Robin


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

do dye sub. it will be awsum!


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## HOOSIER DADDY (Jan 8, 2008)

binki said:


> do dye sub. it will be awsum!


Thanks for your reply but, I don't know what "dye sub" is (is that screen print jargon?) as I'm a geezer. If you'd like to enlighten me that would be great but use terms a geezer would understand rather than "jargon" terms. 
Thanks-
Robin


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## jppurdon (Jul 4, 2007)

Hey Fred, dye sub is good but you just can't go to the store & buy marble or other products to print on. As for you Robin i've been printing on tumbled marble for my coaster for a little while the big thing is to make sure pre-treatment has plenty time to dry, and give the post treatment even longer to cure. The post treatment that came with the dtg sometimes will not work unless you can give it a couple days to harden. I'm still looking for a good post treatment.


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## akaratemom (Feb 20, 2007)

Robin - dye sub is a different process. You use special inks in an ink jet printer and print on special "transfer" paper. You then apply the ink to the product which has to have a special coating (i think it is polyester-shirts, mousepads, mugs, etc.). The ink turns to gas and transfers to the product and you throw the paper away. It makes a very nice product, but cost is higher.


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## sunnydayz (Jun 22, 2007)

Robin actually posted a video of the brother printing on coasters, here is a link http://www.t-shirtforums.com/direct-garment-dtg-inkjet-printing/t38817.html


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

dye sub needs a poly coated material. you can buy the coating and apply it yourself or buy the products pre-coated.


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## mardiv (May 12, 2008)

Thought I would bump this since I was wondering the same. I just did a search for blank mouse pads and most are polyester which is hard for DTGs right? So do I just pretreat it with like INKAID?

I know it can be done, they made some when we took our ANAJET class. Just forgot to ask and am too impatient to wait until tomorrow to call. 
Thanks in advance!


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

when I set the ink on the coasters, I have a thick felt pad I put the coasters on and then I put parchment paper ontop of the coasters to protect them from any gunk on the top of my platen. I use light pressure, just let the platen sit ontop of the coasters (I have a swing away) I dont know how it works with clamshells. *these coasters where unfinished coasters...more of a thirstystone type coaster.

Set with the same settings you do for t-shirts. I dont remember....do you have a brother? 30 sec at 360degrees.

I did testing of bestblank's coasters and I was thrilled with the results. These had the poly tops, but the image still turned out beautiful. I turned the ink level down quite a bit tho.


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## mardiv (May 12, 2008)

Robin said:


> I did testing of bestblank's coasters and I was thrilled with the results. These had the poly tops, but the image still turned out beautiful. I turned the ink level down quite a bit tho.


No, I have an ANAJET. So you don't pretreat it? They said they did.

Okay, I will try it then! Thanks so much Robin! You are so helpful!
~Naomi


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

no I didnt pretreat. 

With the brother gt-541 we dont have to pretreat....so I dont know if you would have to. But give it a try and see what gives you better results. With the coasters from bestblanks, they are cheap enough to test out a few. The thirstystone ones I get from direct2shirt.com and are more expensive....I get ticked when I make mistakes on these ones lol


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## sharktees (Dec 12, 2007)

We also use a brother although I don't think it matters what brand you use.On coasters we use the thirsty soakers also no pretreatment we cure with the top of the press not touching the coaster its just above it at 360 degrees for 5 seconds so the colors stay bright, they always come out great.On the mouse pads we pretreat with fast bright,we line them up on a long fold up table and spray a bunch at once then we cure for 10 seconds then you can print,curing with very very light pressure almost none for 10 seconds they come out great,nice and bright.


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

sharktees said:


> We also use a brother although I don't think it matters what brand you use.On coasters we use the thirsty soakers also no pretreatment we cure with the top of the press not touching the coaster its just above it at 360 degrees for 5 seconds so the colors stay bright, they always come out great.On the mouse pads we pretreat with fast bright,we line them up on a long fold up table and spray a bunch at once then we cure for 10 seconds then you can print,curing with very very light pressure almost none for 10 seconds they come out great,nice and bright.


This is good to know....I was told to apply a bit of pressure. But I find sometimes the ink gets mottled a bit from the direct heat. 
Thanks!


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## BML Builder (Jul 8, 2008)

We always use a teflon sheet over the top of anything that is printed. The only time we heat press anything without the teflon sheet is when we are just pressing an unprinted shirt. That way we never have to worry about any of the ink getting on the press or something getting on the product from the press.


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## mardiv (May 12, 2008)

another member shared with me that they don't heat theirs they just spray a sealant afterwards to keep it waterproof (on the tiles, that is). I'm going to try it out. I'll let you know


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## martinwoods (Jul 20, 2006)

Robin said:


> I did testing of bestblank's coasters and I was thrilled with the results. These had the poly tops, but the image still turned out beautiful. I turned the ink level down quite a bit tho.


 
You didn't have to do anything special with the poly coating? Which coasters are they?

I use the soapstone also from Brian, they are great.

Thanks


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## dt (Aug 12, 2007)

The PROBLEM that i have is not printing on tile. The PROBLEM is to find a post coating that will resist to scratch . Because when you have scratch on your tile and you wash it the print ...go away.... I tried so many different product but nothing work. The pre-coating seal the tile or the stone and the tile scellant don't stick to the stone because of the pre-coat .
Is anyone find a post scelleant that really work...


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

martinwoods said:


> You didn't have to do anything special with the poly coating? Which coasters are they?
> 
> I use the soapstone also from Brian, they are great.
> 
> Thanks


we got our stone coasters from Brian too. I love them, but some of our customers wanted a cheaper alternative.

The other coasters I got from best blanks, and Mike sent me 2 samples. They had the poly top and I didnt do anything to them, just printed them on the brother. I had printed them at ink level 3(I think...it was really low) because more I thought would be too much. But it wasnt. If I remember tomorrow, I'll take a picture of them and post them. 

You have a brother too right?!


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## martinwoods (Jul 20, 2006)

Robin said:


> we got our stone coasters from Brian too. I love them, but some of our customers wanted a cheaper alternative.
> 
> The other coasters I got from best blanks, and Mike sent me 2 samples. They had the poly top and I didnt do anything to them, just printed them on the brother. I had printed them at ink level 3(I think...it was really low) because more I thought would be too much. But it wasnt. If I remember tomorrow, I'll take a picture of them and post them.
> 
> You have a brother too right?!


Yes I do have a Brother and the machine too. 
Have you done mousepads? if so where do you get the fastbright I see people talking about?

Thanks so much


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

no I havent tried the mousepads yet, but these coasters from bestblanks are just like the mousepads, only smaller.

I havent tried the fastbright either. Id be interested to see a mousepad printed with fastbright, and without side by side.


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## PressForProfit (Jun 11, 2008)

Robin said:


> no I havent tried the mousepads yet, but these coasters from bestblanks are just like the mousepads, only smaller.
> 
> I havent tried the fastbright either. Id be interested to see a mousepad printed with fastbright, and without side by side.


Hi Robin,

I am pleased the coasters worked well for you. I also tried our coasters on friday with one of our AnaJet printers. It seemed like I needed more ink (also a level setting) to retain the vibrancy of the image compared with the same print on 100% cotton. Came out great though.

With the AnaJet, the 1/4" or 6mm samples needed the table adjusted down a bit. The 3mm material was fine at the default table settings.


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

Hi Mike!

They turned out pretty good, I was really impressed. I eased up on the ink thinking because they were poly based tops, that the ink wouldnt soak in very well. But it did....and I'll more ink next time.


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## sharktees (Dec 12, 2007)

I use the fastbright on my mousepads and they come out great,very bright and they hold up well.You can buy fastbright from Equipment zone.


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