# Vinyl won't stick



## leethesign (Jan 31, 2008)

Hi all,

I know I've just had yet another birthday and am gradually getting older, but I've got a problemo that I just can't seem to solve. Perhaps someone with a younger brain may be able to help........

I've just started doing t-shirts again - when I had my business before I moved to another part of Spain I used to do about 100 virtually every week, so I think I know what I'm doing (more or less).....but what's happening now is I just can't get the b****y material to stick to the shirts. The shirts are the usual Poly/Cotton and I'm using Grafityp material as I have in the past. The only difference is I bought one of these cheapy heat presses, 'cause I won't be doing a great deal of them, and I'm not sure how accurate the thermostat is, so I've tried at temperatures up to 260 degrees with and withoput the teflon sheet. That actually melted the vinyl and it still didn't stick properly.

I've tried having a drink or twelve in between trials and that doesn't work either.....

Anybody there who can help an old geezer????


----------



## jberte (Mar 25, 2007)

well......i'm not familiar with your material or your press but...i AM an old geezer who has also pressed a lotta shirts 

since the shirts and the vinyl material you're using are both known factors to you, i'd have to guess that the difficulty you're having is coming from the press.....which means either inadequate temperature or pressure. and since you've melted the stuff with it adhering properly, that leaves me with pressure...

is the stuff sticking in some places and not in others? or just not sticking anywhere at all?? could also be an issue of the heating element not producing enough EVENLY heated surface to do a proper job. there are handy little gizmo's available to check the surface temperature of your upper platen as well - if your press has individual coils instead of a continuous coil you could have a dead one in there...

but back to pressure...take several pieces of paper - about the size of a dollar bill - and put them half on and half off the platen, then lock your press down at full pressure. pull on the paper sticking out of the press. does it pull out easily or is it staying put? are ALL of them staying put, or just some pulling out? uneven pressure can wreak havoc with getting a good press result. 

depending on the type of press you have, there are adjustments that can be made to even it out - a lot of them get a bit wonky in shipping (mine was and it was a brand new DK20S, so cost isn't a factor here!) and a couple of twists with the proper wrench had it good to go.

so, deep breaths, another toddy or twelve and perhaps the world will be a rosier (if not necessarily better) place!


----------



## leethesign (Jan 31, 2008)

Hi Jan,

Thanks for your reply and suggestions....

I've tried that trick with the paper - they are all firmly held, so it ain't that.

I've just packed up some samples of the material and sent them back to my supplier to try - I may just have a bad batch - but a batch of six different colours???????? Well, who knows.

hanks again

All the best

Lee

p.s. Anyone for a Gin and Tonic?


----------



## jberte (Mar 25, 2007)

oh god no - but if you've got a tequila shooter handy..... i'm in 

so.....is the stuff sticking in some spots and not others, or not at all?? it could still be an uneven heat issue.....

another random thought - you said your shirts were poly/cotton...is is possible that the material you're using is incompatible with the poly?? not being familiar with that brand, i have NO idea - only that many manufacturers have different stuff for different substrates (nylon, leather, etc....)


----------



## leethesign (Jan 31, 2008)

Jan,

Sorry no Tequila...

The poly mix for the shirts has always been compatible before, so I really don't know.

I'll see what my suppliers say on Monday

Have a nice weekend

Lee


----------



## jundogg (Jul 20, 2007)

leethesign said:


> Jan,
> 
> Sorry no Tequila...
> 
> ...


I've done vinyl transfers on several polycotton already. Results were quite good! 

170 deg Celsius in 10sec - medium pressure. 

once i place the image (with clear backing paper) onto the shirt, i still cover it with teflon sheet. after pressing, i let it cool (i believe it's a cold peel since mine dont stick as well while it's hot). boom! there goes a well pressed shirt. all sides in-tact onto the garment. 

then i do the finishing, this time without the backing paper on, only the teflon. 
another 10 sec or 20. 

the result- well pressed vinyl with a soft-handfeel, not that embossed. plus, it gets the texture of the teflon (kinda ribbed-type). cool for me!!! 

this has already with-stand wash test even using washing machine! really great. for me, it's easier to do this than using light or dark transfers (which i am still experimenting). But colors are very limited and needs to use a cutter/plotter


----------

