# Mug Sublimation problems



## BHD (Oct 31, 2007)

I would love to have some input on a mug issue.
This is a new one for me. These mugs have a school logo on one side, all navy, and a football player jpeg on the other side.
the logo prints fine, nice dark navy. However, I just wasted 12 mugs (conde, white , Thailand) . Each one is the same, right in the lower 1/3 of the picture the navy is faded into red. I cleaned the print heads, same results. 1 new magenta, the other inks have not been changed in several months. I switched the side of the mug for the jpeg, thinking it was the press (phoenix) but still same fading into a red. I should say that 5 mugs turned out perfect....I am afraid to waste any more of them. Any suggestions?


----------



## okiebruce (Dec 15, 2009)

Are your mugs straight or do they taper, not getting enough pressure around the bottom 1/3 of the cup? Have you checked the temp of the bottom part of the press?
Try pressing a cup upside down to narrow down the problem to the printer or the press.

Bruce


----------



## conde tech (Nov 15, 2007)

Is it faded when it comes out of the printer or when you press? After adhering the image to the mug, are you wrapping the mug in plain white paper.....do not use the teflon sheet. Press the mug at 400 degrees for 4-41/2 minutes. How are you attaching the image to the mug?


----------



## BHD (Oct 31, 2007)

I am not sure about that. they are a good quality mug from conde. I am going to try doing one upside down to see if that makes a difference. thanks for that advise.


----------



## BHD (Oct 31, 2007)

Hi, out of the printer, it is dark print. I always use white butcher paper to wrap the mug.
Phoenix mug press: one thing i was wondering, is if it is too hot (the paper always gets brown at the top (butcher paper that is) would that affect the outcome? too much heat?
the strange thing to me is that it is in the same spot on every mug.


----------



## cutter II (Apr 5, 2009)

Wow Sonya 41/2 min.? I started off at that and keep reducing the time to see what the effects would be and I am down to 2 1/2 and still get prefect images. i used paper around mine in the begining but was not getting any bleed through (using texprint-R) so I stop wraping with paper with no issues. I guess they all work different.


----------



## coolbeansgifts (May 24, 2010)

I aways put my mugs in room temp. water, after pressing to stop the sublimation process. When I first started doing mugs, I didnt do this and would get some faded looking streaks on my mugs.


----------



## uncletee (Feb 25, 2007)

first use a bad mug and turn over in press, most likely bad heater element, or need to go at least 5.30 min with dark colors when they go to the edge of the handle. good luck uncletee


----------



## BHD (Oct 31, 2007)

Thank you all for the suggestions. I think I figured out the issue. I am using a Phoenix mug press, and I had the time set too long, idle-heat temp-seconds once it reaches the heat temp. It should have been set on 3, I had it set on 50!! I spoke with Hotronix and they said the new model (in last 5 ys) has
a much shorter time than the old model, and I am fairly certain this is a newer model (bought it used a year1/2 ago. So, I followed the instructions of Hotronix and the last 4 mugs turned out acceptable. So hopefully I will be good now.


----------

