# mug press help/faded image



## pigeonzs (Jan 9, 2015)

hello i'm back and in need of help for mug pressing. i recently bought the sawgrass sg400 and it printed out perfect. my issue is that when i used the mug press the results came out a bit faded/u can tee the heat tape mark imprint. from what i researched online could it be that i didn't leave the mug in long enough that is causing the fading? it was 400 temp and 210 secs. i also used (i forgot the name of that paper) the kind of see through brown paper?) around the mug paper. the paper is a QCPRO bought from uscutters. i even cooled down the mug in warm water which did brighten up the colors on the mug. thank you in advance


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## mcpix (Jun 27, 2008)

For my mug wrap paper I use 20 lb. 8.5 x14 legal size paper. I cut it in half and the 4.25 x14 is the perfect size for a mug wrap.


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## pigeonzs (Jan 9, 2015)

mcpix said:


> For my mug wrap paper I use 20 lb. 8.5 x14 legal size paper. I cut it in half and the 4.25 x14 is the perfect size for a mug wrap.


I have the butcher paper that was recommended as well. I'll have to try that and see if it'll make a difference in the results. Thanks for the reply


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## mfatty500 (Jan 18, 2010)

Try not to put the tape over the image, put it parallel to the handle.


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

I use 180c, 200 seconds a clean piece of A4 each time around the wrap, high pressure clamp, and use pre cut wraps from BMS. also make sure that the powerdriver on the Ricoh is set for ceramic print with sawgrass inks.
hope this helps, mine come out spot on colour and sharp every time.


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## pigeonzs (Jan 9, 2015)

Dekzion said:


> I use 180c, 200 seconds a clean piece of A4 each time around the wrap, high pressure clamp, and use pre cut wraps from BMS. also make sure that the powerdriver on the Ricoh is set for ceramic print with sawgrass inks.
> hope this helps, mine come out spot on colour and sharp every time.


wow! thanks so much for the helpful hint about the powerdrive setting to ceramic! made a huge difference. it's now only a little faded and i put the pressure higher plus increased the time to 4.5 mins. maybe if i put it to 5 mins it might be just right! i'll have to test another cup out tonight


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## cromwell (Jun 4, 2012)

It looks like you have not got enough pressure on plus make sure the transfer is as flat as possible if its crinkled anywhere tape that edge down with a small bit of tape those are the only problems i see with what you describe.

I use dye sub magic paper and sawgrass and inktec inks (they are both the same really ones just a bit cheaper and always use the good paper and the good blanks 9/10 its those that screw up prints not the print itself)

i print for 180secs at 170c and start timer from the second it hits 170 again after the coolback if its a darker image or lots of black i leave in 10 secs longer then straight out stand for 10 secs peel off and slowly dunk in warm water then remove drain and leave to finish off cooling


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## tprinters (Aug 28, 2014)

I wrap 110lb cover(2-3 sheets) after sublimation paper(image) is in place on the mug. 400F for 360 seconds. If image is faded it's most likely from not enough pressure.


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

i print for 180secs at 170c and start timer from the second it hits 170 again after the coolback if its a darker image or lots of black i leave in 10 secs longer then straight out stand for 10 secs peel off and slowly dunk in warm water then remove drain and leave to finish off cooling[/QUOTE]

Good point there Cromwell,

That might be contributing to the problem.
I forgot to say that I preheat the mugs, when I put them in the temp drops to 147c and as it climbs to 151 I take it out and wrap, then of course the press is back up to temperature but when I put the mug back in I do wait for the temperature to drop a degree so that when I hit my timer it doesn't start counting down immediately but waits for the temperature to get back up to 180 first, which can take 10 seconds.

I peel straight away and dunk in near boiling water to stop the gassing.


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## akar (Jul 1, 2011)

Wow - I don't do any of that. I just use butcher paper from Costco to wrap over the image/around the mug and press for 3.5 min. I've done runs up to 200 and never had any of those problems or had to do any of the preheating, quick cooling, etc. I wonder what the difference is?


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## cromwell (Jun 4, 2012)

Dekzion said:


> i print for 180secs at 170c and start timer from the second it hits 170 again after the coolback if its a darker image or lots of black i leave in 10 secs longer then straight out stand for 10 secs peel off and slowly dunk in warm water then remove drain and leave to finish off cooling


Good point there Cromwell,

That might be contributing to the problem.
I forgot to say that I preheat the mugs, when I put them in the temp drops to 147c and as it climbs to 151 I take it out and wrap, then of course the press is back up to temperature but when I put the mug back in I do wait for the temperature to drop a degree so that when I hit my timer it doesn't start counting down immediately but waits for the temperature to get back up to 180 first, which can take 10 seconds.

I peel straight away and dunk in near boiling water to stop the gassing.[/QUOTE]

i also use xpress standard 10oz mugs for my bread and butter promo mugs and never had issues with fading once apart from 2 mugs i did without having a good pressure because i wanted that effect to happen (yes you can use the bad to an advantage) 
i make a lot of horror and alternative genre products and i recently did a mug for myself and a friend (same design) which was some artwork i had created from the scene from the new daredevil series (just after The kingpin had stoved a Russian mafias head in with the car door )

and i wanted the straight edge along the top and bottom to be faded/washed out which it did and its now my coffee mug 

ill attach the art image don't think i have a photo of the mug...scratch that i do have mug pics ive attached them


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## cromwell (Jun 4, 2012)

As you can see on the mug attached in the comment above if you go 5mm past each edge you get a better fadey look i went long over the top and short or regular on the bottom which ended up with a semi faded area but still with a noticeable straight edge whereas the top faded into nothing which is what happened on the next mug i did but didn't photo it.


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## pigeonzs (Jan 9, 2015)

wow ill have to check out those mug pics when I get on the PC. It wont load for me on mobile lol. Such great tips here! Maybe I should put a little more pressure onto the mug press since its only a little faded now after adjustin the pressure. I noticed that almost burning my finger when I was takin off the paper it was stuck onto the mug...does this mean it needs to be in the press longer?


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## akar (Jul 1, 2011)

Paper stuck to the mug usually means too hot and/or too much time. Fading at the edges may be due to uneven pressure. Be sure that your mug is positioned in the center of the mug press heating element.


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## pigeonzs (Jan 9, 2015)

ok so i bought some conde mugs made in USA ones. i sized the image to 3.5 x 8 for my sublimation paper which is the 8.5 x 11. i used 400 dgr F plus 300 seconds. i can't for the life of me figure out what i'm doing wrong. the images aren't faded anymore but now they're a bit blurry...WHY!  please help!

p.s: i should add the wallets come out perfect! it's the cups im having issues with. i even set the powerdriver to ceramic and the brand paper i have. am i not putting enough pressure? i thought it felt like it was enough.

this was the paper being recommended by Conde http://www.dyetrans.com/item.php?item_no=8511SPP#gallery-tab


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## tshirtsrus (Jun 6, 2007)

The blur is do to, too much dwell time, I can even tell in your transfer paper... it is toasty gold, I'm sure you're past at minimum of a minute, before removing your transfer you can tell by looking at it, if you can see the image silhouette and the transfer paper just slight yellow do to heat then is just right, but if it is burnt yellow is just way to much time or the temp to high, but if the temp is at 400* then that means is to much time, cut your time for a minute and then go from there.


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## pigeonzs (Jan 9, 2015)

tshirtsrus said:


> The blur is do to, too much dwell time, I can even tell in your transfer paper... it is toasty gold, I'm sure you're past at minimum of a minute, before removing your transfer you can tell by looking at it, if you can see the image silhouette and the transfer paper just slight yellow do to heat then is just right, but if it is burnt yellow is just way to much time or the temp to high, but if the temp is at 400* then that means is to much time, cut your time for a minute and then go from there.


thank you!  will try <3


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## pigeonzs (Jan 9, 2015)

u did it!!! thank u! 60 second was great! it takes a bit of time to climb back to 400 after bein pressed from around 354 so woohoo!!!!!!! colors are more in depth!


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## akar (Jul 1, 2011)

I use the same paper and mugs. From the looks of your transfer paper in the background, you might be pressing them too long. Try to bump the time down by 20 seconds, then 30 seconds and see if that makes a difference. The paper shouldn't look so brown in the middle, only around the edges. If that doesn't work, set the time back to 300 and reduce the heat to 380, then reduce the time until the image clears up. We consistently get crystal clear images with the products you're using so you will, too, after you get the time/temp/pressure correct for your particular mug press.


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## pigeonzs (Jan 9, 2015)

akar said:


> I use the same paper and mugs. From the looks of your transfer paper in the background, you might be pressing them too long. Try to bump the time down by 20 seconds, then 30 seconds and see if that makes a difference. The paper shouldn't look so brown in the middle, only around the edges. If that doesn't work, set the time back to 300 and reduce the heat to 380, then reduce the time until the image clears up. We consistently get crystal clear images with the products you're using so you will, too, after you get the time/temp/pressure correct for your particular mug press.


 that certainly is great to hear!  I think I solved my dilemma. I just need to adjust my dpi so it will be at least 300  I forgot about that step in my previous picture. Will try again for another design a client ordered. Thanks for the reply and will keep all in mind!


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## tippy (May 27, 2014)

Looking at that charred piece of paper in the background, my guess is that you are overcooking the mugs. It takes a lot of trial and error with the time and temperature to find the sweet spot for mugs.


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## fatfish2015seo (Jul 1, 2015)

When mug accept the sublimation dyes at the time raising the temperature. In the olden days many of them commonly used dye sublimation printers.
They are used polymer paper it takes dyes from ribbons.


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

Just asking,,,
Is the image a drawing or a photo? because it looks like a very well painted piece of artwork not a photographic image.
if its painted it is a fantastic mug and the customer would be very pleased with it, but if it's an image that's been isolated it needs more work to get it recreated at 300 dpi and the colours adjusted whilst in that size for the mug, and then that will be spot on as well.
Try saving the whole mug wrap, with the multi images, as a jpg and print it out at the correct size on an A4 photo paper. When you do that you will see exactly what it will look like when printed on a mug.


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## fatfish2015seo (Jul 1, 2015)

When mug accept the sublimation dyes at the time raising the temperature. In the olden days many of them commonly used dye sublimation printers. They are used polymer paper it takes dyes from ribbons.


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