# anybody got tips for lining up your transfer on heat press efficiently???



## kohas (Dec 8, 2007)

hi all just wondering anyone have any tips or tricks where by i can line my transfer on the heat press quickly and most straight? (sometimes my mine come out wonky.... :S)

sometimes its deemed tricky as the heat press (clamp) is very hot and im purely guessing if the transfer is straight on the tshirt?

also how to position the shirt on the heat press base?


i have 380x380 press,


any trips or tricks would be wonderful!
thanks guys


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## deChez (Nov 10, 2007)

I'm sure many folks will tell you to use the Tee Square It. I haven't tried it yet but, from what I've seen, it looks like a very helpful tool. This would probably be the solution of choice.

In the meantime, place your transfers on the shirt before you put it on the press, and keep it in place with a couple of pieces of Johnson & Johnson paper tape (you'll find it on the first aid isle). A 3" x 24" quilters ruler works better for me than a regular ruler or yardstick. Also, if you're doing left chest placement, use an Embroiderers Buddy to make that placement to much quicker. 

Fold one end of the tape under a little bit to leave yourself a tab for easier removal of the tape. I use this all the time, and it does not leave a sticky mark on the shirt.

I sometimes mark the middle of the transfer on the back to help me line it up. If you need to mark the shirt, use a disappearing ink pen (available at the fabric store). Those marks will come off with plain water or, will disappear after a couple of days.

You will eventually get to the point where you're eyeballing pretty darn close, and this will make things go faster no matter what method you use.


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## 2STRONG (Oct 17, 2007)

I use the T square and am happy.


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## kohas (Dec 8, 2007)

just reasrched the tee square..
looks really handy


BUT

my heat press clamp doesnt rise that high when open
from the silicone matt to the edge of the back of the heat press is like 5cm

any ideas???


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Kohas....5 cm? isnt that less than 2 inches??? or ...?


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## brentonchad (Aug 24, 2007)

I strictly eyeball most of my stuff now. But in the begininning some of the tricks I used where:

* Sheetrock Square - the offset allowed it to set against the edge of the heat press and I could square the shirt and then the transfer.

* Fold the shirt in half and press - leaves a centerline - also did this on the edge of the collar for pocket transfers

* Mark a centerline on the back of my transfers - that with the trick above works great -simply line of the two centerlines.

* Make sure the shirt is straight and square with the press - if this is off then nothing is going to help. 

Take ten white $1 shirts and do half by eyeballing them - the other half measure them out - mix them up and then put one of them on - see if you can tell the difference. My guess is that you won't after your practice. 

What I have figured out that a shirt lays different on each person - so if it's crooked just tell the client that one shoulder is higher than the other but the transfer is straight!! - no just kidding. But once the shirt is on unless it is WAY off it's hard for the average consumer to tell. You definitely want to be as close as you can. I believe I spent way too much time making sure everything was perfect on my first run nad ended up taking four times as long and they still weren't perfecty straight (but looked fine)

Chad


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## kohas (Dec 8, 2007)

yeh just under 2 inches


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

Fold the transfer and pinch the paper at the top and bottom. Line up the two pinches with a centerline on the shirt. If the shirt doesnt have a visible centerline create one while pre-pressing.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Just really curious...what in the world are you pressing that is less than 2 inches?


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## kohas (Dec 8, 2007)

im not pressing anything less than2 inches, its the space between the actual heated press and the silicone base which is 2 inches


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

Lou's t sguare is the best,, I use it every day,, do your self a favor and get one..

Look for badalou member here on the forum and check out his signature for more details..

R.


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## Skinbus (Jul 2, 2007)

kohas said:


> hi all just wondering anyone have any tips or tricks where by i can line my transfer on the heat press quickly and most straight? (sometimes my mine come out wonky.... :S)
> 
> sometimes its deemed tricky as the heat press (clamp) is very hot and im purely guessing if the transfer is straight on the tshirt?
> 
> ...


I found a quilting scale at wal-mart that works great. Buy 2 & use them as a t-square. Works just as well as the advertised T-Square & will cost less than $10!
Brand name is "june tailor." 4 x 18 in. Hope this works for ya! Merry Xmas gang!


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Now even more curious...what brand press only has a two inch opening? It is a clam shell?..not a swingaway?


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

It has to be a swing away. Could you imagine lining stuff up with only two inches to work with? Almost impossible (not is impossible, just impracticable).


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## treadhead (Jul 26, 2006)

> * Fold the shirt in half and press - leaves a centerline - also did this on the edge of the collar for pocket transfers


Hey Chad...hadn't heard of this trick before. THANKS!!!

Another day that I learned something on this forum.....


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## treadhead (Jul 26, 2006)

I've heard rave reviews about the TeeSquareIt but don't have one...yet!

I usually measure down about 3 inches from the front / back collar then place the top of my design at that point...eyeballing to center the design. I then fold the collar down to center the design relative to the collar and then run a 19" steel ruler across the design making sure it is perpendicular to the edge of the press to make sure the design is straight.

Sound like alot but gets pretty easy when you get used to it.


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## kohas (Dec 8, 2007)

hey all got my tee square- seems my budget heat press doesnt lift high enough for me to use the tee square effectively... 
hnn
its for sale as new - im in the uk so if any1 wants it for cost prcie msg me

thnx


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## RacineExtreme (Jun 16, 2010)

treadhead said:


> Hey Chad...hadn't heard of this trick before. THANKS!!!
> 
> Another day that I learned something on this forum.....


I have used this method, and the graphic is vertically center, but it has a slight angle to it horizontally...I need to get these shirts done right, 100 shirts by tomorrow. Please help!


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## baddjun1 (Aug 5, 2009)

Nic, the Tee Square It has a vertical and horizontal ruler. And if you are using any paper that has grids on the back, it makes it easier to align. First, make sure the t-shirt is aligned horizontally and vertically on the press.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

your heat press will open up more. you are just not trying to lift it up. grab the handle and lift and push back. it should open all the way. then when are done positioning everything gently put it back down and then press. TAH DAH!!!!

the platen on your machine is heavy so it seems like it's stuck it the one position. believe me i went through the same thing until i realized i was the pistons work both ways and expand more than i thought. just be careful when it's in the 'way up' position because it doesn't lock and can come down on your head if you bump your machine the right way.


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## diana13t (Mar 11, 2009)

RacineExtreme said:


> I have used this method, and the graphic is vertically center, but it has a slight angle to it horizontally...I need to get these shirts done right, 100 shirts by tomorrow. Please help!


I know I'm too late responding for you 100 shirts, but maybe this will help you in the future. 

1. I press my shirts to get all the moisture out.

2. While still hot I fold in have and usually only have to finger press to get center crease (If it's a hoodie or something thick like that, then I use the press).

3. I have a rulered cutting mat on my work table. I take the bottom of the armpits and line them up on a horizontal line. 

4. Then I take a wide ruler and have it lay 3" from the bottom of the collar.

5. Take the transfer and center it on the crease.

6. I have a 36" ruler called Omni Edge made by Omnigrid, it has a "lip" you can leave on or take off the ruler. I put that "lip" up to the edge of my mat and I can make sure the design is even horizontally. I then slap a piece of that paper tape "as mentioned in a previous post" on either side, take it to the press, hold the transfer with one hand and gently take the tape off with the other and press.

This sounds very long too, but it really is super quick. 

I started using the bottom of the armpits instead of the top of the collar because a lot of the t-shirts I was getting (Gildan 2000L) had really uneven collars. I'm not sure it that's a good idea or not, but I was getting better results using the armpits instead of the collar.

Hope that made sense and helps.

Di


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