# Heat pressing drawstring bags with nylon string



## whelk (Sep 21, 2015)

Hello

I bought a couple of drawstring bags as I'd had a couple of people ask about them. The ones I got are (I think) polyester, and the drawstrings are nylon.

I'm using MDP Hotflex (15s/160C), and a Stahls 40x50 clam press.

My concern is that the string is going to burn or melt - I gave the bag a 10s press to start, with a teflon sheet over it, just in case. And sure enough, the strings stuck to the sheet. Only slightly but they still stuck. I gave it another 5-6s press and the vinyl stuck perfectly, so, no problems there - just the drawstring!

After a bit of googling for solutions (and often ending up here, but finding no definitive answer), I decided to sign up and ask. Seems to be that I have two choices:

1. Take the string out while I press the bag (this would be horribly time-consuming).

2. Use a teflon pillow - but even with this method, potentially some of the string is still going to be exposed to the platen.

Clearly I'm not going to risk damage to a £700 heat press, so if these things are too awkward, fiddly or risky to print to then I just won't bother.

Anybody any experience of these? I got the ones from MDP.


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## Blue92 (Oct 8, 2010)

If I had to do it I'd use the teflon pillow to elevate the area being pressed and see if the tie string can be arranged so it could be covered with a layer or two of terry cloth towel.

If not we'd turn down the job. 

We had one similar where we were provided with shopping tote bags made from recycled materials. Those thing would melt if you waved a flashlight at them. 

We gave the customer their melted bag and remaining pieces back and said "No can do."


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## whelk (Sep 21, 2015)

Yeah I'm sort of thinking along the same lines. Although I haven't been doing this long (moved here after 30 years of being a programmer and getting bored to death with it) so I'd rather not be turning jobs away if I can possibly avoid it.

Might get a teflon pillow and see if I can make it so all the string is below it.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

We keep different size presses around which makes life way easier for the odd products. With the small generic presses, it only takes a few jobs to pay for itself, then over and over for years. are these the bags that use the drawstrings like back pack shoulder straps? if so, you can just untie the knots at the bottom and leave the top hanging over the edge of the press.


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## Blue92 (Oct 8, 2010)

whelk said:


> ..... Although I haven't been doing this long (moved here after 30 years of being a programmer.....


I'm doing this after retiring from 25+ years of IT work ranging from programmer to Project Manager and Certified Scrum Master.


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## whelk (Sep 21, 2015)

Printor said:


> We keep different size presses around which makes life way easier for the odd products. With the small generic presses, it only takes a few jobs to pay for itself, then over and over for years. are these the bags that use the drawstrings like back pack shoulder straps? if so, you can just untie the knots at the bottom and leave the top hanging over the edge of the press.


Yeah those are the ones. I might try untying it first as that'd be the no-cost option. When I bought my press I figured the biggest would be the most practical. And it is, mostly.

I don't really have the space (or the capital) to be buying a smaller press just now - especially as it's for a minority task. Maybe down the road...


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

We also use a teflon pillow and tuck the strings and excess bag underneath the pillow. 

Different sized pillows help. Ideally you want a pillow just larger than your imprint.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

whelk said:


> I don't really have the space (or the capital) to be buying a smaller press just now - especially as it's for a minority task. Maybe down the road...


I hear ya. I'm jealous of your 40x50 we only have 13x19 printers but it would be sweet to be able to do all over prints


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## Blue92 (Oct 8, 2010)

Printor said:


> I hear ya. I'm jealous of your 40x50 we only have 13x19 printers but it would be sweet to be able to do all over prints


I believe those are centimeters. Comes out to about 16 x 20 inches.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

Not jealous.


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

a possible fast enough solution would be to tie some strong thread to the end of the drawstring and pull it out leaving the thread inside whilst pressing and then pull it back through after.


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## whelk (Sep 21, 2015)

Blue92 said:


> I believe those are centimeters. Comes out to about 16 x 20 inches.


Yeah, 40x50cm. I come from a land where everything is measured in metric. Feet and inches are now frowned upon.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

I come from cavemanland, I still measure image placement with fingers. The metric system requires a more evolved brain.


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