# Plastisol Transfers in House



## Commercial Press (Aug 21, 2014)

Does anyone print their own transfers in house? Just curious as to what ink, adhesive, and paper you use or recommend? Thinking of doing a project that would require fulfillment of small orders quickly. HTV would be to labor intensive 
TIA,
David


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## FatPrints (Jan 8, 2019)

Commercial Press said:


> Does anyone print their own transfers in house? Just curious as to what ink, adhesive, and paper you use or recommend? Thinking of doing a project that would require fulfillment of small orders quickly. HTV would be to labor intensive
> TIA,
> David


I don't currently, but I used to print them for every design I sold (120 designs easily). Paper quality IMO is one of the biggest factors. I would suggest liquid transfer adhesive, the powder is messy, gets in your lungs, gets on everything, and just sucks to use, but it does work if you use it per instructions. I only ever used normal plastisol and it worked out great.


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## Johnny Swank (Mar 29, 2011)

FatPrints said:


> I don't currently, but I used to print them for every design I sold (120 designs easily). Paper quality IMO is one of the biggest factors. I would suggest liquid transfer adhesive, the powder is messy, gets in your lungs, gets on everything, and just sucks to use, but it does work if you use it per instructions. I only ever used normal plastisol and it worked out great.




Do you have a link for liquid transfer adhesive? I want to dial in making our own transfers this year, but I can’t stand messing with that powder adhesive. 



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

Long ago I used to print them when I worked in a shop. We could print some transfers faster than shirts so we would have one guy cranking out shirts, another making transfers, then unskilled labor heat pressing. We used regular plastisol. I remember calling Union and they told me everything needed and how to make them because none of us had done it before. It was fussy and getting temperatures right on the dryer was the hard part. We also did lots of tests on finished transfers. It was worth it. But make sure the dryer is up to temp before running transfers through. Sorry I don't remember many specifics, it was early 90s.


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## mrmrsdsg (Dec 26, 2018)

I recently did a run of plastisol transfers with regular Total Ink, Ryonet Hot Peel Paper and Ryonet Adhesion powder. Within hours, I noticed cracking and they just really didn't stick that well. I did a second press on some of them and they are stuck now, but they are stiff and crack with ANY stretching. Anyone experience similar? I am very turned off by this process right now. I reburned the screens (positive) and screenprinted the rest of the items and they came out amazing. 

Now, I have to think about replacing some items that were already deliverd. I know the customer is going to ask.


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## mrmrsdsg (Dec 26, 2018)

I also ran a few with low cure ink and got the same result.


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## gardenhillemb (Oct 29, 2015)

We've run transfers for 30 years. Use a transfer paper that's from Arjo Wiggins and it works great. We also use transfer powder from OneStroke and put it in a big tupperware flat container. Using plastisol, print the transfer and use a big spoon to sprinkle the powder on the ink then turn over and flick the back of the paper to know off the excess back into the container. We run through the dryer at 250 degrees and press at 320 degrees. We mostly use for hats but since sleeves are a PITB we do sleeves that way if they are 2 or more colors.


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## allsport (May 5, 2014)

We have done plastisol transfers and have had some luck... We have found that good paper is key..


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## liquidgrafix (Jun 17, 2013)

I have never done my own transfers before, always ordered them out from Transfer Express or Ace. I had thought about doing my own, but didn't know about all the papers, processes, etc. Thanks for the tips!


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## zoomsub (Aug 27, 2018)

You can print your own transfers in house, it's very simple, you just need to prepare the related items, such as transfer machine, sublimation ink, sublimation paper and thermal tape. About ink, you can try Italian J-teck ink, the color is great. About paper, many sublimation paper are ok, you also should note that the paper can be quick-drying and the printed image are excellent.


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## rekehs (Jun 21, 2019)

any videos on how to do your own plastisol transfer print?


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## Emilio2000 (Jun 12, 2019)

Making your own plastisol transfers is easy. You use the same plastisol inks as in direct printing. The main difference is that your design burned on the screen needs to be a mirror image, because it will get reversed again when printing onto the shirt later. 

I have been using Arjo Wiggins coated paper for the transfers. 

The most important thing is getting the temperature and time just right when you semi-cure the transfers. You don't want to overcure the ink because then it won't transfer well to the shirt. You also don't want to under-cure it, because if the ink is still too soft and liquidy, it might smear on the paper or it might stick to the next paper as you stack your transfers.

I have also noticed that the temperature and duration of curing the transfers in a converyor dryer varies depending on the screen mesh you use (which deposits different amounts of ink) and of the color of your ink. So, for example, 

For White ink using a 110 mesh, i have used a temperature of 275ºF for 1 minute and 10 seconds.
But for Black ink using a 156 mesh (less ink gets through and black absorbs heat more readily), I have used a temperature of 235ºF and only for 1 minute.

Try out different temperatures, and see what works best for you.

I also use powdered adhesive to sprinkle over the transfer, so it will adhere to the shirt better. Yes, the powder is a bit messy. I have not yet heard of a liquid version, so thanks to those who have mentioned it.


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## djque (Feb 5, 2013)

zoomsub said:


> You can print your own transfers in house, it's very simple, you just need to prepare the related items, such as transfer machine, sublimation ink, sublimation paper and thermal tape. About ink, you can try Italian J-teck ink, the color is great. About paper, many sublimation paper are ok, you also should note that the paper can be quick-drying and the printed image are excellent.


Um you do know were talking about plastisol ink right. not sublimation ink and paper.


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## djque (Feb 5, 2013)

rekehs said:


> any videos on how to do your own plastisol transfer print?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t9uSV1tmNE&t=250s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDnZs4M_5Tk


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