# Supacolor and BRAND NEW HPN Black Series Heat Press: Transfers not sticking



## Infin8 (Nov 4, 2021)

Hello TShirt Forums! We got a brand new Heat Press Nation Black Series 15" x 15" Heat Press for the Black Friday deal. We are looking to add DTF transfers to our small home business. We got some samples from Supacolor. Last night we tried to press a test shirt for our daughter. We are pressing per the instructions from Supacolor, 320F for 15S. Unfortunately when we go to peel the transfer paper from the shirt, the image itself is lifting with the transfer paper and not sticking to the shirt. We have tried to increase the pressure to where it is difficult to close the press and have increased the temp to 330 and increased press time to 18S but still sticking. Please help


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

is this a new, unwashed blank/tee?

what is the material composition?


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## Infin8 (Nov 4, 2021)

Yes it’s brand new unwashed Rabbit Skins blank..
Material is 100% Cotton


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

ok, rabbit skins are for tiny people

do you have any buttons/collars/hems on the platen when pressing?

on your prepress, i would stay at 5 secs and just let the press rest (don't lock it down)

don't use teflon, try parchment paper

and peel immediately after you open the press


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## Infin8 (Nov 4, 2021)

Yes, correct. We thought we’d press a tee for our daughter with the Supacolor Sample…

No buttons. Only the collar of the tee would be in the middle of the platen, as its a small tee and the HPN 15” Heat Press isn’t threadable anyway…


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## Infin8 (Nov 4, 2021)

SupacolorTransferNotSticking


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

if you have an old mouse pad, cut it up so it will fit inside the tee where the design goes (i.e. below the collar and above the waist hem), and try it again
(you will have to readjust your pressure)

you should have some teflon pillows on hand for this sort of situation (proworld has a set here)


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

Infin8 said:


> SupacolorTransferNotSticking


is that you?

that tee looks old and full of pilling/fuzz

any and all garments should be lint-rolled before the pre-press
plus like i said above, don't use teflon sheets, they monkey with the time and temps, use parchment paper

you should dedicate a new unwashed xl adult tee for your testing, then all the seams are off platen and you can use up all the space front and back on it (just pillow-out the new testing design so the other portions are not re-pressed)


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## sbremner (Oct 24, 2007)

It's very important to peel immediately with Supacolor, as they are hot peel. I had forgotten that, wrote to them and that was the advice I got back. Worked like a charm then; I hope you get it figured out.

Steve


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

Infin8 said:


> Only the collar of the tee would be in the middle of the platen, as its a small tee and the HPN 15” Heat Press isn’t threadable anyway…


No collar, no seams, no pockets on the platen. Any high spots will affect the pressure.
If Teflon sheet is used, the temperature has to be increased by 30-40 F, and then test to find the optimal pressing time.

Test pressings are often required anyway, because not all presses are the same.
Also try preheating the lower platen, and also pre-press the shirt for 5-10 seconds.
This is important when using one of those cheap15x15 presses, because the heat plates are thin and cannot store enough heat.


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## MasterGraphics (Nov 9, 2018)

Infin8 said:


> Yes, correct. We thought we’d press a tee for our daughter with the Supacolor Sample…
> 
> No buttons. Only the collar of the tee would be in the middle of the platen, as its a small tee and the HPN 15” Heat Press isn’t threadable anyway…


If you have a heat gun, test the top area of the heated platen. There might be an inaccurate heat distribution. Just because you set for 320, the heated platen is not evenly distributed. So check to see the low temp area and make sure transfer is making contact where needed.


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## djrgarcia67 (27 d ago)

Also make sure bottom platten is very hot aswell


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## AGGPromo (Jul 21, 2017)

Infin8 said:


> Hello TShirt Forums! We got a brand new Heat Press Nation Black Series 15" x 15" Heat Press for the Black Friday deal. We are looking to add DTF transfers to our small home business. We got some samples from Supacolor. Last night we tried to press a test shirt for our daughter. We are pressing per the instructions from Supacolor, 320F for 15S. Unfortunately when we go to peel the transfer paper from the shirt, the image itself is lifting with the transfer paper and not sticking to the shirt. We have tried to increase the pressure to where it is difficult to close the press and have increased the temp to 330 and increased press time to 18S but still sticking. Please help


The DTF transfers I've used have all been a cold peel transfer. I find it works best if you let is set until the shirt reaches room temp before peeling off the transfer paper.


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## brian.pursel (25 d ago)

Just an FYI, Supa Color transfers are not DTF. They use a hybrid process similar to the Ultra Color Pro from Transfer Express.


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## Pinwiz2 (Oct 24, 2016)

Infin8 said:


> Hello TShirt Forums! We got a brand new Heat Press Nation Black Series 15" x 15" Heat Press for the Black Friday deal. We are looking to add DTF transfers to our small home business. We got some samples from Supacolor. Last night we tried to press a test shirt for our daughter. We are pressing per the instructions from Supacolor, 320F for 15S. Unfortunately when we go to peel the transfer paper from the shirt, the image itself is lifting with the transfer paper and not sticking to the shirt. We have tried to increase the pressure to where it is difficult to close the press and have increased the temp to 330 and increased press time to 18S but still sticking. Please help


We have printed thousands of items with Supacolor and they work great. They do produce items for use on several materials. The one for wearable we press at 295 for 12 seconds medium/heavy pressure, peel hot very few issues at all and we have done blends, poly and 100% Cotton. We have used other brands that were an absolute nightmare that were cold peel.
You should check the temp of your press as they are often not even close. On the sample packet we received from Supacolor it said on each sample what it was to be used for and it does make a difference.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

AGGPromo said:


> The DTF transfers I've used have all been a cold peel transfer.


Hot-peel is problematic for DTF because the film coating will affect the durability of the color layer.
Supacolor is different because the color layer is not water-based ink.


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## RagMill (5 mo ago)

Hi TABOB,

I am almost certain Supracolor is actually DST, not DTF. I believe the white ink is screen printed using discharge ink. I tested one over a year ago using their instructions and was not impressed with the wash durability nor the soft-hand. Not sure if they moved to DTF. No one seemed to know what they were doing over there, but I did see a video of one of their employees pressure-washing a screen.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

RagMill said:


> I am almost certain Supracolor is actually DST, not DTF.


It is, but DST (Digital+Screen Transfers) has many variations. 
For the digital part, most companies use a 4 color laser printer.
Supacolor is using 7 color digital offset machines instead.



RagMill said:


> I believe the white ink is screen printed using discharge ink.


Definitely not discharge.
It could be water-based, but most likely either plastisol or solvent base ink.



RagMill said:


> I tested one over a year ago using their instructions and was not impressed with the wash durability nor the soft-hand.


All film transfers have similar issues.


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## RagMill (5 mo ago)

TABOB said:


> It is, but DST (Digital+Screen Transfers) has many variations.
> For the digital part, most companies use a 4 color laser printer.
> Supacolor is using 7 color digital offset machines instead.
> 
> ...


Thanks BOB. It's nice to see someone online with above average expertise. I have not seen issues with my DTF using STS inks, cold peel and their glue. Although a bit expensive.


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