# My Vinyl is peeling off!



## AttitudesApparel (Jan 13, 2007)

I am VERY new at this whole t-shirt thing... I have a GCC Sable plotter, SignPal, and ThermoFlex Plus. 
I'm only using 100% cotton and some cotton/poly blends, which specialty matterials reccomends, but on some of my shirts, the vinyl is peeling right off. Especially the deco-sparkle line...
Some shirts are fine until they get washed a few times, others peel off right away.
Here's what I'm doing:

I press the vinyl 20 to 40 seconds, peel off the mylar backing hot (unless in deco-sparkle, then cold)
I press again to "seal" the image for 10 more seconds.

 What am I doing wrong?


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## Vtec44 (Apr 24, 2006)

Are you using enough pressure?


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

I repress some fonts for the full time it calls for. I havent had anything come off except for some early shirts that had pointy fonts. 

Isnt deco-sparkle cold peel? I used this stuff on a tote bag, and had to press the begeezus out of it, to get it to stick. Its good now tho.

Check your pressure too like James suggested.


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## cookster (May 10, 2006)

Robin, Just to let you know I was just on your site and your magnetic link on the left side is not working. Your site looks great.


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## badalou (Mar 19, 2006)

I thought all vinyl transfers were cold peel?


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## gmille39 (Oct 18, 2006)

Robin said:


> I repress some fonts for the full time it calls for. I havent had anything come off except for some early shirts that had pointy fonts.
> 
> Isnt deco-sparkle cold peel? I used this stuff on a tote bag, and had to press the begeezus out of it, to get it to stick. Its good now tho.
> 
> Check your pressure too like James suggested.


I looked for the begeezus setting on my press but couldn't find it.


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## Vtec44 (Apr 24, 2006)

badalou said:


> I thought all vinyl transfers were cold peel?


I actually hot peel a lot of them, much easier and quicker.


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

> Robin, Just to let you know I was just on your site and your magnetic link on the left side is not working. Your site looks great.


Thanks for letting me know Bob, I really appreciate it.


> I thought all vinyl transfers were cold peel?


I thought so too.....James...how do you hot peel them without the vinyl coming back off and sticking to the mylar? Ive put certain small fonted (is that a word?) shirts back on the heat press while the bottom was still warm....warmed up the shirt a bit and peeled back the mylar. That seemed to help quite a bit in getting it off without damaging the vinyl. 

Do tell James.....I want to give this a try.



> I looked for the begeezus setting on my press but couldn't find it.


it just shows up one day.....trust me  lol


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## cookster (May 10, 2006)

> I thought all vinyl transfers were cold peel?


As James said I also hot peel thermoflex all the time as it comes off much easier than letting it cool. 


> Thanks for letting me know Bob, I really appreciate it.


No problem Robin.


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## Vtec44 (Apr 24, 2006)

Robin said:


> I thought so too.....James...how do you hot peel them without the vinyl coming back off and sticking to the mylar? Ive put certain small fonted (is that a word?) shirts back on the heat press while the bottom was still warm....warmed up the shirt a bit and peeled back the mylar. That seemed to help quite a bit in getting it off without damaging the vinyl.


One time, the mylar backing came off and got stuck to the teflon sheet when I was helping my business partner pressing a bunch of shirts. Before that point, we just cold peel it. I think you have to use A LOT of pressure though. I generally set the heat press at around 340 degrees, press down for about 20seconds, and the backing just come right off as we remove the teflon sheet. For some reason, it doesn't work with our gray shirts (10/90 but so are the other colors).


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

hmm, I'll give it a try James. Thanks


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## hammered (Apr 14, 2006)

Are you pre-heating the garment to remove the moisture and wrinkles? Thermoflex doesnt say to preheat, but Ive found if you do things go a lot smoother. I havent had a single peel-off doing it this way so far. And try the next batch as cold peel, that much they do recommend.


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

Like Dave said pre-heat the shirts especially 6 oz. black. Pre-Heat if you live in a humid environment for at least 20 seconds. Use quite a bit of pressure for vinyl.


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## AttitudesApparel (Jan 13, 2007)

Well, I recently found the pressure knob... that would've been nice if they covered that in the manual.... Fixed my problem! Thanks!

I also pressed a deco-sparkle with higher pressure and I presses it twice, doesn't look like it's coming off so far.. (it actually looks melted)


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

Good to know it was something simple......glad its sticking!! lol


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## Vtec44 (Apr 24, 2006)

AttitudesApparel said:


> .. (it actually looks melted)


That's a good sign!  I usually try to melt it w/o burning the shirt of course


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## RestoringYourMem (Aug 30, 2006)

I am having a problem with the vinyl sticking to the mylar with Spectra Cut II, but it is OK with Thermo-Flex. I am pressing the Spectra Cut at 302deg for 15 seconds with medium pressure, peel cold. What would cause this, too hot, not hot enough, too little pressure, too much pressure??? 

Thanks,
Lloyd


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## John S (Sep 9, 2006)

Don't cut to deep in the mylar, if you see a cut line in your mylar, back off the down pressure. It creates a crack for the glue to grip.

Try 302F, 20 seconds with LIGHT pressure. Medium pressure forces the glue out from under the vinyl and up on the mylar.

Cold peel. Try pulling the shirt down from the mylar, not pulling the mylar off the shirt. (sounds funny, but try it) Once you get the edge started on a letter, it should come right off. 
If you see the edge of the letter isn't stuck to the shirt, re-press with just a bit more pressure. Watch out for near by seams, pockets etc that will hold the press up off the vinyl.

After removing the mylar, cover with paper or teflon and do a second Medium press. If you feel the paper after the press, you will feel the glue that came out from under the letters and stuck to the paper.


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## John S (Sep 9, 2006)

Some batches of Spectra cut II are harder to peel than others. I had a roll of white that was much harder. Glad it's gone now, the new roll of white is much easier.


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## RestoringYourMem (Aug 30, 2006)

I just checked my temp on my press and it is reading about 20 degrees higher than it is set, so my 302deg was actually 320-325deg. Could this make the vinyl stick to the mylar? I will try a lighter pressure also. I am using a new Hotronix clam press and I think I am putting much more pressure on it than I did with my Hix Swingman.

Thanks for the info.
Lloyd


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