# Need help :: Sticky shirt from spray adhesive...



## 4oclockteetime (Dec 30, 2007)

Hello,

Recently, I started printed the inner tags (care tags) on my tees. I was using a heat gun for a long while to cure my graphics, but recently a friend let me borrow one of his flash dryers that was sitting in storage (lucky me!)... A few days ago, I was printing the inner tags, and then curing them with the flash dryer. One tag, flash it, next shirt, next tag flash it and so on... This the first time I've used the flash dryer like this. Previous, when printing my tees, I was printing a collection of them, partial curing with my heat gun and then altogether, curing them on a clean palette with the flash dryer. This seemed fine and was helpful because the heating portion of the flash dryer is really large and interferes with my larger screens sometimes, so thats why I was doing it that way.

But now, after trying it with the inner tags, as mentioned above, I found that the back of the shirt now has a sticky residue from the spray adhesive. I am totally bummed out because I don't wash my shirts after screening and before selling them so I feel like I just ruined a dozen tees...

Is this sticky bit normal? It seems as if the spray adhesive liquefied or something... Any suggestions would as always, be most appreciated..

Thanks!


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## southtexasshirts (Jul 21, 2007)

ive been told to spray alittle press/screen wash on the sticky platen and wipe clean and poof! no more sticky residue....no more sticky on the shirt.


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## amp267 (Oct 11, 2006)

i stopped using the spray stuff all together. use the glue, not sure what its called, but it looks just like elmors glue. you put a drop or two for a small area, use a plastic squeegee to spread it, then what i do is dry it with the flash unit, then use an old sweatshirt to rub off the access. place it on there three times to remove the excess. if you dont the first two or three shirts will stick to much, and warp your image when you go to take it off.


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## INKFREAK (Jul 24, 2008)

Lighten up on your tack and don't cure on the pallet your printing on.The heat re-melts the adhesive and makes it wildly sticky.Try to cure on a clean pallet.


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## 4oclockteetime (Dec 30, 2007)

Thanks, but its not the palette I'm talking about... Its the shirt. The residue is remaining on the shirt. I may have explained it poorly... Here's what I did:

Printing Inner Care Tags -
-Turned tee inside out
- Sprayed the spray adhesive on the palette
- Put the tee on
- Screened the inner care tag
- Flashed dried it
- Took it off
- Started the next tee

I did this for a bit and then after a handful of shirts, I noticed that when I turned the shirt back in, there was a sticky residue on the back of the shirt (outside of the shirt) right between the shoulder blades

So the question is, how do print all of the inner tags one after another without leaving the sticky residue on the shirt? I usually print, partially cure the graphic and then when I'm finished printing, I clean the palette and then flash dry/cure all of the tees, one after another. There was no residue when I did it that way, but I was told that I should be able to print a tee, flash it on the palette and then move on to printing the next tee...

Any thoughts? And I will use less tack...


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## amp267 (Oct 11, 2006)

are you spraying adheisive everytime you put on a new shirt. if so dont. the elmors glue stuff, or whatever you want to call it last between 35 to 70 shirts without re-applying. depending on artwork, and how many colors you have. i understand maybe the first couple might have residue, but after that you should have none. i dont remember how long the spray stuff works. another thing are you using the web adhesive, that stuff is alot stronger and leaves more glue than the regular spray. i only use the web stuff on sweatshirts


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## yoshimi (Feb 13, 2009)

Your just using a poor quality adhesive. amp is right-web spray is only meant for heavy duty fabrics like polar fleece. There is one from sericol that only activates correctly when your using a flash, it's great stuff and doesn't leave glue on your shirts. Just go easy on the spray and don't use it as often. Even a general spray should last at least ten shirts.


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## INKFREAK (Jul 24, 2008)

After you screened it and then flash dried it is where you re-melted the tack.Pull the shirt off when the ink is still wet and flash dry it /cure it on a clean pallet.That way it will not matter what kind of tack you use.


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## 4oclockteetime (Dec 30, 2007)

Thanks for the suggestions... Its working well now...


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