# Plastisol tranfer cracking after 1st wash!



## Filli (Feb 5, 2008)

hey peoples!

long time read (very long time) first time poster here!

ok i've searched and search for an answer to this but can't see to find the answer, or i'm just blind and not reading it right.

basically me and my friend are doing t-shirts via plastisol transfer method.

every single step of the way we've had challenges from putting emulsion on the screen to burning ourselves on the heat press.

we've come to the very last step!!! THANK GOD!!!

pretty much we do the whole tranfer process all fine and well, we transfer it onto the shirt and it's all sweet (not 100% of the time which is annoying!!) but most of the time it works.

we let it sit and chill and everything, do the stretch test and no cracks, feels great, looks great gave it a kiss and it was sweet.

put it in for the first wash as a test and cracks and creases appeared, when stretched they appeared even more...

someone please tell me what has gone wrong here!!?? if it transfers nicely onto the shirt and has no cracks doesn't that mean it was a successful transfer with heat, pressure and time?

sorry about the long story but please help us!!


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## badalou (Mar 19, 2006)

Filli said:


> hey peoples!
> 
> long time read (very long time) first time poster here!
> 
> ...


sl let me see.. you are screen printing release paper and then pressing, right? Why.. If you can screen print why are you making transfers? also you do not stretch plastisol transfers. That is certian types of heat transfers like JPSs.


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## Filli (Feb 5, 2008)

we're doing the transfers to save us on t-shirts as mentioned alot on this forum, which was/is a good idea in my oppinion still, unless we know exactly what shirt, colour, size we're printing on....but cos we're selling the design and offering to put it on a shirt of style, colour and size, we'd end up having to print the same design on alot of shirts just to cover the styles we will offer....we're thinking ahead rather than in the present as we're still startin up. (plus the transfer method gives a much better colour result from what i've seen)

we're not stretching the tranfer itself, we're stretching the shirt once the transfer has been put on, everyone is going to stretch a shirt when putting it on or wat not or in the wash n stuff....but it cracked just after the wash even before we stretched it...

also...correct me if i'm wrong...isn't the stretch test one of the methods used to test if it's cured or not?


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

I think there are addatives for plastisol inks to give it more stretchability as well as adheasion crystals and powders. I also think certain inks do certain things.


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## Filli (Feb 5, 2008)

MotoskinGraphix said:


> I think there are addatives for plastisol inks to give it more stretchability as well as adheasion crystals and powders. I also think certain inks do certain things.


yeah we are using the powder to help the ink stick onto the shirt...which has worked wonders!!!

but yes it still cracks when stretched....


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

Do you think it has anything to do with how much ink is being deposited on the transfer sheet?


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## hcp482 (Feb 1, 2008)

Either There Is To Much Ink Or You Are Not Curing Long
Enough! Make Sure It Reaches 320 Degrees And 
Maintains Temp For A Few Seconds!


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## BKSARTS2 (Apr 17, 2008)

throw my cards at hc482.


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

What temp are you transfering at and how long? Ink on the transfer sheet isnt cured its gelled. The curing happens in the actual heat pressing.


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## Filli (Feb 5, 2008)

MotoskinGraphix said:


> What temp are you transfering at and how long? Ink on the transfer sheet isnt cured its gelled. The curing happens in the actual heat pressing.


hey guys,

thanks for your input!

it might be there is too much ink going down, but it gives it such a nicer feel when it's thicker ink! bt we will try to reduce the amount of ink that goes on.

as for the curing, we are gelling it and letting it rest before we put it onto the shirt, we have the press at 180 degrees celcius so that about 356degrees F isnt it? we're tried other temps but then it never transfered properly, the transfer works nicely just when we wash it it just dissapoints...

i mean are we not spose to stretch a shirt? i'm sure clients aren't going to be as carefull with their shirts...


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## Filli (Feb 5, 2008)

sorry forgot to mention we're pressing it for 20sec at the above temp


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## melbyj71 (Oct 1, 2007)

I have to assume since your are pressing with a Celcius temperature that you may have an "ebay" press, or something similar......have you bought a temperature gun to test the temperature all along the platen of the press? We had similar problem with transfers purchased from a plastisol distributor - until we purchased a good name brand press that maintains a constant temperature, etc....just a thought.........


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## Filli (Feb 5, 2008)

melbyj71 said:


> I have to assume since your are pressing with a Celcius temperature that you may have an "ebay" press, or something similar......have you bought a temperature gun to test the temperature all along the platen of the press? We had similar problem with transfers purchased from a plastisol distributor - until we purchased a good name brand press that maintains a constant temperature, etc....just a thought.........


ahhh yeah we've bought the temp gun because we had the same though...and unfortuently it is an ebay press and the temp wasn't exactly consistent over the whole plate....is the only way to fix this is to buy a new press?

can we just raise the temp so the coolest part is 350deg F is having a spot too hot bad?


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

I press all my stock transfers at 400. Most instructions say start at 385. My dwell times start at 10 seconds and very according to what transfer is going down. It isnt because thats what the instructions say, rather its practice with the many different transfers we sell.


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## justkaran (Mar 5, 2011)

Filli said:


> sorry forgot to mention we're pressing it for 20sec at the above temp


i think the trouble lies here dude


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

justkaran said:


> i think the trouble lies here dude


That was posted almost 4 years ago, hopefully he has it sorted out by now.


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