# 100% Polyester Dri-fit shirt platten marks?



## downtownsports (Nov 10, 2009)

Has anyone else had issues with printing transfers or cad cut names/numbers on ANYTHING 100% polyester? As in dri-fit shirts? There seems to be platten marks from the heat on the shirt after we put the heat press down....and the marks do NOT come out in the wash! The prints come out great, but then we're stuck with a square indentation on the shirt! Please let me know if anyone has a cure to this BIG problem???

Thanks,

Greg


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

I heat press dri-fit all the time without this problem. Give us more details; time, temp, pressure, garment brand and type of transfer.

Have you tried easing up on the pressure? Using a teflon pillow?


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## downtownsports (Nov 10, 2009)

We have used Nike (always turn out with heat marks), Official Issue, Holloway, A4, Champro, Augusta...all turn out with a square from where the heat press went down on the material. 

We use Hot Peel transfers that use medium pressure and a temperature of 350 degrees for 10-12 seconds. Tried easing up on the pressure, then it didn't come off the transfer sheet. It's almost like the "dri-fit" material compresses under the heat and we're left with a flattened out piece of the garment where the platent was.

I've had to literally heat set the ENTIRE rest of the garment (front, back and sleeves)to even out the press marks so our customer wouldn't notice or complain. But that takes FOREVER 

-Greg


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

Are the marks at the edge of the platen or
where the edge of the paper was?


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## downtownsports (Nov 10, 2009)

the marks are exactly where the platen came down on the shirt...I will take a picture tomorrow and post it here...


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

Are you using a transfer pillow inside the shirt? Sometimes that helps with platen crease marks. I have gotten to the point that I always use a pillow inside. I have them in several sizes. May take a bit of extra time but worth it. No back collar or seam marks and no sharp set in forever creases.


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## Krystle1981 (Oct 1, 2010)

I had this exact same problem with the press marks left on the polyester garments. I tried easing up on the pressure, teflon pillows, cardboard, and mouse pads but still couldn't get the marks to not show up. 

I would say test your platen to see if the temperature displayed is accurate. I was using a Sunie heat press at the time. When I tested it, I realized my temp was way off. I upgraded to the Hotronix Fusion and I no longer have this problem.


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## downtownsports (Nov 10, 2009)

Hi all,

Here are the pics that I said I would be posting. This is what is happening on any and all dri-fit, 100% polyester shirts. Whether we use pillows, covers, light pressure, light temp., etc...

Any suggestions?

-Greg


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

We solve this problem with our new contour cut transfers. PM me for details


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## downtownsports (Nov 10, 2009)

Contour cut transfers? Please do explain....


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

PM ME AS REQUESTED Can't self promote.


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

While I think I understand contour cut transfers, how is that transfer going to stop the platen marks the poster is experiencing? The marks are not from his transfer such as inkjet transfers. The marks are made by his platen. The pics show the marks made when the poster does the prepress. There is no transfer on the shirt.


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## Krystle1981 (Oct 1, 2010)

I totally agree...I was thinking the same


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## downtownsports (Nov 10, 2009)

Yup. I just didn't want to waste a transfer to show the platen marks...as the print turns out great, just got those damn platen marks


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

Yes My bad.


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

Measure press temp.
Try a vapor shirt


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## downtownsports (Nov 10, 2009)

What's a vapor shirt?


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

It is a popular dye sub shirt. Many vendors
like us distribute them. Your issue may not
happen with them. I am told it is related
to the quality of the dye job.


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## IDIDIT13 (Nov 19, 2013)

downtownsports said:


> Yup. I just didn't want to waste a transfer to show the platen marks...as the print turns out great, just got those damn platen marks


Ken - Did you ever resolve the platen burn marks on Poly?


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## downtownsports (Nov 10, 2009)

Yes we did, we lowered the temperature to 300 degrees and set the transfer longer and bye bye platen marks


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## djque (Feb 5, 2013)

downtownsports said:


> Yes we did, we lowered the temperature to 300 degrees and set the transfer longer and bye bye platen marks


 temperature of 350 degrees for 10-12 seconds is a bit over kill should be around 300 for 7 seconds. I pre press the shirt inside out then press with a teflon sheet on top of the transfer. but also all presses ain't the same heat wise. elevation, weather, how long the shirt been sitting plays a part. you have to test your press. I just got a mug press and people was saying press at 400 for 240 seconds I burned the **** out of that paper and mug. went all the way down to 385 and 100 seconds light to medium pressure and got perfect mugs now. and I have a so called cheap press same with my swingaway hat press. there temp is different from the suppose to be good ones. once you get it down pack you dont need a timer lol.


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## AJCoast2Coast (Jan 9, 2014)

I have had some promising results with placing foam inside the shirt and pressing it after the transfer.


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## Wink Shop (Nov 6, 2014)

I know this is old, but I had this problem the last 2 days and went though much trial and error after not finding a solid answer on here, and I got my issue figured out so thought I'd post for you all.

First off... I was trying to print a left chest, one color Plastisol Transfer from Transfer Express onto an A4 100% Polyester shirt. The back had already been screenprinted so I kept getting the word "crew" that had been screened on the back, transfering through onto the front, and the dreaded marks from the edges of my press in a big rectangle on the shirt. 

The transfer I was using should transfer at 360-370-degrees, medium pressure, for 3-5 seconds. I am using a Hotronix clamshell HeatPress.

This is a large client that uses the same left chest on TONS of tshirts, so we already had them, and since they work for Polyester, I went for it. However they press at a MUCH higher temp then their Elastiprints which would have probably solved my problem if I had those on hand since those press at 275 degress.

Anyway, after many trials and errors, washing and drying garments to check for proper adhesion etc...

Here was my final work around.

330 degrees, Medium Pressure.

I put a Silicone pressing sheet in the middle of the shirt (to prevent the "crew" word on the back from creasing through). Then prewarmed the garment for 4 seconds.

Next I pressed the left chest Goof Proof Plastisol Print for 10 seconds, then hot peeled.

Then I layed a Pressing sheet on top and pressed for another 10 seconds.

VOILA! No scorching ,no pressing marks, good adhesion, and even though it wasn't an "elastiprint" it had good stretch. 

Only took me about 5 hours of trial and error to get here ,so thought it was worth posting.

Next time now that we know this issue, we will do the left chests first, then screen the backs of these shirts and that will take away one extra heat press step.


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## macman29681 (May 24, 2013)

Wink Shop said:


> I know this is old, but I had this problem the last 2 days and went though much trial and error after not finding a solid answer on here, and I got my issue figured out so thought I'd post for you all.
> 
> First off... I was trying to print a left chest, one color Plastisol Transfer from Transfer Express onto an A4 100% Polyester shirt. The back had already been screenprinted so I kept getting the word "crew" that had been screened on the back, transfering through onto the front, and the dreaded marks from the edges of my press in a big rectangle on the shirt.
> 
> ...


Couldn't you just have threaded the garment on the press so only the front side was under the heat?


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## Wink Shop (Nov 6, 2014)

macman29681 said:


> Couldn't you just have threaded the garment on the press so only the front side was under the heat?



Not on our heat press... it's not a swing out, the bottom platen is attached to the stand. In order to pull a shirt over the whole platen you'd have to stretch the shirt as the bottom of the shirt only goes half way in, and I don't want to do that especially with that material as it doesn't bounce back.


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## EssenceGold (Mar 6, 2013)

I need to try one of the lower tempertature you guys mentioned above for my polyester sweatpants. My transfers say 325 but I had it a bit higher because it wasn't sticking well on my 80 cotton/ 20 poly sweats. Ended up with the big shinny area, going to try 300 next. How many seconds should I put?


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

EssenceGold said:


> I need to try one of the lower tempertature you guys mentioned above for my polyester sweatpants. My transfers say 325 but I had it a bit higher because it wasn't sticking well on my 80 cotton/ 20 poly sweats. Ended up with the big shinny area, going to try 300 next. How many seconds should I put?


You shouldn't be having any issued on an 80/20 garment. Are you sure that shine isn't just a press compression mark that will wash out?

What brand/type of transfer is it?


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## EssenceGold (Mar 6, 2013)

I phrased that wrong. The print wasn't sticking well on the 80/20's at 330 F but the shiny mark was on the 100% poly pants. I'm using F&M Expressions 15 cent transfers.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

EssenceGold said:


> I phrased that wrong. The print wasn't sticking well on the 80/20's at 330 F but the shiny mark was on the 100% poly pants. I'm using F&M Expressions 15 cent transfers.


Try heavier pressure.


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