# F&M Plastisol transfers CRACKING after one or two washes!



## cyprus106 (May 3, 2010)

Here's all the info: 
I ordered a number of plastisol transfers from F&M Expressions. I used their recommended settings. I believe 355 for 7 seconds, medium pressure? I'm using a Stahl's Hotronix 16x20 press and Gildan heavyweight cotton shirts. 

I've already sent several shirts out to customers and haven't heard any complaints... yet... but I've got two shirts I made for myself and after just one or two washes, the graphic is cracking! It's a relatively simple one-color, big fat cursive design. I have no idea what I did wrong? Am I not pressing it enough? 

I'm kind of concerned now; I've got a ton of advertising going out like TOMORROW and now I'm worried about the quality of my product! 

Any help would be amazing, guys. Thanks a ton.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Cracking is usually an indication of under curing. Double check the instructions to make sure you are applying correctly. Check your press temp to make sure it's not running cooler than your temperature gauge. If the problem persists, call F&M for advice.


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## cyprus106 (May 3, 2010)

Thanks so much, Splathead. I've just checked the instructions again. I seem to be using the right settings. To try to self-correct this problem, would I increase the time a couple of seconds, (say from 7 to 9), or would I increase the pressure a bit... or both? Or would it simply be best to save the effort and call F&M for further instruction??

Again, thanks for the help.


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## Colorfast (Sep 2, 2006)

The last time I used FM I had issues with edge lift when I was doing test prints. I ended up using more pressure. Once I spoke with FM they said the same thing. One rep told it's hard to use TOO MUCH pressure. I also bumped the time by 2 seconds.

No customer complaints.


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## franktheprinter (Oct 5, 2008)

Keep in mind ALL heat presses behave somewhat differently from one brand to another
depending on how its manufactured...all we can do as manufacters of transfers is to give
you our best recommended settings to use based on our experiences with the heat presses
we use to test the product.....i would highly reccomend requesting samples from any heat
transfer manufacturer and trying them beforehand...Frank (owner of Silver Mountain Graphics)


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## DUBKORPS (Sep 17, 2009)

I have been using FM for a long time. You can't pay any attention to the specs that put in those sheets if you are using a clamshell press. The spec they send assume you have a commercial pneumatic press. 

With your press I suggest bumping the heat to about 360 and pressing as hard as your press will allow and then some for about 17 seconds. 

When I say then some...I mean it. Your press cannot duplicate what a pneumatic press can do as far as even hard pressure. If you have an auto open press you will need to set it so hard that it likely will not open by itself. 

What I say may seem crazy...trust me I have pressed over 10,000 or more shirts using FM transfers this way using a Hotronix 16x20.

Your transfer is simply sitting on the surface of the shirt and not getting pressed into it. There is only two things you can do...more heat...more pressure.


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## cyprus106 (May 3, 2010)

ok. I've got a hotronix 16x20 too. I had bumped up the pressure to 9 and beyond and held it for about 10 seconds... after that, a teflon sheet over the top and pressed again, pushing down. That seems to work. Do you think that's enough?


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## DUBKORPS (Sep 17, 2009)

I have my pressure set beyond the scale of the read out so it reads nothing on the digital display. 

The problem with double pressing is you will make the ink "SHINY". Something about letting the ink cool and then heating it again causes it ot get that way. But you don't want to have to print twice it's just non productive. 

My best advice and what I have been doing for several years is MAX OUT the pressure and press it for 17 seconds at 360. You should be able to look at the print and see that it is embedded into the shirt.

edit...
the only time I double press is sometime on prints that have very fine detail sometimes I find that the print can pull up when peeling the sheet. Ive recently only found this with Fm red ink but I am going to attribute most of it to my design which had small halftone dots. I would peel the paper and then go back with the teflon and literally only press it for about 2 seconds.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

DUBKORPS said:


> With your press I suggest bumping the heat to about 360 and pressing as hard as your press will allow and then some for about 17 seconds.


I haven't used FM in a while but if you're going through all that then I suspect your temp gauge is misreading. Any plastisol transfer that needs more than about 10 seconds at that temp is bad. I used to press FM at 325 or 350 for 8 seconds on a clamshell and I have shirts that are a couple of years old and still going strong. 

On the pressure thing I've done a number of tests at different pressures and on my press there is no difference in transfers pressed between 4 and 8 (scale is 1-10). Colors tend to bleed on transfers pressed at 9-10 while transfers pressed at less than 3 tend not to stick. I press all mine at 6-7.


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## DUBKORPS (Sep 17, 2009)

There are many different type of FM transfers...each is different. 

I have two Hotronix presses and have owned and used several others over the past few years. The heat was always set at the same so I don't suspect the heat gauge is wrong. 

The thread starter stated he/she was pressing at 355 for 7 seconds and had issues. I have had similar issues at those settings till upping the pressure. 

As I mentioned I have pressed easily 10k-20K or more shirts so I highly doubt that all of them were bad including the thread starters. 

My question to you is 
"what did you transfers feel like after printing?" 
"Were they very "plastic" like in feel?"
"Were you using a spot hi-performance which had added glue for better adhesion?"
"Did you try those same settings with a fashion formula transfer? If yes how was the feel ? Was it pressed into the shirt fibers ?"


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## MYDAMIT (Jan 14, 2007)

i know that when you purchase to F&M they send you additional sheets, try to test them in different setting until you got the perfect settings. Mine i used 165 to 10sec heavy pressure.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

DUBKORPS said:


> There are many different type of FM transfers...each is different.
> 
> I have two Hotronix presses and have owned and used several others over the past few years. The heat was always set at the same so I don't suspect the heat gauge is wrong.
> 
> ...


The FM transfers always felt smoother than most other brands which is why some people complain that they feel like plastic, but plastisol is plastic so that feeling is impossible to avoid completely.

I stopped using FM just prior to them adding glue to their transfers. I've forgotten which was which but one I pressed at 325, the other at 350, per the instructions that came with the sheet. 8 seconds, never had a problem. I still have some F&M transfers. I pressed a few about a month back, same settings, no problems.

No, it isn't necessary to mash the ink into the fibers. Doing so can distort the transfer and on mine, as previously stated, it sometimes caused bleeding on multicolor transfers.

17 seconds is a long time to press. Are you sure you actually have to press that long? Do you know how to test for cure?


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## drscotty14 (Mar 23, 2011)

wormil said:


> 17 seconds is a long time to press. Are you sure you actually have to press that long? Do you know how to test for cure?


how do you test for cure?


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## KaySh (Oct 12, 2011)

I would like to know how to solve the cracking problem with F&M transfers too.
I have the 15c transfers (white) and after two washes I see a little bit of cracks.
I pressed 7sec at 325F as the instructions says.
I could have used more pressure though, but my hotronix auto-open has locking issue (I need to call the support).

I am pressing white design on black, so I really don't want to press it too long and cause the ink to sink in too much to reveal the fabric color.

I thought over-caking can cause cracks?

So for those reasons, I pressed it for 7sec like the instructions says, not longer.

Maybe I should add more pressure but keep the same time? I guess I need to experiment.

I have a big project coming up using the 15c transfers so I need to come up with the magic number ASAP..

Kay


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## NeonTees (Apr 25, 2010)

Heavy pressure is the key. The time is ok at 7 or 8 seconds but crank up the pressure. 

We found the pneumatic press at 60psi works great. That is at least an 8 or 9 on a clam press. 


Sent from my iPhone using TShirtForums app


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## KaySh (Oct 12, 2011)

Thanks Scott.
I will crank up the pressure and see what happens.

Kay


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

I have not found much of a difference with too much pressure, however, with too high of heat or too long, the transfers seem to crack quicker.......Being that they are an "athletic formula" (thicker) I think they are more prone to cracking......The "fashion formula" is less prone to cracking.....


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/plastisol-transfers/t176601.html


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