# Talked to F&M at show, good transfers?



## BikerBill (Feb 18, 2014)

Hi all, I was at the SURF expo in Orlando a few days ago. Some of the big transfer companies were there. I talked to someone from F&M transfers. I liked the feel and look of the display designs they had showcased.

Can anyone who has or currently buys from them give me your thoughts on the quality, look and how well F&M transfers work for you? I figured I'd buy some of their stock designs and see how they go. If good I'll give them some custom designs to do. Any info about them much appreciated. Thank you.


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## oetees (Dec 5, 2018)

They actually have a sample pack that you can order for free from them on the website to get a feel for how they print for you. I use them quite regularly as I enjoy the "Vintage" print that they have out. It is very soft feel, sometimes you can barely ever tell there's a print down from the feel.


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## BikerBill (Feb 18, 2014)

oetees said:


> They actually have a sample pack that you can order for free from them on the website to get a feel for how they print for you. I use them quite regularly as I enjoy the "Vintage" print that they have out. It is very soft feel, sometimes you can barely ever tell there's a print down from the feel.


Cool, thanks for letting me know. I do biker, patriotic and military designs mostly. Yeah the designs they had on display on shirts were very nice. Liked the solid vivid colors.


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## oetees (Dec 5, 2018)

BikerBill said:


> Cool, thanks for letting me know. I do biker, patriotic and military designs mostly. Yeah the designs they had on display on shirts were very nice. Liked the solid vivid colors.


Definitely! I have played around with their single color 15 cent transfers, but I haven't had enough wash tests to really see how long they last, but the print looks really nice once it's down. I know their vintage lasts quite a while. I've had a shirt for about a year and it's still doing pretty good.


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## FatPrints (Jan 8, 2019)

BikerBill said:


> Cool, thanks for letting me know. I do biker, patriotic and military designs mostly. Yeah the designs they had on display on shirts were very nice. Liked the solid vivid colors.


Our company uses both F&M and Versatrans. We love both. I think Versatrans paper is better, but they both work well.


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## BikerBill (Feb 18, 2014)

Well I bought a dozen different stock transfers they have, mostly biker designs. I have to say so far I'm disappointed. They are very thin, too thin. They feel like if I just rub my hand over them they will break.

Also, I'm in the middle of testing each design out right now, and two came out with a "bubble" at the edge. I can lift the damn transfer right up and peel it off. It's like there is nothing to hold it down.

And YES, I have a very good machine; hotronix fusion, correct temp, good pressure, hot peel. It's like I have experienced over and over and over, stock transfers from big companies just don't work.

Custom designs I know that have been made recently I never have a problem with. I will do the rest and throw them in the wash, but I already know I'd be scared to use them. I got several of the Marilyn Monroe designs and,,, ehhhh.


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

versatrans has been the best transfers in my testing,
get some free samples for testing

also proworld has stock transfers,
see if they have samples for you to test (i've not tested these)


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## BikerBill (Feb 18, 2014)

into the T said:


> versatrans has been the best transfers in my testing,
> get some free samples for testing
> 
> also proworld has stock transfers,
> see if they have samples for you to test (i've not tested these)


I just got done all the designs. Two more had the old dried ink problem. I pressed 3 of the same designs each and every one had a spot or line that would not come out because the ink was dried out in those spots. Normally it's always black or blue ink.

I got some proworld stock transfers long ago, same problem. In fact when I tried to buy more the second time after talking to them they tested the ones I picked and told me not to buy them as they were no good. This was years ago mind you.

It's always the same story, stock transfers sitting on shelves for a year or more don't work. Every year I make Daytona Beach bike week shirts. Because they put the year of the event on each one they are always made fresh. Gotta buy 100 at a time.

They always peel like butter, no problems. I can keep them a year and still work well. Now, I can also buy NEW designs the stock transfer companies come out with and they work fine. Why? Because they made them recently.

I'm just surprised and shocked that so many companies keep selling thousands of transfer designs they MUST KNOW are no good. Rant over. I'll just stick to custom, new designs. Funny thing is the ones I buy that work so well are made by a surfer vape dude nobody knows about.  I'll take his transfers over all the others any day.


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

I just started using F&M for 5 color prints (4CP plus underbase,) jobs which I had been turning down in the past, since I only have a four color press. I've done three fairly large jobs with their transfers so far and I'm pleased with the quality. I did a wash test on one and it was fine.

What I've learned from experimentation is that the temperature setting of your heat press makes a difference in the quality of the print. Too hot and it weakens the color. Better to do it at a lower temp for a longer time. All of a sudden what you thought was unacceptable turns out looking great.

What I like most is how fast I can get a job done. Last week I did 100 shirts in a little more than an hour. Even if I had the press capacity to do a 5-color print job, with all the flashing it would have taken all damn day! (I just work by myself...)

I'm going to use transfers from now on for 4-5 color jobs and save my press time for the more profitable short run 1-2 color stuff.

The big profit is when you can convince your customer to have the full-color print on the back and a one color small print on the left chest. That part I'll do myself and it adds $150 or so for a few hours more of work.


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## BikerBill (Feb 18, 2014)

Ripcord said:


> I just started using F&M for 5 color prints (4CP plus underbase,) jobs which I had been turning down in the past, since I only have a four color press. I've done three fairly large jobs with their transfers so far and I'm pleased with the quality. I did a wash test on one and it was fine.
> 
> What I've learned from experimentation is that the temperature setting of your heat press makes a difference in the quality of the print. Too hot and it weakens the color. Better to do it at a lower temp for a longer time. All of a sudden what you thought was unacceptable turns out looking great.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your input. I love how the colors came out with these. I just don't like how they do not stick to the shirt. I have attached a pic of one of the designs I did. I touched it up but it looks pretty much as you see it. I took the pic of it pressed onto a shirt.

However what you can't see in the pic is that all those tiny red points in the flourish are sticking out, they did not adhere to the shirt. I can take my fingers and pull them all out easy. 

I even did a second press with parchment paper and they still did not stick. I have emailed them and asked if they would make me new fresh transfers of the stock designs I want using their better formats, as I see they have 4 or more "grades". I assume their stock transfers are made with their cheap grade.


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## BikerBill (Feb 18, 2014)

I just washed them all and threw them in the dryer too. I did not turn them inside out since customers won't. I was surprised to see they all look fine. Still don't have a good feeling about them however.


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## RAExpressions (Dec 8, 2018)

IMO...Versatrans and Transfer Express are the best transfers. Their quality and customer service is good to go. The only issues I've had is me (user error) in wrong temp and/or pressure. I also use Hotronix auto clam 16x20 press. I've tried F&M and they are ok. Versatrans and TE are my go to.


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## BikerBill (Feb 18, 2014)

RAExpressions said:


> IMO...Versatrans and Transfer Express are the best transfers. Their quality and customer service is good to go. The only issues I've had is me (user error) in wrong temp and/or pressure. I also use Hotronix auto clam 16x20 press. I've tried F&M and they are ok. Versatrans and TE are my go to.


Hey, thanks for the advice. Transfer Express only goes up to 11.25x14 inches sheets. I do biker designs for big denim biker shirts. So I need designs around 14 X 18.

I see Versatrans has a "normal" transfer and one called VersaColor. May I ask you which is better? Thanks.


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## RAExpressions (Dec 8, 2018)

I've only used the versacolor transfers. The colors are more vibrant and A++++ quality and durability. They are plastisol screen printed transfers. The EPT eliminator transfers are also excellent quality but have never used them. I have a local screen printer in my area that also uses heat press applications. He orders strictly through versatrans and has used the ept eliminator...A++++ quality as well.


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## BikerBill (Feb 18, 2014)

RAExpressions said:


> I've only used the versacolor transfers. The colors are more vibrant and A++++ quality and durability. They are plastisol screen printed transfers. The EPT eliminator transfers are also excellent quality but have never used them. I have a local screen printer in my area that also uses heat press applications. He orders strictly through versatrans and has used the ept eliminator...A++++ quality as well.


Okay thank you. I will shoot them an email sometime about what is best for denim biker shirts. They are 100% cotton but denim style. I only have plain .jpg images to give them so I assume there will be a fee for converting it to proper format.

But after that I could easily buy 100 or so every few months for a dozen designs I have. Thanks again.


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## DrivingZiggy (Apr 24, 2017)

The new kid on the block has been getting good reviews here. I think their name is 613 or something like that. I think it's some guys who got several years' experience working for the other companies and then started their own company making a quality product.


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## BikerBill (Feb 18, 2014)

So I did some talking with Versatrans and others. I do biker designs, which are very large, like 14 inches wide by 16 inches long. They also often need a 4 inch high chest design.

With a 3 color design, buying even 70 is going to cost me a bit over 7 bucks a design. That is more than it would be worth. In the biker world there are hundreds of small mom and pop places that are, uh, a bit "Bohemian" in nature shall we say. 

These places are unknown to most and make fantastic designs. They use giant 2 foot by 4 or even 6 foot gang sheets to make 4 to 6 different large designs at a time.

As a result I can buy four different designs, 25 each, WITH the matching chest logo, for around $1.50 each. They also work amazingly well, peel great and last forever. 

So I'm a bit spoiled by them. The downside with many of them is that frankly, they have so much work by simply word of mouth locally they don't need your business, and it can be a pain to contact them and have them make what you want.


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