# Transfer Freedom One Color Single Image 15� Online Exclusive Review



## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

*Transfer Freedom One Color Single Image 15¢ Online Exclusive Review*

I've used Transfer Freedom's regular one color custom transfers before, and have been pretty happy with them. The price was good and so was the quality and ease of use. Recently I saw that they had this special (15 cent One Color Heat Transfers) going on, so I decided to try it for some shirts I was working on. The price was definitely better than their regular service.

Like their other services, the process went relatively quick. I think they printed and shipped it in a couple of days, and I had it at my door a couple of days after that. Pressing it took a couple of seconds and was a hot peel without any problems. Now one thing I did notice right off the bat, was that I thought the transfer felt a little different than the their regular custom service one I had done. This is their "athletic formula". Not sure different that is, but I thought I could feel a slight difference in the hand. Overall it reminded me of vinyl. Now my design had a lot going on with it, so I am not sure if that affected it, but I thought it felt a little rougher, almost as if the edges would peel. Once again, I think that was more with my design, as other areas felt fine (and yes I did press it again just to make sure I didn't screw that part up). It has a very light feel to it, not heavy. It stretches, but I wouldn't pull it too much. 

The first one I pressed was back in August and I have worn it quite a bit. Can't say how many times I've washed it. Maybe 16-20 times? I have noticed some cracking in it. Not sure when that started, so I can't say how many washes it made it through. With my design I don't think it hurts it, but if you had something that wasn't distressed looking, then it wouldn't be good for it. It hasn't deterred me from running a few other jobs and selling them.

I tried to get some close up shots of the details, but my camera wasn't behaving itself. So you can see how clean and detailed the print is, my website text is probably 4pt type.

A description from their website: 
"Any single image one color heat transfer is just .15¢ per piece with a $20 setup for any image up to 9"x12.75" in one of our 18 stock colors. This is an online exclusive product that ships the next business day. Your one color single image graphic will be printed using the versatile Spot Color Athletic formula for application onto 100% polyester, 100% cotton and cotton-poly blends."


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

*Re: Transfer Freedom One Color Single Image 15¢ Online Exclusive Review*

Dang Robert, where you been? 

Thanks for the write up. Their 15 cent special uses their low-bleed, opaque poly inks only, that's why you felt more hand than their other ink.

I find if I use the maximum pressure I can muscle (manual press) and add a couple of extra seconds to the dwell time, I can really get the ink embedded into the fabric. It will not feel like you can peel the transfer off.

Welcome back, don't be a stranger.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

*Re: Transfer Freedom One Color Single Image 15¢ Online Exclusive Review*



splathead said:


> I find if I use the maximum pressure I can muscle (manual press) and add a couple of extra seconds to the dwell time, I can really get the ink embedded into the fabric.


I agree with using as much pressure as you can, however, I disagree on the extra dwell time.....I think most processes like this have a sweet spot as far as long enough time to make it stick but not so much that you over cure the transfer....When you over cure the transfer it becomes more brittle and does not hold up as long without cracking.....


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## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

*Re: Transfer Freedom One Color Single Image 15¢ Online Exclusive Review*



splathead said:


> Dang Robert, where you been?
> 
> Thanks for the write up. Their 15 cent special uses their low-bleed, opaque poly inks only, that's why you felt more hand than their other ink.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the welcome back. I actually do have the press on a high pressure, and I did press it longer than what they gave. As I mentioned before, it might be more about the design. Large areas feel pretty good, but the areas where there is a lot of small ink bits is where I feel it more.


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## jayeasy (Jul 21, 2010)

*Re: Transfer Freedom One Color Single Image 15¢ Online Exclusive Review*

I dig F&M's $20/15c deal. I would agree that they do feel a bit thicker but for the price I really have no complaints except choosing from 18 colors doesn't allow for very many options color-wise. Allowing their XL sheet would be nice too, but I guess this lets them save paper by ganging the smaller images.


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## drdoct (Jul 26, 2011)

*Re: Transfer Freedom One Color Single Image 15¢ Online Exclusive Review*

You mentioned that you pressed for longer than 7 seconds AND repressed it. The ink is over cured. I ran into the same thing when doing tests trying to press 2 one color transfers into a 2 color design. It's because of this that I don't do a repress anymore. I have an air press that takes about a second to raise all the way to I press for 9 seconds, but that's it. You got good adhesion but made it brittle. If you've still got one of those try it straight by the book and I bet you get better results. It's not going to come off after the initial press. It bonds quite well. I'm really surprised you got that good of results on those fine lines and openings. I had 2 colors of the same design, white and green. On the green it was nice and like it should be. The white actually closed 2 narrow open spots on my design. When I reordered I made sure they were open to 2pts and now they are perfect. I think the white is a much thicker formula and therefore has a heavier hand. I also use a little heavier pressure than stated. It calls for 60lbs and I usually press at 80lbs, which is pretty dang firm. We have a screen printer here that overcooks his shirts and they do the same thing after about 10 washes. It's got to keep rubbery.


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