# sublimating mugs - help needed :)



## spidi21 (Jun 12, 2011)

Hello, everyone! I'm new in the bussiness and would like to have some answers...

I've been reading a lot of the posts in the forum and everybody seems to have different opinions. 

I would especially like to have good information for sublimating mugs. 

Here are some facts:
- Ricoh GX7000 printer, 
- Sublijet-R ink cartridges from Sawgrass,
- mug press Mug press 4 ELEMENTS inkl. 4 Heizelemente - Print Equipment GmbH & Co. KG , so that you know, what I am dealing with, 
- TexPrint-R paper, that's the one especially for the Ricoh printers,
- mugs with orca coating. 

My questions:
When I opened up the paper, there is a data sheet inside, stating that mugs should be pressed for 6 minutes at 200 C. But my supplier's data sheet says that I should be pressing it for 90-120 seconds at 180 C (355 F), medium pressure. Link: http://wiki.printequipment.de/lib/profiles/Druckparameter/Tassen_und_Glaeser_DE.pdf 
Please scroll to page 4 of this pdf, there's the data for my press - MPR-2. But these are the parameters for the Artainium inks and regular TexPrint paper. 

When I told them the type of paper and inks I am using, they even told me to press it for 115 seconds at ''only'' 155 C (310 F), apparently because of the TexPrint-R paper, that is a little different compared to regular one. 

I pressed my mug with these parameters (155 C, 115 sec), and it came out fine, I think .

But I still have questions...I printed the next picture, and used the same parameters and the picture came out a little yellowish - the whole picture... Am I pressing it for too long even maybe? Or what should be the problem here? The picture itself looks fine in Photoshop. 

It's a little strange, that they have these parameters, and everyone else is saying 4,5,6 minutes and 200 C (390 F). 

Please help me solve this problem. I know that I could be making tests, but before I do that, I would like to hear some opinions from you, more experienced ones in this field. And don't want to use more mugs than needed...


Thanks for now


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

conde david will chime in at some point but basically you need the following:

about 360F to turn the sublimation ink to gas to do the transfer, normall instructions are for around 400F. we do mugs at 395F. 

time depends on the density of the mug, normally 4-5 mins on a standard coffee mug is good enough. 

pressure needs to be even on the mug. we use medium pressure, enough to hold the mug without being able to move it in the press. too much pressure and the mug may crack, not enough and the image will blur. 

hope this helps.


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

I need to know about your press.
When you turn it on, does it get hot?
What temp does it get to without a mug in
the press?

There are sort of two kinds of presses.
Those like the DK3 that stay at the press temp.
And those that have a lower idle temp.

If you have the second kind, your time for
the first mug will be different than the second.

Also, you must use a cover sheet around the mug.

Take a look at our videos.


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## spidi21 (Jun 12, 2011)

Yes, the press gets hot when I turn it on. 

I have the one with 2 temperature settings. 
The idle temp is about 5 C (10 F) lower than the pressing temp. 

Based on my previous post...When I turn it on, I wait until the temp rises to 300 F, then I put the mug in and start pressing. The temp firstly falls and then it starts to rise to 310 F. And when it reaches 310, it starts to countdown the time.

I am also using the teflon sheet around the mug. 


I just want to know now, how come that the time and temperature specs are different for your mug - the DK3, and the one my supplier gave me? Did you have a chance to use any other mug press, than the DK3? Because it's quite a difference...6 minutes or 2 minutes for pressing the mug...

And what about the yellowish picture, am I using too much pressure maybe, or what could be issue here?


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

First, don't use Teflon. Pure evil for sublimation.
Use cheap paper.

On a dk3, the timer starts right away.
On yours it starts when you reach press temp.

That is why the times are different.

You will need to dial in your settings.


What some people do is start with a press
at press temp. Find your correct time.
Will be something like 3:00 to 4:00


But if you are starting at the idle temp,
It will be shorter.

You will be fine.
Just try to always start with the same temp.


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## spidi21 (Jun 12, 2011)

Why is teflon ''pure evil''? Just for mugs or all kinds of blank materials?

Because some are always saying, that you should cover the blank item with the teflon sheet, you can even see that in videos on youtube...


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

Good question.
Because you can sublimate to Teflon.
It will not hurt it, but will transfer that ink
to the next thing that it touches.

Ok to use Teflon on the bottom, but always cover 
with cheap paper.

Also Teflon is a moisture barrier so it will
Trap moisture (when usef on top) and that can cause major
problems.

Not too many of our videos use Teflon.

Two exceptions:

Sublimation patches
Mates material


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## BRC (Mar 27, 2007)

310 deg is simply not hot enough for sublimation. Both of my presses have an idle temp of 309 and go to 385 before the countdown starts. What kind of press do you have?


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## PhilDx (Feb 13, 2010)

My experience with hard-coated 11oz mugs from Conde is: 380-390F and 210 seconds is enough. You can go longer/hotter, but shouldn't need to unless you're not getting full transfer. Beyond a certain point the transfer paper starts to burn and you 'caramelize' the coating.

A tip I heard is: Print a full black 100% of r/g/b test and press it. If you have your settings right it will come out true black, if there's a tint then you need to adjust.


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## spidi21 (Jun 12, 2011)

BRC said:


> 310 deg is simply not hot enough for sublimation. Both of my presses have an idle temp of 309 and go to 385 before the countdown starts. What kind of press do you have?


Please see my first post, where there is a link to my press. Basically it's from China, like many others, and you can also see this press in a lot of videos on youtube (e.g. like seen here [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J81JjkHYq5I&[/media])

Why is 310 not hot enough? I did manage to get my transfer to the mug though... And also washed in the washingmachine and it didn't go off...


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## spidi21 (Jun 12, 2011)

PhilDx said:


> My experience with hard-coated 11oz mugs from Conde is: 380-390F and 210 seconds is enough. You can go longer/hotter, but shouldn't need to unless you're not getting full transfer. Beyond a certain point the transfer paper starts to burn and you 'caramelize' the coating.
> 
> A tip I heard is: Print a full black 100% of r/g/b test and press it. If you have your settings right it will come out true black, if there's a tint then you need to adjust.


Ok, will try this out then. And what to adjust, the time or the temperature? Set it lower or higher, either one of them...?


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## PhilDx (Feb 13, 2010)

1st check your press, make sure you're at about 380-400F, don't trust your readout unless you've checked it with something accurate like a temp probe. 

2nd, start at 210 seconds and vary the time, you're not getting full color saturation increase it, if you're getting blurring of the image or browning of your mug's coating, decrease it (and double check your temp again). You want the mug to come up to 380F plus, and there's quite a bit of thermal mass, hence the long time.

Don't forget the water quench afterwards to stop the process.

Also, if you have a yellow cast over the 'inkless' areas of your design, see if it's coming from your print settings rather than your pressing technique. I got that and it turned out to be a very light yellow being printed over the background (from wrong color settings), and it was too faint to see on the printout, but turned everything I did yellow.


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