# Reflective vinyl question????



## knifemaker3 (Sep 8, 2006)

Anyone out there using reflective vinyl? I bought a roll from Imprintables in reflective silver vinyl. The roll says Siser on the inside of the roll and also a tag that says Thermoflex. I'm thinking COOL  !!!!

So I tried it today for the first time. The stuff weeded not so great but that was more from cutting with a 45 degree blade instead of a 60 and probably not quite enough pressure. It didn't cut clean and some of the letters wanted to lift with the excess vinyl I was weeding.

Anyway, I got it weeded and pressed per the instruction sent with it from Imprintable. Pre press, then press at 330 degrees for 2 seconds peel hot.

This stuff peeled worst than if it had been glued on!!! I liked to never got a corner lifted to start peeling and when I did it was a real struggle to get it to peel. It didn't lift any of the graphic and the designs come out great, but man what a pain to peel. The shirt was just in a messed up wad by the time I got the mylar peeled.

Followed up with a second press for 15 seconds and teflon and like I already said the design looks great.

My question is this. Is the reflective vinyl just this way? I sure would hope that Thermoflex is better than this. I've never used it before but was considering it with all the trouble with the white Spec Cut II I been having.

Sorry this is so long. Any thoughts?

Thanks


----------



## BRC (Mar 27, 2007)

knifemaker3 said:


> Anyway, I got it weeded and pressed per the instruction sent with it from Imprintable. Pre press, then press at 330 degrees for 2 seconds peel hot.


Are you sure about the 2 second press or was it 20 seconds?


----------



## Square1 (Jun 23, 2007)

I'd love to hear from someone who has also used this reflective vinyl. I just ordered a roll of gold. This will be the first time that I've used this vinyl myself. Can't wait to try it out. Any special advise will help!


----------



## Chani (Jun 18, 2007)

I'm also interested in hearing what people's experiences with reflective vinyl are.

Our very first company shirt will be using black reflective and glow-in-the-dark TuffCut.


----------



## knifemaker3 (Sep 8, 2006)

Terry, I'm not at my press right now and that is where the instructions are. I'll have to look again to make sure I read it right but I'm just sure it said 2 seconds and I know it said peel hot. Then press again for 15 seconds with teflon.

I'll double check later on to make sure that is right. I could have read the directions wrong!!!!!

Thanks!


----------



## BRC (Mar 27, 2007)

The online instructions were preheat for 5 seconds at 305, then press for 5 seconds, peel warm then repress for 5 more seconds. They probably changed them after they were printed.


----------



## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

I don't know but I am getting ready to press 60 shirts with safety reflective within a week and it better work good.


----------



## knifemaker3 (Sep 8, 2006)

The sheet of paper they sent with it said to preheat then press for 2 seconds peel hot press 10-15 seconds with teflon sheet. All temps at 330 degrees.

I only had a problem with the mylar coming off, the design looks good. I'm wearing the shirt that I made as I type to show off at a meeting I have this morning with other fire departments.

David, is the material you got Thermoflex? And did you buy yours from Imprintables? I was tickled when I seen the reflective I bought from Imprintables said Thermoflex on it. And you can tell a definete difference between this roll of reflective and the SCII vinyl I've been using.

I'm thinking it is probably some misprint or something in the instructions sent from Imprintables that caused the problem. At least I hope this is not the norm with reflective vinyl as I am planning on selling alot of this to fire departments.

By the way, I bought some white Thermoflex from Specialty Graphics yesterday. I'm tired of ruining shirts with SCII. I hope to try the multicut as well.

Good luck on the 60 shirt order David!


----------



## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

Thanks for the good luck and I have not got my reflective yet. I will be getting it from my local distributor and I will be sure and ask him what he recommends for press time. I wouldn't buy anything off Imprintables ever again after the way they have handled their SCII white problem, which from the sounds of you is still ongoing. 

I'm not sure if it is thermoflex or not, honestly it does not say in the catalog I got from my distributor, but that's the only heat applied vinyl he carries is thermoflex so I would assume (I know what assuming does. ) and will be asking him if it is thermoflex. Definitely try out mulitcut, I think you will love it.


----------



## Square1 (Jun 23, 2007)

Just got my "reflective gold" from "Imprintables" last night. I cut it and found that needed 30 grams more pressure than my regular vinyl since it's so thin (150 grams/pressure with my US Cutter Refine). Weeding was easy with that pressure of a cut and it didn't come even close to cutting the clear transfer backing. 

The instructions that came with mine were to press for 10 seconds at 300 degrees, and to peel warm. I did exactly as instructed and the letters still wanted to stick to the clear transfer. I let it cool a bit longer and it seemed to adhere better. 

After the initial press and peel... I needed to press with a teflon sheet and seal it up... again 10 seconds at 300. It worked perfectly. The seal is nice. It doesn't quite melt to the material like normal heatpress vinyl... but it seals up well. I have to put it to the laundry test to see how it washes.


----------



## bergenandco (Jul 30, 2007)

I have found that if you pull off the pink backing and lay the roll flat for a week before cutting it cuts alot better - hopefully you have the space to leave it laying around.


Bryan


----------



## Chani (Jun 18, 2007)

Any more tips for using Imprintables reflective vinyl? I was forced to order a roll of their black reflective yesterday because EVERYONE is out of black Ref-Lite, including suppliers.

I'm a little afraid to use it, but it's integral to the design we need to do this weekend.


----------



## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

Chani not to change the subject, but I am very sorry to hear about the bridge collapse out there where you are. I hope everyone you know is safe.


----------



## Chani (Jun 18, 2007)

A friend of a friend of a friend of a friend just passed over that bridge before it collapsed, but everyone I know personally hasn't been affected, thankfully.

Thank you for your concern. 

I'm still in shock.


----------



## gothicaleigh (Jun 16, 2007)

knifemaker3 said:


> Anyone out there using reflective vinyl? I bought a roll from Imprintables in reflective silver vinyl. The roll says Siser on the inside of the roll and also a tag that says Thermoflex. I'm thinking COOL  !!!!


waitwaitwait...

The Siser vinyl is just retagged Thermoflex?  
Can anyone confirm if this is true or not (is it too much to hope that someone has two rolls of the same color lying arround to compare?) ?!


----------



## Chani (Jun 18, 2007)

I just cut Imprintables' black reflective for the first time. I used a 60 degree blade, so it cut just fine, but was LOUD! It also weeded pretty nicely.

I have a question about it, tho...it seems to have an extra, protective layer on the adhesive side. I looked at the instructions that came with it, and it doesn't mention peeling another layer off, but when I was weeding, it came off really easily. It's clear.

My question is, is that a protective layer that you peel off, or is it the adhesive itself and it's just coming off the vinyl?

I'd really like to press this shirt tonite, so I really need to know...

Thanks!


----------



## BelVon (Jul 26, 2006)

I used Ref-Lite made by Specialty Materials.

Cuts and weeds easy, stays on shirt. I'd stick to it.

I used reflective silver from JSI (their generic)... not good. Weeds hard, peels easily from shirt. I returned them and got my money back.

You can buy Ref-lite from suppliers who sell Thermoflex.

I love Thermoflex as well.


----------



## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

Azvel that's great to hear, because I talked to my distributor today and that's what they carry. Mind sharing the time and temp recommended, if you remember?

I am doing 60 t-shirts with it very soon and have never used it before.


----------



## Chani (Jun 18, 2007)

I just answered my own question.

It made sense to me to peel that backing off because on the weeded pieces when I peeled it, it was a little sticky on the vinyl itself. So I peeled the whole design and pressed it (My very first shirt!!!  ), and it worked!

So with Imprintables' black reflective, you peel the secondary backing (on the cut side, not the actual backing), and then press.

Just in case someone else was wondering.


----------



## BelVon (Jul 26, 2006)

theflowerboxx said:


> Azvel that's great to hear, because I talked to my distributor today and that's what they carry. Mind sharing the time and temp recommended, if you remember?
> 
> I am doing 60 t-shirts with it very soon and have never used it before.


 
I'm reading on the instruction here. It says:

300-320 F for 2-4 sec
Let cool
Remove backing
Then cover with release sheet & reheat 10 sec

Posting on a couple of pictures. Also washed it a couple of times.


----------



## knifemaker3 (Sep 8, 2006)

gothicaleigh said:


> waitwaitwait...
> 
> The Siser vinyl is just retagged Thermoflex?
> Can anyone confirm if this is true or not (is it too much to hope that someone has two rolls of the same color lying arround to compare?) ?!


 
I'll confirm that the inside of the roll has siser and also an orange tag that says thermoflex. And I did get it from Imprintables.

I looked the other day on their website and couldn't find the reflective silver listed. I'm guessing they may not carry it anymore?????

Not real sure as to why I got a roll of thermoflex when I ordered Spectra Cut Reflective, but I sure was tickled when I seen the inside of the roll that I received 

I wonder if it may be they were out and couldn't get any from where they have theirs made and substituted thermoflex  Just speculation on my part


----------



## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

Thanks azvel, those pictures look really nice.


----------



## brentonchad (Aug 24, 2007)

Can anyone give an update on some of the reflective vinyl shirts and the durability. I have a fire department looking at this and I want to make sure I am giving them a good quality product.


----------



## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

Well I can tell you it cut out and pressed on like a dream for me. I did 60 shirts for a company and every one went on smoothly. I haven't heard back from them as far as any problems so I believe they are still as good as when I pressed them on. Be sure and read the instructions on time and temps because it is different then regular heat transfer vinyl.


----------



## treadhead (Jul 26, 2006)

brentonchad said:


> Can anyone give an update on some of the reflective vinyl shirts and the durability. I have a fire department looking at this and I want to make sure I am giving them a good quality product.


We tried silver reflective material on two differen shirts for the first time. One shirt was with Imprintables product and the other was Thermoflex product. Both looked great but both also split on the edges of the design after a few washes and wearings. It was a multi-layered design and there was no splitting where the reflective material was placed over another layer. The other layer probably added strength. 

I'm wondering if the stretching of the t-shirt is too much for the reflective material to handle. Has anybody else experienced this with reflective material? Does it have to go on a thicker / stiffer substrate??


----------



## cmyk (Dec 3, 2007)

gothicaleigh said:


> waitwaitwait...
> 
> The Siser vinyl is just retagged Thermoflex?
> Can anyone confirm if this is true or not (is it too much to hope that someone has two rolls of the same color lying arround to compare?) ?!


 i don't know anything about Thermoflex, but _Thermo*re*flex is a reflective vinyl made by the italian producer Siser._

Siser S.r.l. | produzione dei materiali termotrasferibili per applicazioni sul tessile

maybe it is a missreading, Thermoflex instead of Thermoreflex.


----------



## bergenandco (Jul 30, 2007)

cmyk said:


> i don't know anything about Thermoflex, but _Thermo*re*flex is a reflective vinyl made by the italian producer Siser._
> 
> Siser S.r.l. | produzione dei materiali termotrasferibili per applicazioni sul tessile
> 
> maybe it is a missreading, Thermoflex instead of Thermoreflex.


I use "Thermoflex". Made by Specaility Materials. Seems to work ok for the polices' uniforms we do. Occasionally we get a few back with premature wear.


----------

