# Thermoflex plus Vs Cad Cut Premium Plus



## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

So I have only used thermoflex plus and it works great but you can tell its vinyl just by look and feel. I did read a few reviews that said cc premium plus is as good as plastisol transfers. Is this true? 

I have heard of ways to make vinyl look like screen printing but never found any specific products. Something about laying a mesh over the vinyl before pressing . Any ideas or products people use to mask the fact that its vinyl?

Lastly, has anyone ever purchased pure white or any other color plastisol sheets and just cut them through all the way (its cheaper in the long run not including time). I figure if i have a stack of whtie plastisol transfers I can cut anytime it might be worth it over a month. Plus plastisol transfers seem to feel different then vinyl despite their made of similar things.


----------



## jmcgurren (Oct 28, 2008)

You tried cad cut fashion film, or the Eco-print from imprintables? I haven't heard anything about cad cut fashion But the product description looks good. I have been told by another guy that Eco-print is darn close to screen printing. I am going to grab one of each and see which is better. The screen thing couldn't hurt to try if you have any screen laying around. Not sure what mesh you would use.


----------



## Nick Horvath (Feb 26, 2010)

Premium Plus has an extremely soft hand and high stretchability. Its perfect for performance wear.


----------



## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

jmcgurren said:


> You tried cad cut fashion film, or the Eco-print from imprintables? I haven't heard anything about cad cut fashion But the product description looks good. I have been told by another guy that Eco-print is darn close to screen printing. I am going to grab one of each and see which is better. The screen thing couldn't hurt to try if you have any screen laying around. Not sure what mesh you would use.


Yea i have only tried thermoflex so if you try eco print or the cad cut let me know what you think.


----------



## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

Nick Horvath said:


> Premium Plus has an extremely soft hand and high stretchability. Its perfect for performance wear.


Does it feel similar to screen printing? Can you use it on a triblend? I wonder if you can use thermoflex on a triblend.

I am looking at these 

http://www.amazon.com/Canvas-3413-A...26213409&sr=8-1&keywords=3413C+Bella+++Canvas


----------



## Nick Horvath (Feb 26, 2010)

bradyboyy88 said:


> Does it feel similar to screen printing? Can you use it on a triblend? I wonder if you can use thermoflex on a triblend.
> 
> I am looking at these
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Canvas-3413-A...26213409&sr=8-1&keywords=3413C+Bella+++Canvas


Yes you can.


----------



## jmcgurren (Oct 28, 2008)

FYI I am very impressed with Fashion Film. It feels close to waterbased screen printing or something just a little thicker and smoother. But the finish is dull and the hand is super soft even at the corners and edges where the design hits the shirt.


----------



## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

Interesting. I definately need to order some samples of it then. I want to do a shirt covered in each type of vinyl to get an idea of what they all feel like


----------



## jmcgurren (Oct 28, 2008)

The only thing I noticed is it is not as stretchy as some others I have tried. Also have not done any wash tests with it. If you have tried spectra Eco-film it is about the same as that. I am new to vinyl I am more of a DTG printer so I was just impressed because I thought vinyl would be much more plasticky of a feel.


----------



## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

Nick Horvath said:


> Premium Plus has an extremely soft hand and high stretchability. Its perfect for performance wear.


How do you feel about putting it on cotton? I always get worried using premium plus that it will peel off. Not that it has but just seems to good to be true with how soft it is compared to every other vinyl that has proven its longevity.


----------



## David09 (Oct 2, 2015)

Premium plus forsure


----------



## Nick Horvath (Feb 26, 2010)

bradyboyy88 said:


> How do you feel about putting it on cotton? I always get worried using premium plus that it will peel off. Not that it has but just seems to good to be true with how soft it is compared to every other vinyl that has proven its longevity.


Premium Plus will work great on a cotton. It has a low application temp as well which makes it perfect for performance wear also.


----------



## jmcgurren (Oct 28, 2008)

I just ordered 3 rolls of premium plus.. I am looking for a high end vinyl print for a clothing line (or 2) I am launching. I will let you know if this is it!


----------



## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

jmcgurren said:


> I just ordered 3 rolls of premium plus.. I am looking for a high end vinyl print for a clothing line (or 2) I am launching. I will let you know if this is it!


I mean its honestly the best vinyl I have ever used. So soft that customers dont know its vinyl. I just have never really tested how long it lasts. My thermoflex shirts have been washed like 30 times but I never made any of these for myself so I never have tested its longevity haha. Stahls says up to 50 washes but I would hope it would go the life of the garment.


----------



## Nick Horvath (Feb 26, 2010)

bradyboyy88 said:


> I mean its honestly the best vinyl I have ever used. So soft that customers dont know its vinyl. I just have never really tested how long it lasts. My thermoflex shirts have been washed like 30 times but I never made any of these for myself so I never have tested its longevity haha. Stahls says up to 50 washes but I would hope it would go the life of the garment.


50 wash/dry is the industry standard for "life of the garment", so that is what we advertise. It will last beyond that however.


----------



## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

Nick Horvath said:


> 50 wash/dry is the industry standard for "life of the garment", so that is what we advertise. It will last beyond that however.


Awesome to know!!! Does that defintition of 50 washes mean 50 inside out and tumble dry low washes lol?


----------



## jmcgurren (Oct 28, 2008)

Got a few rolls and I would say the premium plus is a great product. Super soft and stretchy. I still think if you want to match a screen printed look and feel, cad cut thermo film is the best. 
Speaking of that, one thing I am wondering is that when cutting thermo film I have tried setting the force on my GX-24 to the highest setting which I think was 240gf and it still would not give me a clean cut. I also am even getting some points that are not clean cutting with the premium plus. I am only cutting that at 130gf but it doesn't matter if I increase force, I still get a pin points that don't fully "close" the cut when cutting a circle, for example. I tried replacing the blade and it still does the same thing. Is this possibly because my blade holder is bad or just because my blades are not high quality enough?


----------



## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

jmcgurren said:


> I also am even getting some points that are not clean cutting with the premium plus. I am only cutting that at 130gf but it doesn't matter if I increase force, I still get a pin points that don't fully "close" the cut when cutting a circle, for example. I tried replacing the blade and it still does the same thing. Is this possibly because my blade holder is bad or just because my blades are not high quality enough?


Have you inspected your cutting strip that runs the length of your cutter just below the blade? If there is a groove in it from your blade, it's time to replace it.


----------



## BrianHahn (Dec 29, 2013)

This sounds like an overtravel issue. Make sure your overtravel is set to about 1 mm or .040"

"pin points that don't fully "close" the cut"


----------



## jmcgurren (Oct 28, 2008)

I have inspected the strip and it's clean, I replaced it about a year ago. I will check on that over travel issue though. It hasn't always done this it just seems to do it on certain materials and after a lot of use, but I just replaced the blade so I thought that would solve it. This happened about 7 months ago and Someone else told me it could be the blade holder so I replaced that and I remember it didn't really fix it.


----------



## Nick Horvath (Feb 26, 2010)

jmcgurren said:


> I have inspected the strip and it's clean, I replaced it about a year ago. I will check on that over travel issue though. It hasn't always done this it just seems to do it on certain materials and after a lot of use, but I just replaced the blade so I thought that would solve it. This happened about 7 months ago and Someone else told me it could be the blade holder so I replaced that and I remember it didn't really fix it.


Most likely it is a dull blade. Premium Plus requires a pretty sharp blade that does not have allot of use on it to cut properly. Also make sure your blade is sticking out just a little bit from the blade holder. We recommend 1/2 a credit card thickness.


----------



## j4k (Oct 27, 2009)

I have heard of ways to make vinyl look like screen printing but never found any specific products. Something about laying a mesh over the vinyl before pressing . Any ideas or products people use to mask the fact that its vinyl?

You should try Superfilm from Stahls for a screenprint like finish. Works better on polyester and soft thin cottons/blends. You can also create some super crazy effects with this stuff. You can find videos on you tube showing you how to create effect


----------



## jmcgurren (Oct 28, 2008)

I don't know what overtravel is... is that the same as the offset? my offset is always on .25mm. The blade is set to 1/2 a credit card and has been. I will try ordering some higher quality blades.


----------

