# how to keep tranfers straight and not crooked also centered not offset



## mellowmoods (Jan 10, 2010)

yes ive done about 25 shirts come out great but some pics come out crooked or off centered on the shirt, is there a tool you can buy to make sure image are straight other than just eyeing it and if so could some point me in the right direction ty


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

This is the best way:
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t54474.html#post323597


This is the fancy way:
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t54474-2.html#post325388


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## Steph (Jan 26, 2008)

TeeSquareIt! Do a quick search in this forum using the "search" bar near the top centre of this page and you can find where to pick one up


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## Ib4E (Aug 21, 2008)

The lasers look nice too!


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## My Shirt Connect (Jan 24, 2010)

Fold your shirt in half and heat press the folded shirt for 5 to 10 seconds. This will put a center line right down the exact center of the shirt. This step is also needed to remove the moister from the shirt so two things get accomplished at the same time.

Then take your design and fold it in half. Pinch the top middle of the carrier paper to create a crease at the top. Then pinch the bottom middle of the carrier paper to create another crease at the bottom.

Now line up the top and bottom creases of your design with the center line you pressed into the shirt.

It goes really quick.....

Fold shirt and press
Fold design.... pinch top and pinch bottom
Line up the design to the shirt and press.

While your design is being pressed, take your next shirt and get it ready by folding it in half. By the time your press is done the next shirt is folded and ready to go.

Some like to do it this way and some don't. For me is very quick and easy. Maybe it will work good for you? : )


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## ShirlandDesign (Nov 29, 2009)

Really great tip! Thanks


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## ironhead (Dec 28, 2005)

This looks like a pretty cool tool but at 95.00 + shipping it seems a little pricey to me.
Heat Transfer and CAD CUT Vinyl Heat Press Alignment Tool - Perfect Transfers


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## Invizzible (Feb 5, 2009)

ironhead said:


> This looks like a pretty cool tool but at 95.00 + shipping it seems a little pricey to me.
> Heat Transfer and CAD CUT Vinyl Heat Press Alignment Tool - Perfect Transfers


I think it's awesome that they market it as 'perfect' then misspell transfers. (Like a Perfect Speel Cheker) Just sayin'. Check the link again and you'll see. Of course they'd have to charge 95.00 ... they had to produce a series of six videos to explain how to place a square piece of plastic on a square platen.

The tip from MSC about folding the shirts to establish center then creasing the transfer to keep aligned is good. Some may argue that it adds to the production time of each shirt. It takes just as long to keep grabbing your centering tool (whatever it may be), laying it on the shirt, tweaking, taking off the tool and then pressing. 

Creasing the transfer, or heat-applied material, before pressing is also a great way to keep your prints centered and level on ball caps and hats. You can quite easily place the transfer on the hat and it will stay in place until it's pressed. It also eliminates messing with thermal tape.


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## DogPound71 (Jul 7, 2009)

I like your idea I have seen plastisol trnsfers folded but not injectg. As long as you do not put a crisp fold on the shirtit works, I tried it on on example piece and it was oddly shaped I first fold my design without trimming it rthen after foldimg, I trimmed it carefully and I then center it to the t-shirt. It was straight and centered. At this time I can not afford T-square it. I just started working on my tiny business I work on designs every evening and do client prints on the weekends. I have a full time job as a Radiographer but my first degree is Graphic Design.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

Earlier on I had a 128 shirt transfer job and I pressed half using a transfer aligning tool popular on these forums and the other half I eyeballed. Afterward I measured each and the batch I eyeballed had substantially fewer that were off center and those that were off center were off by less than those done with the alignment tool. Not to mention that eyeballing took far less time. So I threw the thing in a drawer and haven't touched it since, waste of money. Sometimes for smaller transfers which are more difficult to center I use the shirt/transfer folding trick.


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## ironhead (Dec 28, 2005)

Invizzible said:


> I think it's awesome that they market it as 'perfect' then misspell transfers. (Like a Perfect Speel Cheker)


haha, I didn't even notice that


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

I have always used the fold and pinch method. It lets you get the shirt on the platen and not worry if its perfectly straight.


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## My Shirt Connect (Jan 24, 2010)

MotoskinGraphix said:


> I have always used the fold and pinch method. It lets you get the shirt on the platen and not worry if its perfectly straight.


I think we learned this from you! In one of your posts on TFS years ago! lol


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## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

I made my own out of two yard sticks. It costs about $6.00 or less. Mine was free. I got sample yard sticks from trade show and used them and a few cents of general purpose glue.

I added scale that was not on the pictures. The scale is equidistant from center to the left and right side of the tool for centering the transfer.

Here is the link: Tips for getting your design square on the garment - Page 2 - T-Shirt Forums

Here is the latest version with scale in the middle bar:


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