# HELP! Plastisol Heat Transfers Peeling off Shirt



## lovely_laura_01 (Oct 9, 2008)

Hi,
I am having trouble with heat transferring plastisol ink. I can't seem to get it jelled correctly and when i think i got it jelled correctly and make a bunch and come back about 3-4 weeks later to print, the ink will just peel off the shirt after being pressed.
I pre pressed shirt for about 5 secs. With Med-heavy pressure i press at 350 degrees for 15 secs and it is a cold peel so i wait till it is cool to peel off.

I am especially having problems with this ink:
*PADM *Union Ink PADM
*Maxopake Plastisol High Opacity Ink (PADM)
Bright Cotton White.*
I originally bought this ink when i was just doing direct screen printing. 

When i screen print my transfer paper, cure to it is jelled and then heat press right after i seem to get better results than when i wait a few weeks before i heat press a shirt.

And ideas what might be wrong? Do i have the wrong ink? Should i purschase an additive to help the ink stick better?

Any info would be helpful...
Thank You!!!


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

It's been fifteen years since I printed transfers so I'm rusty to say the least. You're probably overcuring. Until you are more experienced printing transfers, test them while the press is still set up so that you can experiment with time & temp settings. There are adhesive powders you can buy to improve adhesion but I'm guessing you're overcuring.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

If you have a temperature gun, gelling occurs at 250 degrees. 

How are you storing the transfers? If they work fine right after printing, but don't work later, are they around a heat source that might be curing them even more?

I would increase your press time to 20 seconds on the transfers you have left and see if that is long enough to melt the ink.


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## lovely_laura_01 (Oct 9, 2008)

We are just storing them in our work closet. There is no other heat source that would be making them hotter while being stored. I did notice that right after we made them and let them cool down a bit before storing them they were a still a little tacky (could not set them one on top of another). Then like the next day or so just from air drying, they were not tacky anymore and i could then stack them one on top of each other. I also read on another posting that you should be able to rub the ink off the transfer and it should be like a rubbery substance. It does that with the royal blue ink i have that is union ink for transfers but when i do it with the white ink i am having trouble with it doesn't. It is tacky but just rubs off not really like a rubbery substance.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

I wonder if you should get a quart of Union's white transfer ink (Transopake) and test that.


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## lovely_laura_01 (Oct 9, 2008)

That is kind of what i was thinking. It was either buy the Union Plus 9040 additive they recommend for high opacity maxopake union ink for transfers or just buying some white ink made for doing transfers.


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## lovely_laura_01 (Oct 9, 2008)

Another question:

I am only printing on cotton or 50/50 blend apparel. Should i buy an additive to mix in my inks to help it hold better and wash better? 

Thank You!!


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

lovely_laura_01 said:


> Another question:
> 
> I am only printing on cotton or 50/50 blend apparel. Should i buy an additive to mix in my inks to help it hold better and wash better?


Which additive? Is it specifically for cotton and blends?

You shouldn't have any issues using the transfer ink right out of the can. I would try that first, then look into additives if your transfers still don't work.


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## lovely_laura_01 (Oct 9, 2008)

The additive i am looking into is the Union Plus 9040 for the high opacity and maxopake inks.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

lovely_laura_01 said:


> The additive i am looking into is the Union Plus 9040 for the high opacity and maxopake inks.


That additive has nothing to do with shirt content. Nor would you need it if you buy Transopake transfer ink.

However you could use it if you wanted to add it to the Maxopake ink you already have and give that a try again.


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## lovely_laura_01 (Oct 9, 2008)

Is this common??

The transfers i printed about 3-4 weeks ago with the high opacity maxopake ink have about 1/4 inch grease stains around the image on the transfer paper. Should i be concerned? Or do i have bad paper?


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

lovely_laura_01 said:


> Is this common??
> 
> The transfers i printed about 3-4 weeks ago with the high opacity maxopake ink have about 1/4 inch grease stains around the image on the transfer paper. Should i be concerned? Or do i have bad paper?


Or maybe bad ink? Did you stir before you used?


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## Scrnprntmom (Oct 4, 2007)

I'm not sure what the problem is, but I can tell you I've had no problems with my hotpeel plastisol transfers. What I use is Union Lo-Bleed diamond white and Unilon transfer powder with Texitran transfer paper. When I make the transfers, I set the heat between 200 - 220 and heat for 18 - 24 seconds to gell. When I actually press the transfers, I press at 350 for 6 seconds and immediately peel. It's really worked well for me...In fact I pressed this fleece last night for my kids Christmas programs.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Nice! Was this a print-flash-print or just 1 coat of white?


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

mom,
are you using a heat gun to flash the ink or a flash unit


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## Scrnprntmom (Oct 4, 2007)

Actually, for the transfers, we're using the heat press itself to gell the ink. 

Splat, We just make two squeegee passes - no flash, and then apply the adhesive powder.


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

Thanks mom for sharing that,,


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Scrnprntmom said:


> Actually, for the transfers, we're using the heat press itself to gell the ink.



Meg,

Can you elaborate? Do you have a hover feature on your press, or how are you doing it?


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## lovely_laura_01 (Oct 9, 2008)

I am curious too. If i could use my heat press to gel the ink that may make my life easier.
Thanks.

The sweat shirt did turn out really good!!


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## Scrnprntmom (Oct 4, 2007)

If you have a clamshell, this won't work. We have a swing press. We lower it as low as possible without it closing, and it leaves about a 2 inch gap. We set the heat to 375, then put a thermometer on the bottom and wait til it hits between 200 - 220. Then, we place the transfer underneath for approx. 18 - 24 secs. and then slide it out. Works just like the ones you order from Airwaves for uniforms, etc.


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

ahhh got it,, might be worth picking up a clamshell for that reason


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## Scrnprntmom (Oct 4, 2007)

sjidohair said:


> ahhh got it,, might be worth picking up a clamshell for that reason


No Clamshell - Swing Away!!! 

The key is to get steady temp. of 200 - 220!


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

Sorry swingaway is what i meant, i just got carried away,, lol


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## lovely_laura_01 (Oct 9, 2008)

After you gel the ink under your heat press at about 200-220 degrees, what does the lo-bleed diamond white feel like? I have been trying this with both high opacity maxopake white and lo bleed diamond white both from union and when i run it through my conveyor dryer i either get the ink still wet and sticks to my finger or it seems to be to dryer and i can rub it off but it rubs off in small pieces.


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## Scrnprntmom (Oct 4, 2007)

If you ever have had those press-on team numbers from Easy Prints, I would compare it to that. It feels a little 'sandy' because of the powder, but it does not rub or roll off or feel tacky. Hope that helps!


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