# Dark dots after sublimation are driving me crazy! Pictures inside



## Tite003 (May 24, 2013)

Hi guys,

I´m getting these dark dots AFTER sublimation, before sublimation the image looks perfect on paper. I tried changing the paper, but still get them. I´m sublimating on phone cases, but it´s not the cases, I tried different cases from different suppliers, still got the problem.

It seems these dots appear specially in yellow-orange tones and almost always on the same part of the pattern.

Any idea?


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Tite003 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I´m getting these dark dots AFTER sublimation, before sublimation the image looks perfect on paper. I tried changing the paper, but still get them. I´m sublimating on phone cases, but it´s not the cases, I tried different cases from different suppliers, still got the problem.
> 
> ...


Most likely those dots are there _before_ you heat press. _You just can't see them before pressing_. Heat pressing causes "dot gain" which means that the dots just get bigger.

Your problem is likely a printer that needs a very good cleaning .. not just a head cleaning. Should need to be cleaned under the printhead and at the capping station.


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## Silky49 (Aug 1, 2012)

Its your rollers on your printer. Your having it lay down a bunch of ink that isnt able to dry fast enough.


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## jfisk3475 (Jan 28, 2011)

clean your wiper on your printer with alcohol wipe. if its dirty you are getting ink splatters. I had that a while back and it fixed it.

Sent from my SGH-T679 using T-Shirt Forums


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## Tite003 (May 24, 2013)

Thanks so much guys! That was quick! I will clean the printer properly.


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

I thinkit is the rollers as well. Let us know the solution.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

skdave said:


> I thinkit is the rollers as well. Let us know the solution.


Yes, the dots look to be in a "track".


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## 2dolla2holla (Sep 8, 2011)

Let me guess, you are using a C88+?


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

"The track o' my tears..."

Very much this looks like the black isn't drying fast enough, and the little rollers in your printer are mucking up your print in the same way your dog might bring in mud tracks on his feet.

Try:

1. A faster drying paper. Try any other paper, for that matter, just to test.
2. Try to use less ink. For hard goods you usually don't need a ton of ink. Drop down to the plain paper setting, and mess with the quality settings. The higher the quality setting, the more ink is laid down.
3. Try pre-warming your paper before printing under your heat press. This can help drive out moisture from the paper, which then makes it more hydrophilic (it can soak up more moisture again). Avoid over-drying it or it could curl excessively.


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## SickPuppy (Aug 10, 2009)

Tite003 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I´m getting these dark dots AFTER sublimation, before sublimation the image looks perfect


It is the feed rollers on the printer. What type of printer and what type of paper are you using.


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## Tite003 (May 24, 2013)

2dolla2holla said:


> Let me guess, you are using a C88+?


It´s an Epson 1500w / 1430


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## Tite003 (May 24, 2013)

GordonM said:


> "The track o' my tears..."
> 
> Very much this looks like the black isn't drying fast enough, and the little rollers in your printer are mucking up your print in the same way your dog might bring in mud tracks on his feet.
> 
> ...


Hi!

I´ll try every one of your propositions, I hope it works!!

By the way, could I just change the ink?


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## Tite003 (May 24, 2013)

SickPuppy said:


> It is the feed rollers on the printer. What type of printer and what type of paper are you using.


Epson 1500w, and the paper is a special film.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

Tite003 said:


> By the way, could I just change the ink?


Dye sub ink is almost all water, so it probably wouldn't help much. Maybe Sawgrass adds a dehydrant, but I bet the cheaper inks from China don't.

This is primarily a paper and ink laydown issue. If you have a high release paper, like TexPrint, it'll likely you'll have track problems given the right conditions. (One paper I use, which has a 95% release, always shows these tracks when printing large black areas.)

A paper like Coastal's Image Right or Conde's DyeTrans brand will have a lower release. That means it'll soak up more ink rather than leaving it on the top. With the right ink laydown and press settings, on hard goods you won't notice the difference.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

Tite003 said:


> Epson 1500w, and the paper is a special film.


Ah, so this must be for 3D cases.

Have you checked with the seller of the cases and film you're using? Be sure to follow their printing guidelines, if they have them -- and they should have them.


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## Tite003 (May 24, 2013)

GordonM said:


> Ah, so this must be for 3D cases.
> 
> Have you checked with the seller of the cases and film you're using? Be sure to follow their printing guidelines, if they have them -- and they should have them.


Yes it is! But I´m using a much cheaper ink (and printer) than they use... so maybe this is why they don´t have this problem...

Thank you so much Gordon! Very much appreciated.


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## Tite003 (May 24, 2013)

GordonM said:


> Ah, so this must be for 3D cases.
> 
> Have you checked with the seller of the cases and film you're using? Be sure to follow their printing guidelines, if they have them -- and they should have them.


Hi Gordon,

I´m afraid I have to ask for help again...

I tried cleaning the printer, still won´t work. Also, I tried using less ink (normal mode and plain paper), but I get banding and also the results are not good enough.

I talked with the supplier, and I followed the process just how they said, but I´m afraid the issue in not about the process...

They use an Epson 4900 with Sawgrass ink and a RIP software, while I´m using an Epson 1500w, inktec inks and no RIP software.

I can´t swap the 3d film, didn´t find any other supplier who sells this film yet. Use different ink won´t work as you said... So there are only 2 options left (expensive options): Buy a epson 4900 and/or buy a RIP software.

I´d like to know if you would try something else before spending such money?

Thanks in advance!


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

I think you can try the RIP software without paying for it first. It'll print out a spoiling watermark, but at least you can see if that'll help.

The dots really do look like the ink isn't drying fast enough, and the rollers inside your printer are picking up the wet ink and tracking it. I get this whenever I use a particular ultra-high release paper with any of my desktop Epsons. If there are any black areas, the marks will appear. I need to use this paper with some of the polyester plastic sheets I use, so I "solved" the problem by having no big black areas in the art. For what I use the plastic for this isn't a major problem.


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## Tite003 (May 24, 2013)

GordonM said:


> I think you can try the RIP software without paying for it first. It'll print out a spoiling watermark, but at least you can see if that'll help.
> 
> The dots really do look like the ink isn't drying fast enough, and the rollers inside your printer are picking up the wet ink and tracking it. I get this whenever I use a particular ultra-high release paper with any of my desktop Epsons. If there are any black areas, the marks will appear. I need to use this paper with some of the polyester plastic sheets I use, so I "solved" the problem by having no big black areas in the art. For what I use the plastic for this isn't a major problem.


You are right, it only happens when there are black areas on the pattern... I guess I´ll start researching about RIP softwares!

Thanks a lot for your help!


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