# Plastisol transfer problems.. please help!



## hadriabeth (Mar 5, 2014)

I am at my wit's end right now, and I'm really hoping someone can help me. I ordered custom plastisol transfers in 7 different designs and all of them are transferring great except one. It's leaving a lot of ink behind on the paper, and some of the thinner lines are curling up when I peel back the paper.. like they aren't even pressing into the fabric (if they transfer at all). 

Here's my setup:
Hotronix 16X20 autoclam
100% cotton tee

The instructions that came with the transfers say 375-385 degrees, firm pressure, 8 second pre-press, 8 second transfer press, let cool for 5-6 seconds, and peel (they are hot split). This is what happens with just this one design:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10612361/Canned1.JPG
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10612361/Canned2.JPG
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10612361/Canned3.JPG

At this point I feel like I've tried everything. I tried increasing the heat (as high as 400), decreasing the heat (as low as 350), increasing the time (10 all the way up to 20 seconds), firm and medium pressure, and every combination I can think of but I keep getting the same result. I even tried peeling them immediately, and waiting longer before peeling. I contacted the company who printed them and they tested them for me and had no problems (they even took a video of it and it peeled with no issues for them!) so it must be something I'm doing.

If anyone has any suggestions at all it would be greatly appreciated. I am frustrated beyond belief right now! It's a 7 color design and wasn't cheap to get printed.. I need these to work  I'm hoping with all your expertise someone can point me in the right direction by looking at my results.

Thanks in advance..
Hadria


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## hadriabeth (Mar 5, 2014)

Well, I may have answered my own question but now I have a new one! I have been transferring onto 100% ringspun cotton, but I noticed in the video the manufacturer sent me he was pressing on a heather gray shirt (which is a blend). I tried transferring this design onto a heather gray shirt I had laying around and it worked beautifully. These are supposed to work on both 100% cotton and blends. All the other designs are transferring fine onto the ringspun cotton tees.

So now my question is.. why??? And I have all these ringspun cotton tees and I guess I'll have to order a different shirt now..


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## hadriabeth (Mar 5, 2014)

Ok, well it turns out even the cotton blended shirts aren't consistent. The Hanes heather gray shirt I had laying around which is a 75/25 blend is the one that printed well, however the brand shirts I am using (Next Level) which is a 60/40 blend did not! Same temp, same settings.. same everything but the shirt. Gahhhh... I am at a loss here.


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## bolinsspeedyts (Nov 25, 2012)

Contact your transfer supplier. They are your best resource. 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using T-Shirt Forums


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## drdoct (Jul 26, 2011)

That sounds like Seay's instructions. How many colors is that transfer? If everything is good on the other ones and just this one is bad, then I would contact who you purchased them from and explain. If you'd like a 2nd opinion you can pm me and I can give you my address to send one to and I'll give it a press and send you the results. I bet it somehow got overcured though. Especially with a lot of colors... maybe one got flashed too much or something. Hopefully they have a retain (you may want to try one from the middle of the stack too) so they can press it to see if they have a problem. It just depends on who did them for you, but definitely contact the vendor.


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## hadriabeth (Mar 5, 2014)

Thanks for the response. I did order from Seay (Silver Mountain Graphics actually - funny you knew that). It's a 7 color design. I have not tried pressing one from the middle or bottom of the stack. That's an interesting suggestion which I will try tomorrow.

I've been in touch with Frank Seay and he has been extremely helpful, above and beyond actually. His customer service is top notch. We spoke again today and I just mailed him one of my Next Level shirts and a transfer (from the top of my stack) so he can try out the same exact products that I'm using. 

Guess now I'll just wait and see how he fares


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## lmcclain6 (Jun 30, 2011)

hadriabeth said:


> I am at my wit's end right now, and I'm really hoping someone can help me. I ordered custom plastisol transfers in 7 different designs and all of them are transferring great except one. It's leaving a lot of ink behind on the paper, and some of the thinner lines are curling up when I peel back the paper.. like they aren't even pressing into the fabric (if they transfer at all).
> 
> Here's my setup:
> Hotronix 16X20 autoclam
> ...


WOW! Sorry to hear that. I am no expert, but I would go back to the people who created the images and explain what is going on and have them replace the ones that I have lost. Just because they sell you something does not mean it is always going to be perfect. I use them as well and sometimes incur problems that are not of my own making.

Best of luck!


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## Dtag1971 (Oct 2, 2011)

Does the transfer have adhesive crystals on the last layer? I just printed a 4 color job and the final layer down I used adhesive crystals. When u run that paper down the dryer that many times the first 3 or 4 colors will overcure and not transfer properly. There is also a clear base plastisol ink that would trap all the colors below it. I would still use adhesive crystals on that last layer though. Basically u might want to add another color..... the clear base. It it will add more cost, but I think u would not have the problems u r having now.


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## franktheprinter (Oct 5, 2008)

Hi. Sorry im rarely online to monitor this site anymore. I did wind up reprinting this design and sending to Hadria. Ultimately we believe the problem to be overcuring, but t was a tricky situation
as we believe initially the batches went thru fine and somewhere in our run our conveyor dryer mustve
"spiked" or flared up abit as it seems the dark grey ink we used in this design was overcured 

I trust and hope the replacement batch was fine
and im assuming so as I havnt heard back differently


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## Goodguy96 (Aug 5, 2009)

A quick test to check the cure on plastisol transfers is to peel some of the ink off the paper and roll it into a ball. It should remain in a ball with distinct edges of the ink film showing. If it releases and tries to flatten itself out, it is over-cured, no edges showing, it is under-cured.

The adhesive powder should only be necessary for synthetic fabrics, not cotton.

No matter how many times plastisol goes through a dryer, it will not cure more than the dryer is set for with the exception of the heat absorption rates of some colors.


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## vipersamchung (Aug 19, 2014)

Did you print last coat with plastisol clear before splashing thermal powder?


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## jen2swt (Apr 19, 2013)

Goodguy96 said:


> A quick test to check the cure on plastisol transfers is to peel some of the ink off the paper and roll it into a ball. It should remain in a ball with distinct edges of the ink film showing. If it releases and tries to flatten itself out, it is over-cured, no edges showing, it is under-cured.


I take it you do this after you have pressed and then you peel and roll whatever is left on the paper? Great test if that's the case.


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## NueTee (Jul 14, 2014)

With doing any transfer you have to make sure you pre press the shirt for like ten seconds to make sure all the moisture is out, some shirts have more moisture than the others. and also make sure the shirt surface is clean.


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## cybtec (Mar 31, 2008)

Have you tried Transfer Powder?

You can find it here. http://floridaflex.com/tf---hotsplit-transfer-inks.html

*3075FF Transfer Powder Adhesive*
Enhance adhesion of your transfers by adding transfer powder. Just sprinkle over the plastisol before heat pressing.

*Application: sprinkle adhesive powder on the printed transfer to enhance adhesion. *​


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## drdoct (Jul 26, 2011)

Folks.... HE'S NOT MAKING TRANSFERS. He's pressing them. Hadria, You're right about it being a Seay. There are 2 brothers with 2 different shops. One is Silver Mtn. which I take it you used. The other is Seay Graphics. I've never used Silver Mtn, but Seay has almost the same instructions and their transfers work great. Hopefully Silver mtn got it all straightened out.


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## iamchu15 (Jan 29, 2013)

Regarding transfer powder, do you use it after you have transfers? Or is this the powder used while making the transfers?


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## Dtag1971 (Oct 2, 2011)

Used in production. Print the transfer and while still wet dip it in the transfer powder. If im trapping a color I will only use it on the last color down.


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## hadriabeth (Mar 5, 2014)

Hey all,
Thanks for all the responses. I'm not making my own transfers, just pressing some custom ones that were made for me.

Silver Mountain ended up reprinting them in the end, and the new ones are working leaps and bounds better. I'm still having a few issues getting those thin gray lines to "stick" in some spots, but I think that's more an issue with the design rather than the transfers. At least my shirts are sellable, that's all that matters!

And Frank at Silver Mountain is awesome to work with. Very responsive and helpful. 5 stars to him!!

PS. I am female


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