# Plastisol Transfers / How hard is it?



## youtalk (Apr 15, 2010)

How hard is it to do Plastisol Transfers? 

I understand its a heat machine, I need a printer, ink, and paper. 

But how hard is it to take the image I want, and print it out? 

Do you need specific software to be able to print the image out? 

Then it seems there's so much involved in the inks, paper, etc. Is there a cheat sheet that shows what inks to use on what shirt materials?

And what papers work best for different color shirts? 

Thanks all!!


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## freshlysqueezed (Jun 6, 2010)

Okay you really have some names mixed up...


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

youtalk said:


> How hard is it to do Plastisol Transfers?
> 
> I understand its a heat machine, I need a printer, ink, and paper.
> 
> ...


ok, you don't understand the difference between inkjet transfers and plastisol transfers. you need silk screen printing equipment to print plastisol transfers which is totally different than printing an ink jet transfer from your desktop inkjet printer. read this:

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/general-t-shirt-selling-discussion/t48532.html

research is key before jumping into something. there are many resources on this site that can help you out. on the main home page of this site check out the featured threads.


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## youtalk (Apr 15, 2010)

*Heat Transfers / How hard is it?*

Sorry, totally new to printing. 

So I guess what i'm really looking for is information on heat transfers. 

How hard is it to do heat transfers?

What do I need, and how do I get started?


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

if you want to do your own original work along with custom work your customer might give you you need the computer equipment and graphics software to produce it (computer, monitor, scanner, printer and heat press to apply to garment). depending on whether or not you want to get into the designing end you could always throw a drawing tablet into the mix.

you could skip all of that and just offer stock transfers. alot of people set up kiosks at malls and events and just bring stock transfers and a heat press and make their money that way. what do i mean by stock transfers? take a look at one of the preferred vendors of this forum and what they have to offer:

Iron-On Transfers, Heat Press Machines, T-Shirt Printing Supplies - Pro World

the paper, printer and heat press have to be good quality or you'll have problems after the fact.......i.e. transfer peeling off, fading and cracking way too early), customers mad etc. but that being said knowing how to use your graphics programs to make good looking designs is important as well. i bought an epson large format 2200 years ago for printing out comps of my graphics and it works fine for inkjet transfers. the ink can be a little expensive though. check the old threads using the search function here on this forum for "what printers" and you should find a ton of threads.

i use jpss (jet pro soft stretch) paper for light colored shirts. i won't commonly do inkjet transfers for dark color clothes because they come out feeling like you are wearing a hefty bag, very plasticky. but if the customer only wants one or two shirts i'll tell them up front that that is what they'll get and most the time they don't care anyways.

for large custom orders i'll break it down price-wise to either go with plastisol transfers or screenprinting. be aware that screen printers are bombarded with people looking for prices for their 'new t shirt line' etc. and if you are just fishing around for info they probably won't call you back. that being said i tried using one of the people that post on this forum on my last job of 80 shirts and i got an answering machine. that's a no no in my book. if you don't answer the phone are you even there?
also tried a local printer and she thought i was someone who i had mentioned above. that's funny though because i had sent her the .jpgs of the designs, the brand and sizes of the shirts etc. funny business i guess. if i ever can get my own space to do screen printing i guarantee you my customer service would be top notch. if you need the link to the printer i found online (who did fast awesome work at a great price with free shipping) let me know and i'll send you an email or pm. -good luck.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

Tim gave you a GREAT breakdown on inkjet heat transfers.

I just wanted to add that to do "plastisol transfers", all you'd need is a heat press and a design.

You just send your design to a company that prints the plastisol transfers for you and they send you back the printed transfers on sheets that you can press yourself whenever you're ready.


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## youtalk (Apr 15, 2010)

Great information from you two. 

So I can have a company print out my designs on these transfers, and I can press them as needed? Love it!! 

Who are some GOOD print companies that I can go to that doesn't have huge minimums, and knows what their doing??

Also I keep hearing that heat press transfers do not turn out good on dark color shirts. What is a solution to this? 
I have a ton of designs that I want on black, and dark color shirts.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

youtalk said:


> Also I keep hearing that heat press transfers do not turn out good on dark color shirts. What is a solution to this?
> I have a ton of designs that I want on black, and dark color shirts.


not true. i use plastisol transfers on black shirts all the time for my biggest client. plastisol transfers are different than inkjet transfers on dark shirts. at first they might look or feel the same but after a wash the plastisol transfers lose the gloss sheer and the plastic feel. inkjet transfers for darks do not. here is a thread that rodney did back in the day. i use howard sportswear myself. call each and every one of these companies and request samples. that way you can figure out who and what you like the best.

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/t-shirt-crossover-diary-heat-press-newbie/t13454.html


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## youtalk (Apr 15, 2010)

miktoxic said:


> not true. i use plastisol transfers on black shirts all the time for my biggest client. plastisol transfers are different than inkjet transfers on dark shirts. at first they might look or feel the same but after a wash the plastisol transfers lose the gloss sheer and the plastic feel. inkjet transfers for darks do not. here is a thread that rodney did back in the day. i use howard sportswear myself. call each and every one of these companies and request samples. that way you can figure out who and what you like the best.
> 
> http://www.t-shirtforums.com/t-shirt-crossover-diary-heat-press-newbie/t13454.html


Nice write up he did.


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## freshlysqueezed (Jun 6, 2010)

Yep be sure to thank him!


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

youtalk said:


> Nice write up he did.


he _*is*_ the man


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## youtalk (Apr 15, 2010)

Is there a particular software you all are using when you print these images? 

My graphic designer sends them over in a few formats, but do I just open it, and hit print?


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

what do you have as far as graphics software is concerned? illustrator or coreldraw are the 2 faves on vector and photoshop for bitmap editing. if you don't have a graphics program tell him to save them in .pdf, where you can just open and print onto inkjet paper. realize the designs have to be reversed when printing onto inkjet paper for light garments.


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## youtalk (Apr 15, 2010)

Oh geez.. Yeah he sends them over in ai, ex (something), and a few other ways. 

So if I don't have either of the programs, I can open it in PDF and print? 

But like you said I need to print in reverse. Is that only for light shirts or dark too.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

youtalk said:


> Oh geez.. Yeah he sends them over in ai, ex (something), and a few other ways.
> 
> So if I don't have either of the programs, I can open it in PDF and print?
> 
> But like you said I need to print in reverse. Is that only for light shirts or dark too.


reverse for lights. when i mean reverse you have to flip the design horizontally so everything reads in reverse.

for darks you print normally. the distributor you buy the paper from will give you exact instructions of what to do.

you should think about getting a cheap version of one of these programs. older versions you can get on ebay for peanuts. then when you save up enough invest in one of the top end programs (if you want to get into designing). if not figure out what file format your artist can send you that will comply with something you have on your computer.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

youtalk said:


> Also I keep hearing that heat press transfers do not turn out good on dark color shirts.


I see this phrasing used a lot but it actually doesn't make sense. A heat press is a tool for applying transfers of which there are several different types. "heat press transfers" is like saying 'screwdriver screws'. There are ink jet transfers, plastisol transfers, vinyl transfers, rhinestones and probably a couple more I'm forgetting.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

wormil said:


> I see this phrasing used a lot but it actually doesn't make sense. A heat press is a tool for applying transfers of which there are several different types. "heat press transfers" is like saying 'screwdriver screws'. There are ink jet transfers, plastisol transfers, vinyl transfers, rhinestones and probably a couple more I'm forgetting.


i think he meant the feel of the end product. you can buy the most expensive inkjet for darks transfer paper and yes it will probably come out looking great..........but, the fact of the matter is, you are still printing on and then applying a thickish opaque piece of polymer (because this of course is your white underbase) which feels like plastic when touched and is worse when you are wearing it.

maybe one day technology will catch with these transfers but for now this is what you've got.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

miktoxic said:


> i think he meant the feel of the end product.


Since this subforum is about plastisol transfer specifically I felt it was worth pointing out the distinctions. As I'm sure you know, plastisol transfers are a whole different thing than inkjet transfers, what is true for one, is not true for the other.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

agreed. the OP has been confused from the beginning about the 2 products.


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## youtalk (Apr 15, 2010)

miktoxic said:


> agreed. the OP has been confused from the beginning about the 2 products.


Thanks bro


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