# Problem with iPhone sublimation



## Albie1 (Sep 2, 2009)

Hey guys I'm having a problem sublimating iPhone cases. I tried my first one and it came out perfect is was shiny like glass.. Then the next 4 I did the following days are comming out dull .. The dullness isn't affecting the colors in anyway it's just when you look at the case in the light certain areas have a dullness to them . I didn't change a thing from my first case I did so I'm clueless.. My setup is gx7000 printer fusion heat press set to light pressure #2 on meter 400 degrees for 35 sec. I'm using sawgrass inks and trupix paper.. My powerdriver is set up for trupix paper, white metal, saturated- intense. I have a cover sheet on the platten the blank facing up the trupix paper facing down and a teflon paper on top. 

I contacted my supplier who suggested no Teflon on top cause it holds moisture in .. So I used a regular sheet of paper on top and I still have the problem .. One case when I used some heat tape to hold the paper to the blank after the pressing I could see the dullness in the shape of the heat tape... It's baffling me I rewrote the supplier who suggested lighter pressure and no top sheet at all .. Im yet to try the no top sheet but lighter pressure didn't fix it... Any suggestions guys? Albie


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## Albie1 (Sep 2, 2009)

Wow no suggestions? Just to update I tried no top sheet and still the same problem!!


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## Queenkutie (Sep 6, 2008)

I had a similar issue with dull and blurry pictures. I figured out on my own that I was printing on the wrong side of the paper. I didn't realize that there wad a difference until I held the paper up in the light. Hope that this solves your problem! Good luck!


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## MrRudeDog (Aug 24, 2010)

On my Conde iPhone blanks I use Conde's generic dye sub paper, heat tape the metal to the paper, leave the metal side up, sandwiched between two pieces of Sams Club butcher paper, press at 400 degrees for 45 seconds at medium/medium high pressure. I've done many this way and they come out beautifully. Hope this helps.

Ray


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## dhearn (Aug 22, 2008)

I just did my first ones from Conde last week. Almost printed one before I noticed there is a clear protective coating that needs to be removed before hand. You are taking that off, right?


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## iainlondon (May 11, 2010)

dhearn said:


> I just did my first ones from Conde last week. Almost printed one before I noticed there is a clear protective coating that needs to be removed before hand. You are taking that off, right?


 

I was going to mention the same when I read this this morning,but didn,t want to offend........


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## Albie1 (Sep 2, 2009)

No offense taken.. Yes I remove the clear plastic before pressing and when I check it for dullness there is none!!!! So my dullness is happening during pressing...
So mrrudedog your pressing them white face down? I saw that sawgrass does the license plates like that I'm pressing them white face up ... Albie


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## dhearn (Aug 22, 2008)

Definitely not intended to offend anyone. Just educate. I don't remember anywhere where it said that there was this plastic protective coating on the metal piece. Right before I was about to tape my design to it, I just happened to notice that it looked a little dull so I scratched it with a fingernail and sure enough, up came the coating. Of course thinking back on it, if I had gone ahead and pressed it, it probably would have made one hell of a mess when that plastic melted!


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## Albie1 (Sep 2, 2009)

I appreciate the and any help...


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## MrRudeDog (Aug 24, 2010)

Albie1 said:


> So mrrudedog your pressing them white face down? I saw that sawgrass does the license plates like that I'm pressing them white face up ... Albie


Yes, the metal is such a good heat conductor, I press all my thin metal projects "upside down". So far, everything has come out nicely. Definitely need protective paper on top this way though.

-Ray


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## Albie1 (Sep 2, 2009)

I'm gonna try it today upside down ray and thanks...


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## iainlondon (May 11, 2010)

Two Points 1/I also Press mine "Upside Down" & 2/ You would think the Suppliers would tell you there Is a protective plastic on there for removal....


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## mel58 (Sep 30, 2011)

Step-by-step:
If bottom platen is cold, begin by preheating for 15 seconds.

1) Lay protective paper on heat press platen.

2) Remove protective film from insert.

3) Lay insert imaging side face-down on transfer. Use heat tape or Pro Spray to keep it in place.

4) Add a piece protective paper over your transfer and insert.

5) Press. Add 2-3 seconds for each additional insert imaged at the same time.

NOTE: iPhone inserts for rubber and plastic covers are NOT interchangeable. The insert for the rubber cover has a black line on the back.

they say 385 for 45 sec but I had to increase the time some.

when I tried like I do other aluminum I got the dullness in spots like you (400 for 50 and image on top).


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## mel58 (Sep 30, 2011)

oops, forgot to say those are condes instructions


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## mel58 (Sep 30, 2011)

well darn still forgot something

when I did at 400 degrees I got dullness like you. lowering it to 385 and slightly longer time cured it.


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## Albie1 (Sep 2, 2009)

so put a cover sheet on press then the transfer paper on press iphone case face down cover sheet and press?


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## mel58 (Sep 30, 2011)

I kept the teflon on the bottom so teflon then cover paper then image then iphone then cover sheet and that took away the dull spots (wierd isn't it how little things can change it).


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## skeelc (Jun 24, 2008)

We also tried the following with good success:
-385 degrees-F
-Teflon on bottom
-Cover sheet on Teflon
-Image face up on top of cover sheet
-iPhone cover face down onto image
-Cover sheet over iPhone cover
-Press for 45 seconds using light-to-medium pressure


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## Albie1 (Sep 2, 2009)

Gonna test in the morning guys thanks...


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## jfish (Feb 26, 2010)

Could you post a couple images of your good one and your bad one? Maybe that will help identify the issue?


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## Albie1 (Sep 2, 2009)

Sorry for the delay in responding back ... Tried the changes tonight went 385 56 sec pressure was on 2 cover sheet , image facing up, insert facing down , cover sheet... I didn't use a white insert but a silver one and it seems to solved the dullness.... A big thank you to all who replied with help... ESP Mel58 u nailed it thanks.... Albie


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## mel58 (Sep 30, 2011)

glad you got it figured out, albie.

one thing I've found, also, is there is a big difference between condes and coastal business (haven't tried others).

coastal instructions say the regular 400 and 45 second and condes were what I posted above. condes is a thinner metal, I think that must be the reason its a lesser heat? plus condes is every so slightly smaller in width.


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## SaB (May 15, 2007)

Albie1 said:


> Hey guys I'm having a problem sublimating iPhone cases. I tried my first one and it came out perfect is was shiny like glass.. Then the next 4 I did the following days are comming out dull .. The dullness isn't affecting the colors in anyway it's just when you look at the case in the light certain areas have a dullness to them . I didn't change a thing from my first case I did so I'm clueless.. My setup is gx7000 printer fusion heat press set to light pressure #2 on meter 400 degrees for 35 sec. I'm using sawgrass inks and trupix paper.. My powerdriver is set up for trupix paper, white metal, saturated- intense. I have a cover sheet on the platten the blank facing up the trupix paper facing down and a teflon paper on top.
> 
> I contacted my supplier who suggested no Teflon on top cause it holds moisture in .. So I used a regular sheet of paper on top and I still have the problem .. One case when I used some heat tape to hold the paper to the blank after the pressing I could see the dullness in the shape of the heat tape... It's baffling me I rewrote the supplier who suggested lighter pressure and no top sheet at all .. Im yet to try the no top sheet but lighter pressure didn't fix it... Any suggestions guys? Albie


Try very low pressure. Lower heat.

Sent from my GT-S5830 using T-Shirt Forums


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## 343paul (Jan 1, 2012)

If you scale a very large photo down to fit the iphone template it will slightly blur the image a tad during the interpolation. Try running a sharpen filter after size reduction.


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## ECi_Luke (Mar 1, 2010)

dhearn said:


> I just did my first ones from Conde last week. Almost printed one before I noticed there is a clear protective coating that needs to be removed before hand. You are taking that off, right?


I accidentally pressed one without peeling it, and the ink went right through with no problems. The plastic did bubble up some, and stuck to the transfer paper, but the finished product was still good.

Just letting you all know.

Edit: forgot to say I still needed to peel it, just did it after pressing.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

What happens is that the plastic melts into the paper almost instantly, and as you found the transfer is often still good. In fact, it might even improve things if you're having orange peel problems with metal, or if the paper is sticking to the substrate. There might be some color shift that can be overcome (to some extent) by adjusting the time.

I have a technique where I will put a 1mil clear plastic between the transfer paper and substrate. It's just plastic bags for mailing, sold by ULINE.

One suggestion: If any plastic melts onto the substrate, wait for the substrate to cool before peeling it off. When hot the coating on the substrate is very soft, and can be easily marred or scratched.


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## mel58 (Sep 30, 2011)

I tried leaving the coating on and the surface was better but the image wasn't as good. if you compare side by side one with the coating on and one without the one with is softer (almost blurry) and duller. I did dozens before ditching that idea.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

On some the film coating is pretty thick -- 2mil or more. If you ever want to try it again use 1mil clear. It's almost tissue thin. I haven't noticed a degradation in the image, but I tackle the orange peel by reducing the heat and lightening the pressure. 

Most of the "official" instructions have it just too hot at 400 degrees. Things like teflon and multiple cover sheets reduce the heat to the metal, and seem to be what you need, when it's just less temperature to begin with.


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## deehoney (Dec 16, 2010)

GordonM said:


> On some the film coating is pretty thick -- 2mil or more. If you ever want to try it again use 1mil clear. It's almost tissue thin. I haven't noticed a degradation in the image, but I tackle the orange peel by reducing the heat and lightening the pressure.
> 
> Most of the "official" instructions have it just too hot at 400 degrees. Things like teflon and multiple cover sheets reduce the heat to the metal, and seem to be what you need, when it's just less temperature to begin with.


I read one of your other posts about the orange peel look and I reduced the temp, lightened the pressure, and upped the time and they came out fantastic.

Thanks so much for advice and suggestions! Much appreciated!


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## heathcliffe (Oct 21, 2010)

I just started printing I phone cases and I only have problem with printing black, I just looks dull
and not shiny like the other colors. any one run into this....


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## headfirst (Jun 29, 2011)

heathcliffe said:


> I just started printing I phone cases and I only have problem with printing black, I just looks dull
> and not shiny like the other colors. any one run into this....


Is it black ink or rich black?


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## cheeee (Jun 12, 2014)

Hi guys, hope you could help. I'm pressing at 175C at 110 sec, about 180-200C at 40-60 seconds, I have tried changing the heat temperature seems like I still cannot get it. I have removed the film, tried printing face up and down, used teflon sheets, bond paper and all that. Attached photos of what went wrong. I am using a pearlite white insert from supernova in China. So you might see a few glitters in the photo.


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## headfirst (Jun 29, 2011)

cheeee said:


> Hi guys, hope you could help. I'm pressing at 175C at 110 sec, about 180-200C at 40-60 seconds, I have tried changing the heat temperature seems like I still cannot get it. I have removed the film, tried printing face up and down, used teflon sheets, bond paper and all that. Attached photos of what went wrong. I am using a pearlite white insert from supernova in China. So you might see a few glitters in the photo.


Have you tried a different insert? I've never seen the pearlite inserts, but if you've tested all of your other variables that is the next one to test.

Your bigger problem might be in licensing that artwork.


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## cheeee (Jun 12, 2014)

^ yes I have. And I am currently making the plates for the cases using my3d sublimation machine, and it turns out great. So, most probably the pressing using the heat press machine is making the mistake. I am running out of sublimation plates to try it out 


Photos aren't mine. Grabbed it from the internet cos I needed a colorful print to check if my printer wasn't the one causing the problem. Usually the designs ordered from me are logos for car shows and they seem pale.


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