# My transfers are not coming out...HELP!



## JTTLC (Oct 28, 2012)

I am brand new at doing shirts on a heat press and so far it has been terrible. I ordered some stock transfers from proworld and the ones they advertised as 12 X 12 were not that (they were bigger on BOTH sides). So that was wasted money because my press could not do it without it messing up. I contacted proworld, but they just pointed me to a video tutorial that only showed how to do it when one side is bigger and not two. I would have thought they would compensate me, but it did not seem like they cared at all that they advertise their product wrong. One of the transfers that I ordered was smaller and turned out great. I am supposed to do a tent event and sell some shirts on Saturday (and the ladies at my church have done a custom order with me) and the new order of stock transfers that I made for this event have been ruined. The only one that works is the same one that worked in my first test batch that I mentioned already. I have read and re-read the directions that came on the same transfer and adjusted over and over to try to get it right, but it seems like it is the transfers. I sure hope I am doing something wrong, but I am not sure how only one transfer design works. After 18 shirts only 8 have come out! I have LITTLE money so to have to trash those shirts is hard for me. I am scared to do anymore, but I need to have some inventory for the event and not to mention the custom order that will be coming in soon. Does anyone have any tips at all? I have made sure heat press is heated up, adjusted pressure and temperature, but nothing helps. (As a side note if some transfers need different heat/pressure one would think that proworld would indicate that with the transfers. But even after changing all variables I cannot get 99% of the transfers to come out properly.) Also the shirts that did come out I used higher pressure, but then it left a 'square' on the shirt if you will. After a day of hanging the mark is still there...not a burn mark just a crease where the press was on the shirt.

Thanks in advance for any input!!!


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

One, what kind of press and it's size do you have? 

Two, the square impression will come out in the wash. 

Three, where are you? Maybe someone close can help you out, that also happens to have a bigger press. 

Lastly, Ed is the founder of Proworld, and even has a separate section here.


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## JTTLC (Oct 28, 2012)

I have a 12 X 12. After buying transfers that size (but they were actually bigger than that) I steered clear of any 12 X 12 on my second order. I ordered only transfers that were a good bit smaller and would fit into the press without any problems. It is a Gecko machine (inexpensive one to start on). Thanks!


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I didn't know Gecko had a 12 x 12. Are you sure it's not a 15 x 15?

Since you have a few transfers, cut one into four pieces. Then press them in different spots. You can even use the same t-shirt as an example. 

Problem is your press isn't big enough. If you want them done by Saturday you have to find someone to do them hopefully close to you with a larger heat press. 

If you live in PA, NJ or Delaware, contact Proworld and ask them to Heat Press them for you. 

Other companies would charge between $0.50 to $1.00.


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## JTTLC (Oct 28, 2012)

Oh I forgot to add that I live in SC. I just bought this press (it is a 12 X 12) so it is definitely depressing that the size is the problem. I don't know of anyone that could do it. What would a 12 X 12 be used for if it cannot put on transfers that are smaller than that? I was hoping getting smaller transfers would work, but that has not been the case except for the one.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Your post says you bought 12 x 12's from Proworld. So you were planning on pressing them with a 12 x 12 heat press? You have to go smaller or the edges wouldn't print. 

You can buy blank transfers from SeSpecialty.com. They're in SC I believe. Then use your inkjet printer to print out your design. Buy the 8.5" x 11" transfers. JPSS for light garments, and either 3G Opaque or Blue Grid for darks. 

Heat Press them as suggested on their site.


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## JTTLC (Oct 28, 2012)

I did buy what was advertised as 12 X 12s, but they were actually bigger than that. Even if they were that size I realized that I needed to get smaller stock transfers. So that is why in the second order (for this upcoming event) I stayed with much smaller transfers that would fit in my machine with plenty of room left over. Even those are not transferring correctly. Only one type of stock transfer works the way that it should. All others do not. Only a partial transfer comes out where some of the transfer is still on the paper when I peel it off immediately.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Usually Stock Transfers are pressure rated. High, Medium and Low. What are the transfers you bought? More than likely, they need High Pressure. 

Can your machine produce High pressure. 

That being said, you have a day to produce them. Call a local screen printer and as if they have a heat press and how much to press them.


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## JTTLC (Oct 28, 2012)

I don't see where it is rated (I will check again on the website), but I did notice better results with a higher pressure (my machine will produce pretty high pressure so much so that I have a hard time pressing it down). I will take your item about cutting my transfers and really increasing the temp and the pressure just to see what happens. I have plenty of ruined shirts to practice on now! And I will call around too in hopes someone has a bigger and better machine. Thanks for all your help!


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

You're welcome. I'm just saying increase the pressure. Some heat presses aren't made for High Pressure transfers, like Plastisol Transfers.


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