# Heat transfer problem



## svalle (Nov 3, 2010)

I ordered some beautiful transfers but running into a problem. I'm following instructions setting transfer machine at 385 F pressing 10-12 seconds the transfers are Hot Peel but the transfers are not applying to the T-shirt. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong.


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## jennjenn97 (Jul 30, 2007)

What are you appling to? 100% cotton? are you pre heating the shirt? what does the directions say to exactly?


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## Mabuzi (Jul 3, 2007)

What brand of t-shirt and material or transfer are you using.


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

If you have a transfer that is not performing properly we suggest that you take another piece of the same design and cut it into 3 or 4 pieces. Turn the shirt over that has already been damaged and try to apply one piece at a time. You might have to tweak the temperature, time, or pressure to provide a clean application. We have found that this usually solves the problem.


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

You either don't have enough pressure on the press or you are maybe printing on the wrong side of the paper, or you are printing on the wrong kind of fabric for the paper.

Pressure: 
light = close & lock press with just a finger or two
med = close & lock press with one hand some effort
heavy = close & lock press with two hands and a lot of effort (force it closed)

If you are doing sublimation you have to have 100% polyester, and sublimation ink and sublimation paper. JPSS will work with regular inkjet printer ink.


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## ReelHard (Nov 12, 2010)

Having simular problem. Transfering image on front and back of shirt(100% cotton Beefy T). Front image on pocket comes out perfect, but back not transfering whole image. Using hot peel, instructions are 380-395...Im up to 400 with 10 seconds. Sound like a pressure issue?


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

Pressure and/or time gets my vote. Increase it.


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

Beefy T's can be tough to print some times. Do you have another brand to try?


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## Skinbus (Jul 2, 2007)

svalle said:


> I ordered some beautiful transfers but running into a problem. I'm following instructions setting transfer machine at 385 F pressing 10-12 seconds the transfers are Hot Peel but the transfers are not applying to the T-shirt. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong.


If you're using a dark transfer, be sure to peel transfer away from backing paper before pressing.


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

That is only if you are using transfer paper, not stock transfers.


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## Collierx6 (Nov 12, 2010)

ReelHard said:


> Having simular problem. Transfering image on front and back of shirt(100% cotton Beefy T). Front image on pocket comes out perfect, but back not transfering whole image. Using hot peel, instructions are 380-395...Im up to 400 with 10 seconds. Sound like a pressure issue?


 I'm certainly no pro, but I've had some transfers that I've had to press for 390 for 20+ seconds. If it is a heavy material, I have also found that warming it up some (pre pressing) before the actual transfer is in place makes it adhere better. Trial and error sometimes. Each company seems to have its sweet spot.


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

Prepressing also removes the moisture from the fabric. Prepress for about 5 seconds. That will make the transfer adhere better.


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## ReelHard (Nov 12, 2010)

Tried another few shirts and still same problem. Imcreased temp and pressure with same results. I pressed a shirt sideways this time since it seems the top has more of the issue then the bottom and got better results but still not perfect. Guess I'm off to get a IR guage!
Can too much pressure be a problem?..Im such a newbie!


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

I bet if you put a pillow inside it would help. The pillow helps to even out the raised area such as collars. Easy quick pillow : Go to a Jo Ann's Fabric store or similar. Buy a piece of upholstery foam that is 1/2 inch thick. At Jo Ann's it is green and is sold by the yard. You can also buy seat cushion foam inserts. All this is usually with the quilt batting. Cover it with teflon if they have it. The teflon will be in with the utility cloth. It is NOT quilted. It comes on a bolt. It is silver/gray. Cut the piece of foam to fit in side the shirt. Cover it with the teflon. Insert this inside the shirt so that the pillow is just below the bottom of the collar seam. The seam should not be on the pillow. This will even out the transfer area allowing for more even pressure on the transfer.


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## svalle (Nov 3, 2010)

Thank you for the reply. Yea, it is the T-shirt fabric, I have 95% cotton and 5% spandex. With 100% cotton transfers are perfect.


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## Red Fox (Sep 12, 2010)

We had teflon cover on our press took it off and that fixed our problems like that. dont know what the difference is.


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## Clarke (May 13, 2010)

Hello svale. Sounds on the surface to me to be a heat press element problem. If ANY part of the transfer works ( splits) onto the garment and not another part, is likely the fault of the machine rather than the transfer. Very rarely, if ever does one part of a transfer work and not another. I only gather this from the renderings made here. Let me know if i am correct in assuming that in fact some parts of the transfer have worked for you. If yes, then your machine ( even if BRAND NEW ) has parts of the element that won't heat up fully, if at all. We call those cold spots, but in this case sound like cold masses. You can obtain heat strips to measure the exact temperature on all parts of the platen on your press. It may be 375 degrees in one spot and only 352 in another. This would cause a discrepancy in your results. Good luck.


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## ReelHard (Nov 12, 2010)

Yep it was the machine for me. Just shiped it back and gonna splurge and get the DK20's. Anybody using that one? Seems to be a quality press.


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