# shirts burning



## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

So I am using cobra sublimation ink, beaver texprint xp hr 13x19 , bestblanks teflon sheet, with geo knight dk20s. I am using alo m1009 shirts and a 12x14 lower platen (so not paper marks since paper is larger then bottom platen) with pressure set to 0 , temp set to 380, for 40 seconds. I do not know what is going on but I always have a shine where the platen was on the shirt? Will this ever go away after a few washes? I feel bad selling the shirts like this but I have no other choice. If I lower the pressure anymore the image starts to fade.

THanks for the help!
Shaun


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## rresquire (Dec 23, 2014)

bradyboyy88 said:


> So I am using cobra sublimation ink, beaver texprint xp hr 13x19 , bestblanks teflon sheet, with geo knight dk20s. I am using alo m1009 shirts and a 12x14 lower platen (so not paper marks since paper is larger then bottom platen) with pressure set to 0 , temp set to 380, for 40 seconds. I do not know what is going on but I always have a shine where the platen was on the shirt? Will this ever go away after a few washes? I feel bad selling the shirts like this but I have no other choice. If I lower the pressure anymore the image starts to fade.
> 
> THanks for the help!
> Shaun


No, that shine will not go away from washing. It's the fabrics melting a bit. I've successfully pressed the Alo m1006 and m1009. I like the m1009 a lot, but it's easy to mangle on a press. There's a thread next to this one where I say how its done. In short, I use a foam with a 45 degree beveled edge. It disperses the pressure and prevents this problem.


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## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

rresquire said:


> No, that shine will not go away from washing. It's the fabrics melting a bit. I've successfully pressed the Alo m1006 and m1009. I like the m1009 a lot, but it's easy to mangle on a press. There's a thread next to this one where I say how its done. In short, I use a foam with a 45 degree beveled edge. It disperses the pressure and prevents this problem.


Do you use the vapor foam?
Could you shoot me the link to it?

I am honestly freaking out whether or not to send these shirts and just absorb to loss. I figured it might wash out. What do you think about the ironing idea ? Ironing the entire front to blend it.


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## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

rresquire said:


> No, that shine will not go away from washing. It's the fabrics melting a bit. I've successfully pressed the Alo m1006 and m1009. I like the m1009 a lot, but it's easy to mangle on a press. There's a thread next to this one where I say how its done. In short, I use a foam with a 45 degree beveled edge. It disperses the pressure and prevents this problem.


Do you use the vapor foam?
Could you shoot me the link to it?

I am honestly freaking out whether or not to send these shirts and just absorb to loss. I figured it might wash out. What do you think about the ironing idea ? Ironing the entire front to blend it.


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## rresquire (Dec 23, 2014)

Dude, was exactly where you are... Sitting on 600 bucks of m1009 shirts and a delivery that I didn't have time to reorder from. Our first reaction? Exactly where you went with it. Oh, worst case we can hide it by making the whole thing look ****ty. But like I said, you can get a clean finish on those Alo shirts with the foam. The foam we use is just generic foam. We buy it from coastal in 16x20 sheets and cut it down to size.

Link:

Foam Pillow 16" x 20"


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## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

rresquire said:


> Dude, was exactly where you are... Sitting on 600 bucks of m1009 shirts and a delivery that I didn't have time to reorder from. Our first reaction? Exactly where you went with it. Oh, worst case we can hide it by making the whole thing look ****ty. But like I said, you can get a clean finish on those Alo shirts with the foam. The foam we use is just generic foam. We buy it from coastal in 16x20 sheets and cut it down to size.
> 
> Link:
> 
> Foam Pillow 16" x 20"


But you probably werent dumb enough to press all 65 shirts and think it washes out... I am screwed basically. So if the mark is there its done for good right? I will definately pick up that foam kit for next time. What shirts do you use now or are you still using the m1009?


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## rresquire (Dec 23, 2014)

Last wicking order I did was with A4 N3264 shirts. I like the shirt. But with any poly, you gotta take care and make sure you don't scorch it. It's worth taking an infrared thermometer to your heat press and seeing what you're actually pressing at.


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## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

rresquire said:


> Last wicking order I did was with A4 N3264 shirts. I like the shirt. But with any poly, you gotta take care and make sure you don't scorch it. It's worth taking an infrared thermometer to your heat press and seeing what you're actually pressing at.


Yea I am using the geoknight temperature gauge. Temps are about 400 in some spots, 380 in others, 390 in somes. All over the place but was told that 15-20 variation accross platen is normal for dk20s and I have temp set to 380.


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## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

The shine is more prevalent on colored shirts than on white.
Foam is not gonna stop the shine box. The foam is more for removing the paper press lines. 
The actual reason for the shine box is NOT melting the shirt. Its happens cuz the dye sub inks are being re gassed. Take a colored poly shirt, like a red or blue and a blank piece of sub paper. Press it, the paper turns the color of the shirt. Not from melting but from the dye ink re-gassing and escaping to the paper. 
Only real way to get rid of the shine box is to use white shirts. Or use cut and sew shirts.
Go to any show and watch them press shirts. They use only white. Or video. Theres a reason why.


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## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

freebird1963 said:


> The shine is more prevalent on colored shirts than on white.
> Foam is not gonna stop the shine box. The foam is more for removing the paper press lines.
> The actual reason for the shine box is NOT melting the shirt. Its happens cuz the dye sub inks are being re gassed. Take a colored poly shirt, like a red or blue and a blank piece of sub paper. Press it, the paper turns the color of the shirt. Not from melting but from the dye ink re-gassing and escaping to the paper.
> Only real way to get rid of the shine box is to use white shirts. Or use cut and sew shirts.
> Go to any show and watch them press shirts. They use only white. Or video. Theres a reason why.


I did use white but also gray as well. There is a slight glaze/shine anywhere from the press regardless of area. Pressure gauge is at 0, temp at 380, and cook time 45 seconds (I tried a few different methods). I wonder if the fact that I used a 12x14 lower platen had anything to do with it? For some reason using that smaller platen also caused some problems with my thermoflex as well on a few shirts before switching back to my 16x20. For the sublimation I purely used the 12x14 so transfer paper was larger then platen. In theory I wouldnt think the lower platen would make a difference but this one is cursed!


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## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

Don't know about the 0 pressure as mine is manual. 
Sounds like you have some type of press that has interchangable platens. If so and its one of the cheaper Chinese ones have you put a temp gun on it yet to ensure that the temp is accurate ? Just cause a digital read out says 380 doesn't mean its accurate. Most even the good ones are off up to 10 degrees. Get a pyrometer like the DK one. 
Again the shine is from regassing the ink. White should not be very noticable. If it is either the shirts are not 100 per cent poly or your pressure/temp is not accurate. There are a few posts on here about the shine box so you can search and read about it on those posts too.

Heres a start from a 2012 post. Last message. You can try that.
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/dye-sublimation/t181887.html

Good Luck


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## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

freebird1963 said:


> Don't know about the 0 pressure as mine is manual.
> Sounds like you have some type of press that has interchangable platens. If so and its one of the cheaper Chinese ones have you put a temp gun on it yet to ensure that the temp is accurate ? Just cause a digital read out says 380 doesn't mean its accurate. Most even the good ones are off up to 10 degrees. Get a pyrometer like the DK one.
> Again the shine is from regassing the ink. White should not be very noticable. If it is either the shirts are not 100 per cent poly or your pressure/temp is not accurate. There are a few posts on here about the shine box so you can search and read about it on those posts too.
> 
> ...


Its a geoknight dk20s, just bought it about 2 weeks ago. Temps are between 0-20 degrees off depending on spot but I cant fix that. I will definately read up on the thread post. Thanks for the info.


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

Nothing will fix the 65 shirts you pressed. Offer them at a reduce price and say your sorry this happen.
Next time you should 1 buy a better shirt, use lowest level of heat on that will let the transfer outgas, use lowest pressure that you can get away with , use nomax on the platen. Buy a test shirt and cut it up in 4" squares for testing. I like Duotec shirts. PM me for their phone #


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## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

skdave said:


> Nothing will fix the 65 shirts you pressed. Offer them at a reduce price and say your sorry this happen.
> Next time you should 1 buy a better shirt, use lowest level of heat on that will let the transfer outgas, use lowest pressure that you can get away with , use nomax on the platen. Buy a test shirt and cut it up in 4" squares for testing. I like Duotec shirts. PM me for their phone #


Yo skdave! So I actually just did a vapor shirt and it turned out awesome with out the foam (should be here in a few days). I did do the sleeve with a cut up mouse pad on inside at the same temp and it did slightly burn the sleeve (weird it did it to sleeve and not body despite same settings). I used 385 temp (0-20 deg variations through press), 0 pressure on dk20s, teflon sheet, and 12x14 bottom platen. I ordered a few of those monag shirts you mentioned and one out of three came in stained, and the quality just wasnt there. Vapor is definitely a nice shirt just is a tad bit heavy but I cant complain about that cuz I like that but I know customers will find a reason to complain.


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

Call AMIT at Monag and tell him to replace the dirty ones asap. 
Turn you temp down as low as you can get away with.
Teflon is not good to use when dye subbing. FYI


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## 13 Stitches (Jul 31, 2007)

So how did it turn out awesome if you didn't do anything different?


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## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

skdave said:


> Call AMIT at Monag and tell him to replace the dirty ones asap.
> Turn you temp down as low as you can get away with.
> Teflon is not good to use when dye subbing. FYI


Good to know. I have parchment paper as well but just like the teflon. Why not use telfon tho if it helps even out temperature distribution/pressure?

Yea I emailed Amit next day but he never returned my email like he did before I purchased lol.


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## Prudat (Oct 4, 2014)

I'm interested in why no Teflon. We have never had issue with it.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Prudat said:


> I'm interested in why no Teflon. We have never had issue with it.


2 issues, one is minor.

1. Eventually teflon will pick up dye over time either from the actual sublimation transfers or from colored tshirts and discolor other garments you press with it later, aka ghosting. Not a question of if, but a question of when.

2. Teflon is a good heat insulator, putting a heat insulator in between the heat press and what you intend to heat transfer to is counter-productive. It can still work but robs a few degs of temperature and/or a little dwell time. This is the minor issue though.


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## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

If you wipe off the teflon sheet after each press the ghosting won't happen.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

freebird1963 said:


> If you wipe off the teflon sheet after each press the ghosting won't happen.


True, but I find using parchment is much faster than wiping down a big teflon sheet. When you remove it "chuck it". And it takes a really big sheet of teflon to cover the entire tshirt. So wiping it down is not an efficient use of my time.

I spend enough time as it is stuffing the inside of the shirt, aligning things, getting the foam and transfer positioned etc. One more obstacle as I see it.

But to each his own.


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## bradyboyy88 (Nov 10, 2014)

It turned out awesome because of the shirt I guess Being able to withstand the heat better. Iearned my lesson. Il just charge three extra bucks a shirt and use vapor. It makes a difference for sure. I still have a bunch of the m1009 i need to get rid of or use up tho so im curious to try the foam for them.


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## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

mgparrish said:


> True, but I find using parchment is much faster than wiping down a big teflon sheet. When you remove it "chuck it". And it takes a really big sheet of teflon to cover the entire tshirt. So wiping it down is not an efficient use of my time.
> 
> I spend enough time as it is stuffing the inside of the shirt, aligning things, getting the foam and transfer positioned etc. One more obstacle as I see it.
> 
> But to each his own.


Yea one second to wipe down the teflon or several minutes picking up the mess of sheets laying on the floor and take out the trash and create more rubbish for the garbage man. 

I use butcher paper myself. Occasionally a teflon sheet but don't like it. Especially since I don't preheat my shirts and feel that a few times there was moisture in them and the teflon didn't allow it to escape and the image looked washed out. 

But whatever works for someone is always the best way.


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## Brian the Brain (Apr 13, 2010)

Prudat said:


> I'm interested in why no Teflon. We have never had issue with it.


I had problems with using teflon on aluminum. The ink gassing would blow out the edges of the teflon leaving white spots on the edges of the aluminum.

And, with hardboard tiles, I had small white spots that appeared on the surface. Conde's technical advise was not to use teflon. That solved the problem.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

freebird1963 said:


> Yea one second to wipe down the teflon or several minutes picking up the mess of sheets laying on the floor and take out the trash and create more rubbish for the garbage man.
> 
> I use butcher paper myself. Occasionally a teflon sheet but don't like it. Especially since I don't preheat my shirts and feel that a few times there was moisture in them and the teflon didn't allow it to escape and the image looked washed out.
> 
> But whatever works for someone is always the best way.


Umm I keep a waste basket and throw away those, you don't have to stack up on the floor if you don't want to. LOL  

Butcher paper is good to though, cheap at Sam's club, and can get in wider rolls than parchment.


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

Brian the Brain said:


> I had problems with using teflon on aluminum. The ink gassing would blow out the edges of the teflon leaving white spots on the edges of the aluminum.
> 
> And, with hardboard tiles, I had small white spots that appeared on the surface. Conde's technical advise was not to use teflon. That solved the problem.


Out gassing "blow outs" is the reason we do not use Teflon. But the Mike's reasons are very valid as well.
Sure you can wipe off the Teflon and that may work until you forget to and in todays world that will be somebody else false. IE transfer supplier, tee shirt supplier, dog catcher etc. smile


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