# Heat Press Scorching Shirts



## cristoarmando (Jul 29, 2016)

Hi, 

I am heat pressing plastisol transfers from "silvermountaingraphics.com" onto N3200 Next Level shirts 100% cotton, but thin. 

I am heat pressing at firm pressure 385 like the transfers call for. 

However, I am getting scorch marks. Am I doing something wrong?

I am trying to press the neck area of the back of the shirt, so I'm using a pad to do so. When I press, my t shirt is scorched where the pad was inserted.

Thank you!


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## Vitaman (Aug 8, 2014)

If it is 100% cotton the discoloration should come out after time, or worse case, after a wash. Many times the difference in color you see is just the moisture from humidity in the shirts being removed. At 385 degrees you won't scorch cotton.


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## cristoarmando (Jul 29, 2016)

Hi,

The scorch is more of a yellow discoloration.

I know what you are talking about though, the slight change in color, and I don't think this is it.

Thanks for your response though! I truly appreciate you.


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## Vitaman (Aug 8, 2014)

Hmmm. Maybe you have some residue on the platen? Try using a cover sheet of some sort to see if the problem still persists. Maybe try washing a few you have done to see if that removes the discoloration. Hope you get it sorted out. It's no fun wasting shirts.


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## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

cristoarmando said:


> Hi,
> 
> The scorch is more of a yellow discoloration.
> 
> ...


It could be that temp of the heat press is not what it says. Measure the temp with contact thermometer. Also try covering with wide parchment paper. Some T-Shirt brand have treatment that will change with heat.


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## Bruins4 (Jul 29, 2016)

Do you have any scorch remover or hydrogen peroxide to remove the marks?


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## GTP30 (Dec 18, 2015)

A quick pic may get you more accurate solutions if none of the above have solved the issue.

I would agree with Luis on checking the heat press temp if it's scorching the shirts.


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## CJsBudgetBuys (Aug 3, 2016)

I had this same problem with pressing Next Level 6440 sueded jerseys. It turns out that they are heat sensitive. I was pressing hot split transfers at 365F and was scorching the fabric (60 cotton/40poly). I had to get transfers that applied at 300F or lower. Once I did this the press marks went away with either a wash or steam. I would say to use transfers that apply at 365F or lower (for cotton on NL; 300F and lower for poly blends on NL). Some fabrics are just too heat sensitive and the Next Level is one of them. 385F is too hot. Try 365F with longer press times.


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## Dobby2016 (Oct 4, 2016)

Lnfortun said:


> It could be that temp of the heat press is not what it says. Measure the temp with contact thermometer. Also try covering with wide parchment paper. Some T-Shirt brand have treatment that will change with heat.


Is this something that normally happens to heat press machines? Where they are a different temperature than what they say?


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## GTP30 (Dec 18, 2015)

Dobby2016 said:


> Is this something that normally happens to heat press machines? Where they are a different temperature than what they say?


Usually it's an issue with the cheap presses. The platen doesn't have even heat so you have spots that are too hot and some spots that may not be hot enough.


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## CJsBudgetBuys (Aug 3, 2016)

Dobby2016 said:


> Is this something that normally happens to heat press machines? Where they are a different temperature than what they say?


Yes, a thermometer laser gun is definitely the way to check the actual temperature of the platen. I am pressing with the Hotronix Fusion and my transfers require pressing at 275F. If I set my press to 275F and check it (temp of upper platen) with my laser thermometer, it will read 10-15 degrees hotter, so I have to set my temperature to at least 10 degrees below 275F.

I also have a Geo Knight DK20S and the same thing happens on that one. Basically, mine run quite a bit hotter than what the temp says on the machine, so I need to adjust accordingly with my laser thermometer until I have the platen at the right temp.

Now I just set presets for what I need, so the machine will be at the right temp every time I need to press shirts, I still double check that the temp is right before I press though.


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