# do you have to have a mug glazer with sublimation printing on mugs



## DebsTeez (Aug 1, 2008)

Can anyone tell me, do you have to have a mug glazer with sublimation printing on mugs?
What about laser printing on mugs?
If a glaser is nothing more than heat, couldn't the mugs be stuck in an conventional oven?
Thanks for your input


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## Daniel Slatkin (Jun 25, 2008)

*Re: Debs Teez*

They make wraps for putting mugs in an oven.


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## dim116 (Nov 27, 2006)

DebsTeez said:


> Can anyone tell me, do you have to have a mug glazer with sublimation printing on mugs?
> What about laser printing on mugs?
> If a glaser is nothing more than heat, couldn't the mugs be stuck in an conventional oven?
> Thanks for your input


No, you do not need a glaser when doing sublimation mugs. I think that is used when doing laser printed mugs though. For sublimation you can buy mug wraps and do them in a conventional oven or as I do with a mug press.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Just remember you will need mugs that have polymer coating in order to sublimate...regular mugs will NOT work.. You can either use a mug press or a mug wrap and put in oven...I recommend getting a small convection oven dedicated to sublimation and not use the kitchen oven...just to avoid any potential contamination.


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## selzler (Apr 4, 2007)

You only need a glazer if you are going to buy mugs and get them ready for sublimation. I buy the mugs ready to go it is alot better and less time. I have heard of some people doing it them self and had a real mess were the glaze had run on the mugs and it looks real bad.


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## DebsTeez (Aug 1, 2008)

Thanks, I've been screenprinting and doing transfers for about 3 years, thought I'd ad mugs to my list.!


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## DebsTeez (Aug 1, 2008)

Thanks, have been researching the idea of doing mugs, and checking on prices with different companies.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

doing mug coating yourself is seldom commercially viable...and the sides of the mugs must be straight for sublimation...and if you are just starting...the least expensive setup to do sublimation is about $500-$600 for the printer, sublimation ink and sublimation paper..Debsteez...there is a lot of information on the forum under sublimation that will give you more information


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## DebsTeez (Aug 1, 2008)

Thanks, thats what i'm looking for info!


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## thanhpham (Mar 25, 2008)

charles95405 said:


> doing mug coating yourself is seldom commercially viable...


- however, our choice is limited to the coated mugs available. We many times want better cup quality, so we have to think of coating mugs for our own.

- i am in the processing of learning mug sublimating, could you help on some those issues: i) what chemicals to be used for coating, ii) how to coat? i.e: spray onto the to-be-printed area or dip the whole mug into the chemical liquid? i heard to spray the mugs, we need to put some petro in to the chemical liquid????, iii) after coating the mugs with chemicals, do we need to heat the mug for the chemicals to attached to the mugs before printing? a guy told me to put mugs in the oven for heating? is that OK?..iv) any tips should you recommend. Thanks a lot




charles95405 said:


> and the sides of the mugs must be straight for sublimation...


can you explain "must be straight"?



charles95405 said:


> and if you are just starting...the least expensive setup to do sublimation is about $500-$600 ..


i just got a R230, do you think it's oK?


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## PressForProfit (Jun 11, 2008)

DebsTeez said:


> Can anyone tell me, do you have to have a mug glazer with sublimation printing on mugs?
> What about laser printing on mugs?
> If a glaser is nothing more than heat, couldn't the mugs be stuck in an conventional oven?
> Thanks for your input


The glazers were used for laser toner and soft coated mugs.

You pressed the laser toner transfer into the soft coated mug using a mug press. Then you pealed the paper and placed the mug into the glazer. That set the toner and hardened up the coating.

We were using this 10 years ago in my shop. Sublimation is much more predictable. It also gives a better looking and more durable image. 

This is actually how I got into doing dye sublimation. Because doing mugs the old way with the laser toners, were a huge pain.


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