# form/insert?



## jgwells1 (Apr 2, 2012)

A few months back I ran into an issue, but I do not like my present solution. I had done a custom run of 50 shirts for a charity, and upon receipt, she complained up a storm about straightness of the transfers, and location.

Some of my transfers go on to sleeves, and we all know that most every sleeve has a seam that we have to deal with. My solution at first was to get a heat resistant plastic to insert, or form the sleeve, then press so that I didnt have to deal with the seam at all. I ruined one shirt after a while when the plastic I used started to melt. Then I began using wood, such as laminate flooring. This is a total pain to do, but gives much better results. I use teflon sheets to insulate and the like, and used to press with the thin teflon in the body of the shirt.

What I would like to find, and here is my question, is where can I find a form that would fill out the shirt for pressing, allow straighter alignment, and wont melt? On the prep table, I would have various sizes, and insert into the body of the shirt, slightly stretching it, I can gain alignment, then lift the entire assembly to my press and be straight. My original thought was something for putting pots or pans on from cooking since those are at 400 or so degrees, and shouldn't melt. I have seen cardboard, such as for setting up dresses. I would really like some type of form so that I can preset transfers, and tape them so I do not have to rely on my eye, then it is precise. Then I won't have a customer threaten to sue me over a $400 order. I can't cure their character defects, but I can do a better job somehow.


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## tiger24 (Jan 11, 2009)

Hi Joe

I use heat transfer vinyl and custom cut my own designs. I press vinyl on sleeves quite often for my customer's designs.
I never put an insert of any kind behind the sleeve getting pressed. I press the vinyl right on the sleeve with the seam rut in the background with good results.

If you want there are Teflon pillows of various sizes to slip in the body of the sleeve that you can buy.

Sorry if I misunderstood what you were asking for.

Good luck on this issue.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

You were on the right track with the wooden forms. You can use most anything that doesn't include resin binder - that includes particle board, and some of the wood flooring products. The reason to avoid the stuff is that the resin offgasses when heated, causing a stink, and also not doing your lungs any good. A nice solid piece of unfinished pine or other wood is best.

Get some 1/8" or 1/4" mouse pad material, cut it to slightly larger than the shape of your wooden form, and glue it on with high temperature RTV. If you'd like you can put a thin foam padding over that, or just some teflon, or try just the pad by itself.

I assume you're trying to press onto the side of the sleeve, rather than front or back. What you're basically looking to do is create for yourself the heat press equivalent of an ironing or pressing ham, but in this case, the flat on the top and bottom.

BTW, the lady can't sue you for $400 unless she's paid you the $400.


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

You mentioned 400 degrees. What kind of transfer are you using?


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## jgwells1 (Apr 2, 2012)

I had good luck so far with the flooring, it just can be difficult to get in an out rapidly, and could damage the fabric if a corner catches. I may go the cardboard route to help with pressing on the chest and back, and wood or cardboard on sleeves. When using light fabrics like burnout, I find I get better results when something firm is sandwiched into the fabric. I like the idea of covering the wood in mouse pad material, should cut down on snags. I wish I could find hard teflon sheets that are say a 1/4 inch thick cut in the shape of a shirt.


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## jgwells1 (Apr 2, 2012)

I had mentioned 400 degrees in relation to pots, or bake items coming out of the oven at that temp. If the material could handle a casserole dish out of the oven at 400 degrees, it should be pressable without melting at a much lower temp. I normally do laser heat transfers, and will be doing ink jet transfers coming up next month. I found when I start running 20 or more shirts, the wood, or whatever retains quite a bit of heat, to the point you can't hold it after the 5th shirt. A rotation on wood works, but then again, you get 50 things on your prep bench and that is annoying as well. 

What I envision is a two step process, where my helper/wife inserts the form into the shirt, tapes on the chest, back and sleeve transfers, I press all the suitable spots while she preps the next shirt. We then exchange two or three forms and can be efficient with time.


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

Phenolics will work


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## Tugg Speedman (Feb 12, 2012)

Why not use a print perfect pad?


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## cryptkeeper (Apr 26, 2010)

My first "little" "big" job was printing up 300 0.5x1.5 inch logos to put on the sleeve. It was a slow process but then I got someone to come help me, I cut a slightly tapered rectangle out of cardboard (I did not have a print perfect pad, but I would totally get one for this) the prints were ok,, but the fins from the corrugations showed up on the tshirt, so I cut it again out of cardboard twice and layered it. (Had a LP cover if you must know )

If it was up to me and I had a proper shop for heat presses. I would press the front, then hand it off to the second person who would print the sleeve with a hat press.


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## jgwells1 (Apr 2, 2012)

Print perfect pads look like a great solution, I will order some soon after the holidays.
I agree that corrugated cardboard would create problems, but cardboard such as the back of a notepad, or legal pad would certainly work. 
I have looked a little at phenolics and flat stock teflon. I was thinking of taking a design to a cnc machine shop, and have them route out the plastic with a beveled edge. These might even be marketable. I can't be the only one that could use something like this.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

The Print Perfect Pads are significantly softer than wood, phenolic, or any solid teflon. If you want to go the pad route you can make them yourself. I'm sure the PP stuff is perfectly good, and the price isn't bad, but you can construct your own if you're on a strict budget.

Amazon sells silicone sheeting. Look for 3/16" to 1/4" thick silicone sheets, and a high durometer -- maybe 50 to 70. The higher the durometer the harder the material. Find the kind with the adhesive backing. Cover with inexpensive baking sheet teflon, the kind you can get for a couple of bucks for a 15x15 or so sheet. Amazon actually sells that, too. (Gee, should I be using me Amazon affiliate code here?  -- the only problem with the Amazon stuff is lots of their sheeting goes backordered for a long time. There are other sources if you're willing to look hard enough.)

Phenolics outgas formaldehyde when heated, so not wise for long term. It seems to me solid teflon sheets would be very expensive.


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## laz0924 (Jun 25, 2009)

They do sell sleeve platens that they use in screen printing, I have 2 I bought on Ebay for that purpose but I don't really need them since I have a swing away press. I lay the sleeve down with the design swing over the press and that's it.


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