# Sublimation problem can someone check this out please



## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

I have a Epson 7010 with ciss kit and sublimation ink Ive bought here in montreal from a Chinese vendor I also bought sublimation paper from ebay I tried to print on a polyester 100% tshirt and that's the results faded colours and cant really tell whats in the picture I had but I don't know wich part is the problem I print it with a heat press medium pressure 400*F for 40sec 
is it from the temp? the paper? or the ink?
I noticed that the paper felt like any regular paper and the ad I bought it from was strange dude didn't want to give any help related to the paper 
can someone please help me that's the last step for my business to take flight thanks in advance








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## paintersspouse (Jul 26, 2012)

More info would help us narrow down the problem.

Do you know if you printed on the right side of the paper?

Do you know that the temp on your press is correct?


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

paintersspouse said:


> More info would help us narrow down the problem.
> 
> Do you know if you printed on the right side of the paper?
> 
> Do you know that the temp on your press is correct?


 
to tell you the truth I didn't try the other side both side feel exactly the same 
for the temp of the press I went with the basic temp for printing on polyester from the research I made I didn't have no instruction from the seller


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## scg (Aug 11, 2009)

Paper should have a really bright white side(print side) and a duller side if it is sub paper


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## paintersspouse (Jul 26, 2012)

bigwaawa said:


> to tell you the truth I didn't try the other side both side feel exactly the same
> for the temp of the press I went with the basic temp for printing on polyester from the research I made I didn't have no instruction from the seller


To find any problem we need to eliminate the things that we know are correct.

Correct paper?
Correct temp set? set temp is the actual temp that the press heats to? ( mine is 15 degrees warmer than it says it is)
Are you really using sublimation inks?
Do you have all the proper color correction settings? Is the program or the printer controlling the color output?
Correct dwell time?
Correct pressure?

Have you tried different temps and different times?
Are any of the print heads clogged?


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## stevems7768 (Apr 28, 2012)

Looks like the ink is not releasing from the paper. That's generally caused by low temp/short dwell time on press, the paper or ink is not dye sub.....

Take your paper and put it next to a piece of copy paper, flip it over and you should be able to tell the white side pretty easily. Print on the white side as mentioned above. The temp, you'll need an accurate temp gun or industrial temp strips to make sure temperature is accurate...screen printing temp strips only go up to 330. The ink, well that you'd need to talk to your vendor. 

I'd check the paper first, that's the easiest to test to make sure your printing on the correct side of the paper.


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## SaB (May 15, 2007)

Not always the case guys. Sublimation paper is not always brighter. Easy to check what side is printable is to lick two fingers and than grab a page. Printable side of paper will stick to finger as it's coated.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Paul is correct...Also having chinese inks and paper off ebay is not always a good selection...You will need an ICC profile for your particular ink and printer..A lot of sublimation paper on ebay is marginal at best. I would be best to get a good paper to start AFTER you get your ICC profile..and coordinate all with the particular software that you are using to design/print

For most sublimation I do 400 F and moderate pressure for the time indicated by the substrate source


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## SaB (May 15, 2007)

Ink is ink. does not matter f is artanium, inktek or no name. all will print lovely once correct ICC is made.
So i would not worry much about the ink as long as you know you source and every time you run out you can be confident next bottle will be this same ink... but I would also sugest to get some descent paper. for me texprint works best on both, hard and soft blanks.


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

Thanks to all for your quick response I will try to flip the paper first see what happen 

then try different temp

I will also call my supplier to ask him for the icc profile and I guess if he don't know what im talkin about im srewed 


imam be here all day working on this thing and continuing reading your comments ill let you know whats up


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

whats weird about it is it comes out real good on paper when I put it on the tshirt its a mess shouldn't it be the opposite not that great on paper and great on the tshirt


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## paintersspouse (Jul 26, 2012)

bigwaawa said:


> whats weird about it is it comes out real good on paper when I put it on the tshirt its a mess shouldn't it be the opposite not that great on paper and great on the tshirt


How about a picture of the paper before the press.


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

scg said:


> Paper should have a really bright white side(print side) and a duller side if it is sub paper


 
ive checked the paper closely and don't see no difference its the same both side and I don't feel the ''stickier'' side 

I was thinkin about it if it was the ink I guess nothing would of come out on the shirt right?


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## paintersspouse (Jul 26, 2012)

bigwaawa said:


> ive checked the paper closely and don't see no difference its the same both side and I don't feel the ''stickier'' side
> 
> I was thinkin about it if it was the ink I guess nothing would of come out on the shirt right?


I don't think that is true. I can print with my non sublimation ink printers and get it to leave ink on top of the tshirt.


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

paintersspouse said:


> I don't think that is true. I can print with my non sublimation ink printers and get it to leave ink on top of the tshirt.


I didn't know that


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

paintersspouse said:


> How about a picture of the paper before the press.


 heres the pics 








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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

paintersspouse said:


> How about a picture of the paper before the press.


heres the pics 








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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

your problem sounds.more and more like paper issues. pm me your mailing address and if you are in USA, I will send you a couple sheets of the paper I use.


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## paintersspouse (Jul 26, 2012)

charles95405 said:


> your problem sounds.more and more like paper issues. pm me your mailing address and if you are in USA, I will send you a couple sheets of the paper I use.


I agree. You could also if your close to a office supply store, try some Epson Presentation Matter paper. Other here say that it works as well.


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

paintersspouse said:


> I agree. You could also if your close to a office supply store, try some Epson Presentation Matter paper. Other here say that it works as well.


 
presentation paper will do the same as sublimation paper?


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

charles95405 said:


> your problem sounds.more and more like paper issues. pm me your mailing address and if you are in USA, I will send you a couple sheets of the paper I use.


 unfortunately im not in the US im in Canada quebec if you are willin to send it here so I can try them I could buy a batch of them so I wont have this issue anymore


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## SaB (May 15, 2007)

try this paper. 110 Pcs 8 5"x 11" Texprint R Sublimation Ink Transfer Paper for Ricoh Printers | eBay
One of the best ones around.


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## bratdawg (Jul 17, 2012)

While I agree with others that it sounds like your paper, I would also check your press as many are off from the temp they display.

At 400° F, I would also increase your dwell time to at least 60 seconds, particularly on the larger images with a lot of black.

Good luck.

Steve


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

SaB said:


> try this paper. 110 Pcs 8 5"x 11" Texprint R Sublimation Ink Transfer Paper for Ricoh Printers | eBay
> One of the best ones around.


 
but I have a Epson wf 7010


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

bratdawg said:


> While I agree with others that it sounds like your paper, I would also check your press as many are off from the temp they display.
> 
> At 400° F, I would also increase your dwell time to at least 60 seconds, particularly on the larger images with a lot of black.
> 
> ...


 
thanks its really appreciated


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## SaB (May 15, 2007)

bigwaawa said:


> but I have a Epson wf 7010


It will work but if you can find texprin HE version then thats even better


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

bigwaawa said:


> ive checked the paper closely and don't see no difference its the same both side and I don't feel the ''stickier'' side


Then you're likely not using sublimation paper. The (usually) whiter or stickier side will have a clay coating, which prevents the ink from settling into the paper. Without the coating too much of the ink soaks into the fibers of the paper, and as noted in the posts above, will then not release. 

You're wasting your time messing with this paper. Where ever you got it they sold you junk. Most online retail sublimation outfits will send you some sample sheets. That way you can test if your ink you bought is also crap.

Some other papers with highly polished surfaces are workable, but more expensive. You're better off getting the right paper to begin with. As noted aboe, the Ricoh paper is fine, but it costs more than the standard dye sub papers, and you don't really need it for your 7010, unless you're in a really humid area, where the faster drying time of the Ricoh papers can be a benefit.


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

GordonM said:


> Then you're likely not using sublimation paper. The (usually) whiter or stickier side will have a clay coating, which prevents the ink from settling into the paper. Without the coating too much of the ink soaks into the fibers of the paper, and as noted in the posts above, will then not release.
> 
> You're wasting your time messing with this paper. Where ever you got it they sold you junk. Most online retail sublimation outfits will send you some sample sheets. That way you can test if your ink you bought is also crap.
> 
> Some other papers with highly polished surfaces are workable, but more expensive. You're better off getting the right paper to begin with. As noted aboe, the Ricoh paper is fine, but it costs more than the standard dye sub papers, and you don't really need it for your 7010, unless you're in a really humid area, where the faster drying time of the Ricoh papers can be a benefit.


 


ill try the textprint-r I tought because ricoh is a gel base ink that it will use a different kind of paper ill let you know how it went tomorrow thanks


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Bigwaawa....I could mail to canada...BUT since you are going to try the Texprint...that is the paper I use and I use it with a Ricoh gel printer...works just fine


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

I tried the textprint-r too and gives me the exact same result I called the ink vendor this morning and told me that its not all polyester that can be ''sublimate'' he ask me to find one processed for sublimation but if I try it on a hard surface like a mug or ceramic tile it will work !!! whats your opinion on that ?


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

bigwaawa said:


> I tried the textprint-r too and gives me the exact same result I called the ink vendor this morning and told me that its not all polyester that can be ''sublimate'' he ask me to find one processed for sublimation but if I try it on a hard surface like a mug or ceramic tile it will work !!! whats your opinion on that ?


 
the tshirt im testing it on is Gildan 100% polyester with a cotton feel


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## SaB (May 15, 2007)

what a lot of rubbish! ANY fabric that is made of 100% polyester will sublimate perfectly. this is how sublimation works. change supplier. quick!


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

bigwaawa said:


> ill try the textprint-r I tought because ricoh is a gel base ink that it will use a different kind of paper


It's not different, just a little softer coating (I believe), so that it dries faster. They generally charge more money for it, so there's no reason to use it unless you need to -- you either have a Ricoh, or you have an Epson and the ink is smearing.


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

SaB said:


> what a lot of rubbish! ANY fabric that is made of 100% polyester will sublimate perfectly. this is how sublimation works. change supplier. quick!


Not even close to being true. There can be a wide range of results on 100% poly - especially with premade apparel. They do not all print equally well and in fact some print poorly. I am not a techie to explain the differences in shirts just speaking from actual experience.

Personally I would never except outside garments to print but if one is to do so one should explain that they need a shirt to test print on to insure quality,


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## SaB (May 15, 2007)

i say is pretty close. verryyy close.


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## ponypome (Oct 16, 2009)

cut up the t shirts you printed on and do some test strips at different pressure and temperatures and play around


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## AMHeather (Jul 4, 2013)

Do you prepress? I only do large format and for me makes a difference. Also for me cotton feel shirts take a longer dwell time


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

AMHeather said:


> Do you prepress? I only do large format and for me makes a difference. Also for me cotton feel shirts take a longer dwell time


 
yes I prepressed everytime 
400*F for 60 sec dwell time


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

SaB said:


> i say is pretty close. verryyy close.


I'm with RR on this one. There are at least a dozen common blends of polyester, and for finished goods there's also soil retardants (so they don't get so dirty on the shelves at Walmart) and other additives. While you'll always get an image, they're not all the same. 

I've purchased some 100% poly at Joann's for testing that no matter what I did always came out mottled looking. It also shrank so badly it wasn't even useful for making test prints.

I'm not aware that the mills tell you the type of polyester content, but I know a few will detail that info for their nylon goods, if you ask. We know that nylon 6/6 sublimates well, but nylon 6 does not. They differ in their molecular structure in some way that makes one form useful for subbing, the other not.

I print some things on sheet polyester. It's very tricky to find just the right material, though it's all "100% polyester." Some of it works pretty well, while with others I'm lucky to get a ghost of an image. If you print on the so-called "synthetic papers," which is really 100% polyester, some of it turns out well, while it's washed out on the others. This paper is really intended to be used with toner-based printers, but a few types -- the more "rigid" the better -- subs with a far deeper color. (The advantage of subbing is that the coloration never comes off, whereas with laser printing the toner can be scratched off if you try hard enough.)


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## SaB (May 15, 2007)

Aim not saying that 100% polyester will work perfectly and will look great. what I said is sublimation ink will transfer to polyester as this is how it works.


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

SaB said:


> Aim not saying that 100% polyester will work perfectly and will look great. what I said is sublimation ink will transfer to polyester as this is how it works.


Actually you said exactly that - - 

_"ANY fabric that is made of 100% polyester will sublimate perfectly."_


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

that's the result on a hard surface with textprin-r and the Chinese ink so its definitely the ink the problem







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now I wonder is me printer scrap?
I heard that you cant mix ink if I ''clean head'' will it be enough to buy a different kind of sublimation ink and put it in it ?
I guess I will have to change the cis kit too


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

I know I forgot to mirror the image


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## SaB (May 15, 2007)

ca you remind me what printer you using? also what mug you used and what time and temp?


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

SaB said:


> ca you remind me what printer you using? also what mug you used and what time and temp?


 
Epson workforce 7010
ceramique mug from conde
400*f 4 minutes


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## SaB (May 15, 2007)

all sounds about right...


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## bigwaawa (May 29, 2013)

that's what I was thinking too 
do you have an idea where I can buy sublimation ink?
ive looked with sawgrass and theyre selling each cartdrige 150$ x 4 =600$ ....


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