# Plastisol transfers ripping off



## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

I got some plastisol transfers from First Edition.
In the attached photo you can see that they are ripping off.
When ordered First was told that they were gonna be put on 100% shirts and did a additive for it.
I pressed according to their instructions. I use a HIX 15x15 swingman.

First is telling me its a pressure or temp issue. To check my temps I use a DK pryometer to check my temps so I believe the temps were right on spot.
http://www.bestblanks.com/media/Pyrometer.pdf

While I might believe that but right in the middle of the design. ? I'd think more at the outer edges. In the pic they all seem to be peeling in about the same spot also. Which I think is indictative of some issue but I am not sure of what. If it was just a few shirts I'd just redo them but we are talking 20+ shirts with numbers on the back and sleeve logo so its not just a quick redo.

Any ideas on causes ? Shirts are Augusta 790.

Thanks
Mark


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## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

I got some plastisol transfers from First Edition.
In the attached photo you can see that they are ripping off.
When ordered First was told that they were gonna be put on 100% shirts and did a additive for it.
I pressed according to their instructions. I use a HIX 15x15 swingman.

First is telling me its a pressure or temp issue. To check my temps I use a DK pryometer to check my temps so I believe the temps were right on spot.
[media]http://www.bestblanks.com/media/Pyrometer.pdf[/media]

While I might believe that but right in the middle of the design. ? I'd think more at the outer edges. In the pic they all seem to be peeling in about the same spot also. Which I think is indictative of some issue but I am not sure of what. If it was just a few shirts I'd just redo them but we are talking 20+ shirts with numbers on the back and sleeve logo so its not just a quick redo.

Any ideas on causes ? Shirts are Augusta 790.

Thanks
Mark


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I would think your pressure is high enough, as well as they didn't give you the right tempature to use. 

Did you ask the company what tempature and dwell time to heat press the shirts for?


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

They do look like they are coming off in the same spot. I would think pressure maybe not high enough, or the temp isn't even in that one particular spot. I don't know. There is always the possibility that the ink in that spot may have been over cured, too.


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

Did you preheat the bottom platen and prepress the shirt? Did you put a teflon pillow under the design area to help raise it up. If you have an uneven pressure issue, the pillow will help even that out. A lot of possibilities. Did you order extra designs? I have found that is a good idea. You can do a test before committing to the project. Did this start immediately? Had they been laundered? Did you do a post press?


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## Git-Bit (Oct 23, 2009)

Just curious what time and temp are you using. I am leaning more toward over cured transfers but I would experiment with less and more time and less and more temp. I press thousands of shirts every year and have figured out that the manuf recommendations are not always the best for my machine. Usually close but sometimes it's amazing what an extra 3 seconds or minus 3 seconds will do. Very frustrating I know. If I can help please don't hesitate to contact me. Xcellent Graphics 
6787586567. Good Luck


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## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

Try to answer all the questions at once.
Pressing was done per First Editions instructions. If a temp range is given I use the middle temp. I.E if 370-380 I use 375. If a Time range is given then I use the longest time ie 7-10 secs I would use 10.
i pressed one shirt to make sure it was all good to go and it was. Not washing them or wearing them to test the transfer. As long as it pressed good and peeled it was good to go. As for bottom platen I don't recall. If the instructions called for it I did it if not then I probably didn't. As for post pressing I did I think but can't recall. Again if instructions specifically called for it it got done. 
Most of the shirts never touched the dryer. They have a post on their website saying they should hang dry them. I don't know why but for some reason they got in their minds that they should air dry them. They only play twice a week and they are over 50 so its not like the shirts are being put through head slildes and stuff. 
I used a t square once to see if the platen was warped and seemed not to be so don't think its that. I use a DK pryometer to check temps and the area that is ripping off is within the specified temps by First Edtion. My outer edges are hotter than center but not by much.
I did some Transfer Express transfers last year and not one has done this a year later. 
Pressure is manual so its possible but if the platen is level and temp is good and pressure is off why in the center and not the outer edges also ? 
At this time I think out of the 20 shirts 1/2 or so have done this.


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

It could be the transfer, if you have any Augusta shirts left (do you have any vinyl? Thermoflex?) if not I have
a green left over Augusta and Thermoflex email me the design and I will press it and you can try it out
to see the results. We did 30 Augusta jerseys in vinyl because it sank into the fabric really well. They
held up great in the wash.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Check the pad on your press. It may have a dip in that spot. Our DK20s has one and we solved the problem by getting the Big Pad from heat press essentials. That has really helped our consistency in pressing.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

If it's the same spot on all shirts, my first inclination is a press problem and you mentioned the center of the platen is cooler. If it's all over or in different spots then the transfers were probably over-cured. Sometimes over-cured ink will flake or peel off the transfer paper. You could try pressing a test shirt, turning it 180 and pressing again. If the transfer is over-cured, no amount of pressing will make it stick. With poly you run the risk of damaging the fibers and creating shiny spots (you can guess how I know) so be careful double pressing.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Did you say you have some transfers left? Have someone else do one for you.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

wormil said:


> ... the center of the platen is cooler.


better bet the bottom platen (pad) has a dip in it. 

same result, different cause and is more likely.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

binki said:


> better bet the bottom platen (pad) has a dip in it.
> 
> same result, different cause and is more likely.


Could be, never ran into that myself. How does it happen?


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

wormil said:


> Could be, never ran into that myself. How does it happen?


 
not sure. my press i think came that way. 

rather than spending $100 on a new pad i purchased several large metal backed pads and use those instead. they are larger than the platten and help with larger shirts. no problems since.


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

the transfer pillows help with this tremendously.


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## jleampark (Sep 6, 2007)

binki said:


> rather than spending $100 on a new pad i purchased several large metal backed pads and use those instead. they are larger than the platten and help with larger shirts. no problems since.


Where did you buy the large metal backed pads?


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

jleampark said:


> Where did you buy the large metal backed pads?


Welcome to www.heatpressessentials.com - Serving The Apparel Decorating Industry

it is called the big pad.


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## jleampark (Sep 6, 2007)

@binki

Thanks for the link.

I'm confused... (not hard to do these days). How big is the Big Pad? And you just put your tee on the Big Pad and then put the Pad on the bottom platten and press? So, you're not increasing the area that you can press, just keeping the shirt from hanging off the edge of the platten, right?

Do you still pre-press the shirt for wrinkles and moisture and then move it off the press onto your Big Pad?

Is it mostly to help you in alignment?

Does it get too hot to lift back off the press for the next shirt?

More details, please and thank you.

Joe


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## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

I don't think my platens are warped.
I did a 100+ dye sub shirts and if the platen was warped I am sure that there would have been issues with those presses. 

If on my end I am going to guess I didn't use enough pressure.
I heard that a couple of the numbers are peeling off also and those were done with subblock vinyl from imprintables. (tho I heard from another member they had this issue with the imprintable subblock vinyl). Anyway gonna redo the shirts with all subblock vinyl and increase the pressure and hope they stick this time.

Thanks for all the help and advice.

Mark


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

freebird1963 said:


> (tho I heard from another member they had this issue with the imprintable subblock vinyl). Anyway gonna redo the shirts with all subblock vinyl and increase the pressure and hope they stick this time.


I heard they were discontinuing or at least its not available in the Catalog 11 because they were trying to find another vendor. 

Like I mentioned before, I used ThermoFlex Plus on some Augusta jerseys and they held up great. Which Augusta jerseys were they?


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## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

FatKat Printz said:


> I heard they were discounting or at least its not available in the Catalog 11 because they were trying to find another vendor.
> 
> Like I mentioned before, I used ThermoFlex Plus on some Augusta jerseys and they held up great. Which Augusta jerseys were they?


These shirts are the maroon colored ones. Model 790. 
What color and did they bleed thru ?


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

Green and no didn't bleed thru. I am not sure of the style number but I will check.


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## freebird1963 (Jan 21, 2007)

Who'd you get the thermoflex from ? I'd like to order thru IW to fullfill my cutter deal but I can't afford to fubar these shirts again either. Money would hurt but my wife will do bodily damage to me.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I use a guy that's a little cheaper. www.bdesigns.com or BdDesigns.com He's local so I normally call him.

Never hurts to ask for a discount either.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

jleampark said:


> @binki
> 
> Thanks for the link.
> 
> ...


I have 3 that are 18x24. they make it easier to lay a big shirt out. they also fit inside jerseys so it does double duty. It allows me to move parts of the garment off the heat while keeping what i want pressed on. i can also use clamps to hold down the sides. it allows us to do full sleeve designs as well.


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

freebird1963 said:


> These shirts are the maroon colored ones. Model 790. What color and did they bleed thru ?


I had to check my invoices but yes it was the 790 in dark green. 

not a very good picture but this was used with ThermoFlex Plus


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## Dad (Nov 18, 2006)

A good suggestion just so you don't miss it---- Put the shirt on differently than normal. Example-if you normall print with collor away from you turn the shirt on the platen so the collor is next to you. Now print one and see if it peels in the same spot. If it pulls the same spot on the design, I think your transfer may have a problem. If it peels on the other side of your design then it must be your press.
Hope this makes since.


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