# heat press leaving a mark



## trktodd (Apr 23, 2009)

hello i am new to the heat press world. I just purchased a brand new geo knight hk20 air assist unit. the unit is great however i am having a very difficult time when it come to the upper plate leaving a huge square marke on the material. I am printing silk screen transfers to polyester material. IS there any solution to make this stop happening? is weird as if it seems the upper plate is a bit smaller then the lower plate causing this to happen.
please anyone with any suggestions.
Thanks


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## sunnydayz (Jun 22, 2007)

I would try using a mouse pad to raise the image area so that there is not full pressure on the entire shirt, but just the print area. Also are you using a Teflon sheet? I know some also use a Teflon pillow under the garment also. I have not tried the Teflon pillow myself.


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

It is very possible that the chemical makeup of the polyester is causing the discoloration. You might want to check with the manufacturer of the material if the fabric can accept the heat and pressure.


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## trktodd (Apr 23, 2009)

thank you very much for the great suggestion. itcame to me that i need to do something to lift the garment up. i am going to buy one of the teflon pads.


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Technically a "teflon pad" is something that goes on the bottom platen of your heat press, like a cover. Is that what you have in mind to purchase, or are you thinking of buying some mouse pad material to raise the imprint area, and a teflon sheet to put over your shirt? Just wondering. 

This is a picture of a lower press platen with a teflon pad on it:
http://www.stahls.co.nz/webfiles/Stahls/files/Teflon_Accessories.pdf

That is a really great item to get, but in and of itself, won't raise your imprint area.


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## sunnydayz (Jun 22, 2007)

trktodd said:


> thank you very much for the great suggestion. itcame to me that i need to do something to lift the garment up. i am going to buy one of the teflon pads.



It would be as I suggested above, a teflon pillow, not a teflon pad. Make sure that it is the pillow, or as stated by Kelly above, the pad just covers the bottom platen of your press.


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## Cal44 (Feb 10, 2009)

I'm a "newbie" having the same problem. I'm going to get a teflon sheet and see if that helps but in the mean time I need to get this job done pronto. What do people mean when they say Kraft paper cover sheet? Can I use parchment? I'm pressing at 375 for 10 seconds. Using Midwest perfect print transfer on 50 50 Gildan shirt. I don't really feel as though it is discolored but there is just a big rectangular press mark. I backed off on the pressure until I had a tranfer that didn't adhere and then increased the pressure somewhat. Tried the dollar bill test and feel as though I am good there. Help, Help, Help, first job! Want it to be good.


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Cal44 said:


> Can I use parchment?


Yes, you can use parchment. I use Reynolds parchment from the grocery store, folks have suggested to try the dollar store as well. If you are in a bind, your local grocery store should be carrying parchment. 



> I'm pressing at 375 for 10 seconds. Using Midwest perfect print transfer on 50 50 Gildan shirt.


Seems like a short dwell time. I don't know this paper, but am wondering what the paper directions say? The paper I use I press at 375*F for 30 seconds. I use Jetpro Sofstretch, but, I will add, someone named Redline here pressed JPSS for as low as 6 seconds I think, and reported successful results. I personally don't go there, bc What I do works for me, so I do not change it!  If you look up "JPSS mach" you will find the thread from Redline. Nevermind, here is a link:
https://www.t-shirtforums.com/inkjet-heat-transfer-paper/t61845-2.html

Long story short, if your paper is like JPSS, it could work (375*F for 10S). I just am not familiar with that paper myself, so I cannot say anything about it. I can only let you know about the results with a similar paper (inkjet heat transfer for lights) and hope that can help you somehow. 



> I don't really feel as though it is discolored but there is just a big rectangular press mark.


What color is the shirt? Some colors are just notorious for changing under the heat of the press, and pretty much nothing much is going to help that. Red is the worst! I dread doing red shirts. I usually just press the rest of the shirt to make it match. I think, and you can look this up, but I think some folks have said the spritz the shirts with water post pressing to revive the color. (?) Look up that info (spritzing shirt) or "red shirts" - that should bring up threads, if your shirts are red, which I don't even know yet, so I probably didn't need to type all of this out!!  Yet, anyway! 



> I backed off on the pressure until I had a tranfer that didn't adhere and then increased the pressure somewhat.


Yeah, you don't really want to go there. You need that pressure for a good adhesion, that's the point of owning the press to begin with. 

Well, good luck to you, I Hope it works out. (What color shirt is it?)


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