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Q: What is the purpose of a heat press?
A: A heat press is the machine that presses a transfer onto an imprintable substrate. Using high temperatures and heavy pressures for a certain amount of time, the transfer is permanently embedded into the product.
Heat presses are recommended for professional and satisfying results simply because standard laminating devices and home hand irons can not get even near the temperatures required for a reliable transfer. Standard transfers require anywhere from 375° to 425° F demand serious force in pressing often from 40-80 psi. These temperatures and pressures are simply not possible with other heated devices.
Q: What is the most important thing to look for in a heat press?
A: The most important thing to look for in a heat press is its ability to provide consistently even temperatures across the platen. One of the most frequent causes of misapplied transfers is cold spots in the platen. Cold spots occur when there is not enough heating element used in the manufacturing of the platen, or if there is a short or disconnect in the heating element within the platen.
Q. Do I need a different press if I’m printing hundreds of shirts per day?
A. If you are printing long production runs, you need a press that will maintain consistent heat and accurate temperatures. Some machines don’t maintain platen temperature, due to a thin platen that loses heat, poor insulation, or some other design flaw. You need a press with a thick platen that retains heat transfer after transfer, and the digital readout accurately reflects the platen temperature, so you can be confident that you’ll get consistent results, time after time. Operator fatigue can be kept to a minimum by choosing a press that is easy to open and close. You will want to consider an automatic opening press.
Q. How large of a heat press will I need?
A. This depends on the type of items you are planning to personalize with heat print graphics. For instance, if you are going to print team jerseys for football and hockey, you will need a press that is at least 16″ x 20″. If you are only doing t-shirts, you are probably fine with a 16″ x 16″ press or smaller. However, it’s easier to line things up on a bigger press – even if you’re only doing 8.5″x11″ prints the bigger presses are still nice for this. For some people though, it’s hard to justify the expense just for laying things out a little easier if you’re buying a new press and you aren’t planning on doing large jerseys or jackets. Keep in mind that if you plan to do this type of printing in the future, you might want to consider the largest press possible that you can afford and that you can fit in your work space.
Q. Why do I have to start with a backwards image?
A. With heat applied film, sublimation, inkjet transfers for light colors or even with plastisol transfers, it’s necessary to mirror the image before cutting or printing. One of the most costly mistakes is running an entire order through the print process without mirroring the designs… only to realize it at the heat press before pressing the first one.
Q. Why is the material peeling off the product?
A. Always preheat the garment. Preheating helps release moisture and wrinkles that can affect adhesion. Preheat by locking the press down for a few seconds (possibly several times) on each shirt, until you can no longer see moisture releasing.
Ensure adequate pressure. Remove any barriers to an adequate pressure by building the press area up with pads and pillows. If seams, buttons or collars are on the pressing area, they are absorbing pressure that is intended to be distributed to your graphic. Compensate by increasing pressure or removing the barriers.
Temperature and time specifications need to be followed. Higher temperature isn’t always better. Likewise, more time isn’t always better. Transfer adhesives call out specific settings; use them to ensure long-lasting results.
Check the “it sticks to” recommendations. Many transfer adhesives are great for cotton and polyester fabrics while others are intended to stick to nylon. Some work on mesh, others don’t. Choose a transfer that will stick to the intended fabric.
Q. How Do Transfers Hold Up When Washed?
A. Special care is normally not needed to wash a garment printed with a transfer since it has the same characteristics as a pre-printed or direct printed shirt. However, we recommend washing the garment inside-out and in cold water to prevent the cotton fibers from peeling away from the garment. It is normally the cotton fibers peeling away which cause fading in a printed shirt regardless of whether it was printed with a transfer or directly printed.
Q. What is Monkey Grip?
A. Monkey Grip is a heat transfer material with a broad range of colors and styles. It is a universal film chemically formulated for durability, washability, flexibility, and powerful bonding to most fabrics, including cottons, polyesters, lycra, and uncoated nylons.
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