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[Ynkfan1]

Hey everyone! Please indulge me. Right now I am just doing transfers from PW and TE with a heat press. What equipment would I need to make my own transfers, and what is the process? Any and all comments appreciated. I am just starting to learn Inkscape. Thanks in advance.

Charlie

[badablue]

Your question leaves a lot of open doors. Transfers?
heat press? Vinyl? Plastisol? Sublimation? Ink Jet ? Laser?
The fact that you stated you used PW and TE leaves me to believe you meant screen printed transfers. Or respectfully plastisol transfers, correct.
In that case you need to have screen printing equipment. But if you have screen printing equipment then you don't need transfers as you can do direct screen printing using plastisol ink to garments.

[boomerbabe]

If you are doing multi locations such as back and front logo... It is much easier to print multiple logos as heat transfers and you don't have to go through the hassle of changing platens or adjusting the height (as in my set up) One person can be screening the back and when they are cured the other person can immediately heat press the front logo. Speeds up production.

[knifemaker3]

Another reason to make transfers when you have screenprinting equipment is when you have a customer who only orders a few shirts at a time multiple times a year.  Print transfers and all you have to do is press the transfers instead of having to burn screens and set everything up.

Also, if you have a hat champ for printing hats and want to print along the side of the hat on the hat band, transfers are the only way to do that as the hat champ will only work for the front of the hat.

There are many reasons to print your own transfers even with having screenprinting equipment.

If you've never screened before, I would recommend you learn that first and then get into transfers.  There is much to learn before attempting to print your own transfers.  Just my opinion.

[MonkeyMeMe]

I agree booger,,,

[badablue]

I can see the point but only "if" you have screen printing equipment. I don't think Charley does at this point. I never have had screen printing equipment and I find no need to  because of all the services out there. So buying equipment without knowing how to do any of this could be a costly an unnecessary expense. If you are just starting out then continue to use the services that make your plastisol transfers and build your business and then let the business pay for that equipment. Then again if you can well afford the expense the go for it. 

[knifemaker3]

You can get into screening with very little expense.  A coupld of jiffy clamps on a table, a screen for every color, plastisol inks, and the necessary supplies, and a trip to the heat press is really all that's needed.

You can make simple 1 color transfers with this process or multi color with practice, and a lot of patience.  Simply print the design on the release paper, slip under your heat press with the head hovering about and inch above the paper for a few seconds ( you will have to play with the times under the press for your cure of the transfers) and you have a transfer ready to be used.  The only worries is making sure you just gel and not over cure the ink so it will properly remelt when applying the transfer.  It must reach 220 degrees if memory serves correctly.

Now, that is the simple version of the process.  It is actually harder to accomplish, but like everything once you have the learning curve down for your shop it is then just a matter of following all the parameters and you can produce very good quality transfers.

BTW, you must gel each color before printing the next.  You can't do a wet on wet with transfer printing.

Google the process.  There are many articles out there on how to make your own transfers.

[jadran]

I would also assume that you have to know which colour goes under which colour,ie the top colour on the shirt to be printed first and so on.

[Ynkfan1]

Thanks for all the input. I don't have screen printing equipment right now, and I believe I should just stay w/ the plastisol transfers from Ed, and TE and Ace as Lou suggested. I just started to do heat press transfers as another part of my wifes' embroidery business. But for now, I think I'll keep it simple. We BOTH have not been doing this too long. Thanks again.

Charlie

[knifemaker3]

I would also assume that you have to know which colour goes under which colour,ie the top colour on the shirt to be printed first and so on.

Yep, forgot to mention that.  Colors go down opposite of regular screening ie darkest to lightest.  Regular screening goes lightest to darkest.

Thanks for reminding me jadran! 

[boomerbabe]

You also need to mirror the image(s). The colors then are printed in the reverse order that you would print on a shirt, including the white underbase if making for dark shirts. The underbase would be printed last on a transfer.
I see that booger just answered that with even more tips.

[COCHISE]

No worries....... your question may have helped someone else too shy to ask it.

We will help in any way we can to broaden your understanding of this business.

ken

[MonkeyMeMe]

You can get into screening with very little expense.  A coupld of jiffy clamps on a table, a screen for every color, plastisol inks, and the necessary supplies, and a trip to the heat press is really all that's needed.

You can make simple 1 color transfers with this process or multi color with practice, and a lot of patience.  Simply print the design on the release paper, slip under your heat press with the head hovering about and inch above the paper for a few seconds ( you will have to play with the times under the press for your cure of the transfers) and you have a transfer ready to be used.  The only worries is making sure you just gel and not over cure the ink so it will properly remelt when applying the transfer.  It must reach 220 degrees if memory serves correctly.

Now, that is the simple version of the process.  It is actually harder to accomplish, but like everything once you have the learning curve down for your shop it is then just a matter of following all the parameters and you can produce very good quality transfers.

BTW, you must gel each color before printing the next.  You can't do a wet on wet with transfer printing.

Google the process.  There are many articles out there on how to make your own transfers.

booger, ken, do you have a dryer,, ?
for your plastisol inks or do you cure in the heat press?

[COCHISE]

I used the element from a heat press when I first started and now I have one of these, dollar for dollar the best wired heating element on the market.

IMHO of course.

http://silkscreennow.com/Products/16%20x%2016%20wall%20mount.html

ken

[MonkeyMeMe]

so ken you flash and then heat press?

[MonkeyMeMe]

I am trying to justifly not buying a dryer,, ,
Thanks
MMM

[knifemaker3]

right now I just flash on the press with the flash dryer before moving the garment to the heat press to fully cure @ 375 for 12 seconds.  Perfect cure every time.

But, I am going to try and buy a small conveyor dryer in the near future    It will really speed things up for me.

Still, with a helper I can do @ 30-40 3 color 1 side prints using just a flash dryer and the heat press.  Not bad for the set up I have I don't think.

[MonkeyMeMe]

thank you,, that answers my question, so i think a flash dryer is in my future,, . just another toy, to put on my list,,,,, lol

[knifemaker3]

The guy in the link Ken posted I think is the one that has the plans to build a rotary dryer utilizing the flash dryer.

Vastex also makes on with a 2 station rotary for @ $800.  Plus it can also be used as a regular flash dryer.

I've tried the flash dryer curing before but didn't have much luck with it.  I much prefer using the heat press.

Later!

[MonkeyMeMe]

The guy in the link Ken posted I think is the one that has the plans to build a rotary dryer utilizing the flash dryer.

Vastex also makes on with a 2 station rotary for @ $800.  Plus it can also be used as a regular flash dryer.

I've tried the flash dryer curing before but didn't have much luck with it.  I much prefer using the heat press.

Later!

I will always use the heat press,, to cure,, unless i get a big dryer,,

Ok, i will back up,, the flash dryer it just to get the ink dry enough to get to the heat press to cure ,, right?