[amayausers.com] Re: Heat Press Question

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Here's some things to consider...
#1-did you get the sweats through a supplier (Sanmar, Broder, Alpha, etc.) or 
from the local wally world?
(reason why, you ask?) 'Retail' goods for sale through stores are treated with 
a 'brightner' to keep the goods looking sharp under the florescent lights of 
stores. Ink and iron ons will NOT stick to this chemical unless you wash the 
goods. It repels dirt, etc. while the clothing is in the store but washes out 
completely easily. Had screened images wash off shirts that a customer supplied 
more than once until a clothing tech gave me the hint.
#2-the weather has changes-it's getting colder. Your shirt/sweat orders travel 
across the country in unheated trucks-and as they get cold-they absorb 
moisture. Unless you PREHEAT the clothing with the press before you apply the 
image OR screen print-moisture is trapped under the image and turns to 
steam-and the image won't stick. I hold the platen down for 10 seconds to 
preheat-and around January-you can SEE the steam coming off the fabric. For 
screenprinting, I run every shirt around the printer under the 'spot' dryer 
before printing. When printing sweatshirts, after they get printed-under the 
flash dryer again, and then TWO trips through the conveyor dryer (shirts only 
go through once) and that fully dries the sweat so it is ready to print on the 
second side.
So I'd almost say your problem is one or the other. Start with preheating 
(pressing) the sweat before you put the decal on, and
add a couple seconds or 25degrees to the heat. When you move the platen head, 
rub the decal (you are using a teflon sheet over it, right?) and rub vigorously 
with a 'chalkboard eraser'. Sold by stahls as a 'heat dissapator' or something 
funky. But its an eraser. It will make sure the decal is securely in place and 
also does release some of the heat so you can do a hot peel without burning 
your fingers.
Roland

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