What temperature/ time do you use for plastisol transfers?

[Ripcord]

I saw a video on YouTube that said 380 degrees for ten seconds. That seems awfully hot since the ink will cure at 320. I'd rather press for a longer time at a lower temperature, especially on polyester.

[ericheartsu]

we've always done them at 230. Just to gel them. That's through the dryer.

on our heat press we do them roughly around 330, 15 seconds I believe.

[3Deep]

We to press at 350 for 5 to 7 sec  now we press at 320 for 10 to 15 sec...just remember every heat press heat different and everything won't press the same even out the same box.

[Frog]

Folks need to know if you're talking curing or pressing(or both)

This from Union a long time ago, talking Ultra Soft
HEAT TRANSFER PRINTING:

Heat transfer printing allows reduced inventory of pre-printed garments. PLUS Inks are the ORIGINAL "hot-peel" heat transfer ink and can also be applied with a "cold-peel" method. They can be printed on heat transfer release paper and then applied to shirts, baseball caps, and other textiles with a heat transfer press. (Caution: Do not use the Metallic colors for heat transfers.)

Ultrasoft transfers can be applied with the "hot-peel" method where the transfer paper is peeled off the hot transfer IMMEDIATELY after the transfer is applied. When the paper is peeled hot, a portion of the ink remains on the paper and the rest stays on the shirts. Hot-Peel transfers FEEL JUST LIKE A DIRECT SCREEN PRINT when made and applied correctly. Heat transfers made with PLUS can also be applied as a "cold-peel" where the transfer paper is allowed to cool down completely after application and before removing. This gives a standard rubbery feel to the print that is commonly found in sports applications.

CURING OF HEAT TRANSFERS:

Prints on heat transfer paper (Trans-Lith, Trans-French and Trans-55) should only be semi-cured. Over-cure may cause problems later on during transfer (more energy is needed to remelt a cured film than a semi- cured film). Semi-curing or drying the film only to the extent that the sheets can be handled, stacked, cut and shipped is the desired condition. The ink will semi-cure when the ink deposit reaches 250°F (121°C).

TRANSFER TIME AND TEMPERATURE:

REGULAR TRANSFERS: Transfer at 350°F (177°C) for 20 seconds or 400 F (204 C) for 5 seconds at 40-50 p.s.i. Allow transfer to cool completely (10-30 seconds) before stripping off the paper. HOT-PEEL ULTRA SOFT TRANSFERS: Transfer at 375 F (190 C) for 10-20 seconds, or 400 F (204 C) for 5 seconds, at 40-50 p.s.i. Quickly strip the release paper IMMEDIATELY after raising the transfer press platen while the shirt remains in the press.

[Gilligan]

We have the system from One Stroke for 100% Poly stuff.  It goes through and gets full cured and then just pressed at 275 for a few seconds and cold peeled.  Works really well.

We also have some paper and powder from Ryonet and it's hot split stuff.  Gel it and then full cure on press.  Different product for different purpose.

[Frog]

When in doubt, read the instructions for whatever ink you are using.

[Ripcord]

Thanks for all the replies. I did them at 370 for 20 seconds and my first transfer job (individual names on 14 polos) turned out well. These prints were black; I'm looking forward to seeing how opaque transfers look...

[Orion]

As we can see the temp/time varies from shop to shop, ink to ink, etc... and then there is the pressure required.

For transferring light ink colors on to dark garments very light pressure is required to retain opacity and that is where the use of adhesive powder is important.

[Frog]

As we can see the temp/time varies from shop to shop, ink to ink, etc... and then there is the pressure required.

For transferring light ink colors on to dark garments very light pressure is required to retain opacity and that is where the use of adhesive powder is important.

Used to do a lot, and the lighter pressure was especially important to me on the kinda' rough textured twill hats I often was asked to do.  I also always tended to go a step coarser with my mesh on light colored inks as well.

[starchild]

The temperature to use for heat transfers depends on what temperature does the ink remelt- and that is pass cure temperatures.
At gel stage the plasticizers fuses with the resins of the ink so viscosity and therefore wetting is lost.
At cure stage the ink is at peak performance- maximum opacity, stretchability etc.. 
At the remelt stage which is pass cure, the resin will remelt independent of the already used up plasticizers and therefore create flow and wetting.

If these three thermal properties gel, cure/fusion and remelt were close together in temperatures the ink would be impossible to work with.