Transfers - transfer powder a must?

[starchild]

So what's in the proper transfer inks? How about it has a wider "gelling" latitude than regular plastisol. So the finer details as well as the larger deposits of ink are able to gell properly in the lower temperature range of the available latitude. Anything else beneficial to using transfer inks besides heat control?

[ZooCity]

We apply an adhesive that comes to us labeled 80-200µ...not sure which size it is in reality.  We only do cold peel with standard inks so your experience with hot split may vary.

Cap or difficult poly fabric transfers are powdered after the print and give a good thwacking on the back of the paper to shake off excess.  Yes, time consuming but definitely helps adhesion.

Private label transfers onto Ts and sweats we typically mix the adhesive into the ink.  If you don't over add it doesn't seem to mess with ink transfer on a 150/48.

GaryG:  thanks for introducing me to that WFX product, might have to get my hands on some.  I'm super interested in how you were able to handle the multicolors on those big parent sheets at your previous shop.  Running multicolor T-120 (supposedly the most stable paper out there) on our Cameo is hell.  Paper warps too much so we run multicolor with any tight reg on the manual, flashing the platens.  I wish we could rock the mulitcolor on the clamshell press but I don't think we have the temp and humidity controls needed to do it.

[GaryG]

Yes Zoo- must be coated paper of course. Used Saturn and Eclipse. Three point registration along with
vacuum is crucial for larger sheets, along with taking the extra few seconds lining up. There was some waste,
but I was amazed at how stable it could be with heat controlled boxes. We used Wilflex "First Down Clear"
as a layer -before any ink- to let even fine halftones lift off when hot split peeled.

Must be ran through dryer each ink color stacking a bunch, then right back in box. Flashing around manual
seems like it would get too hot warping paper. Boxes were custom made although very simple with a
space heater on bottom separated from top paper shelf, with slight gap to let hot air to flow upward. No real
humidity control, but constant light heat keeping moisture to a minimum. I actually built one out of cardboard
on my own when we started, but dryer, not flash. Dryer is more safe not to drive out too much plasticizer creating
weak bond when applied. We were looking at registration marks in the corners of the large sheets lining up and
were stoked.

Mr. Chris Pluck is the neatest guy that helped us from Wilflex way back then, if he is still around.

You can do it Zoo, we screen printers are tinkerers. We can do anything!

[Sbrem]

Zoo, running a Cameo, how cool. We had one for a long time, what a great 1 color t-shirt printer it was. Our transfer use is small, so I don't think I'll be investing in a 25k machine for powdering, but it's nice to know it's there. We powder in a box, and give it a good thwacking as well, but it doesn't seem to get rid of enough of the powder, which is why I mentioned the compressed air. I use a paper from Ace Screen Supply, Ultra Strip 3000, coated on one side. Maybe our thwacking isn't thwacky enough...

Steve

[ZooCity]

Thx Gary, that's encouraging.  I'm seeing that the T120 warps after first pass through the dryer pretty bad.  More specifically it curls real bad which frustrates the next color's reg on the table.  I bet that could be dialed better though on the dryer. We do pre-shrink and we hustle but I'll have to try pre-running and hot boxing and see if I can get it to jive.  A first down clear is an excellent idea for fine detail stuff.  We run 13x19 sheets as they're easier to handle on the 'ol Cameo.  I think it works on the manual since we are using light platen tack there which grips the sheets and prevents them from moving v. the curled sheets going back on the vac bed of the cameo.

I don't know if I would say it's "cool" to run the Cameo Steve, haha.  It's like the model T of clamshells so I guess if yer into vintage printing gear it's probably hip. Not having any squeegee or flood angle adjust is not so hip though, nor is the setup time on that bastard. I actually have to look into a better flatstock press it looks like to fulfill a sticker account.  A Saturn or an Eclipse would be sweeeeet or maybe a graphica. 

Sorry for thread hijack, I just had to ask about Gary's work.

If anyone does use compressed air on the powder be careful to ventilate or wear a respirator, I don't think breathing in a bunch of adhesive crystals is a great idea.