Heat setting vinyl in addition to other guys undercured print.

[Dottonedan]

I was asked to do some vinyl letter names on top (above) some screen printed numbers of ball team shirts.


I don't know where they got them but I wanted to contact the printer to let them know they might like to check on their curing process. Those numbers were half cooked I assume.  Printed with athletic gold outline over maroon letter fill.


When heat setting at 320 for 10 seconds (Neoflex Vinyl), both the gold and maroon print were sticking like wet ink to my teflon sheet.


Thats undercure right?  Had to wipe down the sheet on every one of them. A cured print would't come up and stick to teflon sheet at 320 for 10 seconds will it?


The numbers were crooked. Made it tough to set me letters above in a straight line. Made the crooked letters stand out even more.

[ebscreen]

Not necessarily.

Plastisol cured or not will remelt if hot enough. Original cure has no bearing on that as far as I know.
Heat press temp gauges probably aren't the most accurate in the world, and even then it's not telling
you what temp the actual garment is.

[inkman996]

Athletic inks tend to be more sketchy when heat pressing over them.

[Dottonedan]

I'm guessing that any heat press would have to be pretty close as in (within 3-6 degrees + or -)
A heat press need to set a wide variety of materials and can't be like 10-20 degrees off. if so, it's seriously not on par.




I aware that plastisol will re-melt, (but doesn't make sense) to be able to re-melts at 320 or lets say even at 330.


YOu can run a shirt through any dryer over and over at the same temp of 320-330.  Some people do this to make sure their prints are extra cured if they have any question of not reaching a full cure.


The shirts were (during my heat setting) only under that for 10 seconds for noticing the ink sticking to my teflon.


I've done plenty of other "printed images" on the same machine and did not get the inks coming off, but those were sim process with little ink coverage.  THESE were thick layers of ink pushed thru a 80 mesh it looks to be.


Must just be way too thick for a heat press method post print.

[Frog]

First  off, I rarely use teflon because of the gloss it adds to the vinyl and plastisol.
I use kraft paper.
Either way, I would see how waiting for it to cool before peeling or lifting  the paper or teflon does.

[inkman996]

Peeling it cold will leave a duller finish.


Dan there is a big difference between running a shirt through a drier and its heated air versus applying heat directly under pressure.

[Sbrem]

I've had that issue before; usually, after I line up the name, I drop the rest of the garment off the press, so only the name gets the heat...

Steve

[Dottonedan]

Peeling it cold will leave a duller finish.


Dan there is a big difference between running a shirt through a drier and its heated air versus applying heat directly under pressure.

I understand the difference.  once gets pressure, the other doesn't.


In my case, the one with pressure, was for 10 seconds at 320.  So it shouldn't have been able to get to a "re melting stage". Just doesn't make sense.

[ebscreen]

If they are athletic inks then they likely have a lower curing and hence melting point.

[Dottonedan]

Lower than 320?   I'm sure you're right. I haven't ever printed athletic inks. Well, not for 20 years.

[Colin]

It is possible that the inks used are just very tacky. 

The other question is:  How much pressure are you using to apply your vinyl?

I have found all different ink types can stick/transfer at least a little, and that likelyhood increases as the print gets thicker.  The big variable is ink chemistry and pressure from the heat press.

[Dottonedan]

It is possible that the inks used are just very tacky. 

The other question is:  How much pressure are you using to apply your vinyl?

I have found all different ink types can stick/transfer at least a little, and that likelyhood increases as the print gets thicker.  The big variable is ink chemistry and pressure from the heat press.

Pressure on the NeoFlex calls for a very light pressure. So thats what all of these were done at. A little more pressure than zero. On a csale of 1-10, with ten being full pressure, it was a 2

[TCT]

Dan, do you mean ThermoFlex?

I doubt the numbers were under cured, it will happen to us sometimes and I know our numbers are cured. Like Frog said, use a sheet of kraft paper. We use that no matter what to keep the ink off the teflon cover.

[Dottonedan]

Dan, do you mean ThermoFlex?

I doubt the numbers were under cured, it will happen to us sometimes and I know our numbers are cured. Like Frog said, use a sheet of kraft paper. We use that no matter what to keep the ink off the teflon cover.

Yes, ThermoFlex.  You mean to say, that the ink comes up off from the prints on yours as well (due to using a teflon sheet)? Those things are slick. Seems like not much of anything should be sticking to those. Thats what they are designed for right?  Sheesh.  Seems like "Kraft "paper" would pull up even more of it.


At any rate. THANKS! for everybody's comments.  I do believe all of you before me and my experience. Just seems like it should not re-melt or pick up at 320 for 10 sec at light pressure. I guess tho, it's that the inks even tho cured, will soften during a re-cure of 320, thus being able to be picked up some on the teflon. Paper of any sort seems like it would grab on and be picked up even more so than then the teflon. Just goes to show how little I still know of this business.  Just caught me off guard. Wasn't expecting that to be able to happen.