Longevity of vinyl transfers?!?

[metatrox 0]

Ok here is the deal. I have been pressing some shirt for my self and they have been coming out great!  So I did a small order of about 10 shirts for someone.

I have washed my personal shirts about 10 times I would say. The two that i wear the most often are having problems.

They are pealing. Pretty bad.

Im using Siser Easyweed. I have follow the heat and time instructions included with it and I make sure i pre press before apply it to get moister out.

So whats the deal? Are they going to fall apart like this or am i not doing something right.

I have to admit that I have not been turning them inside out before washing and i have washed them with jeans. But I cant prevent customers from doing this.

[Buggie Pilot 4]

I usually press hotter by 5^o and longer by 20% (or press-peel-repress with teflon sheet) I usually wash my samples hot/dry hot with no problem....... However I include instructions to wash inside-out cool, tumble dry on low setting, with every shirt I sell in hopes that they might read it  and have the shirt for a long time

[Guest fivestar]

I have shirts that I have done over 2 yrs ago that the vinyl looks as good as the day I done them.  Make sure your press is putting out even temps throughout your whole platen.  Also what kind of press are you using is it putting even pressure throughout the press?

I would maybe boost the pressure up a little bit after you find out your press is putting out even temps throughout.

[Renegade 2]

Sounds like a press problem or settings to me.  I'm got a test shirt that I wash almost weekly for about a year. I add stuff to it and clean the press with it often and generally abuse it, but nothing coming off of it or wearing out except the shirt.  The main things it has on it are JPSS with pigment ink and Multicut from Jotopaper.

[metatrox 0]

Would it have to do with shrinking? I've noticed that one of them seem to be like wrinkly vinyl. Should I wash first?

I have a Sunie press. What are good heat settings for Siser EasyWeed.

[Guest fivestar]

Siser calls for 302 I believe but I'd say 315 or so.

[Renegade 2]

What shirts are you using? 

[Buggie Pilot 4]

My first shirts also wrinkled..... I found out it was because i was stretching them slightly when i tried to get them strait in the press  :-

[metatrox 0]

I only been doing 302 for about 13 seconds.

I have some gilden and some AAA shirts

Hmmm.. that could be that i stretched them possibly.

[Renegade 2]

Gildan should be a good solid shirt.  Haven't had any shrink problems with them. 

[GearboxGraphics 1]

I only been doing 302 for about 13 seconds.

I have some gilden and some AAA shirts

Hmmm.. that could be that i stretched them possibly.

That temp. and time both sound low to me. I use Spectra Eco-Film most of the time and I do them at 345 and 25 seconds. I have shirts that were done over a year ago in vinyl and they still look like I did them yesterday.

It almost sounds like the temp and time are low and so the vinyl is not getting pressed in well. After a few washes it is peeling off since it was never really set in well to begin with. Maybe try a little more heat and a little more time and see if you get some better results.

--Cory

[stormy 5]

Another prob could also b e the sunie. A lot of chinese presses have inaccurate temp readings/uneven heating.

[FastTrackSigns 0]

We have never used Siser but we use a similar brand. We do a second heat cycle after removing the clear backing. We use a Teflon sheet between the transfer and the heat unit on both cycles. I agree with more heat and time in the press.

When we first thought about doing t-shirts we asked our supplier for transfer samples. I cut out small designs and strips. The strips and designs were pressed on a white t-shirt. That shirt got placed into every wash and dry for about one month, sort of our science lab.

The shirt gave out before the transfer samples did.

[Guest sciondrgn]

using a Sunie press with eco film,

About 6-8 months now with no problems. One shirt I wear at least once a week and wash it every week

I got a little higher 310 @ 20 seconds

[cbs1963 0]

Hey Metatrox, first try more pressure, then up the temp a little.  More than 15 seconds with easy weed is overkill.  Find some store like Harbor Freights that sells inexpensive infrared thermometers and get one.  Use it to test your heat platen looking for cooler temps.  All sides, front, back, center should be within a few degrees of each other.  Your platen might have cold spots which would negatively affect your pressings.  If the setting and actual temps are different you can adjust until the right temp is achieved.  When pressing shirts a few degrees hotter won't matter, but a few degrees too cool will prevent proper transfer.  Hope this helps.

[splash0321 23]

i press about 4 seconds longer and have the heat around 15 degrees higher. I also use slightly higher pressure. I gave some shirts to some of the teenagers that i see wearing the shirts regularly (1-2 times a week) and I check the shirts out ever so often and the vinyl looks new, the t-shirts are wearing out though.

[azdecals 3]

I've only done a few shirts so take this for what it's worth.

I use 320F for 20 seconds.  I like to inspect the vinyl after the press, if I can see the fabric weave in the vinyl I know it's good. 

For me this is especially important with black on white.  For some reason black vinyl on white shirts just looks like its "sitting on top" if you dont get it pressed in good. 

I