Wildgoose

What paper is best for protecting the platen?

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What are you using to protect the platen from outgas? Just about to do my first sublimation work and need some direction on what's cost effective and working good for you guys. This will be garments, I have some kraft paper that I figured I would use but I'm sure there are other papers that are cheaper. 

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Kraft is cool. I use parchment paper from the 99 cent store. Sublimation ink is go bleed a lot so thats what i use and its cheap

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I use the back off vinyl. Always a pile laying around so it's extremely cost effective. 

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I use Sam's butcher paper a 1,000 foot roll right around $20.00

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butcher paper and backing paper off regular vinyl -- whatever is closer to my hand at the time

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I'm feeling better since it appears that it's not super critical what type of paper I use. I had my wife pick up a couple of and rolls from the local Press tribune that they sell for three dollars each.

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You are correct as long as it keeps off ink it will work when you dont is when you can have some problems.  I have ruined more then one vapor 100% poly shirt from being lazy ...

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I recently ruined a sublimated patch I was putting on a hat.  I pressed it and it turned out perfectly.  I let it cool so I could peel it off the teflon sheet and moved it to my hat press where I lined it up while waiting for the hat press to come to temp - somewhere around 280-290° I threw a piece of vinyl backing on top of the patch and pressed it down quickly to see how it was going to line up on the hat - the instructions for the patches called for a 400° temp to glue them on so I didn't think it would stick, but it might soften up a bit and lay smoother..

 

I pulled the paper out and the patch hadn't stuck to the hat, so I lined it up again, put the backing paper back on and gave it another couple seconds of pressure - let up and found that I had a beautiful duplicate image offset by about 1.5" inches and I'm still not sure why.  Sublimation won't usually occur until well in excess of 300° (for example, I transferred the original design on the patch at 400°) and I didn't expect to see it gas at temps in the 300° range...

 

Thankfully patches are cheap and my hat press wasn't hot enough to adhere the patch, plus my main press hadn't cooled down much, so I was able to quickly press a second patch and get the job done in time for my sister's "White Trash Christmas Bash" party.

Am I the only one who prints multiples of a design as long as there is room on the page - for just such an occasion?

 

Never reuse cover paper for sublimation.

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I am still not going on sublimation yet but I print extra with JPSS if there is room. Wy waste the space although with transfers you can store them and it sounds like sub ink is only good a couple days. 

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I had some phone case tex print paper printed up with designs and they have printed fine after sitting in the drawer for 6 months.  It was for me so it was a good test,  still pressed and is holding up fine...

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