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Prints Look splotchy or cloudy looking

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Some of my prints that I do on aluminum blanks have a splotchy look in the print...... hard to explain and I can't get a good picture to show at the moment...... but it's the most noticeable in black and red ink..... the prints look like it has clouds in it...... I use very high quality images..... and it's not every time. Not sure if I need to increase press or temp. I'm currently at a pressure of 1 on a Hix..... and temp of 400.

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It could be several thing to start with I would try the pressure at 4 or 5.  Are you using the same blanks you always have?  Same goes with the printer ink etc.?  Are you sure your temp on the heat press is still reading 400? (heat gun test)

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I'll try to increase pressure...... using same blanks and actually tried some others. I get same results from both blanks..... I checked my heat with one of those actual gauges and it's dead on...... let me try the heavier press. Thanks for input!!

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When you're checking the temperature of the platen, are you checking all over or just spot-checking the center?

Uneven heating, which is more common on cheap no-brand presses, can cause the types of issues you're experiencing.   Also, let the press cool down and run your hand over the upper platen to make sure it is clean and smooth.   I bought my press used and it had some gunk baked on to the back edge of the press and any designs that extended that far back would inevitably show incomplete transference.  I bought some Hot Melt and cleaned that gunk off and now it's all smooth and the cloudiness went away.

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I went back and checked the temp all over in several places..... reading was the same across the whole top plate which is great news..... it is a little bit dirty, so I'll be ordering something to clean that with. I increased my pressure and my next print turned out better than the one I did earlier. I did forget to mention that I was pressing at 400 for ( 60 seconds ). Not sure if the time is a factor or not.

 

for my protection sheets, I use the paper backing that comes off of vinyl rolls...... would that affect anything??

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for my protection sheets, I use the paper backing that comes off of vinyl rolls...... would that affect anything??

 

It shouldn't - a lot of us use that same material.  As long as it's flat and not all krinkled up, it should work just as well as butcher's paper, craft paper or parchment paper.

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Are you using that spray tack to hold your print in place? I have noticed that I can see it on some designs so I quit using it on smooth surfaces. 

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That could be too long I actually only press my iphone blanks for 35 seconds.  Try a little more pressure

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Funny, sometimes I see the same thing.  Best way I can explain them is they look like very faint water spots.

 

Drives me nuts

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phone blanks 285 for 40 seconds no issues. Now as for the splotchy part with metals use 50 to 90% rubbing alcohol and clean the metal. You may have release agent or some oils on the blanks that are creating these splotches. 

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You are peeling off the protective film right?  I have to ask as I have forgotten myself a time or two   :huh:

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I have found those spots,   I call them dust spots,   is definitely time or pressure.  If you cut the time down by 5 seconds each time or lighten the pressure each time until they disappear then you can write it down so then you can refer to it next time you press that blank,  however each type of blank also seems to be different.  In my case its not to bad because when I kept cutting the time down until they disappeared then I was set because I mainly do phone cases, however I have had the same with license plates and found it also to be the same pressure or time  just different settings ...

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I found it to be too much cook time and pressure as well, I have forgotten to take the protective film off, and have achieved good results.

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I have forgotten to take the film off on phones and not to big of deal.... however.... on plaques..... what a mess!

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