OWJones 1,981 Posted June 5, 2013 I have noticed some uneven colors during recent pressing and I think (hope!) it's due to my not getting all the residue off from my 3G Opaque incident a while back (Long story short - always put a cover sheet over 3G Opaque before you put the platen down on top of it!) and I had read on forums about a product called EZ-Off for cleaning heat presses and so I went looking for it on Google. First site I found had these instructions that made it look like it was the perfect product for my clean up needs (Note: other site's instructions have said to rub with the grain of the metal, not in circles - your mileage may vary). Unfortunately their online cart/checkout system isn't working, so I had to go looking elsewhere... BestBlanks.com has it for sale - a single 5.25 oz. tube for $9.89 - I added it to my cart and went to check out - cheapest shipping option is $15.43 for something the size of a small tube of toothpaste, bringing the total to $25.32, which in my opinion goes beyond highway robbery and should be considered a crime against humanity... I refuse to pay more for shipping than I do for the product itself unless there is absolutely no other choice. Did another Google search and found Cleaner's Supply, a company that caters to dry cleaners, and they sell the exact same 5.25 oz. tubes for $2.79 per tube, I added 3 to my cart (I was already willing to spend the $9, why not?) and clicked Checkout - up comes the "Hey, did you forget to add these items?" screen and there is yet another iron/heat press cleaning product designed for especially tough to remove residue (http://www.cleanersupply.com/products/product.cfm/pid/1434/Hot-Melt-/) on sale for $5.95. I figure I'm in for a penny - in for a pound, might as well add that, too.... Get to the final order confirmation screen and for FOUR TUBES of cleaner, my shipping and handling is $3.83 - total - not per tube - for all of them, bringing my total order for FOUR tubes to $18.15, or about $7.00 less than what BestBlanks wanted to charge me for only 1/4 as much! It goes to show it always pays to shop around - for 3-4 extra minutes of my time I not only saved money, but I also ended up with a lot more and an extra cleaner I hadn't even heard of before. If you ever need to clean your iron or heat press, check out Cleaner's Supply for EZ-Off and Hot Melt - I didn't need to provide a tax ID# or anything of that nature, so even you hobbyists can take advantage of their low prices and uber-cheap shipping! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Smokem 35 Posted June 5, 2013 Made me recall a recent auction experience.I use butane canisters for my single burner stove.... They are $3.59 at my local Big 5Found them in an eBay store.... $1.62.............. DEAL...!!!!!! Wrong....Shipping was over $25.00 for 12 of them...... Turns out.... since they are potentially explosive... freight is horrendous....I've since located a local source for $1.25 AND... I can pick them up.... Too Cool Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted June 11, 2013 So how did the cleaner work? Which one would you get next time if you were only getting one? I set my press down without pressure on a piece of vinyl that I was trying to get to lay flat with the intention to just leave it a few minutes as the press was warming up. Well...ya I forgot about it. Fortunately it was just regular vinyl and mostly came off but I was looking at the platen the other day and can see a little build up here and there that I would like to clean off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted June 11, 2013 Just got it today - sent via FedEx Ground. I need to go plug in the press and set it to warming up and then I can give a proper review. I just realized that having a swing away press instead of a clam shell means it's going to be more difficult for me to get underneath the platen and work... probably end up sitting cross-legged on the floor while I clean... thankfully it's only 80° here today so sitting underneath a warm-hot platen will only be moderately uncomfortable... BTW - here's what $18.15 got me from CleanerSupply.com And this is what $25.32 would have got me from BestBlanks.com You don't need an MBA to realize that something is wrong with the pricing at the latter (perhaps an MBA would say the prices are TOO LOW at CleanerSupply.com!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted June 11, 2013 That ez-off looks old school, bet it does a jam up job. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted June 11, 2013 tip the press on it's side carefully Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted June 11, 2013 tip the press on it's side carefully Mine came mounted on the Geo Knight caster base stand, similar to this one: It weighs 290# total, with 200+ of that being at the top. I can probably get it over by myself, but standing it back up would be a chore. One of my dogs decided to have an accident right where I would have been sitting on the floor, so I cleaned and scrubbed and now I'm waiting for the floor to dry... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted June 11, 2013 Mine came mounted on the Geo Knight caster base stand, similar to this one: DK25S.jpg It weighs 290# total, with 200+ of that being at the top. I can probably get it over by myself, but standing it back up would be a chore. One of my dogs decided to have an accident right where I would have been sitting on the floor, so I cleaned and scrubbed and now I'm waiting for the floor to dry... yeh - went to the laundrymat today - cat got pissed at stacey last night and had to clean the comforter - there is 1 machine in this town big enough to handle the comforter - it was cleanenced at jc penny - couple more washings and I will have more in cleaning than the thing cost me Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted June 12, 2013 OK, I got distracted last night and didn't get back to cleaning my heat press, but I did get to it today... I swung the platen away from the base and cranked it up to 195°F and let it warm up for about 10 minutes. Then I followed instructions and got a clean terry-cloth towel, applied a liberal amount of EZ-Off and sat on the floor underneath the platen. Let me tell you, working with a 195° surface above your head keeps you very aware of your surroundings! This is the towel before I started cleaning: The EZ-Off is fairly thick and has a color reminiscent of Brasso, but without the odor. Once applied to the heat, it melts and gets runny, which the drips on my shirt and pants can attest to. I also got it all over the Ove-Glove I was wearing to protect my hand, but it wipes right away. I used a moderate amount of pressure and tried rubbing with the grain and in circles and didn't notice any difference in effectiveness. It worked, I could see that it was removing some gunk off of the platen, but it wasn't the miracle cleaner I had been expecting. Then I broke out the Hot Melt and holy cow, what a difference! It was taking gunk off of areas that I'd already cleaned as best as I could with the EZ-Off - there were a few patches of burnt-on crud that have been there since I bought this press (used) all along the very back edge - it looked like the burnt crud in the bottom of an oven after baking with a lot of cheese... -- The Hot Melt went through it like a hot knife through butter. In this picture you can see the two halves of the towel - I used one half with each cleaner and I'd already gone over the entire surface of the platen 3x with the EZ-Off before I started with the Hot Melt, so that gives you some idea of how much more effective the Hot Melt is. I tried taking pictures of the platen, but there isn't a lot of light underneath and without a flash it looked all black and with a flash it was all washed out, but it looks like almost brand new! Now I need to print some dye-sub and give it a try! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted June 13, 2013 That's good to know for next time I have an accident with meltable items. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted June 13, 2013 heck that is good to know when you find that knight or hotronix that is just to good to pass up - part of the refurb! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MadHatterGraphix 1,258 Posted June 13, 2013 Sold...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SeeJaysPlace 476 Posted December 6, 2013 I had to order some of this today Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted December 6, 2013 I had to order some of this today sorry. To hear it jay Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted December 6, 2013 I had to order some of this today Inquiring minds want to know, mainly me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted December 6, 2013 Long story short - always put a cover sheet over 3G Opaque before you put the platen down on top of it! Did you not learn from my lesson? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted December 7, 2013 He doesn't to share but since I'm depressed right now and this will cheer me up I'm gonna throw him under the bus. Sorry buddy but I need a laugh today. Ever do a dyesub car tag? and not take the plastic off first? Oops. I can't pick 2 much I've done it with a couple dog tags in the past, guess crap happens. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SeeJaysPlace 476 Posted December 7, 2013 Ya Buddy.. This is what happends when you forget to take off the plastic off of a car tag... and i did a teflon sheet between the heat press and the dye sub paper.. So i Press it for 110 sec @ 410 about .. and I only had it pressed for like 30 seconds and then Relized i kept the plastic on it.. i ran over to the press and released it .. cause i had more car tags and i could print another sheet i was not woried .. So this Car Tag was only under the press for like 40 sec or so not really sure about the time but it was not that long.. and here is the final prodcut of it .. There JayBird i shared my story hehee now can we get on with it .. and worry about Umm.. Let me think With the messup i did .. i think it tured out good LOL 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted December 7, 2013 You manned up (with a little help). Tag still came out awesome except that is not how you spell Jay's Place 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted December 7, 2013 final product looks great though 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted December 9, 2013 He doesn't to share but since I'm depressed right now and this will cheer me up I'm gonna throw him under the bus. Sorry buddy but I need a laugh today. Ever do a dyesub car tag? and not take the plastic off first? Oops. I can't pick 2 much I've done it with a couple dog tags in the past, guess crap happens. The first 2x2" hardboard tile that I did... Came out of the press amid a cloud of steam & smoke and had a very bubbly appearance for some reason... Did the same thing a year later on a double-sided dog tag. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted December 9, 2013 I've been double checking but sometimes you get in a hurry and... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted December 10, 2013 I had to order some of this today So which one did you order? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted July 16, 2014 Didn't want to start a new thread but wanted to post my experience with the HOT MELT cleaner. OH MY! I have an older stahl's hat press that I bought off ebay and apparently the PO never ever used a cover sheet. I have been thinking about cleaning things up and finally got around to buying some of the Hot Melt Cleaner. I was surprised and appalled at the amount of black gunk that come off that hat press platen. Holy cow! I still plan to do my regular swing away and I have been religious to use a cover sheet (minus a couple mishaps) so I am curious to see how much I have accumulated on it. The hat press was bad! The Hot Melt was Awesome! What a great product and reasonably priced, even the shipping. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt'n Morgan 54 Posted August 10, 2014 Great Information OW! and everyone else that contributed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
