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Wildgoose

First successful Switch Cover

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Played around this evening with a few of the switch covers I bought from Dakota. First one I didn't cook long enough. Only did 65 seconds and it was not done so it will become test fodder. Second attempt I was doing a full bleed picture and was so focused on trimming and wetting the edges that I failed to notice I had the picture facing the wrong direction and only succeeded in sublimating it into the lower protection paper. LOL Third attempt was the one in the pic for my little girls' room. They love it.  

 

Those of you who have been at this a while, what do you recommend time wise on the covers? I ended up at 3 minutes from a tip from Lablover (that i didn't heed the first try).

post-20133-0-27500700-1425794029_thumb.j

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I always use a nomex pad but here are the pressing instructions from conde

Light Switch and Outlet Covers Sublimation Instructions

Substrate
Temperature
Prepress
Press Time
Pressure
DT002G, DT002M, DT002S, DT003G, DT003M, DT003S, DT007G, DT007M, DT007S, DT008G, DT008M, DT008S, DT009G, DT009M, DT009S, DT010G, DT010M, DT010S, DT011G, DT011M, DT011S, DT012G, DT012M, DT012S, LSP05, LSP06, LSP07, LSP08, U5793
400F
 
3 - 4 minutes
Heavy; PSI for Automatic Presses: 60
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Thanks Scott. I didn't even attempt the screws. I didn't spring for the nome pad but I found some 100% poly felt at a craft store and stacked up (7)  35 cent sheets for a total of about 1/2" thick and it held up fine. I did buy a piece of the green heat transferring pad and used it too. Didn't have any issues with the thickness of the cover or the warp around the edges. I'll have to log back into Conde and download some of those specific instructions and put them in a binder or nothing.  

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I keep saying I am gonna start a binder too...... but I still keep logging on to read them and not print them

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WOA...Binder, what a great idea.  I always have to log back into conde and look!

 

Switch plate looks awesome.  I'll be curious if you come up with a different time than 3 min.  Mine look just about right at 3:00.  Those screw heads are gonna be a treat.  Whats the point of the Nomex Pad?  I bought some joann fabrics green foam that does great in the heat.  Cut it a bit bigger then the cover and use that under the cover.  Basically I put a sheet of parchment paper, then the foam pad then the switch cover face down then another sheet of parchment.  The green foam allows the switch plate to scrunch down and let the paper.....for a lock of better word..."Envelope" Spelled wrong  the plate.

 

Works like a charm.  Now the screw heads...I'm at a loss.  tried it once and they are a bit longer than the screw plate is thick so they pouch thru the transfer paper.....the rest is a mess.

 

Anyway...too much coffee..So glad it worked out for ya man!  I was waiting to see something posted.  The switch gets lost in that design nicely as do the screws.  Now, off to more coffee  :)

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 Now the screw heads...I'm at a loss.  tried it once and they are a bit longer than the screw plate is thick so they pouch thru the transfer paper.....the rest is a mess.

 

 

I took a piece of wood the same thickness of the wall plate screws,  I drilled two holes where the screws  were placed the wall plate on the wood inserted the screw put a green sheet over it an pressed away...

 

I didn't want the screw to poke holes in my press.

 

As far as time.  Every press,   I have found is different,   you need to play around ever time you press something add or decrease a few seconds and when you have the perfect match you need to write that info down.  Thats the only good way I have found.  On my phone case inserts I have tried three different heat presses,   my big Auto open 16" x 20" ,  a small hobby press 9"12" (Hix) and a 12" x 12" Insta press and every one was different results.  I ended up liking the insta press the best for what I do mostly ...

 

003-2.jpg

 

fopstuff006.jpg

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I took a piece of wood the same thickness of the wall plate screws,  I drilled two holes where the screws  were placed the wall plate on the wood inserted the screw put a green sheet over it an pressed away...

 

I didn't want the screw to poke holes in my press.

 

As far as time.  Every press,   I have found is different,   you need to play around ever time you press something add or decrease a few seconds and when you have the perfect match you need to write that info down.  Thats the only good way I have found.  On my phone case inserts I have tried three different heat presses,   my big Auto open 16" x 20" ,  a small hobby press 9"12" (Hix) and a 12" x 12" Insta press and every one was different results.  I ended up liking the insta press the best for what I do mostly ...

 

003-2.jpg

 

fopstuff006.jpg

SO then the wall plate was face up then?

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SO then the wall plate was face up then?

 

Yeah, if you use the green pad to hold the transfer down against the plate, you can do curved surfaces.   Without a green pad, you need to flip it over onto a Nomex felt pad and press facing down, but you need the metal insert for the backside to keep it from flattening the switch plate and to allow the heat to penetrate.

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Yeah, if you use the green pad to hold the transfer down against the plate, you can do curved surfaces.   Without a green pad, you need to flip it over onto a Nomex felt pad and press facing down, but you need the metal insert for the backside to keep it from flattening the switch plate and to allow the heat to penetrate.

Makes perfect sense now.

 

Thanks

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Note books / binders key tool for what we do I started to do this back when my mom had the business so it was easy reference.

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I wanted to get into sublimation so badly but my wallet and wife would have killed me.  All of them look great!

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I wanted to get into sublimation so badly but my wallet and wife would have killed me.  All of them look great!

 

If you already have a decent heat press, you're more than half the way there.

 

An Epson WF7110 with pre-installed CISS kit and sublimation inks is $369.95 from Cobra Ink - it prints up to 13"x19", which is about as big as desktop sublimation printers will go.  You'll need sublimation transfer paper and 100 sheets will set you back another $24, also available from Cobra Ink.

 

You can get into a smaller sublimation printer for a little less, but for the minor difference in price you might as well buy the big one!

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If you already have a decent heat press, you're more than half the way there.

 

An Epson WF7110 with pre-installed CISS kit and sublimation inks is $369.95 from Cobra Ink - it prints up to 13"x19", which is about as big as desktop sublimation printers will go.  You'll need sublimation transfer paper and 100 sheets will set you back another $24, also available from Cobra Ink.

 

You can get into a smaller sublimation printer for a little less, but for the minor difference in price you might as well buy the big one!

I have the WF7510 right now running pigment for stickers and such.  I'll need to find the room for another printer and my heat press is a no-name eBay 24x16" :-\

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I have the WF7510 right now running pigment for stickers and such.  I'll need to find the room for another printer and my heat press is a no-name eBay 24x16" :-\

 

Do yourself a favor and buy or borrow one of those non-contact IR Thermometers - crank up your heat press to 400°F and then spot check the temperatures across the entire surface of the platen.

 

You want it be as close to 400° everywhere - wide variances in temperature will cause darker and lighter spots during sublimation.   If it checks out OK, then you should be good to go!

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So, get another wallet and another wife :lol:
trading wives is expensive . . . Trust me and my dad on that one. Heck this ones mom is a lawyer so the thought is a non starter to begin with
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I absolutely love the switch cases.

We use them on Big Blue (DK20) and it works everytime.

Great Colours.

The only problem we have here in Oz, is that supply is not in stock all the time....which drives me crazy.

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