leword

Help! 15x15 heat press

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Hello!! I just got a 15x15 digital swing arm heat press from us cutter. And like most others have said it didn't come with any instructions. What temp and for how long do I need to pressing the heat transfer vinyl? Also is there anything else I need when doing htv?

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Temperature and time vary depending on the type of HTV. I'm guessing that you have Siser EasyWeed. I don't see the temp and time info on USCutter's website, but you can find it on Siser's website. http://www.siserna.com/easyweed

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If it`'s Siser you will be 305 deg for 12-15 seconds. If it's most other brands they tend toward 320 deg range but like mentioned each vinyl is very specific even within brands like Siser they vary a little from one type to another so you need to figure that out based on what you bought.

 

On a side note I would HIGHLY recommend checking the accuracy of the digital temp by using an infrared thermometer gun. Those are notorious for being off quite a ways. I never figured out how to permanently adjust mine although there may be some way. I just wrote down what the machine said when I got it where I wanted it (until I commented it to memory) I have since upgraded to a higher end machine and low and behold the temp was off on it was well!!!! so don't trust those things. I did manage to adjust the gauge on the hew one though. 

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I did a monogram on a practice shirt and some of the edges are kinda peeling up. Is that a sign the temp wasn't high enough?

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Yep. A good rule of thumb is to be able to see the texture of the cloth through the vinyl.

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There are three factors for a good adhesion.

 

Time

Temperature

Pressure

 

All three are important and make the difference between a good job and something done with a hand iron. If your press has the 4 springs that apply pressure to the upper platen then you can get a good idea of correct pressure based on how far you compress those springs. I always liked to get them nearly compressed all the way but not quite, this was what I called medium pressure. Fully compressed and some effort to lock the handle over I called high pressure and somewhat compressed but not more than about half way as light pressure. 

 

If this is the press you bought it's a fairly decent model. I still have my old one as a spare. Did about 4 years and a lot of press cycles. 

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Yes that is the one I have! I figured it had something to do with that. It's surprising to get a machine with no instructions or explanations of the parts!

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again  - like others stated above the instructions come on your heat press material for time and temp  - last person we had that couldn't get the vinyl to work right turned out to be using sign vinyl and not htv at all

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