So I bought a heat press

[castironrobbie 30]

I am wondering something you will be able to answer. I have never made a shirt before and some of the videos show a clear sheet over the image when heat pressing that peels away, some show a sheet of something.

Can someone explain to me how this works or point me to a good tutorial? I am just not sure of the approach as I only currently do decals, signs, and the like. Looking to expand a little

 

Thanks for your help. Also if anyone has pics of work they've done showing layering I'd love to check it out. I love seeing the work you guys and girls do. I' remember someone posting a pic of a tiger shirt they did, but can't find it. It's so mind boggling to be that good to me haha

[Command 97]

There are multiple ways to make shirts with a heat press.

1: Easyweed and Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV): This material is weeded from the liner, like regular vinyl (but mirrored). Its liner is the only thing that needs to be between the top of the press and the shirt, but some people use butcher paper or teflon sheets.

2: Plastisol Transfers: These come from sites like F&M expressions, and are basically screen print done indirectly. They have their own transfer and need nothing else.

3: Dye Sublimation: Only suitable for high poly light shirts. Different application required different things like foam, nomex, adhesive spray, or teflon sheets. You also need a dye sub printer with applicable inks.

You can find more info on the signwarehouse instruction list from the manufacturer.

[OWJones 1,981]

The clear sheet that you see peel away is common to HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl) that usually comes on a heat resistant clear backing.  You cut it with the shiny (clear plastic) side down and weed away what you don't want on the shirt.  Flip it over, heat press it at the appropriate temperature and time and peel away the clear sheet leaving the vinyl infused into the fabric of the shirt.

There are also inkjet printable transfer sheets, dye sublimation and more, most of which have an opaque backing that is peeled away after the transfer is complete.

Also, most of us cover the entire top surface of the shirt (or at least that part that will be inside the press) as the top platen can sometimes pick up ink, dye or traces of contamination and you don't want that to transfer onto a clean, new shirt.  You can use butcher paper, teflon sheets, parchment paper and other materials that aren't adversely affected by high temps.  I use the backing paper off of laminate rolls that I bought from @Dakotagrafx - each piece is re-usable multiple times until it eventually starts to brown from the heat, then I toss it and tear off a new piece.