Solutions Opaque Questions

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kevin Hirata on November 27, 2009 at 3:11am

Diane-

I have to be honest and say that I really don't like working with Opaque.

Like you, I often times have problems with curling and weeding my design. To help minimize the curling problem, try cutting your design first, then printing. To do this:

1 - Setup your job as you normally would, however under "Cut Controls", select "Cut Only", then check the "Return to Origin After Cut" box.

2- Click OK, then Print your job. The VC will cut your job, then return back to the point of origin.

3 - Go back into "Cut Controls" and select "Print Only".

4 - Click OK, then Print your job.

I normally allow the vinyl to rest a few hours before weeding. This process seems to cutdown on the amount of curling, but it doesn't totally eliminate the problem. I have tried reverse weeding, but I don't always like thre results.

Have you tired Quick Print? It almost never curls and it's very easy to weed. When used on a 100% cotton t-shirt, it's also less likely to prune or wrinkle.

BTW, I always use the Solutions Opaque profile, and I always use the Solution mask.

Just my 2 cents... hope it helps.

Kevin

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Permalink Reply by Diane Hook on November 27, 2009 at 9:12am

Hi Kevin,

Thanks so much for your advice! I actually have been cutting first then printing, and that does help with the curling edges before weeding, but they still curl while weeding. Maybe I will try turning the media heater back on.

I would LOVE to try another media such as Quick Print, but since I am decorating kids' shirts, I need something that isn't PVC-based due to lead content. I guess I need a lot more practice or should just stick to small designs that are easier to weed! :)


Diane

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Permalink Reply by Steven Jackson on November 27, 2009 at 10:20am

Diane,
Make sure you use the correct profile and when cutting first and then printing second, you weill be fine to leave all of the heaters on. I would not recommend not using the heaters as they ensure that the ink sets properly and your prints will last longer.
If you have a very difficult to weed pattern, mask the material prior to weeding and then weed everything from the back so the sticky mask is holding it all down.

Hope this helps!

~Steven

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Permalink Reply by Diane Hook on November 27, 2009 at 10:46am

Steven,

Thanks for the info on the print profile...I will set it back to the default for the Opaque.

My husband just relayed to me that the biggest problem he was having was the Opaque sticking to its paper backing too much. As he was peeling up the mask, the design would start sticking to the carrier paper more than the mask and stretch, making bubbles in the design once it was all stuck to the mask. Have you ever tried another type of mask with Solutions?

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Permalink Reply by Steven Jackson on November 27, 2009 at 11:02am

I use solutions mask pretty exclusively and have seen that a bit. It does not seem to affect the print once it is pressed though. We press with teflon on top, then remove the mask and press a second time with teflon on top. Works great!

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Permalink Reply by Diane Hook on November 27, 2009 at 11:05am

Does the second hit with the Teflon produce better results than using kraft or parchment paper?

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Permalink Reply by Steven Jackson on November 27, 2009 at 11:14am

I have not used kraft paper in a long time so I am not sure. We use teflon in our shop as you can re use it over and over and never worry about it getti9ng trashed.

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Permalink Reply by Diane Hook on November 29, 2009 at 4:43pm

Some updates to the above post...
I have discovered that "Max Impact" printing makes the images bubble from too much ink..."Pre Press US" yields better results on the Opaque -at least for my needs.

My biggest problem is getting the transfer to "nestle" into the fabric weave nicely so that it doesn't crease and wrinkle as easily post washing. I have pressed on pre-washed and not pre-washed garments and gotten inconsistent results, even on the same shirt.

Here is an image of two transfers sent as samples from Imprintables. Josh had pressed the top right image and I pressed the bottom...the bottom image has some creases and wrinkles while his does not.

These prints are on the same shirt. The left image has wrinkles while the right image (on back of shirt) shows the fabric weave nicely and did not wrinkle. Amazingly, the wrinkled image was printed AFTER washing the shirt while the not-wrinkled #4 was printed BEFORE washing the shirt.

These images were printed on pre-washed fabric...the right one stretched slightly after pressing. Both have wrinkles, though the left is much worse.

I have my Hotronix Draw press set to a 7 pressure, preheat the garment 5 seconds at 305 degrees, press 5 seconds with Kraft or Teflon, peel hot, press again for 5 more seconds with cover sheet. Any idea how to get the transfer to set into the fabric consistently?

Thanks for any help! I'm starting to worry that I bought my new Versacamm for nothing! :(

Diane

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Permalink Reply by Printchic aka Angela on November 29, 2009 at 10:36pm

Hi Diane,

Congratulations on your new machine. When I got mine my very first designs a few of them had the effect you show which we call the raisin effect. They look fine before washing but after it was washed I had the look you show in your photo.

What I started doing is cutting the design first, then I printing. I also let the design sit at least over night before weeding and pressing.

I use Anvil 979 Brand Shirts which are 6.1 oz (didn't wash it first). It seemed to help. I don't do as many t-shirts as I had expected. I do know last year around the xmas time I sold a lot of t-shirts that had a large solid area and I washed a few to see how they held up and I didn't get that effect once I started doing as I mentioned above.

I used a Pheonix Phire heat press following the temperature they recommend. I actually cover it with kraft paper and press a 2nd time to ensure that the design is pressed in good.

As for the bubbles. I did get those and I learned that if it's just a bubble when it gets heated it will not show up. I haven't found a way to ensure that "no bubbles" appear but again once I press the design it comes out ok. I actually prefer the TTD Mask as opposed to the Solutions Mask. The solutions mask to me seems a bit more flimsy.

When i do designs that have thin pieces or fine detail I cover the design with the mask and then weed it. Otherwise it is a nightmare.

That's all I can remember about using solutions opaque. I basically believe the shirt type has something to do with how it holds up. I find Anvil does well for me so I use it. Again I don't do a lot of shirts so I don't have any real tricks to offer and what I share is what I experience when I have done shirts.

Hope it helps.

Oh... what is the content of your shirts is it 100% or a 50/50 blend? Wonder if it's a blend if that may be a problem with the design not sticking to the shirt. I would suggestion trying "different brands" and seeing if you get different results

Signed,
Angela H.

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Permalink Reply by Diane Hook on November 29, 2009 at 11:04pm

Thanks so much for the detailed advice, Angela!

I agree that the type of shirt is definitely playing a role in the raisin effect. The Monag shirts are so nice and thick, but even pre-washing doesn't fix the issue - the material seems too thick and tight for the transfer to really stick to the fibers. I am going to try Delta since they have a larger selection of kids' shirts than Anvil but are still 6.1 oz preshrunk cotton. All of the shirts I have printed on are 100% cotton - wish I could find 50/50 for babies & toddlers though.

I still am puzzled why the image printed by Imprintables looks great yet the same image I pressed on the same garment has some wrinkles. I am starting to wonder if my Hotronix Draw press is to blame. I tried switching to one of the small platens, but because these are thinner than the large platen, I can only get a max pressure of 5.

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Permalink Reply by Printchic aka Angela on November 30, 2009 at 11:12am

Hi Diane,

Do you have one of those "pillows" that are made out of teflon that you slip inside the shirt? If memory serves me correct we were using one of those in between the shirts to "life the shirt up on Kid size shirts so that we could get a good transfer as kid shirts normally would fit entirely under the press and I can see the Neck area and the hem line preventing the press from clamping down all it can.

Also with the pillow inside the shirt the heat it will also be heated and so heat from it can come from inside the shirt and may help with it ahering to the shirt. Basically it's like the press will heat the top and since the pillow gets hot it will also cause heat to be coming from inside the shirt to the back of the transfer.

The pillows I am talking about are on this page. See the "Telfon Pillows ones.

http://www.imprintables.com/index.cfm?&fuseaction=dspItem&i...

if that link doesn't work try this one

http://www.imprintables.com/index.cfm?CFID=13199665&CFTOKEN=ea1...

If you don't have any on hand try a mousepad but the pillow may be better as they are soft.

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Permalink Reply by Diane Hook on November 30, 2009 at 12:06pm

Hi Angela,

Thanks for the advice. I just contacted Stahl's, and apparently, they forgot to include a set of spacers for the smaller platens, so this should solve the pressure problem and perhaps give me better results.

I did try your idea of a mousepad for the meantime...I got up to a 6 in pressure, which should do for now. :)

Diane

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