How To Make Screen Print Transfers

Screen press heat transfers tin can seem daunting but in reality, it's fairly simple. If made properly, plastisol heat transfers can last almost as long as a standard screen print and can be much easier to apply in certain scenarios like decorating hats, cervix labels, names for sport apparel, and more than.

Let's walk through the basic components and procedure of screen printing your own heat transfers.

THE TRANSFER PAPER

The first step you're going to practice is run the transfer paper through a conveyor dryer. Paper absorbs moisture from the air. The transfer newspaper needs to be dry so it doesn't interfere with the ink. Don't get the newspaper too hot or y'all'll get ripples on the paper. For multicolor estrus transfers, apartment, stable transfer paper is a must.

Acquire HOW TO SCREEN Print MULTI-Colour PLASTISOL Estrus TRANSFERS

PRINTING

In the video, impress expert Colin Huggins is printing a one-color heat transfer. He prints with white FN-INK™ and uses a 157 thin thread screen.

You practise not want to push on the squeegee besides hard. If you lot push too hard, the ink will seep out the sides of the stencil. You need to put just enough pressure to clear the ink through the screen while maintaining sharp, clean edges on the print. This is probably the most of import takeaway you should accept from this video.

You also need to be careful nigh avoiding printing a stencil that'south also tall. If it'south too tall, the ink will smush when it's heat pressed. To control the ink eolith, you'll take to do some trial-and-error. Play around with mesh count and how thick you coat the screen.

Learn HOW TO Cull THE Right MESH COUNT FOR THE JOB

THE ADHESION POWDER

To coat the transfers with the adhesion powder, you'll kickoff need a container to hold the powder. Colin uses a simple plastic storage box for this purpose.

Make full the box with a adept amount of the powder. Dip the paper into the box and run the pulverization over the ink a few times. When it'southward completely covered, motion picture the paper to grit off any extra powder.

Pro Tip: Your fingers have oils, which can transfer onto the paper. Wear gloves to avoid that issue.

In one case all the transfers are covered with the adhesion powder, pour the remaining pulverisation back into its original container. You don't desire the powder to sit in the open box because it may soak up moisture from the air. If it soaks upwardly moisture (yous'll be able to tell by its sandy texture), information technology's time to toss it. Always shop the adhesion pulverisation in a dry environment.

GELLING THE INK

Nope, you are not curing the ink. You want to gel the ink (curing will happen when information technology's time to heat press it). Since Colin uses FN-INK™, a depression cure ink, he runs it through the dryer at 200°F. For standard plastisol inks, shoot for 260°F.

Conveyor dryers provide more consistent heat compared to flash dryers. When using a wink dryer, you take no control over the zone of heat. The middle of the flash dryer is much hotter compared to the outer edges of the unit of measurement. Since the middle is hotter, the ink in that location will reach gel temp much faster than the outer edges. While waiting for the edges to hitting the gel temp, the middle may reach cure temp. Conveyor dryers are the best route for gelling heat transfers.

Oestrus PRESSING

When setting upward the heat press, Colin sets it at 350°F with a iv or five force per unit area. The settings will differ depending on the type of transfer paper, adhesion pulverisation, oestrus press you are using. Wash test to discover which method works best.

Larn WHY A Heat PRESS IS EVERY PRINTER'South SECRET TOOL

In the video, Colin applies the heat transfer to a 100% cotton wool garment. Cotton can absorb wet. Colin preheats the garment to remove any moisture and smoothen out the fabric. He presses it for about v seconds.

Make a notch or some sort of indicator to note the center of print then you're able to align information technology on the shirt. Lay the paper on the shirt and press it for 10 seconds (or any you notice works best for your tools and equipment).

Colin uses a hot transfer pare, so he removes the newspaper as soon as he finishes rut pressing the shirt.

That's all in that location is to it! With the right tools and a little fleck of know-how, y'all'll be able to create your own plastisol heat transfers in no time.

Source: https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/how-to-make-plastisol-heat-transfers

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