Need help with dark shirt transfer printing method

[O'malley's Alley]

I bought some dark t-shirt transfer, and I printed out some stuff I was going to test out, and every time I tried it, I'd peel back the transfer and nothing printed out.  I have an HP LaserJet 6p, and I used Adobe Photoshop 6.0 to make and print the design.  Any idea's on what I'm doing wrong?

[Samuel]

The transfer paper wants Inkjet not laser, doesn't it?

I bet the heat involved with laser printing caused the toner not to bind to the sheet. Just a guess, though. In any case, I don't think it works with laser printers? Haven't used it, but that's the impression I get.

[O'malley's Alley]

ok, that makes sence.  I'll have to use my friends printer than.  Thanks!

[toneman]

ink jet is water-based ink.

lazer toner is a meltable plastic.

Lazertran or PNP Transfer or DynaArt is for lazer printers.
These use water to remove the backing paper.
Therefore, can't use water-based inks.

I have read, though, that Lazertran has a version
for inkjets also, now.

I've used DynaArt to make one-off pcbs.

tone

[Dan N]

"peel back the transfer"

That sounds odd. With the dark teeshirt stuff you print with an inkjet printer onto the white side of the paper. The white side is a thin plastic film. You peel the film off the backing (checkered pattern) paper and put the film on your box unprinted side toward  the metal. Iron using the supplied wax paper to protect your iron.

Sorry if that's what you did...

[O'malley's Alley]

ok, I went to my friends today and used his inkjet printer and printed some logo's, but when I tried ironing them on, it still did not transfer, at all.  This is the printer http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/ProductQuickSpec_BigImage.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=10170&category=Products&nextPage=/ProductQuickSpec.jsp

http://www.suppliesusa.com/item.asp?lst=5210&type=NA&k_article=6309&hist=P&af=icro this is the transfer sheets I'm using.  Anyone know what I might be doing wrong?  Does that printer not work with this paper or something?

[Bill_F]

ok, I went to my friends today and used his inkjet printer and printed some logo's, but when I tried ironing them on, it still did not transfer, at all.  This is the printer http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/ProductQuickSpec_BigImage.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=10170&category=Products&nextPage=/ProductQuickSpec.jsp

http://www.suppliesusa.com/item.asp?lst=5210&type=NA&k_article=6309&hist=P&af=icro this is the transfer sheets I'm using.  Anyone know what I might be doing wrong?  Does that printer not work with this paper or something?

That's the same paper I'm using it and it should work fine on any Inkjet. You print on the side that isn't ruled, then after printing you peel the paper apart and iron down the film, artwork up. Make sure you use a protective sheet over it.

[O'malley's Alley]

thats what I did.  What kind of printer did you use?  Maybe some inkjets dont work.  How long do you usually have to iron it for, and how long are you supposed to let it cool down?

[Bill_F]

thats what I did.  What kind of printer did you use?  Maybe some inkjets dont work.  How long do you usually have to iron it for, and how long are you supposed to let it cool down?

I use an HP, but if your using the Avery product it says guaranteed for all injet printers. I iron it on for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

There are some other good examples of this method over at Charlie's site. www.moosapotamus.com (I think). He's the one who discovered using this method.

[moosapotamus]

ok, I went to my friends today and used his inkjet printer and printed some logo's, but when I tried ironing them on, it still did not transfer, at all.

I'm not really sure what you mean by "transfer." Do you mean that you couldn't get it to stick to your box?

You know, technically speaking, nothing is really transferred. The material is like a thin sheet of plastic. When you iron it down, you are actually melting it to whatever surface you are ironing it on to, t-shirt, stompbox enclosure, whatever. It then stays permanently adhered.

If it's not sticking, read the instructions that come with it to make sure you are using the right heat setting on your iron. Too low a heat setting won't melt it enough to make it stick. Too high, or even the right temp for too long, will make it so soft that the pressure of the iron will start to smear it. Also, I usually sand the face of the enclosure prior to ironing, to make sure it is completely clean and smooth.

~ Charlie

[O'malley's Alley]

by transfer basically I just mean get the logo on the enclosure.  I did sand the face of the pedal before I tried it, and I also used the recomended heat setting, but it still didn't work.  I think I'll try actually transfering it to a piece of cloth or something to dertermine the problem.

[Xlrator]

Maybe you need to sand it down with a lighter paper. I couldn't imagine it sticking to something scratched up with 80-100 grit. Try a 220 grit or heavy steel wool and clean it thoroughly with soap and water.

If you did already, I'm at a loss...

[moosapotamus]

Sorry, I still don't understand exactly what you mean by, "didn't work."

~ Charlie

[Triffid]

Does this method work on painted boxes, or just plain sanded?

[O'malley's Alley]

Sorry, I still don't understand exactly what you mean by, "didn't work."

~ Charlie

I dont quite know how to explain it besides when I try ironing the logo down on the pedal, when I pull up the paper, there is nothing on the pedal, at all.  Maybe I will try finer grade sanding paper.

[Dan N]

Weird. When I do it the transfer sticks to the box easily. You are peeling it off the backing paper first? Then you take the delicate plastic with your logo and set it on the box where you want it. Cover it with the wax paper. Iron for about 20 seconds. Gently pull the wax paper away?

[O'malley's Alley]

yea, thats how I did it.  It has to be the printer, because I tried it on some dark fabric and it still does not work.  Maybe i'll go to kinko's or something and print it there.

[Bill_F]

yea, thats how I did it.  It has to be the printer, because I tried it on some dark fabric and it still does not work.  Maybe i'll go to kinko's or something and print it there.

I'm not sure the printer is at fault here. I would think this paper would at least transfer the white part even if there was nothing printed on it at all. This is a mystery because this stuff sticks pretty easily.

[moosapotamus]

Triffid - I think some folks have reported using it on a painted box. But, when I tried it, I got a burnt gooey mess. YMMV

O'mally - I have to agree with Bill_F. As long as you are using an inkjet printer, I do not think your printer is the problem, either.

I dont quite know how to explain it besides when I try ironing the logo down on the pedal, when I pull up the paper, there is nothing on the pedal, at all.  Maybe I will try finer grade sanding paper.

So, then the transfer must be sticking to the wax paper instead of the box, right? Because the only thing that you are supposed to peel off is the wax paper, not your printed transfer.

After you peel the backing off of your printed transfer, are you laying it down on your box with the printed image facing up or facing down?

~ Charlie

[O'malley's Alley]

Triffid - I think some folks have reported using it on a painted box. But, when I tried it, I got a burnt gooey mess. YMMV

O'mally - I have to agree with Bill_F. As long as you are using an inkjet printer, I do not think your printer is the problem, either.

I dont quite know how to explain it besides when I try ironing the logo down on the pedal, when I pull up the paper, there is nothing on the pedal, at all.  Maybe I will try finer grade sanding paper.

So, then the transfer must be sticking to the wax paper instead of the box, right? Because the only thing that you are supposed to peel off is the wax paper, not your printed transfer.

After you peel the backing off of your printed transfer, are you laying it down on your box with the printed image facing up or facing down?

~ Charlie

I lay it down with the image facing up.  what exactly do you mean by your not supposed to peel off the printed transfer?  After you iron it, dont you peel off both things you ironed down?