Xpres Chromaluxe Panels

[arthur.daley]

Hi All

I have just purchased a Chromaluxe table top panel set from Xpres. I am looking at the instructions and it shows a diagram of the 'stack' that goes in the press -


heatpress top plate
nomex
endura fabric
transfer paper
chromaluxe panel
silicone paper
felt/rubber
heatpress bottom plate

pressed with a pressure of 5.5bar

Firstly, I have no idea what 5.5 bar is! Well no thats not true. I know exactly what five bar is in terms of gas pressures but have no idea if that is low, medium or high in terms of a TMT Deep Impact Manual Press. Secondly, what do all the items in the stack do? Isn't nomex the stuff that motor racing suits are made or lined with? Why do I need another layer of rubber/felt under the panel - or are they assuming that the press has a heated aluminium top platten and unheated but also plain aluminium lower platten??? Is the silicone just to avoid any risk of sublimation dye finding its way onto the lower platten? What is the nomex supposed to do?? Theinstructions say to press at 195 degrees C for 150 to 270 seconds - quite a wide window!!


Advice from any Chromaluxe users would be most welcome!


Arthur

[Justin]

I tried the Endura fabric and decided it was more trouble (an money) than it was worth. I don't use anything with my panels but these are single and not sets other than a 'mouse mat' jig as they have the easel on the bottom. I also don't press anywhere near those times but I don't have to get the heat through all those layers!

[arthur.daley]

Hi Justin

I did buy a sheet of the endura fabric as it was recommended by Xpres - but no instructions ( At the moment I don't know if you use it once or a hundred times. All I know (or think I know) is that it is supposed to deal with any moisture that is generated during pressing.

The panels i have are completely flat - no strut on the back to get in the way. They come as individual panels which you print and then assemble into a 2 or 3 element panel. Each panel has some slits in its edge that the hinges push into.

I am going to give this a go - need a birthday present for my 83 year old mother.

What do you put between your panel and the heated platten? What time do you give it and is it low, medium or high pressure?

regards


Arthur

[Justin]

I don't put anything in-between at all anymore The Endura fabric does absorb any moisture but I found the image ghosted out and to avoid ghosting onto the next item it wasn't really usable past one use so very expensive. keeping your blanks in a warm environment imo is the best option to avoiding moisture and seems to work for me.

195c for 90 seconds on a small panel if I remember correctly. Light to medium pressure.

[GoonerGary]

What size are the panels? There is a youtube video for pressing large panels which deals with the moisture issue...basically pre-pressing the metal before adding the transfer. I only print small pieces of Chromaluxe, 190 degrees at 60 - 80 seconds, medium pressure. Transfer image on the bottom facing up so you are heating through the metal to get to the printed image. Supermarket baking paper either side of metal.

[Justin]

Aren't these the wooden panels not metal?

[arthur.daley]

the panels I have are about 5 or 6mm thick about 5x7 and 3x5 inches they seem to be some kind of resin/plastic - or at least I thought they were. Don't look like wood and def not metal.

If you heat from the front for a short time I guess there may be issues over heating evenly and if you heat from the back you are going to need to press for a considerable time as the whole panel will have to be heated to sublimation temp.

Could you post a link to the video please Gary?


Arthur

[GoonerGary]

Sorry the video was for metal panels

[arthur.daley]

as it happens I also have some Xpres bright silver ali panel to tinker with

[Hixxy02]

Give the guys at Xpres a call. I had some troubles before and they were really helpful.

I press my aluminium chromalux at 200' for 90 seconds for panels less than A3 in size.

I place endura fabric on the bottom and the top with the panel face up, so the printed image at the top and press. (I place it on the bottom purely to protect the press from any ink as i don't have any heat proof silicon paper.

Hope this helps