Help please - Feeling very deflated.

[bmhdg1976]

Hi all...

Well, we are feeling quite deflated at the moment.

We took on a job for a local sports team (cricket) to put a small sponsor name on the sleeve and numbers on the back (customer supplied the shirts as already had logo on them).
We did a test run on a shirt (100% polyester) which didn't matter if stuffed up or not and worked perfectly, so we said yep, not a problem.
Well have done 7 shirts and 4 of them have like a yellowing burn mark from the heat platen - will not show up in a picture otherwise I would post one). it is only feint, but is definitely noticeable especially in the sunlight.
What gets us is that 3 of them have worked fine but the others didn't.
We have not changed any settings on the heat press (Galaxy 14x14) and the press heat and platen are fine (checked the temp with infrared gun and within a degree of the displayed temp and even heat). Also no discrepancy with the plates being even (not warped).

Has anyone had this issue and thoughts on it?

We used new teflon sheet and protective paper - same result.
This $75 job has now cost us $105 in replacement shirts with possibly another $70 for these two new ones.

We have spoken to our suppliers (Nova and Picture Perfect in Australia) who advised we are doing nothing wrong and is probably the shirts.
We are going to offer the customer two choices...

1) Continue with the job (at no cost to them at all) and what works, works, what has a mark on it has a mark on it is unavoidable.
2) Stop where we are and will...
- reimburse the further $70 to replace the shirts again
- and for the ones that did work with no marks no charge.

Can you please offer your thoughts and opinions on this.

Thanks

BJ.

[bmhdg1976]

Sorry - forgot to say...
200 degrees for 60 secs
On the original test shirt (cut up) also tried 180 through to 200 for different times and the best result was the 200 for 60... so that is why we went for that.
Have medium pressure, but not hard

Thanks

BJ

[Bwfcuk]

Hi are they new shirts?? if not are they used and not washed (sweat stains) have you
tried washing them..

[socialgiraffe]

With those times and temperatures i presume you are sublimating them.

If this is the case then I suspect it is the dye of the shirt that is causing this mark. You need to lower the temperature significantly, probably increase the time a lot and also build a platen soft base so that the only part close to the heat is the part that is actually being printed.

Personally, I would continue with teh job at whatever cost to me. The internal cost is a pain, but at least your customer will not bad mouth you because you "threw" the job back.

[Earl Smith]

I feel for you as this has also happened to me.
I dont do much t-shirt sublimation but the few that I do is at 190c for 35 secs. Using Ricoh gel inks. But I am no expert when it comes to sublimating onto t-shirts.

But I have another suggestion: If you can, why not plot the design on vinyl and press onto the shirt. Use subliblock if they are colour shirts. The temp will be lower and shouldnt burn the shirt. Even at this temp, if the shirt has any form of contamination in or on it, it will burn as well.

[bmhdg1976]

Thank you all for your replies.
I apologise that I haven't responded earlier - have been quite busy with heaps of things.
I would have preferred to use vinyl but here in Australia the black vinyl will make the shirts quite hot where the vinyl is in summer.

We also have a friend that runs a commercial laundry for a boarding school and when we mentioned it to her she knew straight away what it would be.

As the shirts were older and used, when seat becomes heated it can discolour the clothes - apparently it is more specifically the urea in the sweat which causes the discolouration. She advised it will eventually wash out, but will probably take quite a few washes.

This does seem to stand to reason as when we did a new shirt, we didn't have any problem. And obviously shirts that were better washed also gave better results (had a grotty one and it did it really badly!).

So now onto our next issue... we want to write something up on our order/quote acceptance forms that will indemnify us for this type of situation (we ended up doing this job for free).

We are thinking something along the lines of...
Whilst all care is taken when applying decoration/images to garments provided by you, we cannot guarantee that the temperatures used in the heat pressing process will not affect or discolour your garments (especially older/pre worn garments).

What are your thoughts?

Thanks

BJ

[logobear]

drop down to 180c for 90 seconds?

[bmhdg1976]

drop down to 180c for 90 seconds?

No... tried that and the black numbers came out green/grey