rachjones0204;128194 wrote:Sorry for the really obvious newbie questions!!
When you pre-heat - are these with out the printed designs on? (I’m just wondering if it’s easy to handle he warmed mugs without heat resistant gloves / how easy it is to get the design on if they are warm?!)
Also -I’m finding that wig my mug press (Galaxy Pro) I cant print within about 1.5cm of the handle either side - otherwise the print fades, usually in the corners.... Not sure whether this is the element (it is a second hand press) or whether I’ve not got the pressure right (I keep thinking I’ll crush a mug at some point!) - so I’m intrigued by the silicone wrap in the oven process... does the timings need to be a lot longer?
sorry for jumping on this thread - just the suggestions are things im struggling with at the moment!
Thanks!
I use mug wraps with a halogen oven (cheaper to run than a conventional and heats up faster, tho temperature fluctuates a lot - get an oven thermometer).
It works well (mostly) now that I've worked out a system AND tried half a dozen different mug wraps. I'm printing standard ceramic 10/11oz mugs, and bone china 10oz mugs. They need different times and temps and you need to experiment (expensively) to work these out.
You don't need to preheat the mugs, and you CAN get pretty close to the handle (1cm ish) and right up against the top / bottom of the mug. However, they're fiddly to use, they need to be really VERY tight in order to get a reliably good transfer (which adds to the fiddly-ness as you're really straining the wraps). I'm now using 10oz wraps from Longforte for my bone china mugs which are really very tight indeed - to the point where you wonder if you're going to break the handle!
If you get a mug that's slightly bowed, a very light spritz of water (small spray bottle) onto the outside of the paper (once it's round the mug) will help to settle the paper against the mug before you clamp the silicone wrap around it. Don't overdo it tho otherwise you'll get patchy prints.
I haven't got a mug press but the fiddly nature of the wraps and the MANY MANY errors I've made in learning the process of using wraps and an oven - and understanding how to avoid them - have made me think that for anything other than full-wrap (ie top to bottom) prints, you're better off with a mug press. Still haven't bought one tho! I only do a handful of mugs a week tho, if I was doing a lot more I'd have to rethink my whole strategy!!
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