newbie tip for mug printing...

[fredster]

I havnt seen this mentioned in here yet so thought i'd share with you ....

when you cut out the mug design you'll invariably have a thin strip of paper left on the cutting room floor ...
save this !!!

when you cut your mug heat tape attach a piece of the scrap paper to a piece of the tape.

this gives you a handle so to speak ... so that when it comes out of the hot mug press,you wont have to fiddle about trying to scrape back the heat tape from off the red hot mug.

just done my first 20mugs today and after the 3rd time i almost took the skin off my fingers i tried the paper method ....

[Kaz]

Thanks for the tip Jeff

I dunk my mugs as soon as they come out the press, so are cool when I peel the paper off, learnt that the burnt finger way

[accdave]

Thats an interesting concept, leaving the paper on while they cool. Does everybody else do this ?

With regards to the tape issue, I use a small craft knife ( about 5 in a pack from the pound shop ) and just peel back the edge before pulling it off.

[Justin]

Personally I just rip the paper off, usually comes off in 2 parts with the bits of heat tape attached before dunking. I've tried leaving the paper on in the past but find it a litle messy when removing.

Interesting how we all do things that little bit differently. I was pressing mugs last night and it reminded me that we're going to do some run through instructions to put on the forum, I'll bet we all have different ideas on each element, taping, dunking and so on

[John G]

Similar method as Fredstar but instead of using scrap paper I just double the end of the heat tape over to form a tab. I always take the paper off immediately when it comes out of the press.

Cheers John

[accdave]

I just double the end of the heat tape over to form a tab.
Cheers John

Just think howm much thats costing over 500,000 mugs

[Justin]

I always use way too much heat tape ON PURPOSE Last company I worked at the boss once made a point of questioning how much I was using....must have used 1/2 a roll in a year, slow down big spender! So now I use as much as I want

[Ian M]

I find a decent finger nail does the job & is heat resistant. Also good for plucking guitar strings too.

[John G]

I use 1 piece at around 8cm long with the end folded over. Attach one side of the paper, feed tab through handle, tighten up paper then attached the tab side to the paper. Bobs ya uncle. The tape is just another consumable in the sub process, its cheap if you shop about.

Cheers John

[Andrew]

I just rip the paper like Justin. Quickest and easiest way I find but each to their own.