Printing Hi-Vis Jackets

[Justin]

Customer has ordered a few hi-vis bomber jackets, Dickies WD040 from Ralawise to be specific.

I read an older post on the forum where someone had problems with the stitching showing through onto the back print. I only need to put vinyl text front chest and rear but my concerns are that I may leave press outline marks and the stitching inside may melt. Anyone printed onto these?

I know some jackets come with the zip inside to allow it to be placed over the platen.....anyone know which these are?

Also, I recently printed a load of hi vis vests, sublimated really well but I found my press platen went a lovely glowing yellow afterwards! Not sure if this is confined to the vests or if the jackets can do the same.

Intention is to use Xpres vinyls, I wanted to use something like Easy Cut to get the higher wash temp and can be pressed as low as 160c for 10 secs but wonder if this may be too long and cause the press marks? Alternative may have been the Kwik Flex which applies in just 5 seconds but all showing out of stock.....maybe this is a new product?

[socialgiraffe]

Hi Justin

For the next three years I will be printing about 400 hi viz items a week, I am fast becoming an expert (I was already a know it all) !!!!

JACKETS: I had real problems with these initially. Dye Sub will not work unless you have the low temperature ink, I don't and I do not have a scooby doo where to get hold of it. The temperature of dye sub is about 180 (or there abouts), the dye in the polyester stitching melts at this temp and subsequently you get a criss-cross pattern on the back in black. Unless you can effectively take the jacket apart you will have to reduce the temperature of the heat press, I suspect, like me, you will have to reduce so much that you can not sub it.

I ended up using Sol Dark and pessing at 120 degress, works very very well. I would recommend TMT 123 Flex @ 125 degrees if you do not have a print n cut machine. I have used that and got fantastic results as well.

HI VIS: The vests are the a walk in the park and if you are going to be doing a lot of them I suggest you get the cheapest paper you can find (2000 sheets £90.00!) from ebay, the cheapest ink you can trust and even recycle the ink from the waste tank. Black ink on these babies can be as rough as you like, it will still work!

One other thing, if you are going to be doing colour on the hi vis, TMT's white toner and WOW looks the NUTS!!!!

Lastly, yes the heat press glows, your desk glows, even mr floppy as well , it gets everywhere, I generally do a clean down once a week, but if you switch to a different product just make sure you have cleaned up first. Otherwise whatever you are pressing will glow

Hope the above all helps and if you need any more assistance let me know

[Justin]

123 Looks really good thanks. Just doing a handful of jackets at the moment so that should do the trick. I've just found some that may have the zip to allow them to pass over the platen so it'll just be the outside getting hot anyway.

[socialgiraffe]

123 flex is bloomin great. I think I use about 75-100 meters a month.

Things I like about it are

It tracks through the plotter very well - no tracking off
Has a decent adhesive backing suitable for very fine work (had to weed 12 point condensed thin font recently and it worked)
Can be pressed at temperatures ranging from 125 - 160 degrees and times accordingly
A 25m roll is less than £4.00 per meter - cheapest I have seen
It works!

Has served my bang em out as quick as possible promo tees very well.

[Justin]

Guessing I'll only need 2 meters max for this job but great to know for future possible orders Cheers Simon. I'll get some in for this job.

[Justin]

£15+vat for 3 meters that's fine. £15+vat for delivery! eek!

[socialgiraffe]

Ouch, that seems expensive, but then I am not sure on delivery costs to the middle of no where

[Justin]

I don't live in the middle of no-where, I live just on the edge! lol.

It's usually the case for companies that don't use Royal Mail I'm afraid. I'll have to give them a shout and see if they will send RM, otherwise I'll see if Xpres have the Kwik stuff back in yet

[Justin]

Great response from TMT who are arranging RM delivery on the material

[socialgiraffe]

Good to hear.

Let me know how you get on with it and how it compares to others you have used. I can't see me changing supplier as I am using the vinyl for giveaway garments so require teh cheapest possible. But always interested.