DSF

the only ones i have ever done, were the same kind of look as reg - ie i used the back to make what i was putting on almost look "poster like" on it, rather than trying to match the black which i thought would be impossible

I did a search to see what other threads there were available but nothing that answered my question.

I have a feeling that the mugs are just not as good as anyone would expect. I need to print a logo on the mug and then fill the spare white area with a black to blend in with the actual mug. I know I am not going to get it exact as you can not do this when matching blacks that have been printed two different ways, however I would have expected them to be better than what they are. I can clearly see the difference from half a meter away under awful office lighting.

Think I am going to have to step up the penny saving for the new white laser printing system from TMT. Although they are saying that they are not dishwasher proof, I think I have an idea that will make them so.

Attached is an image (yes I did print it upside down grrrr!) of the result. Not great but will have to do.


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Well it looks to me like they are better suited for photographic images than artwork on black background.

I think you are right WDR but thought I would see if anyone had any useful tips.

From what is being said I think the only tip is don't sell them

if time or profit allow, get them printed by listawood or similar - if the customer will accept them like that then you are ok

If I was to get them screen printed then I would get the done by Prince William (have always found them spot on), but time is always the problem with the music industry.

If Listawoods did them as dye sub then I suspect they would be similar to how I have done them, maybe not as obvious but it would still be there.

I have tried the mugs and found that it did not work well for me with the images that they wanted, I gave the customer their money back and the mugs, they were happy, but for me the quality did not matched up to my expectations. I think they might be better screen printed and let someone else have the headache, you could always ask for a sample of it first with a similar image

I have just been playing with the black mugs......
Read this first and then worked on it. I would love to post a picture but the artist is VERY hot on copyright so no can do. I will give a broad description, its a very macabre scene based on a bride and "dia del muerte", lots of black, red, blood, roses, grey skulls, masks etc, the picture is truly amazing! But the image is on a black background!
I have got close certainly closer than I have seen else where.
Here is what I have done using Ricoh printer, sawgrass inks, and BMS mugs

Pre warm the mug to 100 degrees in one press, make sure the base is up to temperature.
Add wrap
Place in next press at 170 degrees for 140 seconds, ensuring press comes up to temp before countdown starts.

Now I still have a very slight browning out on the top of the the white band around the mug, but it is slight.

So as I see it, the temp at the bottom of the mug is bang on (it loses heat into the base) the top is still slightly cooked.

Answer....

if the the WHOLE mug could be uniformly just under the start of the sublimation process, then take it up to the sublimation point I may have cracked it. Not perfect but better than anything I have seen else where.

I have posted this in the hope that somebody else will develop this result and post back, if they solve it. In the meantime I will continue working on it!

I am quite anal about researching pitfalls. My whole being screams at me saying these black mugs could be incredible...... but then I could be wrong!

It's Friday, time for HQ to shut down and go for a wine, or three, or four or hic.....

Janners

That is interesting Janners and perhaps pre warming them in an over may be the answer.

I just had to do some more black mugs samples today and think the best way is to only sell them with a full colour image as the background and tell the customer that they can not have black backgrounds.

I was not thinking at all what I was doing and pressed the mug @ 190 degrees for 320 seconds. Problem is the mug looked absolutely spot on and I am pretty sure this was because it was a colour image so no need to add a black background.

Have one for me!