Hat Press Help Needed!!!

[Image Embroidery]

Good morning all!

Well, I am adding a hat press today and I need some advice on transfers. I am purchasing the GeoKnight DK-7.
I have an order for 10 dozen hats and I will be ordering transfers for the job.
I need to know if there are any tips or tricks that I need to be aware of before hand.
The cap is a foam back trucker style from OttoCap.
The transfer will be four color, mostly text.
Nothing like jumping in with both feet! EEK!

Thanks,
LuAnn

[signman]

Couple of questions...is the transfer screenprinted, or sublimated? Hot peel, cold peel, warm peel?
You will need the application specs from your transfer supplier-suggested temperature, amount of pressure, and dwell time (how long it stays under pressure).
Keep in mind for future jobs-you can't apply full transfers to 6 panel hats-with the seam down the middle. And good luck finding good 5 panel hats-they are disappearing fast.
I've done heattransfer hats for years, let me know if I can give you some help!
Roland

[levelbest]

I have done 6 panels with both transfer express transfers and cut vinyl. I can't stand the look of 5 panel hats. Ugh. Depends on the hats and how smooth the seam is. Cut vinyl works better but I wouldn't rule out transfers. Experiment - see what works for you. Also, pre-pressing to flatten the seam out for 3-5 secs helps.

Havn't realy tried trucker hats yet. That is a 5 panel right?

[Image Embroidery]

Yes, trucker is the old style "billboard" high crown foam back hats.
I guess they are "it" now among the 17-19 crowd.

I would consider the cut vinyl, but having to cut and weed that quantity is not what I want to do!

I have needed to add a hat press for a couple of years now, but never did.
This was the "push" to get me to order it. I can pay for it with this order. Works for me

By the way, what size platen are you using most?
The standard is 4" x 7" (this size is included with the press), other sizes offered are 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" and 3" x 5".

Thanks for the response.

LuAnn

[signman]

I make up my own digital print on vinyl 'transfers' (actually a decal) on my Roland Versacamm, and that also diecuts shapes, etc. Impossible to do real small lettering cuts, and for one-color no detail logos and letters I just cut Stahls or Specialty Material heat transfer vinyl on an Allen Datagraph.
Tried going over 6 panel seams by pre pressing with the hat press, and majority of the tests it came out wrinkled or puckered at the top edge, or the seam shows right down the center so I won't touch them with any 'overlap' images or letters. Hard to find but I do get 5 panel hats with 'belt buckle' backs. No one up here will touch the velcro strap, and for the price they pay, the plastic 'clip' strap doesn't cut it.

[levelbest]

Depends on the complexity of the design on the vinyl. We did some for our local middle school and cut and weeding was incredibly fast (and cheap too!). I think we were producing hats for about $1.30 each including the vinyl! Anyway, ganging the design, you should get a high yield from each sheet with transfer express. We used heat tape to keep things in place so make sure you have some.

I just looked and on the low profile stuff we do most, I used the 6.5 x 3.5. We have the Stahl's Hotronix Cap Press from Imprintables Warehouse. If any of you are looking into buying one, ask for Josh Ellsworth and tell him that John @ Levelbest sent you. Josh is a great guy and will take care of you - he's great at solving problems too