Heat Press

[GameDayDesigns]

Happy New Year everyone. I am looking at purchasing a heat press but have some questions for those who have experience in this area. I do not have the funds to purchase the printers and cutters to print my own transfers. My question is - how cost efficient is it to order transfers? I do alot of uniforms so most will be numbers, names, etc. But, I will also have team names and mascots for T-shirts, hoodies, bags, etc. Should I wait until I can afford all the right equipment? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[signman]

I've been doing transfers, heat decals, die cut from our computer, digital print transfers, for decades..started with screenprinted transfers over 30 years ago.
Although I'd recommend Geo. Knight for any transfer heat press, for what you say you want to do-go directly to Stahls. They have the presses, the precut number sets, generic team names and mascots, multi color transfers, and will do custom names, swooshes, etc. for team packages with plenty of profit room for you. For 'custom' full color sublimation or screenprinted designs, there are several good companies to work with you can find out here in the Amaya board.
Don't go off to ebay or craig's list for heat presses...remember... buy cheap=cheap buy.
You want a solid press that will stand up to years of use, WITH a warranty, and a parts department that isn't shipping from china!

[GameDayDesigns]

Thanks for the info! I have my fears of buying cheap so I knew that I wanted to make sure I got a good press. Anyone else out there have any insight they would like to share with purchasing pre-printed, pre-cut transfers?

[SilverStar]

I bought a Hotronix draw press and Ioline 100 cutter from Stahls three years ago and I highly recommend their products. You can easily start off by having them cut everything and work your way towards buying a cutter. They both will pay for themselves in no time.

[SilverStar]

I forgot to add that Ace Transfer www.acetransco.com is my go to place for screen printed transfers.

[GameDayDesigns]

How are screen printed transfers different? I guess I assumed that all transfers were the same. When would one chose to use a screen printed transfer over a regular transfer? Thanks!

[signman]

Screen printed transfers- PVC ink (plastisol, same ink used for direct printing) comes out thick enough to measure with the right gauges
Sublimation transfers-usually ONLY for light color shirts. It's a DYE transfer ink-goes from solid (the print) to GAS-and 'dyes' the fabric threads-never goes to a liquid or solid on the fabric. Great results, but tricky to use on the wrong materials.
Cad-cut (lettering, numbers, etc. from Stahls, other companys) this is computer aided design and cut on plotters-and excess is peeled away so only the lettering (or design) is left on the mylar backing to heat transfer. It's a film of vinyl, or PVC-that is bonded by heat to the fabric at lower temperature than sublimation transfers. BUT on the wrong materials (100% cotton, for example) it won't bond-and falls or peels off in the wash. There ARE limited material that will work on 100% cotton-but you have to specify when you order. There are many 'specialty' films with this material that cannot be duplicated with screen or sublimation prints. Holographic chrome and gold, glitter designs, reflective, even glo in the dark.
But you cannot get fine detail, shading, tones, color fades...it is only 'solid' areas cut by the knife-cannot be printed on because it is cut and weeded in REVERSE to apply.
You have to figure out what you want to offer to order the right goods. If you are ONLY going to do team shirts, athletic numbering, etc. you would not bother with anything except the CadCut materials and basic colors-white, black, red, blue, green..unless a particular team needs a special color.

[GameDayDesigns]

Thanks. I guess I need to educate myself a little more before I write the check. I have someone that prints and presses my stuff now - I would just like to be able to do it in-house instead of having to run a couple miles down the road and pay someone else to do it while I sit and watch how quickly she can print and press my uniforms. Of course, I encourage most of my teams to go with tackle twill and embroidery. But when one team has 3 jerseys and batting jackets and warm ups, etc., they sometimes want to bring down the cost on a few items. Not sure what I will do when my son grows out of playing competitive team sports! Thanks for all the advice.