TIPS FOR YOUR HEAT PRESS
CLEANLINESS & PROTECTION
GARMENT SIZE
TIME
TEMPERATURE
PRESSURE
COLD/HOT PEEL
•The length of time your
heated press will be in
contact with the material.
•Heat transfer of a vinyl
design onto a garment
will usually take 10-15
seconds, while sublimation
onto a substrate can take
minutes.
•Many USCutter heat
presses have an auto-open
feature where the platen
will pop open after the
time expires, protecting
your material from
overexposure.
•Debris and plastic residue from
vinyl graphics can build up on the
platen if it’s not protected, which
can cause staining to affect whole
production runs.
•Use EZ Off Heat Press Platen
Cleaner to maintain a pristine heat
contact surface.
Keep a sense of scale in
mind. A graphic which
looks good on a men’s
extra-large might seem
overpowering on a
lady’s small. Fit the size
of your graphic to the
size of the material.
•Most heat transfer vinyls
require the temperature to
be set between 295
°
and
320
°
, while sublimation
occurs in a higher
temperature range of 350
°
to 400
°
.
•Heat presses can be off
a few degrees, so do a
test press first with some
scraps of fabric and vinyl
to ensure your machine is
correctly calibrated.
•Usually the pressure
setting for your heat
platen must be manually
set with a knob.
•Most heat transfer
vinyls and sublimation
applications require
medium pressure. Some
textures like holographic
or glitter require firmer
pressure, but careful you
don’t leave the knob
cranked too much. This
can lead to damaged
equipment.
•Different heat transfer
vinyls require that you
remove the carrier sheet at
different points following
the heat press cycle.
•Many popular heat
transfer vinyls peel hot OR
cold.
•Some vinyls MUST be
peeled HOT, WARM, or
COLD though to ensure
the adhesives in the
carrier sheet and the
vinyl’s slower-setting
melt adhesive don’t work
against each other.
UPPER PLATEN
LOWER PLATEN
•Protect your garment from direct contact with the heat press
platens to prevent singeing.
•Teflon sheets or Hexis Filflex will protect your garment,
graphic, and platen.
