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Hi there
I've had a quick look at threads and can't see anything in relation to my query.
Basically once I remove mug from the Heat press and take off the Heat tape, the tape leaves a yellowish tinted stain embedded into the mug.
I am pressing a standard Sub mug for 180sec at 180deg.
Can anyone shed any light on this please?
where did you get the tape from Martinx ?
I only ask as I had a similar problem when I first started doing mugs. I had bought some cheap 'heat tape' from fleabay thinking they were all the same .............. they obviously were not as after buying some from a reputable source I have never had the problem again.
Hi Adam, thanks for the reply.
I actually bought from BMS and the mugs! To be honest the tape has been sitting in the garage for a few months so not sure if the cold has effected it?
Well I have used tape from BMS and others and not had any problems with it so I don't think it will be the tape then. Tape should have a long shelf life so the cold "shouldn't" affect it.
Yellow (in my opinion) means a burn, so the heat and time could be a factor ................. what does the image look like after cooking? Is it really bold and is there hardly anything left on the transfer paper?
I would experiment and lower the temp and time by 10 on a mug .......... use the same mug by taping a small image to it and then covering with paper, have a look at it then reduce by 10 and tape an image somewhere else on the mug and cover with paper. Repeat until things are happy as all times and temps could vary (plus you'll only waste one mug).
That said, if you're still having a problem after this, come back and re-post ..................... have you got another roll of tape to try just inc case?
Think your right, will have to play with the temp and timings. The image on the mug is pretty good (without being an expert) and the image left on the paper is still visible.
Should the image on the paper after use be faint then? Unfortunately I haven't got a spare roll of tape but will put your advice into practice first.
Thanks for your help Adam. Will let you know how I go.
I've had the same problem in the past (particularly when using a mug oven because the entire mug gets hot).
I've tried heat tape from everyone who claims theirs to be the best, but I've always returned to the brown tape sold by Revolution (http://www.revolutiontransfers.co.uk...hp?prod=K-6338). It's more expensive than most other heat tape, but it's the only one I feel I can rely on.
There are many reasons to tweak settings, but working around heat tape is not what I'd call the best use of my time. I use the other tapes sold by other suppliers for all other items (anything that isn't a mug) to help offset the cost of the expensive tape.
it depends really, I have done mugs when there's hardly anything left on the paper and then the next day you can see there's still a lot of ink left that hasn't been transfered - but both mugs have been fine!Quote:
Originally Posted by Martinx
Asking about the paper just indicates if the ink is being transfered correctly to the mug, and how much is left afterwards. From the sound of it, and it's a little hard to solve without images/photos etc .............. it seems a heat/time problem.
Without knowing how much image should remain on the paper once pressed, the image is still quite clear on mine when peeled away! I'm pretty new to this game but love it.
I'm a graphic designer by trade and this is a new area I can really get my teeth stuck in to but need to get the balance perfect.
Cheers for the tip JSR. Will let you know once I have got the problem of the yellowish stains lol!!!
It can depend on the paper and the item you're pressing. Some papers are "high release" papers (typically designed for fabric items), such as TexPrint, and the paper can look very feint after pressing. Other papers are "low release" papers (typically designed for hard items), such as TruPix, which can leave quite a bit of ink behind (leading some people to think they could get away with pressing two items). The longer you press with a low release paper, the more feint the image will be left behind - but, even if a lot is left behind, you may still get a good transfer for a hard item (like a mug).Quote:
Originally Posted by Martinx
In short, there's no clear answer for you. If you press for too long at too high a temperature, however, there's a good chance the paper will start to turn brown. That doesn't necessarily mean that it'll leave brown marks on the mug (although this is more likely on a mug with "soft" coating - like a colour-change mug), it just means you could get away with lowering the temperature.
On tape that has turned brown on me before, it happened no matter how low the temperature went. The main problem I had was on mugs with what I call "soft" coatings (colour change mugs were the worst, and some old steins). The problem wasn't so apparent on a mug with a "hard" coating - which is what I use to refer to dishwasher safe coatings (like RN or Orca).
I had the same problem when I first used my mug press and tape, all from Martin at BMS. Solution was - too hot. The mug press was running a fair bit hotter than indicated, so a bit of trial and error and job done.
DJ
If reducing the temp doesn't solve it let us know and we can replace the tape, if necessary.
I'm interested to know if different heat resistant tape have different maximum temperatures and, if so, what they are. No one ever seems to state an upper temperature limit when selling heat resistant tape. I've seen heat resistant tapes that are brown, transparent, green, blue, etc. Does the colour indicate the temperature range?
In my mind, tape sold for our purposes should withstand at least 240°C for an indefinite period - preferably higher temperatures than that. If you're supposed to press mugs at 180°C and the tape stains the mug because the press was at 200°C then, in my mind, that tape isn't good enough.
Does anyone have any thoughts on that?
not from here :) we dont sell anything :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Martinx
I've been trying to locate information about the different colour heat tapes, but I haven't yet found anything definitive.
What I have found suggests to me that most coloured tapes (blue, green, clear, etc) are polyester tapes. The brown type sold by Revolution is most likely a polyimide tape - which is designed to resist higher (and lower) temperatures than regular polyester tapes.
Some tapes use an acrylic adhesive, others use a silicon adhesive - and it may be the adhesive that's leaving the mark behind.
I'm still looking for a colour chart that we can use for comparison.
Hey guys, thank you all so much for your help and advice. After playing around with the temp and time settings I have finally rectified the problem. I think the Heat press was a bit too hot.
All the best
If it's of any interest to you, I've just started using this heat tape: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=380186817512.
I wasn't too sure about it at first because it works out to about £2.34 per roll, but it's working out quite well. It's thinner than the other tape I've been using (just 5mm wide) but I'm finding that helpful because I end up with less of it on the mug.
I've only been doing china mugs since getting the tape in, so I can't offer any long-term usage information but I've had no "stain" marks on any of the mugs so I'm guessing it's the same type of material as the tape I've been buying from Revolution.
It's not often you see someone with over 20,000 sales on e-bay with 100% percent positive feedback! They must be doing something right ............... I might get some tape to try it out!
Thanks for the info
I found them a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't want to post until I'd got some in and tried it out. I've used the tape on about 30 china mugs and, so far so good.
I always use this tape. very pleased.
I've not been able to locate a definitive chart so far but as near as I can tell there are two different types of common heat tape.
The one we see most often and that's available in various colours (transparent, red, green, and blue) is PET (polyester) which has a recommended maximum temperature of 204°C. The brownish one we've been discussing is PI (polyimide) which has a recommended maximum temperature of 260°C.
If this is correct, and in the absence of any official chart, then it would explain why going slightly over temperature might leave a residue if you're using PET but wouldn't if you used PI.
Take this information for what you will. If I ever find a definitive chart, I'll post back.
well funny enough i just had this on a mug
i had the temp set at 200C so i turned it down to 180c which is what i normally have it on lol
and it's fine now
so yes temperature is a very important factor with regards to the tape
another wasted mug oh well i should of turned the temp down to what i usually use lol
something else i have just realised i do
is i cut bits of tape and stick them on my jeans so it's easier to grab while i place the images
not a good idea as little bits of fibre get embedded onto the mug as well lol
looks like i'll be getting a tape dispenser asap
Plenty of cheap ones on FleabayQuote:
Originally Posted by smitch6
yes i did have a quick look yesterday
does the cheap normal Sellotape ones fit?
[URL="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ultratape-Quality-Desk-Top-Tape-Dispenser-25mm-Tape-New-/360278022894?pt=UK_Packaging_Materials&hash=item53 e23e5aee"[/URL]
like these
Yes, full size cellotape dispensers work fin. You can often pick them up at the poundshops
the wife is a teacher so i'm sure she'll have one knocking about somewhere :)