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Hi
I took a call today from Xpres telling me that UniSub coasters/placements etc would be different going forward. The hardwood backing would be replaced with MDF (apparently the firm previously supplying the raw materials for the hardboard has gone into administration). The impact will be immediate for the faster moving lines like square/round coasters. Has anyone had any experience of printing these "new" coasters yet (good/bad/ugly)?
Regards
Gary
Not heard anything about this yet, I'll drop Xpres a quick message and see if we can take a look.
Old and new....
Attachment 7415
Do they press as well? Wondering about possible moisture issues.
Getting some samples sent over to look at.
Moisture issues was my first concern as well!Quote:
Originally Posted by Justin
I got this call yesterday from Xpres also... definitely concerned by the change. Looking at the image they sent over, it looks very similar material but obviously lighter. The main thing that makes the Unisub coasters to market leader, is (was?) the compactness of the wood fibres themselves, resulting in no warping after pressing. Fingers crossed there is no change in that department.
I couldn't print onto their lighter backed matt finish coasters. The heat tape was ripping the MDF (I think) backing. How do the new samples compare and what tape are you using?
Hi All.
Yes the coasters are changing, however the only ones we have in at the moment on the circular 'hardboard' coasters (XP4010).
We did test the coasters in house and the print quality remains the same. We also did moisture testing by pouring water on the MDF. It didn't repel like the older hardwood coasters, however it dried out quickly and there were no signs of staining or swelling of the MDF.
We are getting some of the circle MDF coasters made into samples so we can send these out to customers. Please contact customer services and they can process this for you and get some samples sent out for testing.
Emily
We have had a sample of the round coaster delivered, thanks to Xpres, and will try and print one later but our concern was the weight of the coaster. Does it feel premium still, compared to cheaper coasters we can buy in. And sadly it weighs a lot less. Original 90mm round Unisub is 25g and this new version is 15g. As a premium coaster with a premium price then I would imagine they have to reduce their prices if they want printers to continue to use this product. Emily - any idea of price changes? Certainly the coating on the top doesn't look like it has changed and in reality nothing matches the white coaster coating from Unisub but now the coaster is as light as ones we can buy at half the Unisub price then may have to move clients across to a non-unisub coaster.
Also received a sample from Emily, which I am yet to test out. The benefit of the dark hardwood back from before is it gives off a premium look, whereas the new light ‘MDF’ board looks like exactly what it is; MDF (compressed fibres)Quote:
Originally Posted by UK Printed Mugs
That sure is a big difference in weight, and the fact it no longer repels water, doesn’t give me confidence of it remaining perfectly flat once pressed. You’re 100% right about the coating and it being unmatched. The majority of coasters have a yellow tint to them.
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Moisture wouldn't be my first concern. I refer you to a previous post made by me in 2022-
Formaldehyde gas
https://www.dyesubforum.co.uk/vbforu...l=1#post151642
I'd check with the supplier and maybe read any safety sheets that you can get your hands on, especially if you work in a poorly ventilated space.
The samples sent by Xpres are not apparently the new Unisub coasters - oddly. Anyway, will ditch trying to print on them and will wait until the new samples arrive in a week or so.
Gotta feel for XPRES, they try and be transparent by letting their customers know about the change in backing and even sent out samples, to then be told by UniSub they aren’t the correct product. [emoji38]Quote:
Originally Posted by UK Printed Mugs
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Hi
I have checked and been advised that the price wont be changing. MDF & hardboard are a similar cost and in some cases MDF can be more expensive. Although the board may not feel as heavy or premium the manufacturing costs will most likely be the same if not slightly more.
The sample I received was very poor. The MDF backing shredded off with heat tape as I had anticipated, and the edges were rough after pressing. It feels and looks cheap. Why can't Unisub just buy the company who went into administration? The new sample will need to be much better.
Not good news, also got the call from xpres, but waiting to see what they come in like, we do on average 1000 coasters a week and some clients dont like change so it could be interesting :(
In regards too the matt coasters listed above, if you remove the tape slowly when still hot they dont leave any heavy marking
https://youtu.be/mu4vlRhVglY?si=HuxQAIypxgWvofOs
Here you go guys (and girls) a look over the new hardboard backing for the UniSub coasters, including press test.
Thanks for doing this :) Is it actually hardboard this time, or just MDF?
MDFQuote:
Originally Posted by Liminal
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Where did you buy the heat tape?Quote:
Originally Posted by Chad
Neil Brothers
Just had a sample of the new one, 24 grams compared to old 28 gram but does feel less quality. Real shame that they've changed. Anyone have any alternatives that feel better? Thanks
I had samples and they are total crud, will not be using unisub anymore
The backing is terrible and you have to be careful or it peels, they feel light and cheap too.
Also they warp and bend being mdf
I tried all temps and pressure till i got to one where the print was ok but it was too much pressure and they warp
So they are not usable at all
More so for the same price they are charging...it means if i used them i would have to lower my orice to reflect their cheapness of quality which i can not do.
Unisub claim its their white sub toos they are famous for...sorry but its not as ive found cheapo coaster which print and look the same when finished lol
It was the hardboard backing which is why they were good.
Xpres did sent me their own version of coasters with hardboard but i found the price just too expensive also the edges of where the white part was cut was wonky in areas looking none professional
I totally agree but I am finding it difficult to find placemats of similar coating quality with nice rounded corners though. Any suggestions? As for coasters then since using jigs then tape marks are not a problem any more but I would imagine in reality this was a cost cutting exercise by Unisub rather than "oh the backing company company went bust".
They would deny its cost cutting but either way i know for a fact MDF is cheaper thats why 99% of sublimation coasters are MDF. The others were tempered hardboard which is always more expensiveQuote:
Originally Posted by UK Printed Mugs
Thing is pretty sure unisub could have just bought the company that made the backs and brought it all in house.
Unfortunately i have been looking and looking and only xpres here in the uk do their own hardboard coasters.....which i find odd as why can unisub not use the company thats making those hardboard coasters for xpres
My issue with the xpres ones is while they seem a tiny tiny thinner and press ok with no warping is the price is 68p per coaster compared with unisub which is about 60p per coaster
Also the few samples they sent me there was dodgy cutting out at one of the corners same and all samples just the top white part where you could see it was not cut straight
Soni did not order any due to price and that issue as for me i was not satisfied with selling coasters with that issue plus paying more each coaster
I have 2 boxes left of the old unisub ones and a few boxes of the bigger cork back ones so once i run out nit sure what ill do
Its not like the mdf coasters are any cheaper where i could sell them at a lower price to match the now worse quality. As i sell coasters with designs on for £4.10 each plus i have ebay fees and often even people don't want to pay that small price for a coasters and all i get are loads of watchers on the items so i end up knocking 5% off
So my earnings per coaster are not big where i can again lower price even more as theres no point going to the effort of doing it then.
I will say though the front sublimation coating on unisub for me is not the best in the business like they make out either.
Every cheapo coaster i have tried has always printed and looked good it was the hardboard backing that set unisub apart from the rest.
Even those xpres hardboard coasters print same as unisub ones. Also often in a box of 40 unisub coasters i would get a good few where the backing was scraped and had marks along, often the top coating would have lines and marks scraped along also i have actually had a good few where theres been dark bits of something under the top coaster and even small tiny dead bugs under it which could not be used
So unisub are living in dreamland in thinking the main aspect for buying their coasters is just the coating on them
^^^Quote:
Unfortunately i have been looking and looking and only xpres here in the uk do their own hardboard coasters.....which i find odd as why can unisub not use the company thats making those hardboard coasters for xpres
Im wondering if xpres are just cutting these themselves out of excess stock of the https://www.xpres.co.uk/unisub-hardb...d-3-17mm-thick so this maybe a short lived thing - time will tell i guess
Quote:
Originally Posted by whitprints
I don't think so because when i found out about the unisub issue the guy in email said they are doing their own but price is higher and mentioned wait times because of shipping from over seas.
Though maybe they didn't want to say they are doing them in-house though guess he had no reason to lie
What jig do you use? Finding the backing a nightmare with tape peeling off the mdfQuote:
Originally Posted by UK Printed Mugs
Thank you, so do you place the coasters in, paper on top and then tape paper to jig?
You will need to create a layout for the coasters (or I can provide you our Photoshop template) but then you simply put the coasters in the jig, clean with a cloth as per normal, tape the right and left sides of the paper to the jig and then press. We then leave on the floor (on large cardboard sheet) for 5 minutes before packing. It has speeded up our process by around 3 times as well as not having tape marks any more.
If you are in uk there are some metal jigs on ebay for unisub coasters right now
For everyone i have got another hardboard coaster sample coming soon to try so I'll let everyone know how they are
Any updates on this :) getting so many complaints about the new unisub backing boards :(Quote:
Originally Posted by mark25810
We met with Xpres last week and this is the first time I've seen the new coaster. They have sourced another option which is available through the website. Hardboard back should be better but obviously the white print surface won't be as good as the Unisub. more than adequate but maybe not good enough for some.
We're testing a few options in house over the coming week. Our overseas supplier have confirmed a huge uptake on coaster sales from UK customers with many ordering 30,000+ so this must be hitting Unisub hard.
Be interested in what other options you have found @Justin - ive got some of the new xpres ones in to test (at some point), price is quite a bit higher than the unisub sizing though - but we generally go through 500-1000 coasters a week in various sizes so definitely need a good constant supply.
Unfortunately the xpres ones peel even worse at the back
Wether you peel while hot or cold they are worst ive had when comes to backs peeling
The fronts print great though
Plus the tape I use actually peels off super easy when its been heated so its not the tape issue
They feel slightly thinner than the old unisub but they do not warp or bend.
Its just the backing peeling as i tried 6 coasters and each had it
So i dont think i will use them
Quote:
Originally Posted by whitprints
Sorry forgot to quote you but i replied for you at the bottom