Join our Premium Membership now and save with Xpres, Listawood, Ink Experts, Ink Express and more! Just £10 per year.....Click the Membership link above.....

User Tag List

Similar Threads

  1. Does anyone else ever feel like giving up sometimes?
    By gazfocus in forum Mug Presses & Ovens
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 12-03-2021, 04:13 PM
  2. White faded edges along aluminium panel
    By lightz in forum Printing Problems/Issues
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 05-11-2020, 10:42 AM
  3. coreldraw 12 causing me grief
    By michael in forum Software
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 04-08-2015, 07:59 AM
  4. Hello from someone giving up sublimation!
    By Kathy22 in forum New Member Introductions
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 24-11-2009, 07:12 PM
Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Stoke
    Posts
    8
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Signzworld 0.5mm Aluminium Panel giving me grief

    I'm having a bit of problem with sublimating these metal panels and wondering if anyone has had a similar problem.
    If I use the orange silicone foam matt I get the weird clouding and it's as though there is either moisture or something wrong as if I use the matt that looks like underlay I can get a half decent sublimate.
    It's like there is either moisture or the silicone matt is taking the heat away from the panel. I've left the foam on the radiator for a couple of days in case this is true but I've just done a test and it's the same.
    Hope someone can shed some light on the problem. I've wasted all of the panels I had in stock so waiting for some more. I suppose I can use the underlay matt with silicone paper between but it's not ideal.

    Settings:
    Really light pressure
    200c for 60 secs

    Using a Signzworld 5 in 1 black heat press.

    Edit: After reading another post, I'm wondering if the foam is too squidgy for the thin aluminium panel so it's not getting enough contact with the platten
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by LD2122; 23-11-2021 at 09:29 PM.

  2. #2
    Premium Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Bishop Auckland, County Durham
    Posts
    4,280
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Mentioned
    5 Post(s)
    Tagged
    3 Thread(s)
    Are you pre pressing the metals?
    The Mark's look like moisture problem .... they are where evaporating water (steam) is pushing out to escape.
    Something you are putting in the press is damp, either the metal or your transfer

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to pisquee For This Useful Post:

    LD2122 (24-11-2021)

  4. #3
    Premium Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Chesterfield
    Posts
    75
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Use a polyester fabric rather than silicone between the heat press and the metal, the fabric will also absorb the moisture.
    I've seen a similar pattern using silicone sheets with acrylic.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to ICF For This Useful Post:

    LD2122 (24-11-2021)

  6. #4
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Stoke
    Posts
    8
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Thanks for the replies. I got a perfect print today using the underlay type base mat, 2 sheets of silicone baking paper and I dried the print on radiator for an hour or 2 before pressing also went for a medium pressure. It definitely looks like moisture which I think is trapped in the orange foam. I'll leave it in the airing cupboard for a couple of days and try again.

  7. #5
    Senior Member Mrteajunkie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Devon
    Posts
    1,088
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Mentioned
    3 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Why don’t you just use the press to dry it out?

    I always (except in the summer months) heat the press and then let it run one or two cycles to dry out any moisture in the foam mats before pressing coasters.

  8. #6
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Stoke
    Posts
    8
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Mrteajunkie View Post
    Why don’t you just use the press to dry it out?

    I always (except in the summer months) heat the press and then let it run one or two cycles to dry out any moisture in the foam mats before pressing coasters.
    It wasn't the matt in the end. I left it to dry on the radiator for 2 days and it was no different. The problem appears to be that because the sheet of aluminium is only 0.5mm if you use the silicone matt there is nothing to absorb the moisture as the matt isn't absorbent so the moisture gets trapped. If you press thicker materials like coasters then there is an airgap between the platen and the matt. If you press a thin material like the 0.5mm sheets there is no gap as the sheet gets pressed in to the matt which creates an air tight gap between the 2. Therefore there is no escape for the moisture and it gets trapped causing the above issue.
    The reason the underlay type matt works is because it's absorbent whereas the silicone one isn't

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •