Paper creasing on mugs...arghhhhhhhhhhhh

[Jules]

Hi there, I am at the end of my tether printing mugs. I always make sure I tape the print on the mug tightly and then put a layer of paper over the top before heating. I then clamp the mug in the press (DK7) and when I open it the paper has creased and the mug has a streak on it. I think I've got the pressure right (medium) but I don't know why it's doing this. Can anyone please give me some advice as I'm throwing away as many mugs as I'm selling at the moment! Thanks in advance for your time, Jules.

[Paul]

simply did you try heavy preasure? also how your heat blanket look like? good condition?

[Jules]

Thanks, I'll try heavy pressure and let you know. Heat blanket is in perfect condition.

[Stitch Up]

The only thing that comes to my mind is the use of 2 papers - we've never used 2 paper and I wonder if, when you apply the pressure and heat if one of the papers is expanding more than the other and draging the other piece with it, causing the other to crease?

Just a thought - try just the sub paper.

John

[JSR]

I always use a cover sheet between the printed paper and the blanket.

Once upon a time, I used to get creased paper. Now, I don't have a DK7 so I don't know if this will work for you but, this is what it was for me...

I found that if I pushed the mug to the back of the heat blanket before closing the clamp, the creases didn't happen. It's not much to do, just push the mug to the back of the blanket (opposite the gap) before closing the clamp. If the mug is just sitting in the middle of the blanket when you close the clamp, the blanket tries to push the paper in both directions and you get a crease - it's worse if you increase the pressure. But by making sure the mug is touching the back of the blanket before closing the clamp, the clamp can't push the paper against itself and so it doesn't crease.

This solution doesn't help barrel-shaped mugs, but it solved my problem on regular 10oz straight mugs. Never had a creased paper issue since.

[Jules]

Thanks for your help, I'll try pushing the mug to the back before closing as this seems logical and I didn't think of it. I'll let you know how I get on...cheers all, Jules