Equipment/TShirtPress

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The TShirt Press transfers iron-on vinyl (NOT the sticky type!) to TShirts and other clothing. Cut it out with the vinyl cutter, transfer it with the heat press. Works like an iron, except with uniform temperature, pressure and it automatically stops when it's finished.

Automatic 16" x 20" Heat Press

The TShirt Press is orange, "Take Care". But you can use it without training.

Owners

Training

See the owners for occasional demos and training.

Warnings

  • Machine gets hot, especially upper platen
  • Do not trap any part of yourself or anyone else in it
  • The lid springs up automatically on completion, do not be above it when this happens.
  • Turn off after use
  • Only use heat-press vinyl, NOT the sticky backed stuff.

Instructions

Read all instructions and warnings before you start

Overall idea:

  • Create in Inkscape (see notes below about scaling if you use Illustrator!)
    • There are TShirt creation resources on the Vinyl Cutter machine (templates etc)
  • Load into SureCutsALot
  • Cut on the Silver Bullet
  • Press on the heat press

Detail:

  • Create your vinyl masterpiece in Inkscape
    • Convert all your objects to path
    • Check with view outlines it's what you want (line thickness is ignored remember)
    • View -> Display Mode -> Outline
    • Save as SVG
  • Import into Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) on the vinyl cutter PC
    • Check scale (you'll need to make things 25% larger if using Illustrator. Please don't change SCAL import settings)
    • Mirror it (Menu: Object -> Transform -> Flip horizontal)
    • View as outline to check (sometimes this will show things that it otherwise hides)
    • Check tool offset is 0.25mm (Cutter -> Cutter Settings)
    • Check mat orientation in SCAL
  • Set up Silver Bullet
    • Check correct tip installed (45 degree standard cutter, "Click blade holder", the red one)
    • Only ever use hot press Tshirt Heat Vinyl. The sticky backed vinyl is unsuitable.
    • Please put money for the vinyl in the honesty box straight away
    • Load up Silver Bullet with Heat Vinyl. Use the Silver Bullet Cutting Sheet to make life easy, you can get away

without it for large vinyl pieces but it sometimes buckles. Portrait or Landscape to match Cutting Sheet.

    • Check cut depth on red Click Blade Holder (4?)
    • ZERO it (offline mode, cross hair button).
      • After Zeroing, press Test to do a test rectangle. Check it cuts the vinyl but not the backing.
    • Move cutting head to bottom right of sheet (material at back of printer) and zero it (offline, cross hair)
    • Double check you zero'd it and press Online on the Silver Bullet.
    • In SCAL:
      • Delete any colours you're not cutting (undo with ctrl-Z later, but don't under your mirroring!)
      • Menu: Cutter -> Cut With Silver Bullet.
      • Select Use Software Speed and Pressure. Set to Speed = 200 and f=50. (could go faster? needs checking)
      • Select "Origin Point". Bottom right of piece to match location in SCAL.
      • Check Silver Bullet is Online.
      • "Cut" to start
      • Will start immediately. If there is a delay, you probably forgot Online mode and you should wait for it to download before pressing Online (probably - needs checking)

Pay for your vinyl

  • Cut the backing sheet roughly to size - you can reuse largish areas of uncut vinyl.
  • Weed it (remove the bits you don't want from the backing sheet with pointy thing and tweezers).
  • Stick piece to TShirt. Worn TShirts look more narrow, so stick to the centre area.
    • Shiny side up. Backing is sticky side down (won't mark TShirt, but will help keep things located)
    • Backing is sticky, everything is the right way round at this point and you can see what you're doing
    • Check you've got front and back of TShirt the right way round.

Start using the TShirt press

  • Be careful - the TShirt Press gets hot
  • Check the machine is in order. No frayed wires, damage etc.
  • With the machine off, check the lid can be pressed down firmly (it will not latch with the power off)
  • Turn the machine on
  • Lower the lid slightly to adjust the settings on the back. (Press warms up straight away - caution, hot!)
    • There are three modes, the default displays the current temperature at the top and the desired temp at the bottom
    • Click SET button and it moves to "SH". Adjust temp with up/down.
    • Click SET again and it moves to "ST. Adjust time (in seconds) with up/down.
    • Click SET once more to return to the default temperature indication.
    • Suggested settings: temp=160 time=16 (seconds). Varies with different vinyls.
  • Insert your TShirt being VERY CAREFUL of the top bed. It's hot and easy to catch yourself on it, especially at the back. Wrap TShirt around lower platen. Be careful not to dislodge your masterpiece.
    • (The lower plate is cold.)
  • Single layer of material on lower platen. TShirt is upside down but correct way out (make sure TShirt is no inside out)
    • Avoid wrinkles
  • Place the vinyl on the TShirt (glue/dull side down, backing sheet up, correct way round, and upside down to match TShirt) on the TShirt.
  • Make sure you, other users and objects are clear of the platens
  • Carefully but firmly push the clamp down until it clicks into position. The timer will start and the lid will hold itself down.
    • Keep clear of the lid, it will pop up automatically on completion or at any time if power is cut.
    • When the timer has elapsed, the lid will gently pop up.
  • Remove the backing sheet while still hot (this may differ between vinyls)
  • Turn the machine off after use
  • Carefully remove TShirt, being careful of the hot upper platen.

Double check you have turn the TShirt Press off and paid for your vinyl

Warnings

  • Do not trap any part of you or anyone else in the press.
  • Do not trap any cables or other equipment in the press.
  • The lid pops up when it's finished - do not be near it when it is clamped down
  • Do not put anything in the heat press other than clothing. No paper, tissue, bacon or pizza. No matter how tempting that is.

Vinyl Stock

Heat press vinyl stock (NOT the sticky backed type) is available on the usual honesty box system. Please pay for all vinyl that you use or damage by the sheet. We restock from the honesty box and this expected to be self sustaining. We do not make any profit on the honesty boxes.

Risk Assessment

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