If you are just starting out in sublimation be it as a hobbyst/ crafter, or have a running business, there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure everything is running smoothly and avoid potential problems. In this article we will give you 7 Sublimation Tips to help you
-
- Get the Right Equipment
- Have sublimation accessories at hand
- Plan ahead and stay stocked up on sublimation blanks
- Know your design software
- Watch how other people do it
- Heat, Pressure and Moisture
- Test Test Test
1.Get the Right Equipment
Sublimation is an attractive opportunity because it can be easy and fairly cheap to set up.
The only equipment needed is:
- a printer
- sublimation ink
- sublimation paper
- a good heat press
Printer
A lot of people swear by a Sawgrass Virtuoso System (sg400 A4 printer, SG800 A3 printer which are available from places like Amazon), which is an all around perfect package for those who are brand new to sublimation.
The system is easy to set up, is good for small and large volume jobs, and you will get very active customer support through Sawgrass on both the printer and inks.
The ink has low water content and is formulated like a gel to prevent drying and clogging, and the printers have automatic self-maintenance as long as they are left on which keeps the nozzles clean at all times.
Other good Sawgrass options are the Sawgrass SG500 or SG1000 printers.
We understand like no other than not everyone can afford the price of a Sawgrass printer and would like you to know that there are cheaper more affordable options on the market.
Epson does some good printers that can easily be converted from inkjet to sublimation and or you can purchase already converted printers with ICC profiles.
If you are converting a printer yourself (which is easier than it sounds, ICC profiles can be found and downloaded online.
Just make sure you purchase a Heat Free Inkjet Printer like the Epson Eco-tank 2710
Heat Press
In addition to a quality printer, a good heat press is a must.
Consistent pressure and temperature are factors that can make or break your sublimation process.
We recommend swing-away presses, which can accommodate thicker objects and overall provide more even pressure over time.
Clamshell presses are more budget-friendly and good choice for thinner objects and garments but not as good for thicker glass or ceramic items.
2.Have these sublimation accessories at hand
To get the workflow going, we recommend the following accessories for sublimation printing:
Heat gloves – protect your hands from burning when handling items such as cups, plates or bowls.
Thermal tape + tape dispenser – use this heat resistant tape to secure your paper on items and prevent shifting or moving which can ruin the transfer.
A tape dispenser cuts down on the production process by always keeping your tape ready for use.
Spray adhesive – Recommended for garments and fabrics and another method to keep paper in place.
Teflon sheets – protect your lower heat platen with this water proof Teflon that can be easily wiped off and cleaned. A Teflon sheet can also be placed on top of a transfer as extra protection.
Silicone sheets – The thinner and more temporary alternative of Teflon, these can also be used on the bottom platen as well as placed on top of the transfer, to catch any escaping ink from staining the heat press or prevent dirt from accidentally transferring on the substrate.
Heat transfer pillows – The life savers when it comes to pressing certain hard surface items, garment with seams or zippers, or raising an area of a T-shirt to prevent the dreaded indentations the paper edge can leave due to the pressure. We always keep a few of these close by.
Sublimation heating pad – Works like magic by distributing the heat evenly throughout the whole surface area and is a good accessory to have if you are pressing multiple ceramic or metal items.
Butchers Paper/ Non Stick baking paper – Can be put on the inside of a garment and on top of your transfer when pressing to prevent any escaping ink from staining the heat press or prevent dirt from accidentally transferring on the substrate.
3. Stay stocked on sublimation blanks and plan ahead
Sublimation can be tricky at times.
New problems arise, mistakes happen, and items go out of stock at the last minute.If there is a large order due in a month, always plan ahead and factor in possible time for testing and trial and error, extra blanks that may end up being a waste, ordering as early as possible, etc. Holidays are especially risky because items can be in stock one day and backordered for weeks following that.
4. Design software
Basic design software knowledge goes a long way with sublimation, and when we say design software, we are talking about Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Draw and similar programs.
At the minimum, you will need to know how to crop and re-size images to fit a specific item.
There are loads of online tutorials and guides.
A simple YouTube “How-to” search is a great way to find many instructional videos on various design programs to get you starting up quickly
If you have a Sawgrass Virtuoso printer, you may like to know that you can use their online design software, CreativeStudio. CreativeStudio is free with your Sawgrass printer, and it is made with the non-graphic designer in mind.
It is incredibly easy to pick up and get started creating designs for sublimation and it comes with hundreds of pre-made free designs for you to print.
5. How other people do it?
A little bit of research goes a long way, especially when you’re new to sublimation.
It is no secret that people have the tendency to come up with their own way of sublimating an item, it’s therefore a good idea to keep track of videos and blogs to find out what is new in sublimation or how to press an item.
You may catch something in that process that is easier or it results in a better transfer than what you might be used to.
6. Heat, Pressure and Moisture
If you are running into problems with the final transfer being faded, burned, too light or spotty, check the three most important things: heat, pressure or moisture.
Too much or too little heat are usually problematic and result in over pressing or under pressing of the substrate.
Uneven heating on the press is also an issue and results in spottiness where parts of the substrate sublimate properly but other parts don’t.
It is a good idea to invest in temperature strips or a thermal gun, both of which map out the temperature of the heat platen.
If there are any inconsistencies or cold spots, it is best to call the manufacturer of the press.
Pressure is equally important and sometimes, uneven transfers can be resolved by simply increasing the pressure.
It is possible for the press to be providing uneven pressure however and generally, the manufacturer would do a phone walk through on how to calibrate the press and provide additional assistance to resolve that problem.
If everything checks out, moisture may play a role in spotty transfers.
Moisture can warp flat items and can act as a barrier between the surface and the sublimation ink trying to penetrate it.
This step is not always listed on the instructions, but it is good practice to pre-press items for 5-10 seconds at high heat and light-medium pressure to let moisture escape and flatten out the substrate.
For warped items, such as MDF boards, pre-pressing both sides may be necessary.
7. Test, Test, Test
No matter how long you have been in the sublimation business, variables change all the time and sometimes overnight.
A heat press may suddenly not heat up to the temperature it shows or apply even pressure even though it has worked for 2 years without an issue.
An item may be slightly changed in manufacturing requiring a heat/time adjustment which usually happens without warning, or it could be a brand new item you have never used before.
Luckily, you don’t need a ton of extra items to do testing.
All blanks can be pressed multiple times for testing purposes (we use polyester table cloths).
The easiest way to test is with small black strips (maybe throw in a few primary colors).
Black looks brown when over pressed and grey when under pressed, so that is a pretty good way to figure out what combination of temperature, time and pressure produce the deepest black with sharpest edges.
It is generally bad practice to test a full image on a final item and just hope it works right off the bat.
That often leads to a wasted item with no extra white space that can be re-used for testing.
Once the perfect black is achieved with the right combination of settings, we recommend printing out an RGB color chart and pressing that onto the item(s) that will be big sellers.
That way, you will know exactly what the colors will look like on the final product.
Remember that light can produce more color combinations (what you see on screen) than what a physical pigment can create (what you see on the final product).
We hope these 7 Sublimation Tips will help you starting your journey into the sublimation business