I'm not sure exactly what you are referring to, the rope along the brim? Unless snagged or intentionally pulled to be removed, we haven't seen any failures on these OTTO caps.
The last hat the blue one. Dave says the print is bridging the gap in the seam. Couldn’t that fail in the part since the transfer is not glued down and basically floating over the seam?
Thanks for clarifying Ben, we haven't seen any issues with them failing, tearing or peeling, they're still adhered to the hat and the inks are made to stretch and flex. Just like Dave mentions you can also push the transfer into the crease, however the crease is visible in the artwork. There's a great video here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JaKeNZJQDWY.htmlsi=tWHXIPQTk-igxMlf&t=490 Where Skip Davis (Owner D4 Graphics) mentions using a tool to ensure any graphics are pushed into the seams. We've seen many decorators using soft foam HTV with UltraColor Max printed on top to bridge seams or print on other areas not well suited for just a transfer (think mesh back), later in that same video with Skip, around the 40 minute mark you can see a detailed version of that process.
We picked these up from www.transferexpress.com/apparel - No business license or tax id needed. They're also available from Sanmar if you have an account there too!
You can absolutely use Thermo Tape to hold the transfer down, it doesn't impact the application and helps keeps those graphics in place. Keep in mind if you're using a hot peel transfer (like we are here) you need to remove the tape quickly to peel the transfer while hot. Just take special care, as some of the foam-front options can dimple when touched when still hot.
Hi Jenn, We'll need to know a little bit more information to help! What heat press are you using? What brand & style of cap? If using the 360 do you have the bottom heat turned off? Are you using a cover sheet? What is the pressure setting on the press at? What specific transfer are you using? 315 would be too high of a temperature for our UltraColor Max DTF transfers we show here. Some of the lower-cost DTF on the market has issues with adhesives or a glossy appearance, that sometimes are more hassle than what they're worth. As for the 'melted on' look, do you mean wrinkling or stretching in the transfer itself? There's a few things that could have went wrong: If using a cold peel transfer, the transfer moved before it was completely cool to room temperature. Pressure on the heat press may be too low, temperatures too high, etc
Oh sorry! The Hotronix 360 IQ we feature in this video is the only hat press that can do it all while providing frustration free printing. Other cap presses can crease hats and provide only top-heat application, limiting the types of heat transfers you can use. While it is more expensive than the ones on amazon, it has the potential to pay itself off quickly. With financing it can be purchased with payments as low as $173 per month. www.transferexpress.com/heat-presses/hotronix-360-iq-hat-press With a quality press, you're able to provide professionally printed products right out of the gate and charge accordingly, building value in your business right from the start and absolutely flooring your customers with your quality and capabilities. If your budget is fixed, one of the lowest cost presses we would recommend is the Clam Basic series: www.transferexpress.com/heat-presses/stahls-clam-basic-cap-heat-press It doesn't have the programmable presets, lower heat, molded lower platens or auto-opening features, but it does have adjustable pressure, the option for other platens and accurate (top) heat.
Thanks for clarifying Brooklynn, Yes, the heat press pressure is ok at a 6-7 as it is spread out across the printing area, Dave mentions here you'll want to avoid touching the foam with your fingers as the foam front will dimple and leave a permanent crater in the foam even after it cools down.