What Is A Heat Press?
Put like that, it is nothing but two unrelated words looking for an explanation. Heat being the energy that is given off when things get hot from having their temperature increased. Press usually describes a compressive force that is pushing two or more things together. Therefore, it would follow that, in a heat press, at least one of the things has been heated up. In that sense, one of the things that you could do with a heat press would be to use it to apply Heat Press Transfers. Here we are again back into the use of jargon which is perfectly clear to those in the know but has little or no meaning for the uninitiated.
What Are A Heat Press Transfers?
Usually, to transfer means to move from one place to another and it can have exactly that meaning in respect to Heat Press Transfers. No, you do not move your heated press equipment from one place to another. What you do have is a pair of flat surfaces that can be both heated up and forced to push one against the other. Before you start pressing, you open the press and place something on its bottom surface. This could be any relatively thin, permeable material such as fabric or paper. A piece of special transfer paper is then placed on top of the thin insertion.
That piece of transfer paper has previously had inks or dyes printed on to it. The side with the inks on it is placed face down on the original insertion. When the press is reclosed, and heated to about 375° F, the heat and pressure cause the specially formulated inks or dyes to turn into a gas and permeate into the insertion. Whatever pattern you have printed onto the transfer release paper will have been transferred onto the insertion. Note – if the printed pattern has to make sense, it will need to be printed on the release paper as a mirror image of that which you require to see on the inserted material.
Print Your Own Custom Designs On T-shirts, etc.
This is probably the single most popular use that the owners of heat presses put their equipment to. It is possible for them to produce their own transfers from their home computers although they will need to purchase specialist transfer papers, a sublimation printer and the necessary inks. Many find it makes more sense to skip this stage and purchase readymade Heat Press Transfers from a specialist supplier. They then apply the transfers to the clothing on their own heat press.
Quality Heat Press Transfers in stock designs or made to order variations are available online from Gulfside Heat Transfers (they will even assist with design work). Find out all you need to know by browsing their website at visit website.