Pressing Instructions for Sublimation Prints
Welcome to Akerland Prints!
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Since there are so many different sizes of tumblers, you may need to trim your transfer before wrapping, if you need custom sizing for transfers please let me know in the notes at checkout.
Sublimation Tumblers:
-Convection Oven: 350°F for 5 minutes, rotating halfway is optional.
-Tumbler Press: 356°F for 60 seconds, rotating 180°, press and additional 60 seconds until image has transferred. PRO TIP: Place the ends of the tumbler into the tumbler press for and additional 10-15 seconds each side, rotating 180°. This will help with ghosting along the rims. Also, don't over tape! I only use 3-4 pieces of tape per tumbler!
Wind Spinners:
365°- 400° for 45-60 seconds, let cool completely, repeat second side.
Clipboards:
385°- 400° for 45-60 seconds. A professional heat press is required for clipboards. Clipboards retain a lot of moisture, so after pressing. place it on a cooling rack, with something heavy on top. Let the clipboard completely cool to ensure that the board will lay flat afterwards. It is natural for the board to NOT lay 100% flat.
Leather Journals:
Leather journals come with a cardboard insert to place along the inside of the spine. You may need to trim a little off for it to fit properly. Then secure the piece along the inside of the spine with heat tape.
365°- 400° for 45-60 seconds, let cool completely. After pressing, remove transfer and place on a flat surface with something heavy over the top of it and let completely cool.
Shirts/Totes:
Sublimation prints should be used on at least a 65% polyester count garment that is white or light colored.
The closer to 100% polyester you get, the brighter the image.
The closer to 65% polyester you get, the more vintage the image will look.
Sublimation will NOT work on 100% cotton or dark colored shirts.
You MUST apply sublimation transfer with a heat press. It cannot be applied with an iron or a Cricut Easy Press because an iron or Cricut Easy Press does not apply sufficient pressure.
Place sublimation transfer face down on the substrate, (place butcher paper inside the shirt to prevent image from bleeding all the way through.)
Place butcher paper over the transfer to protect your heat press.
Press image at 385-400 degrees for 60 seconds, firm pressure
Remove transfer right away
For specific sizes, need your own images printed, looking for a specific design, please contact me. I am happy to help!
Remember these are just estimates, everyone heat press is different. Some presses run hot or cold. (Mine runs 20 degrees hotter than what the display says!)
I am not responsible if your press does not come out right. I am only selling you the transfers, the rest is up to you! Sublimation takes time to master, do not expect perfection on your first try. I failed many times at the beginning and did not blame anyone but myself. 💕
Thanks so much! -Dana