Informasi dari T-Shirt Forum mengenai Heat Press dan Heat Transfers, atau di Indonesia lebih kita kenal dengan sebutan sablon Hot Press. Gampangnya adalah, kita ngeprint gambar di kertas dengan tinta sublim, kemudian menggunakan mesin hot press kita memindahkan gambar yang sebelumnya ada di media kertas ke kaos atau t-shirt yang kita inginkan.
Rodney, salah satu member di T-Shirt Forum bercerita bahwa dia ingin membeli mesin heat press atau hot press tetapi dia sama sekali blank atau tidak tau apa-apa mengenai heat press tersebut.
A few months ago, I really knew nothing about heat press brands and what things you would want to look for when buying a heat press.
Berdasarkan pengalamannya itu akhirnya dia mendapat pelajaran dan kini dia berbagi kepada kita informasinya. Masih original nich, dalam bahsa inggris saja yach ;)
1. Size does matter.
When selecting a heat press, go for the largest press size that your budget will allow. A minimum of 15×15″ is often recommended.
Some benefits of a larger press:
Pressing oversized t-shirt designs
Pressing names and numbers on jerseys
Easier alignment of larger t-shirt sizes
When pressing mousepads, you can press multiple items at once
You’ll also want to consider whether your press will be mostly stationary or whether you’ll want to take it on the road. The 16×20 size presses are great if your press will always be stationary (they are very heavy), but a 15×15 press will be easier to take on the road to shows, events, and fairs.
2. Clamshell vs swing away
The two most popular types of heat press are the clamshell and the swinger.
The clamshell has a stationary bottom; the top opens up at an angle. The swinger has a stationary bottom also, however the top opens slightly up and swings to the left or right of the work area.
Choosing between a clamshell design or a swing away design seems to be a decision you would make based on space constraints and preference.
The swing away press will need roughly twice the space as the clamshell; the clamshell will cost less. The swing away press won’t heat up your arms as you’re trying to align your next transfer, the clamshell is just a one or two step operation.
The swing away type seems to be better for printing a wider variety of items like mousepads, tiles, etc.
3. Which brand to buy? What’s in a name.
The most important thing I’ve learned about selecting which heat press brand to buy is that you should always go with a major brand name. Going with a trusted brand name heat press will give ensure that your press will last for years and that it will be backed by a solid warranty.
Top brands of heat presses include:
Geo-Knight
Hix
(Stahls) Hotronix
(Stahls) Mighty Press
Phoenix Phire (manufactured by Stahls Hotronix)
Power Pro
The overall quality differences between the major brands seem to be slight. Each offers a few different features and options. A brand name heat press should last you for several years, and should the need arise, it should also offer you a stronger resale value.
For professional results, it’s best to forget the idea of pressing transfers with an iron. A home iron generally will not give you enough pressure, consistency, or a hot enough temperature to provide quality results that a retail or wholesale customer would demand. For hobby usage and personal projects, a home iron might suffice with some transfers.
4. More questions to ask before purchasing
Other things you may want to look for in a heat press include:
A timer (digital? manual? auto-opening? what type of sound?)
A temperature gauge (digital? analog? how accurate?)
A pressure adjustment (digital? how even?)
A solid warranty (does it cover parts and labor? electronics?)
Voltage (110v? 220v? does it plug into a regular household outlet?)
How much the press weigh (can you take it on the road?)
If you’re a newbie like me and you have the chance, it can be beneficial to visit an industry tradeshow to see exactly how the different types of heat presses operate and how much space they take up. You can also get a chance to see the quality of the final printed product.
5. Where do you buy a heat press?
A common question is where to buy a heat press from. While we all want the best deal possible, an important factor to consider is the before and after sale support provided by the vendor.
Kalau ini.. kami tidak bisa memberikan referensinya, karena pastinya banyak sekali vendor yang menjual mesin hot press yang baik di kota Anda.
When considering a vendor, be sure to check out the package deals that may be available to see if they include equipment that you may be purchasing down the line anyway.
Things like a vinyl cutter, a quality printer, teflon sheets and other accessories can sometimes be included in a heat press vendors starter kit or business package.
You’ll also want to compare shipping rates (heat presses are heavy! try to get free shipping if possible), taxes, in stock availability, and the “out the door” final cost of your supplies.
Sumber
Rodney, salah satu member di T-Shirt Forum bercerita bahwa dia ingin membeli mesin heat press atau hot press tetapi dia sama sekali blank atau tidak tau apa-apa mengenai heat press tersebut.
A few months ago, I really knew nothing about heat press brands and what things you would want to look for when buying a heat press.
Berdasarkan pengalamannya itu akhirnya dia mendapat pelajaran dan kini dia berbagi kepada kita informasinya. Masih original nich, dalam bahsa inggris saja yach ;)
1. Size does matter.
When selecting a heat press, go for the largest press size that your budget will allow. A minimum of 15×15″ is often recommended.
Some benefits of a larger press:
Pressing oversized t-shirt designs
Pressing names and numbers on jerseys
Easier alignment of larger t-shirt sizes
When pressing mousepads, you can press multiple items at once
You’ll also want to consider whether your press will be mostly stationary or whether you’ll want to take it on the road. The 16×20 size presses are great if your press will always be stationary (they are very heavy), but a 15×15 press will be easier to take on the road to shows, events, and fairs.
2. Clamshell vs swing away
The two most popular types of heat press are the clamshell and the swinger.
The clamshell has a stationary bottom; the top opens up at an angle. The swinger has a stationary bottom also, however the top opens slightly up and swings to the left or right of the work area.
Choosing between a clamshell design or a swing away design seems to be a decision you would make based on space constraints and preference.
The swing away press will need roughly twice the space as the clamshell; the clamshell will cost less. The swing away press won’t heat up your arms as you’re trying to align your next transfer, the clamshell is just a one or two step operation.
The swing away type seems to be better for printing a wider variety of items like mousepads, tiles, etc.
3. Which brand to buy? What’s in a name.
The most important thing I’ve learned about selecting which heat press brand to buy is that you should always go with a major brand name. Going with a trusted brand name heat press will give ensure that your press will last for years and that it will be backed by a solid warranty.
Top brands of heat presses include:
Geo-Knight
Hix
(Stahls) Hotronix
(Stahls) Mighty Press
Phoenix Phire (manufactured by Stahls Hotronix)
Power Pro
The overall quality differences between the major brands seem to be slight. Each offers a few different features and options. A brand name heat press should last you for several years, and should the need arise, it should also offer you a stronger resale value.
For professional results, it’s best to forget the idea of pressing transfers with an iron. A home iron generally will not give you enough pressure, consistency, or a hot enough temperature to provide quality results that a retail or wholesale customer would demand. For hobby usage and personal projects, a home iron might suffice with some transfers.
4. More questions to ask before purchasing
Other things you may want to look for in a heat press include:
A timer (digital? manual? auto-opening? what type of sound?)
A temperature gauge (digital? analog? how accurate?)
A pressure adjustment (digital? how even?)
A solid warranty (does it cover parts and labor? electronics?)
Voltage (110v? 220v? does it plug into a regular household outlet?)
How much the press weigh (can you take it on the road?)
If you’re a newbie like me and you have the chance, it can be beneficial to visit an industry tradeshow to see exactly how the different types of heat presses operate and how much space they take up. You can also get a chance to see the quality of the final printed product.
5. Where do you buy a heat press?
A common question is where to buy a heat press from. While we all want the best deal possible, an important factor to consider is the before and after sale support provided by the vendor.
Kalau ini.. kami tidak bisa memberikan referensinya, karena pastinya banyak sekali vendor yang menjual mesin hot press yang baik di kota Anda.
When considering a vendor, be sure to check out the package deals that may be available to see if they include equipment that you may be purchasing down the line anyway.
Things like a vinyl cutter, a quality printer, teflon sheets and other accessories can sometimes be included in a heat press vendors starter kit or business package.
You’ll also want to compare shipping rates (heat presses are heavy! try to get free shipping if possible), taxes, in stock availability, and the “out the door” final cost of your supplies.
Sumber
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