Hotronix^® Fusion^™ Heat Press

The upper platen on my Fusion^™ is very loose. Should I tighten it?

The upper platen on most Hotronix^® heat presses is designed to "float," which will make it appear to be loose. This is part of the design, allowing for even pressure.

I’m on a tight budget, should I spend extra to get one of the Hotronix^® heat presses?

A heat press is the only investment needed to get started in the custom apparel printing business and the key to your success. We recommend getting the best heat press your budget allows.

After you press a transfer, how long to you need to wait for the imprint to dry/cool before folding the shirt?

Once you peel the paper from the garment it is ready to go. You can let it cool until its cooler to the touch if needed for your own personal preference but the ink is already set in the garment at pressing time. You can touch the print as soon as the paper is peeled and no harm will be done to the design.

If a garment has been prewashed is the application going to be different?

There will be no difference in application if the garment is prewashed.

How can I determine what pressure to use if I don't have a Hotronix^® heat press?

With practice you will have a good idea of the amount of pressure you are applying to the garment. If the press is very difficult to lock down then you probably have too much pressure. If it is very easy and feels too light then it probably is. As always, test a sample to make sure you are using a correct pressure (medium to firm) before starting your job. Some dealers use the paper method. They stick a piece of white paper on the corner of the heat press and lock down. If the paper comes out easily then there is not enough pressure, If the paper rips or doesn’t come out at all when you tug on it then there is too much pressure.

How do I prevent a dark garment from slightly bleeding through numbers or light colors? Is there too much pressure?

You probably have too much pressure being applied to the transfer. It could also be too hot. If using the Goof Proof^® follow these suggestions one at a time for the solution:
- Decrease the temperature by 5 to 10 degrees.
- Decrease the pressure slightly.
- Decrease the time slightly.
- Press the transfers as a Polytrans (340 degrees for 10 seconds).

Should the heat press be locked down while removing moisture or can you just hold the press down?

The heat press does not need to be locked down, but applying pressure does help to remove wrinkles. As long as there is heat being applied to the garment the moisture will be removed.