Excellent tip and a great tutorial. Never imagined this was so important when I got my heat press. I will definitely take your precious advise. Thanks for sharing and caring. 👍👍👍💕
Thank you for this great tutorial. I received a heat press with no instructions (not from you guys) and this will be helpful in making sure I am calibrated correctly. Thanks again.
The pressure adjustment knob adjusts the pressure evenly across the entire platen. There is no way to adjust pressure on a specific section of the platen.
This did not work for me. The upper platen is not adjusting evenly. The back part the paper test works but the front part, the paper slides out. How do I fix?
Hi I’m new to heat pressing and I know this sounds stupid but while the press is heating up will it beep at me when it’s up to exact temp? And do I keep the press closed as it heats up ?
No, the paper pressure test will help you achieve medium pressure. If you need firm pressure, you can increase the pressure after the paper test. Or if you need light pressure, you can loosen the pressure after the paper test.
So what do you do if its so skewed that some parts are super tight but others still dont touch at all. I want to do fleece with one side smooth. If its too much pressure it ruins the pile and permanently flattens it but if you loosen slowly one section is ghosted and not pressed properly because pressure is so ridiculously uneven and out of whack. How do you adjust?
There's not really a general fix for that. I would recommend reaching out to the heat press manufacturer to see how their press can be adjusted specifically. If it's one of our heat presses, please contact our Tech Support team directly at (800)215-0894.
If the paper is stuck in your heat press as shown in the video, this is considered a medium to medium-firm pressure. To get to firm press, just tighten your heat press up slightly. You'll feel the press requires a little more force to close. When applying HTV, it's probably better to err on the side of too much pressure rather than too little. But if the press is difficult to open or close, then you should loosen it up a little.
@@HeatPressNation I just got my machine. craft pro 15X15 when testing the pressure with the paper test the pressure isn't even from side to side? It looks like the top platen and bottom aren't lining up correctly! Also, using a heat gun the temp is off and all over the place across the platen?
I use siser easy weed HTV and use the right temperature and have a firm pressure on my heat press, my problem is when I wash the garment (T-shirt) for the first time the wrinkles you get from washing stay in the vinyl and the vinyl almost peels of on some parts of the design. I don't know why this is happening when I am doing everything right, what do you think is the problem?
Here are a few possible reasons why this is happening: - Incorrect settings. Siser EasyWeed HTV should be pressed at 305°F for 10-15 seconds with medium pressure. (if your pressure is firm, that should be fine) - Washer/Dryer is too hot. Make a test shirt and use cool water and a low/tumble dry setting. - Fabric Softener. Shirts that have already been washed with fabric softener may have issues w/HTV adhering. - Washed too soon. You should always wait at least 24 hours after pressing to wash your garments.
On a scale from 1-10, 10 being highest pressure, the paper pressure test will get you to about 6 or 7. This is considered medium to medium high pressure and is perfect for transferring heat transfer vinyl. You can turn the knob to increase your pressure a little to get high pressure, typically used for heat transfer paper. You always want to set your pressure specific to whatever material you're pressing.
Zac 21 Hi, I’m new to heat pressing! Thanks for the video. I used this method and worked perfectly for t shirts but I then went onto hoodies and the press wouldn’t shut because it’s thicker.. how would you gage pressure with a hoodie?
You'd have to adjust your press based on feel at this point. Use the paper test to achieve medium pressure. Then open and close the press several times to manually gauge the feel. When you load a thicker item on your press, loosen the pressure in small increments until it's back to this same feel. There are some heat presses with pressure indicators, but those are in the $1,200+ range. For everyone else (myself included), learning the feel of your heat press is a part of developing your skill as a heat presser. -Jared
@@HeatPressNation hello, would you be able to load your material that you are pressing into the press, and do the paper test overtop of whatever your pressing to get medium pressure?
Hi, I just bought a Piccollo flat press and when I do the pressure test with the paper . The paper on the left hand middle side comes out much easier then the paper on the right hand middle side. In order to get the left side paper to not move at all- I have to crank the pressure to high. Is this normal? Or a faulty product? Thanks
Once the paper is stuck in the front, there shouldn't be much additional pressure required (if any at all) to get it stuck on the left and right sides. If it's a significant difference in pressure, the heating element or lower platen may not be sitting level with each other. Sometimes in shipping, presses are dropped and parts can be bent ever so slightly - especially on cheaper presses with poor packaging.
@@HeatPressNation I am also having this problem. The left side of my press the paper will not pull out at all just like the front paper but when I go to pull the paper out on the right side it pulls out there’s grip there but not A lot.
Question how to fix the heat press handle because my press machine handle do not move for some mysterious reason and it's a brand new press machine an any assistance and advice is appreciated.
If you purchased your press from heatpressnation.com, please contact our Technical Support Department at (800)215-0894. They will be able to assist you with that.
That's very unusual, but would seem to indicate the press is not providing enough pressure. If this is happening with a heat press you purchased from us, please reach out to our MyExpert Support Team as soon as possible. They can be reached at (800)215-0894 from 7:30am-3:00pm PT, Monday through Friday. I'm sure they will be happy to get this sorted out for you.
Hello! I need someone to help me with my machine. I was trying to adjust the pressure and now it is not closing. It is the first time I'm going to use it, it's my first order to do and here I am freaking out!!
Sounds like the pressure is too tight on the machine. The easiest way to go is to start over. Loosen it as much as it will go, then start increasing the pressure in small increments. Eventually the paper will get stuck like you see in this video and you'll be at the proper pressure setting for HTV.
If you're looking for a heat press with a PSI indicator, that would be one of our pneumatic heat presses: www.heatpressnation.com/collections/16-x-20-heat-presses/recommended-use_industrial There are other presses with a relative pressure indicator, like the Stahls Hotronix or GeoKnight. This will not show the PSI, but rather indicate on a scale from 0-9 (9 being the highest) how much pressure is being applied.
It can vary widely. It's usually somewhere from 275F to 350F and 3 to 10 seconds. If you're purchasing pre-made screen print transfers, your supplier should have recommendations for their products. We suggest reaching out to them for the best results. Otherwise you'll have to find out by trial & error and that's not fun.
Yes, our heat presses all come with timers that engage when the handle is lowered. Once the timer reaches zero, the alarm will go off until the handle is raised up again.
That means the pressure is set too tight. Try loosening the pressure to where the press closes with ease. Then increase the pressure in small increments until the paper gets stuck.
If you purchased your heat press from us, please contact our Technical Support department at (800)215-0894. You can also reach out online at support.heatpressnation.com/hc/en-us If not, we recommend contacting an electrician or handyman to have a look at your press.
Maria Leah Woolery that´s kind of why I came to this video. Instruction says my heat press needs to be a 30psi. I’m not sure how I can tell if I’ve got the right pressure set.
you are showing how to set up the pressure to print firmly onto a piece of paper, but can you show how to set the pressure to print t-shirts which are thicker than paper. The machine pressure would obviously have to be different.
We actually use a piece of paper to test pressure for t-shirts. The minimum pressure required to hold a piece of paper in place is the perfect amount to properly press heat transfer vinyl (and most other transfers) onto a t-shirt. So by following this video, you'll have the correct pressure to press your tees. After that, your experience will give you a "feel" for how much pressure you'll need. This will allow you to adjust your heat press for sweaters and thicker items.
If it won't close, then there is probably too much pressure being applied. Loosen the pressure knob all the way and start over. Increase the pressure in small increments until the paper is held tightly in the press. That should take care of it.
Excellent tip and a great tutorial. Never imagined this was so important when I got my heat press. I will definitely take your precious advise. Thanks for sharing and caring. 👍👍👍💕
Thank you for this great tutorial. I received a heat press with no instructions (not from you guys) and this will be helpful in making sure I am calibrated correctly. Thanks again.
Using the smaller sheet of paper worked for me. Great tutorial! 😊
Thank you for the guide as my new press manual does not state anything about how to adjust for proper pressure.
Sorry what was the reason again for cutting the sheet of paper in half?
Great video, any advice on how to adjust an uneven top plate? When closed the front passes the pressure test but the back doesnt and has a gap.
Hi there! Which heat press do you own?
We are new and purchased the Sig.Series 16x20 slide out. We needed this video! Thank You !
straight forward instructional video, makes me want to buy from HPN even more
Now that's preassuretastic, thx
How do you adjust the sides if the paper still moves
The pressure adjustment knob adjusts the pressure evenly across the entire platen. There is no way to adjust pressure on a specific section of the platen.
This did not work for me. The upper platen is not adjusting evenly. The back part the paper test works but the front part, the paper slides out. How do I fix?
Hi I’m new to heat pressing and I know this sounds stupid but while the press is heating up will it beep at me when it’s up to exact temp? And do I keep the press closed as it heats up ?
Hi there! We're here to help :) It will beep once it reaches the set temperature. As it heats up, the press it meant to stay open :)
So this will work for anything I’m doing? Whether it requires light, medium, or firm pressure?
No, the paper pressure test will help you achieve medium pressure.
If you need firm pressure, you can increase the pressure after the paper test. Or if you need light pressure, you can loosen the pressure after the paper test.
So what do you do if its so skewed that some parts are super tight but others still dont touch at all. I want to do fleece with one side smooth. If its too much pressure it ruins the pile and permanently flattens it but if you loosen slowly one section is ghosted and not pressed properly because pressure is so ridiculously uneven and out of whack. How do you adjust?
There's not really a general fix for that. I would recommend reaching out to the heat press manufacturer to see how their press can be adjusted specifically. If it's one of our heat presses, please contact our Tech Support team directly at (800)215-0894.
This is great. I appreciate this video. So how do I determine "firm" pressure. I am working with Siser glitter HTV and it requires firm pressure.
If the paper is stuck in your heat press as shown in the video, this is considered a medium to medium-firm pressure. To get to firm press, just tighten your heat press up slightly. You'll feel the press requires a little more force to close. When applying HTV, it's probably better to err on the side of too much pressure rather than too little. But if the press is difficult to open or close, then you should loosen it up a little.
HeatPressNation thank you. This is really excellent.
@@HeatPressNation I just got my machine. craft pro 15X15 when testing the pressure with the paper test the pressure isn't even from side to side? It looks like the top platen and bottom aren't lining up correctly! Also, using a heat gun the temp is off and all over the place across the platen?
Is this using the rubber mat on the bottom platen or without
With the rubber mat.
I use siser easy weed HTV and use the right temperature and have a firm pressure on my heat press, my problem is when I wash the garment (T-shirt) for the first time the wrinkles you get from washing stay in the vinyl and the vinyl almost peels of on some parts of the design. I don't know why this is happening when I am doing everything right, what do you think is the problem?
Here are a few possible reasons why this is happening:
- Incorrect settings. Siser EasyWeed HTV should be pressed at 305°F for 10-15 seconds with medium pressure. (if your pressure is firm, that should be fine)
- Washer/Dryer is too hot. Make a test shirt and use cool water and a low/tumble dry setting.
- Fabric Softener. Shirts that have already been washed with fabric softener may have issues w/HTV adhering.
- Washed too soon. You should always wait at least 24 hours after pressing to wash your garments.
@@HeatPressNation thank you
hi, if i adjust the my heat press's nob very tough ,is that meant it's "high pressure" ? thanks love your video :)
On a scale from 1-10, 10 being highest pressure, the paper pressure test will get you to about 6 or 7. This is considered medium to medium high pressure and is perfect for transferring heat transfer vinyl. You can turn the knob to increase your pressure a little to get high pressure, typically used for heat transfer paper. You always want to set your pressure specific to whatever material you're pressing.
thank you very much !!! it's very clear answer for me :))
@@HeatPressNation what of ur design comes out crooked? Is it a pressure issue?
Zac 21
Hi, I’m new to heat pressing! Thanks for the video. I used this method and worked perfectly for t shirts but I then went onto hoodies and the press wouldn’t shut because it’s thicker.. how would you gage pressure with a hoodie?
You'd have to adjust your press based on feel at this point.
Use the paper test to achieve medium pressure. Then open and close the press several times to manually gauge the feel. When you load a thicker item on your press, loosen the pressure in small increments until it's back to this same feel.
There are some heat presses with pressure indicators, but those are in the $1,200+ range. For everyone else (myself included), learning the feel of your heat press is a part of developing your skill as a heat presser.
-Jared
@@HeatPressNation hello, would you be able to load your material that you are pressing into the press, and do the paper test overtop of whatever your pressing to get medium pressure?
Hi, I just bought a Piccollo flat press and when I do the pressure test with the paper . The paper on the left hand middle side comes out much easier then the paper on the right hand middle side. In order to get the left side paper to not move at all- I have to crank the pressure to high. Is this normal? Or a faulty product? Thanks
Once the paper is stuck in the front, there shouldn't be much additional pressure required (if any at all) to get it stuck on the left and right sides. If it's a significant difference in pressure, the heating element or lower platen may not be sitting level with each other. Sometimes in shipping, presses are dropped and parts can be bent ever so slightly - especially on cheaper presses with poor packaging.
@@HeatPressNation I am also having this problem. The left side of my press the paper will not pull out at all just like the front paper but when I go to pull the paper out on the right side it pulls out there’s grip there but not A lot.
Question how to fix the heat press handle because my press machine handle do not move for some mysterious reason and it's a brand new press machine an any assistance and advice is appreciated.
If you purchased your press from heatpressnation.com, please contact our Technical Support Department at (800)215-0894. They will be able to assist you with that.
What kind of paper ? Any ? I have binder paper and graph paper
Any blank copy paper or note paper should do the trick. Nothing too thin.
Excellent tip!!!! Thank you!!!!
What happens if you have a press that will not grip the paper even with the pressure knob turned to high pressure?
That's very unusual, but would seem to indicate the press is not providing enough pressure.
If this is happening with a heat press you purchased from us, please reach out to our MyExpert Support Team as soon as possible. They can be reached at (800)215-0894 from 7:30am-3:00pm PT, Monday through Friday. I'm sure they will be happy to get this sorted out for you.
Hello! I need someone to help me with my machine. I was trying to adjust the pressure and now it is not closing. It is the first time I'm going to use it, it's my first order to do and here I am freaking out!!
Sounds like the pressure is too tight on the machine. The easiest way to go is to start over. Loosen it as much as it will go, then start increasing the pressure in small increments. Eventually the paper will get stuck like you see in this video and you'll be at the proper pressure setting for HTV.
@@HeatPressNation thank you so much for your help
Does *Anyone* know what the max psi these things can exert is?? I’m trying to save time and money here
If you're looking for a heat press with a PSI indicator, that would be one of our pneumatic heat presses: www.heatpressnation.com/collections/16-x-20-heat-presses/recommended-use_industrial
There are other presses with a relative pressure indicator, like the Stahls Hotronix or GeoKnight. This will not show the PSI, but rather indicate on a scale from 0-9 (9 being the highest) how much pressure is being applied.
Whats the heat setting for a screen print transfer on a dri fit shirt?
It can vary widely. It's usually somewhere from 275F to 350F and 3 to 10 seconds. If you're purchasing pre-made screen print transfers, your supplier should have recommendations for their products. We suggest reaching out to them for the best results. Otherwise you'll have to find out by trial & error and that's not fun.
@@HeatPressNation the comoany recommends 325 for 9 secs. I pressed a high heat screen print transfer onto a drifit shirt but it scorched my shirt
is it normal for alarm to go off on a heat press'
Yes, our heat presses all come with timers that engage when the handle is lowered. Once the timer reaches zero, the alarm will go off until the handle is raised up again.
Thanks good info
When I turn the knob to increase pressure the press will no longer lock into place is that common?
That means the pressure is set too tight. Try loosening the pressure to where the press closes with ease. Then increase the pressure in small increments until the paper gets stuck.
Thank you so much 👍
My heat press isn't heating up and the lcd display wont light up , but the rocker is red.
If you purchased your heat press from us, please contact our Technical Support department at (800)215-0894. You can also reach out online at support.heatpressnation.com/hc/en-us
If not, we recommend contacting an electrician or handyman to have a look at your press.
Perfect thanks
Very good for those not knowing.
Thanks. We try to produce helpful content for people of all skill levels. (BTW, if you have any suggestions, we'd love to hear it!)
How do you know the difference between light, medium, firm pressure. Sublimation uses light pressure, right?
Maria Leah Woolery that´s kind of why I came to this video. Instruction says my heat press needs to be a 30psi. I’m not sure how I can tell if I’ve got the right pressure set.
I just got a heat press and trying to figure that out . Did you ever find out ?
Good job👍
Thanks!!
you are showing how to set up the pressure to print firmly onto a piece of paper, but can you show how to set the pressure to print t-shirts which are thicker than paper. The machine pressure would obviously have to be different.
We actually use a piece of paper to test pressure for t-shirts. The minimum pressure required to hold a piece of paper in place is the perfect amount to properly press heat transfer vinyl (and most other transfers) onto a t-shirt. So by following this video, you'll have the correct pressure to press your tees.
After that, your experience will give you a "feel" for how much pressure you'll need. This will allow you to adjust your heat press for sweaters and thicker items.
thank you :)
@@HeatPressNation so what would happen to the print if the pressure is to low or to high? Will it bleed out if its to high or something like that?
Press won't close
Please help she thinks I killed it 😥
If it won't close, then there is probably too much pressure being applied. Loosen the pressure knob all the way and start over. Increase the pressure in small increments until the paper is held tightly in the press. That should take care of it.
I thought this was bart kwan. lol