Printing on a fleece blanket

[Skryber]

Do any of you know how the "professionals" print to a fleece blanket? We have a flatbed printer/UV cured ink and they want me to print an image to this fabric. I taped a small piece of it to a board and set the thickness way high and the threads still hit the print head and made it look dirty. I'm afraid to screw up the machine. Bossman said to get that adhesive plastic you stick on carpet for open houses to adhere to the back side so that the material will suck down to the bed. I still don't like this idea at all. I can't find anything on the web about it so I thought someone here might have experience with it.

[David]

that actually looks pretty good for a fleece blanket, never heard of anyone actually inkjetting on fleece tho.
I'm assuming you've already consulted the All Mighty Goog?

[gnubler]

What kind of printer do you have exactly? Our shop is about to bring in one called an Anajet that prints 4/c on fabric. There are printers out there made specifically for printing on fabric.

[David]

looks like it mostly done with screen printing

Heres how it works.

First you need to make a lower mesh screen 110-125 mesh works well (mirrored image) to print the transfers. Use a cold peel transfer paper like Trans-French-T75 paper.


Then just mix 2% (by weight) puff additive into your normal high opacity ink for printing. *This part is important as it seriously helps with creating a smooth print. Do not use puff ink, just some of the additive.


Then you need to have some Rhino-Bond (or equivalent) powder transfer Adhesive and a larger Tupper ware container.

Print the transfer and carefully lay it inside the Tupper ware container and sprinkle the transfer powder directly over the wet ink.


Let it sit for a few seconds, make sure to cover the ink evenly and then pick up the transfer and snap your finger on the back to remove all excess powder.


Now with fairly firm pressure on your transfer press (340-350 deg) transfer for about 10-12 seconds or so to transfer the design. Then with a circular motion use a soft pad or wadded up shirt to rub the transfer for a few seconds...this takes the heat out of the ink faster...then peel the transfer paper off.

[Skryber]

Yeeeeeah.....kind of. I can only find stuff on screen printing or companies selling the printing.

[Skryber]

Océ Arizona 250 GT

[Skryber]

So maybe it's just not done. I'm just having a problem with the fuzziness of the material. I'm sure I can lay out a t-shirt and print to it. They make me print on anything here. Our specialty is ceiling tiles.

[David]

ceiling tiles, fleece, pretty close to the same thing....             

[Skryber]

looks like it mostly done with screen printing

Heres how it works.

First you need to make a lower mesh screen 110-125 mesh works well (mirrored image) to print the transfers. Use a cold peel transfer paper like Trans-French-T75 paper.


Then just mix 2% (by weight) puff additive into your normal high opacity ink for printing. *This part is important as it seriously helps with creating a smooth print. Do not use puff ink, just some of the additive.


Then you need to have some Rhino-Bond (or equivalent) powder transfer Adhesive and a larger Tupper ware container.

Print the transfer and carefully lay it inside the Tupper ware container and sprinkle the transfer powder directly over the wet ink.


Let it sit for a few seconds, make sure to cover the ink evenly and then pick up the transfer and snap your finger on the back to remove all excess powder.


Now with fairly firm pressure on your transfer press (340-350 deg) transfer for about 10-12 seconds or so to transfer the design. Then with a circular motion use a soft pad or wadded up shirt to rub the transfer for a few seconds...this takes the heat out of the ink faster...then peel the transfer paper off.

Interesting. Thank you!

[David]

it's not actually printing on the fleece, it's a transfer, a little "outside the box".

Goog is magical

[gnubler]

Skry, I saw a demo a few weeks from the Siser company...this may be along the lines of what you're looking for. Like what david posted.

http://siserna.com/

[Skryber]

Well, that's what I need to know. It's not done! :police: This blanket has been sitting on my desk for WEEKS. I try not to look at it and hope everyone forgets about the "blanket project". I just throw all my papers on top of it and sometimes use it as a butt rest.

Sweet, Gnub! Thanks!

[gnubler]

This blanket has been sitting on my desk for WEEKS. I try not to look at it and hope everyone forgets about the "blanket project".

I have several "projects" like that around my work area that have been deposited by Bossman. Some have been sitting for months.

[David]

weird, they call their product "easyweed"...

did someone stay up late one night "thinking" that one up?

[gnubler]

I think they also carry "Puff 'n Give" vinyl. I'd like to try it.