How to Use A Transfer Press for Ceramic
The process of sublimation involves printing a design using special sublimation ink. The image can then be transferred, using heat, onto a variety of substances including ceramics. If you have ever owned a coffee cup with decals imprinted on the side, this is an example of sublimation on ceramic. The image is transferred to the ceramic by means of a heat press. The most versatile press is the swing away heat press, which can be used to press images on flat ceramic tile. Other presses exist that are rounded for pressing images onto mugs and cups.
Things You'll Need
- Ceramic item
- Printer equipped with sublimation ink
- Printer paper
- Heat resistant tape
- Sublimation heat press
- Bucket filled with room temperature water (optional)
Instructions
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1
Plug in your heat press and allow it to reach the desired temperature as you prepare the image.
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2
Print off an image using a laser jet printer equipped with sublimation ink. Make sure the image will fit the object you are trying to press.
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3
Crop off the extra paper and put the paper against the ceramic, face down.
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4
Secure the paper to the surface using heat sensitive tape so it doesn't move during the pressing process.
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Insert the ceramic item into the heat press. The length of time the item needs to be pressed will vary depending on the temperature of the ceramic and the room temperature. For a mug, it takes about four minutes to have the image transferred.
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Remove the ceramic item when the press beeps. Various presses will have different settings for different objects. Remove the paper from the item and you will see that the image has been permanently pressed onto it.
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Allow the item to cool. You can speed up this process by placing the ceramic in a bucket of room temperature water.
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Tips & Warnings
Never put recently heated items into cold water since they could crack.
References
- Photo Credit coffee cup image by andrew chambers from Fotolia.com
