How to make custom dog tags with color sublimation

We need to first make sure all our equipment is set up properly. Lets make sure that our computer has some kind of photo editing software. Our ink jet printer has the sublimation ink in it and that the paper is the transfer paper. If that is all correct then lets plug in our heat press machine and let it heat up to 400 degrees. And that completes Step 1.

Here we need to prepare our picture for printing. So lets open our photo editing software in our video we will be using Adobe Photoshop. Once you have opened the software proceed to open the picture that you will be wanting to press.

Once you have opened the file up we need to crop it and size it down to 30mm by 50 mm. If you are unfamiliar with resizing images please watch the video some photo editing software will vary. But in the end the size of the picture needs to be 30mm by 50 mm and the resolution should be at 300.

After you have resized the image lets go ahead and open a new sheet. This sheet is going to need to be 8.5x11 so a standard letter. In most settings there should be a default called standard letter. This is what we need.

next we need to put our newly resized image on the new sheet we just created this can be done by simply clicking on the move tool in your photo editing software then click on the image and drag it onto our new sheet. Repeat this step until you have lined up 4 images on the very top. Make sure to leave a little room on the very top we don't want to lose any of the image.

Once you have the 4 images lined up you will want to go to

So now that we have our picture on our new sheet you can easily see that there is room for up to 25 images. That means if you are doing a school event or fair, you can do up to 25 dog tags at one time! for the time being lets just print out the 4 images we have on our sheet. But first we need to make sure our printer settings are correct. so when you hit print it should ask you are you sure in this same box it should say properties.
If it doesn't click up top on file then click print and properties will be on the left hand side. Click there now and we want to select Best Photo for quality type and under paper options we want to select glossy paper.

Next we need to hit the page layout tap under our printer properties and we need to select "mirror image". this is very important if you don't do this it will come out backwards.

After you have mirrored them go ahead and print them out. I strongly recommend using an Epson printer i haven't had any issues with the for the 5 years i have been doing these.

once they are printed lets go ahead and cut the row if images out. you can leave them in one row or cut them out individually. just make sure to leave room to pick them up. they are going to be EXTREMELY hot when they are finished and you will not want to pick them up right away.

After you have cut them out lets put them on your heat press and line the dog tags on top of them. With that done lets cover our dog tags with a piece of wax paper and pull down on the machine. it needs to be down for 40 seconds and 400 degrees. Some machine might vary but the process is still the same.

Once the time is up lift the press up, remove the wax paper, and place the paper with the dog tags to the side to cool. IMPORTANT THIS IS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY HOT IF YOU ARE DOING THIS AS A HOPPY WITH KIDS THEY CAN GET BURNED. ONLY ADULTS SHOULD BE USING THE MACHINE UNLESS UNDER CLOSE SUPERVISION.

After its cooled flip it over and look at your finished product. :)

you can attach this to key chains, necklaces, purses, the list can go on and on.