Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: blacks turning brown on ceramic mugs

  1. #1

    blacks turning brown on ceramic mugs

    Hi All,

    Got a new piece of equipment recently and trying to work out the kinks!
    I am trying to do jumbo sublimatable ceramic mugs from JOTO.
    I have managed to get color wraps to turn out quite well but am still struggling with the blacks.
    They turn out kind of blurry in some areas and are brown in spots.
    The settings I am using are:
    340 degree set temp
    400 degree press temp
    300 seconds for the actual pressing.

    I was told to heat the bottom half of the mug in the press before applying the image, as it takes a lot longer for that part to heat up than the top because it is thicker. I am using the proper paper for the ricoh printer. I am using light pressure as I was told to do. Does anyone have any suggestions or knows what I am doing wrong?

    Much appreciated.
    Thanks!
    Epilog Helix 60 watt laser with rotary
    Epilog Legend 45 watt
    Photobrasive Sandcarver II blasting cabinet
    Ricoh GX 7000 sublimation printer
    Digital Knight 20S 16x20 heat press
    Mimaki CG-60 vinyl plotter
    corel X6
    JOTO mug press

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Shohola, PA Pocono Mountains
    Posts
    1,336
    Blurry is usually too loose a contact between the paper and the mug OR moisture on the transfer or cup...

    Brown black is usually over exposed to heat.... Do you Quench the mugs out of the press in water to stop the process after removing the wrap? Or do you wait until the mug cools..?

    A little more on your procedures and time and temp might give others a clue what to suggest.

    I think my first suggestion would be to increase the pressure on the wrap slightly.

    When I was testing mugs I made a Vertical strip of squares that went from top to bottom of the mug with the paper wrapping all the way around. I also used a strip of blank copy paper over the transfer and between my Mug Heater. I also dried the copy paper on my flat press too as I also dried the transfer.... but this was using the R1800 and water based ink. I am just setting up my new 3110 now with Gel Ink and should not need too.... Unless the paper is moist do to the shop humidity.

    And for testing the square transfer test sheet, I used the SAME mug over after it cooled and was dry, just a different area... That let me get the BEST Time and Temp.

    The Blurry can be Steam from the moisture in the paper too...

    AL
    1 Laser, 4 CarveWrights, Star 912 Rotary, CLTT, Sublimation, FC7000 Vinyl, 911 Signs, Street Signs, Tourist Products and more.
    Home of the Fire Department "Epoxy Dome Accountability Tag and Accountability Boards".

  3. #3
    Thanks for your reply Al,
    I don't dip the mug in water after pressing but the image doesn't change in appearance from hot to cool. But I will try that as well as applying a bit more pressure.
    As for humidity, it is really cold and dry here, I wouldn't think it would be an issue, but you never know.
    Do you think that I am heating them too long?
    When I was originally doing tests, more time seemed to improve the turn out.

    Thanks,
    Epilog Helix 60 watt laser with rotary
    Epilog Legend 45 watt
    Photobrasive Sandcarver II blasting cabinet
    Ricoh GX 7000 sublimation printer
    Digital Knight 20S 16x20 heat press
    Mimaki CG-60 vinyl plotter
    corel X6
    JOTO mug press

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Shohola, PA Pocono Mountains
    Posts
    1,336
    Could be too long....

    Are you doing Corel CMYK or RGB?

    AL
    1 Laser, 4 CarveWrights, Star 912 Rotary, CLTT, Sublimation, FC7000 Vinyl, 911 Signs, Street Signs, Tourist Products and more.
    Home of the Fire Department "Epoxy Dome Accountability Tag and Accountability Boards".

  5. #5
    Corel RGB is what I'm using. I do notice that most of it occurs near the bottom portion of the mug, but not exclusively
    Epilog Helix 60 watt laser with rotary
    Epilog Legend 45 watt
    Photobrasive Sandcarver II blasting cabinet
    Ricoh GX 7000 sublimation printer
    Digital Knight 20S 16x20 heat press
    Mimaki CG-60 vinyl plotter
    corel X6
    JOTO mug press

  6. #6
    I am also noticing that it takes quite a long time for the press to go from 340 to 400. Is this normal?
    Epilog Helix 60 watt laser with rotary
    Epilog Legend 45 watt
    Photobrasive Sandcarver II blasting cabinet
    Ricoh GX 7000 sublimation printer
    Digital Knight 20S 16x20 heat press
    Mimaki CG-60 vinyl plotter
    corel X6
    JOTO mug press

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    20
    I had this issue a few weeks ago, depending on the mug manufacturer it changes the heat time immensely. I did mugs a few weeks ago, and 300 seconds was about right, good color and image. Did another set of 24 mugs from a different manufacturer with the same settings and time and the black was severely burnt (brown and blurry). For that mug style I ended up lowering time, the best setting I found for it was about 2 minutes 45 seconds.

    My vote would be the time is just too long in the press.
    Trotec Flexx 400 120W/30W
    Trotec Speedy 300 60W
    Epilog Fibermark 20W
    Universal M-460
    Mimaki UJF 6042 UV Printer
    NewingHall NH300, NH400, NH450
    Ricoh 7700 Sublimation Printer
    CrystalBlast 3624 Sandblaster

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Shohola, PA Pocono Mountains
    Posts
    1,336
    Do a Cup Up side down.... Bottom UP... Could be 1. a Heater Element problem in the press or 2. a Pressure problem due to wear...

    Another trick I had forgot about until now... On some mugs that were cold in my shop and I did not want to turn on my 16 x 20 to heat the bottom... I inserted the bottom 1 inch in the mug press for 30 seconds to a min to warm the bottom WITH the transfer attached.

    AL
    1 Laser, 4 CarveWrights, Star 912 Rotary, CLTT, Sublimation, FC7000 Vinyl, 911 Signs, Street Signs, Tourist Products and more.
    Home of the Fire Department "Epoxy Dome Accountability Tag and Accountability Boards".

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •