Q – What brand of paper should I use in my printer?
We have 3 brand of paper available

TruPix – This is a multi purpose paper which can be used in both Ricoh and Epson printers and dries almost instantly.

TexPrint – This paper can only be used in Epson printers.  It is designed for use on hard items such as ceramics, tiles and UniSub products.  Heavy ink lay down or dark images may need a couple of minutes to dry.

JetCol – This paper can only be used in Epson printers.  It is designed for use on soft items such as clothing and fabrics.  JetCol is designed to hold and release more ink which is what soft items require and therefore can take upto 30 minutes to dry.


Q – What side of the paper should I print on?
Dye-sublimation paper can only be printed on one side (which is the release side).  If the incorrect side of the paper is used this will result in a poor transfer which looks mottled and washed out.

On the TruPix paper you should print on the whiter side (the opposite side looks creamy) and on the Richo printers goes white side down in the tray.

On the TexPrint and JetCol paper the logo of the brand of paper is printed on the non print side so this makes it easier for you to identify the print side.


Q – Why do I need to use colour management?
Correct colour management is essential when using dye-sublimation inks and papers without it the colours of your designs will look incorrect when pressed.

The colour management profiles are installed during the setup process of your dye-sublimation system.  This is a three stage process and full instructions on how to do this are provided when purchasing your printer from us.

It is very important that you follow the installation instructions correctly as it only takes one setting to be wrong to give poor results.

Q – Why does my image look faded when pressed?
If you have taken your cooked product out of the press and it looks faded then generally this indicates the product is under cooked.  Please consult our product cooking guidelines document for the correct time and temperature for the item being decorated.

Q – Why does my image look blurred or brown when pressed?
If you have taken your cooked product out of the press and it looks blurred or the blacks have turned brown then generally this indicates the product is over cooked.  Please consult our product cooking guidelines document for the correct time and temperature for the item being decorated.

Q – How should I cool products once they are cooked?
Before removing a hot product from a heat press you should always wear protective heat gloves.  Many products such as ceramics and glass will retain heat for sometime and can easily burn.

Once you have taken the product out of the heat press you should remove the paper as soon as possible.  As the product is hot the image will carry on sublimating so this needs to be cooled as quickly and safely as possible.

The best method of doing this is under a desktop fan.  Please do not submerge mugs, ceramics and glass in to water as this cools the product too quickly and can cause the item to explode in the water or cause stress fractures which could lead to the mug or glass failing when used to make a hot drink.


Q – How do I know if my ink is still good?
All ink manufactured by Sawgrass has a use by date on it and the ink should not be used after this date.  This is especially important with the SubliJet-R inks for the Ricoh as the formula of the ink can change after the use by date and cause damage to the print heads.  Out of date ink should be replaced as soon as possible even if there is plenty remaining in the cartridge.

Q – I have put standard inks into my Ricoh printer, will this cause a problem?
Ricoh printers use a gel based ink for both standard and dye-sublimation inks, the printers also contain a lot of tubing between the ink cartridge and heads.  If you have put standard inks into your printer then this will need to be flushed out using dye-sublimation ink.  Please contact our technical support team for instructions on how to do this.  The flushing procedure should be carried out using a new set of cartridges and you may use up nearly the whole cartridge during the procedure.

Q – How do I set the correct pressure on my mug press?
When setting the pressure on your mug press you should first ensure that this is switched on and up to temperature.  Using a blank mug (and remembering to wear heat gloves) slide this into the mug press.  Using the pressure adjustment screw, turn this anti clockwise to increase the pressure and then periodically try closing the press until you get to a point where you can’t lock the handle into place.  Then slowly reduce the pressure turning the adjustment screw clockwise until you can lock the handle into place.  You should feel resistance when closing the handle but not so much that you could damage the press or crack the mug.


Q – How do I set the correct pressure on my flatbed heat press?
When setting the pressure on your flatbed press you should first ensure that this is switched on and up to temperature.  Using a blank product (and remembering to wear heat gloves) place this onto the heat press.  Using the pressure adjustment screw, turn this clockwise to increase the pressure and then periodically try closing the press until you get to a point where you can’t lock the handle into place.  Then slowly reduce the pressure turning the adjustment screw anticlockwise until you can lock the handle into place.  You should feel resistance when closing the handle but not so much that you could damage the press.  Most flat bed items require a medium to firm pressure setting.


Q – How can I prevent staining on my flatbed heat press?
In order to prevent the bed of your flat bed heat press from staining you should place an ordinary piece of A3 copier paper under the product being decorating.  You can also use silicon sheets but this is a lot more expensive and copier paper works just as well.  If you do not protect your press bed from staining this could lead to you spoiling items as the dye-sublimation ink stains on the press will reactivate onto the next pressed product.


Q – What is the best method of decorating t-shirts in the press?
Following on from the question above you should completely cover the base of your press with copier paper to prevent staining on the back of t-shirts.  If you have an older press with a dirty heat plattern then you should also cover the whole of the t-shirt with copier paper after placing the printed paper onto the t-shirt.  Once the t-shirt is decorated leave this to cool on a hanger or clothes horse, do not stack the shirts as the heat of the warm shirts will reactivate the ink and cause secondary sublimation on the rear of the t-shirts.

Q – What is ghosting?
Ghosting or secondary sublimation is caused by the paper moving when the press is opened and falling back onto the item being cooked which causes the appearance of a faint ghost image.  To prevent this make sure that you use enough heat tape to prevent the paper from moving.


Q – My design has faded after pressing?
The most common cause of a design fading is because the item has been placed outside or had been in direct sunlight for a period of time.  Dye-sublimation inks have no UV protection and therefore items need to be protected from the direct sunlight.


Q – How can I tell when my heater band needs replacing?
If you have been getting good results for sometime on your mugs and then you notice that designs are fading around the edges or designs look weaker than before when you take the mug out of the press, then this is a good indication that it is time to replace your heater band.  Heater bands on Listawood mug presses are guaranteed for either 3 months or 300 mug impressions whichever comes first.