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Perfect Press Times

Think of it this way: sometimes you have to toggle with the recipe to get the ultimate meal.

Sublimation is a lot like cooking. I think of a heat press as a stove and imprintable substrates as all of the different types of foods that require their own unique preparation, cooking styles, cooking times, and even cool-down procedures. The best “cooks” often use a set of instructions as a starting recipe, observe and document their results carefully, and then possibly make subtle changes to the instructions to achieve optimum results in their own dye-sub kitchen. Once I determine what works best on my heat press, I tape it to my press for quick reference.

A great method to find a substrate’s ideal press time is to perform a “black test” by printing a solid black print (RGB of 0,0,0) and then pressing it onto the selected substrate. Black is the last color to sublimate, so if you get an awesome uniform black, you have it dialed in. If pressed too long, black typically starts to turn brown. If you get stuck, don’t continue to waste products: pick up the phone and call your supplier for help.

-David Gross, Condé

Condé Systems president

David Gross

David Gross is the president of Condé Systems, Inc. For over 30 years, he has developed and built the Mobile, Alabama based company into the premier source for printers, substrates, and consumables serving the sublimation and digital heat transfer industries. David's goal has always been to provide business owners the superior guidance and resources needed to be successful at these exciting and profitable decorating technologies. Gross regularly contributed articles to A&E magazine as part of his “Road to Sublimation Success” series and continues to contribute to GRAPHICS PRO. He has co-authored several books including RTSS: Harnessing the Power of Sublimation for Outstanding Profits, RTSS: Cashing In On The ChromaLuxe Revolution, The Sublimation Journal, and others. He can be reached by email at dgross@conde.com.

View all articles by David Gross  

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