The $3 Accessory That Will Save You Hundreds

Do you know what causes more heat press application mishaps than anything else?    Typically you are using the right time and temperature, but the pressure is normally the culprit.    And it is not the tightness of the pressure knob that typically is the issue but rather the uneven surface caused by seams, pockets, buttons, hoods, and zippers.   If you close your press and any of these items are on the platen, you will have uneven pressure since the press is closing on this raised item, and not evenly hitting the area you want to heat print.

Interchangeable Platens

One solution is to use a platen size so that only the print area is on the platen.    The Hotronix heat presses have interchangeable platens of various sizes from 4×4 up to an 11 x 15 to make this possible.   There are also specialty shapes like a circle and rectangle available.  These easily lift off and a proper size can be put on the press so that only the print area is exposed to the upper platen.

For example if applying a left chest to a shirt with buttons, by switching out the bottom platen to 4×4.   The buttons will be out of the print area and the smaller platen will provide a solid, flat surface for a good application.

The Mouse Pad To the Rescue

But if you don’t have a Hotronix heat press, or don’t have the right size platen, a simple accessory that can do the trick is the $3 mouse pad.     The mouse pad is made of a similar hard, foam surface replicating that of a platen.     Our mouse pads are 9.25 x 7.75” in size and .216” thick.   The best thing is they can easily be cut down to work with whatever application you are doing.    Just cut to be a little larger than the print you are applying.   Slide it under the shirt where you will print and press!     Creating even, firm pressure will make your prints turn out perfect saving you hundreds of dollars in ruined shirts.