Note: Sublimation printing is a process in which the ink is transferred from the carrier medium (sublimation paper) to the target medium by heating. This only works with suitable materials! You need special ink, special paper, and the target medium must be able to absorb the ink. To a certain extent, this only applies to polyester materials. Cotton is not suitable!
However, a heat press can also be used with other processes; there are transfer foils for cotton that can be printed normally with an ink printer. Thermal transfer films that are cut with a plotter can also be used. As a rule, however, these processes are not as durable and the materials must be washed more carefully/less frequently.
Sculpfun has also entered the sublimation business. The H1 heat press has recently been launched. The following article summarizes all the information about it. I was unable to use it yet, but some people already made first experiences, some videos are linked at the end of this page.
Getting started with sublimation
For most laser users, the topic of sublimation will be new (as it is for me). So here are a few general tips to get you started. I would recommend that you first take a look at the information provided at YouTube, for example Jennifer’s Video:
Among other things, the starter kit is also recommended there. If you want to get started at the lowest possible price, we recommend the Epson EcoTank 1810 printer and a pack of sublimation ink. The package should be available for less than €200. I was able to buy the printer at Saturn for €149. Then you need the transfer film/paper and of course the workpieces, which will usually be clothing or other objects made of fabric. It is important that the polyester content is as high as possible. Pure cotton does not work with sublimation ink. However, there are also manufacturers who offer films especially for cotton. When it comes to ink, you should look for branded products so that you have fewer problems with color fastness afterwards (good manufacturers already offer suitable color profiles, I bought no-name ink and had a much harder time with it). The same applies to the sublimation paper. The “cheap” paper that came with my cup press is many times worse than the one I bought from Amazon.
Some additional tutorial links:
- https://jennifermaker.com/sublimation-for-beginners/
- https://www.thecountrychiccottage.net/how-to-use-a-sublimation-printer/
- https://www.crankypressman.com/sublimation-for-beginners/
- https://chibicrafts.com/sublimation-for-beginners/
Sculpfun H1
Official pictures
Materials
Use / Results
There’s not really much to say about using it. The operation is very simple, you switch on the appliance, set the desired settings (there are presets for different materials, or you can set your own, some of which are printed on the materials), wait until it has heated up, then place the fabric, close it, “iron” briefly for a few seconds, then open it again and now place the motif. Then close again and start the timer. It is always advisable to place the protective film supplied over the object so that nothing sticks to the press. I also put baking paper between the layers so that nothing presses through. Please note: if something has already sublimated on the fabric, the heat will also cause it to stain again, so place baking paper on top to protect it.
Here are a few examples of my first results:
Tips / Hints
Here are a few more tips, some of which you already got from the videos above:
- If possible, you should set the correct color profile for the colors / the printer in order to have the correct color reproduction. Attention: the color looks much paler on the sublimation paper than on the object afterwards!
- If the color profile is correct, but the colors are too dark, the temperature was too high or the pressing time too long. Adjust accordingly and test again.
Here is a tip on how to activate the correct ICC color profile for the printer if the app does not allow you to select it:
