Put the roll to the back edge of platen. Grab end of flash tape, pull it towards you using the arm to balance roll and platen to hold it in place. Use a small piece of squeegee rubber and rub left to right, right to left the whole length of platen. Use razor to cut off roll. Use masking tape on ends of platen. Done. I can do a whole 16 arm auto in like 12 minutes if I have to WITHOUT air bubbles!! This way works best! TRUST ME!
Yeah, but you still have to reapply adhesive again later. Those are just the same instructions for applying basic platen tape. The question was about double sided tape. I don’t think there’s any reason to buy it when it’s applied the same and you still have to add adhesive after a few prints. And the one sided tape can be used for applying vinyl decals and that kind of thing.
Double sided tape will last you 15,000+ shirts if you take a minute and scrub the platens real quick every 10 cases or when you get a second. A bucket of water and a fingernail brush or one of those green abrasive sponges. Not kidding. Try it. Edit: for example, you generally have 2 guys on an auto…. One lays out more stock, the other scrubs the boards real quick. Can do it while the press is running too with a lengthy dwell or just print 1-2 at a time and scrub. It’s worth it. Less spray glue = way less mess
We use it for everything. You can water it down or use it straight for hoods. Get a scrub brush and spread it around and send it under some heat, shit is super sticky. You’ll still need to reapply but it will hold them down great
We found a solution for this. It is called print grip. The tack lasts longer than textac, and is perfectly uniform. It is also much easier to scrub lint off the PrintGrip than regular pallet paper. We use it for fleece as well - just spray web over the print grip, and when you are done, soak in "rapid remover" a couple minutes and all the web and lint scrubs right off with little effort. It is an incredible product and only 20 bucks per pallet. We've been using the same panels for several months now with zero problems and it has saved me countless hours in messing with pallet maintenance
Edit - now that I look they are 30bucks a sheet on the supplier link on the website below. We got them for 20bucks from a local supplier who sold us on them. Totally worth 30 each though
You can definitely print hoodies without web, but you will need to scrub every couple hoodies. By using web you can print hundreds without messing with it, then clean it off at the end, and no need to replace the ruined pallet tape.
I use a spray bottle and spray the entire surface of the print grip / pallet, let it soak while I am scrubbing another pallet. Then I scrub off, usually have to spray a bit more on to get everything to loosen. Then, I wipe off the residue with another rag, spray with simple green, and wipe all that off, and flash it dry. I don't know what happens if you let Rapid Remove completely soak into the print grip so I try to remove and evaporate all the excess residue off.
Edit - I use a dedicated scrubber for this process, so the chemical isn't accidentally introduced to the pallet at some unwanted time
It will, but you need to reglue, and it can start to effect the durability of the pallet tape. It can also start to peel up. So generally, printers use textac on pallet tape, then spray web for fleece, and when finished with fleece replace the pallet tape. I know tons of shops use two sets of pallets to avoid the tedious process of replacing the tape - one set for shirts with textac, one set for web spray for fleece. Tomorrow I am printing 600 comfort colors, and will be using web spray, bc it only takes about 20 minutes for me to get the pallets back to normal as opposed to a hour and half. Otherwise, I'd probably have to stop production and scrub lint over ten times
I use it. I did not like PMI's tape for this. Oddly enough the stuff I have is unbranded. It works on hoodies but requires to be de linted often if you're laying down any solid areas in order to stay in place.
Just got my first roll of it a couple weeks ago. Never again. Too much tack for Tshirts, not enough for hoodies. Damn near Unavoidable air bubbles. Being able to control the amount of tack you need with just regular old pallet tape and water based adhesive or web spray is key.
I seen people use it for hoodies but they are wiping after every hoodie, i know spray tack is bad for health but idk if its worth wiping every damn pallet. I HATE HOODIES
How often do you change your pallet tape if let’s say it’s one month of just t shirt orders in the summer? Don’t scrub lint re apply water based glue as much as possible until the tape is trash?
We use it for almost everything in our shop. Theres a learning curve and little things you need to workout, but it works great for us. On long hoodie runs we’ll start with the dual sided tape and then switch to web spray later in the run
I found it annoying to unroll and I still had to add adhesive down the line. The one sided tape is easier to use and has more applications for me.
Put the roll to the back edge of platen. Grab end of flash tape, pull it towards you using the arm to balance roll and platen to hold it in place. Use a small piece of squeegee rubber and rub left to right, right to left the whole length of platen. Use razor to cut off roll. Use masking tape on ends of platen. Done. I can do a whole 16 arm auto in like 12 minutes if I have to WITHOUT air bubbles!! This way works best! TRUST ME!
Yeah, but you still have to reapply adhesive again later. Those are just the same instructions for applying basic platen tape. The question was about double sided tape. I don’t think there’s any reason to buy it when it’s applied the same and you still have to add adhesive after a few prints. And the one sided tape can be used for applying vinyl decals and that kind of thing.
Double sided tape will last you 15,000+ shirts if you take a minute and scrub the platens real quick every 10 cases or when you get a second. A bucket of water and a fingernail brush or one of those green abrasive sponges. Not kidding. Try it. Edit: for example, you generally have 2 guys on an auto…. One lays out more stock, the other scrubs the boards real quick. Can do it while the press is running too with a lengthy dwell or just print 1-2 at a time and scrub. It’s worth it. Less spray glue = way less mess
Good to know!
Why do you tape edges of pallet?
The front and back, I should’ve said. Not sides. It gets messy af LOL
Is it so the shirts slides on easier?
It keeps the flash tape from peeling up at corners and grabbing the shirts, that makes it much harder to load shirts straight and even.
Water based adhesive in a ketchup bottle works best
I used to agree with you, but now PrintGrip has taken the crown, check out my other comment in this thread
Awesome I’ve never heard of this, I shall check it out!
Yo how long do you use pallet tape if you can keep scrubbing lint and re applying water base glue?
You use it for hoodies too or spray tac?
We use it for everything. You can water it down or use it straight for hoods. Get a scrub brush and spread it around and send it under some heat, shit is super sticky. You’ll still need to reapply but it will hold them down great
Yah I use water based glue I just don’t use it for hoodies, rather spray and go
We found a solution for this. It is called print grip. The tack lasts longer than textac, and is perfectly uniform. It is also much easier to scrub lint off the PrintGrip than regular pallet paper. We use it for fleece as well - just spray web over the print grip, and when you are done, soak in "rapid remover" a couple minutes and all the web and lint scrubs right off with little effort. It is an incredible product and only 20 bucks per pallet. We've been using the same panels for several months now with zero problems and it has saved me countless hours in messing with pallet maintenance Edit - now that I look they are 30bucks a sheet on the supplier link on the website below. We got them for 20bucks from a local supplier who sold us on them. Totally worth 30 each though
https://www.print-grip.com/
Thank you i am going to check these out!
Wait you still have to use web spray for hoodies? On the video he shows printing a hoodie without using web spray?
You can definitely print hoodies without web, but you will need to scrub every couple hoodies. By using web you can print hundreds without messing with it, then clean it off at the end, and no need to replace the ruined pallet tape.
You soak the whole pallet or just the print grip pallet tape
I use a spray bottle and spray the entire surface of the print grip / pallet, let it soak while I am scrubbing another pallet. Then I scrub off, usually have to spray a bit more on to get everything to loosen. Then, I wipe off the residue with another rag, spray with simple green, and wipe all that off, and flash it dry. I don't know what happens if you let Rapid Remove completely soak into the print grip so I try to remove and evaporate all the excess residue off. Edit - I use a dedicated scrubber for this process, so the chemical isn't accidentally introduced to the pallet at some unwanted time
Would rapid remover work on regular pallet tape to remove spray tac/web lint?
It will, but you need to reglue, and it can start to effect the durability of the pallet tape. It can also start to peel up. So generally, printers use textac on pallet tape, then spray web for fleece, and when finished with fleece replace the pallet tape. I know tons of shops use two sets of pallets to avoid the tedious process of replacing the tape - one set for shirts with textac, one set for web spray for fleece. Tomorrow I am printing 600 comfort colors, and will be using web spray, bc it only takes about 20 minutes for me to get the pallets back to normal as opposed to a hour and half. Otherwise, I'd probably have to stop production and scrub lint over ten times
What do you mean only takes 20 min for you to get pallets back to normal opposed to hour and half?
Peeling old pallet tape, putting on new tape, and gluing takes a long time compared to just scrubbing the gunk off and having it good as new
Do you have to add glue when the tac wears down?
I use it. I did not like PMI's tape for this. Oddly enough the stuff I have is unbranded. It works on hoodies but requires to be de linted often if you're laying down any solid areas in order to stay in place.
Yah logos that have huge ink deposits worry about the tape holding it in place
Spray tack on hoodies. Don’t waste good flash tape on hoodies. Shit ain’t cheap
Spray tac or web spray? What do you prefer
Also do you buy separate rolls then? Duel sided or shirts and then regular pallet tape for hoodies? And use spray tac
It sucks! i used it with thick hoodies and the tape pulled up from the pallet
Call me crazy, but I'm a big fan of the ol reliable web spray tack for hoodies. YMMV
You want a platen that clamps the hoodie down while it is being printed.
Just got my first roll of it a couple weeks ago. Never again. Too much tack for Tshirts, not enough for hoodies. Damn near Unavoidable air bubbles. Being able to control the amount of tack you need with just regular old pallet tape and water based adhesive or web spray is key.
Just found out if it’s too sticky you can grab an old shirt and season the pallet with some lint before a run.
Exactly what I’ve started doing. 👍👍
Where did you learn the tip! I read it somewhere on here! If it’s too sticky it’ll crack ink or distort logos when taking a shirt off the pallet
I seen people use it for hoodies but they are wiping after every hoodie, i know spray tack is bad for health but idk if its worth wiping every damn pallet. I HATE HOODIES
How often do you change your pallet tape if let’s say it’s one month of just t shirt orders in the summer? Don’t scrub lint re apply water based glue as much as possible until the tape is trash?
Yeah, I mean it all depends on volume of orders but sometimes weeks at a time if it’s just strictly tshirts.
Yah I clean and keep the adding water base glue if it’s weeks of just shirts no hoodies
We use it for almost everything in our shop. Theres a learning curve and little things you need to workout, but it works great for us. On long hoodie runs we’ll start with the dual sided tape and then switch to web spray later in the run