HEAT PRESS MANUAL

C ontents
of
Table

Sales and Support info.

1
Before you begin.
2
Overview of your heat press.
3
How to operate your heat press.
4
How to press Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV).
5
Settings chart.
6
Pressing recommendations.
7
Troubleshooting.
8
Warranty.
9
10 Tips & Tricks.

NEED HELP WITH YOUR NEW HEAT PRESS?

For Sales & Support: (425)481-3555
6:15am-4:45pm PST
Monday - Friday

Submit a Service Ticket at: www.uscuttersupport.com

Heat transfer vinyl, transfer paper, teflon sheets, vinyl removal

solution, spare parts, and more available at www.uscutter.com

This documentation is copyright 2016 USCutter. No duplication, republishing or reposting of this

material in whole or in part is authorized without express written consent. Product design, logos,
brand names for various media, and product photos are owned by the manufacturers.

1
Thank you for purchasing this heat press from USCutter. The following are important things
you need to know before you begin:

• Intended usage of this Heat Press: This heat press is designed to press heat transfer vinyl (HTV), sublimation
and transfer papers onto soft garments.

Do not attempt to set the temperature on this device at higher than 480 degrees Fahrenheit as it will burn
out the heating element.

Also avoid use of this heat press for other activities such as food preparation or extraction of oils from plant
materials and other alternative uses.

Use of this heat press in a manner other than intended will void the warranty, will damage the machine,
and may constitute a fire hazard.

• Preserve the shipping carton: Please do not discard or disassemble the carton this heat press came in. It
was designed to hold the weight of this machine during shipping.

Should you need to return the equipment due to warranty or repair, you will need it. Do not attempt to
ship this equipment in a different container.

• Follow manufacturer instructions on materials you press: Always use recommended settings from the
manufacturer for any material used in this press. Those instructions are usually always available on-line
from the material maker.

Instructions on the most common and recommended materials are enclosed within this documentation.

• Test before you press: We encourage you to always do a test of your fabric and HTV or transfer paper
together using a small sample of the materials before you do volume production.

If possible your test should include actually washing and drying a pressed garment to assure that the
media has properly adhered to the garment using the heat and pressure setting you have selected.

• Use extreme care during operation: Please also be careful as you operate the heat press. During operation
the platens will get hot enough to do serious injury to you should you touch them, and surrounding metal
parts will also reach high temperatures.

Please educate children and others around this equipment that it is not a toy and can cause severe burns
and/or injury if the unit is closed onto fingers or other body parts.

• Electrical Source: This heat press is designed for the North American market and is designed to plug into a
standard household 3 prong outlet. (110-120V/60Hz.) Do not attempt to use this press with a two prong
electrical cord or otherwise use it without proper grounding.

2
 Overview of Your Heat Press

1
3
2
6 4
7
5
8
1. Pressure Adjustment Knob 5. Bottom Platen

2. Digital Time/Temperature Control 6. On/Off switch

3. Open/Close Control Arm 7. Fuse

4. Top Platen 8. Power cord

The Pressure Adjustment Knob controls the amount of force that will be used to push the transferred image
into the fibers of the garment. Clockwise increases pressure. Counter clockwise decreases it.

The Time/Temperature Control Panel on the left upper face of the casing is where you will set heat and time
requirements of your project. These will vary depending on the vinyl or transfer paper used.

The Control Arm opens & closes the top & bottom Heated Platens of the clamshell press.

The fuse housing is accessible with a standard phillips head screw driver. This is a standard household fuse
available from any hardware store.

The Power switch must be set to the on position and the Cord must be plugged in before pressing.

3
How to calibrate your new Heat Press:
Instructions from manufacturers of heat transfer vinyls and transfer papers will instruct you to use Low,
Medium or High Pressure during the application process. Here’s how to calibrate your machine and identify
those settings. (Do this while the platens are cold.)

1. Turn the pressure knob counterclockwise a few times to lower pressure on the platens.
2. Place a piece of paper onto bottom of the platen
3. Close the clamshell press using the handle.
4. Pull on the paper.
5. If the paper moves at all, turn the knob clockwise and try again.
6. Try again and repeat until the paper doesn’t move at all. This is your “Medium” pressure.

From the “Medium” setting, High pressure will be clockwise one to two turns. Low pressure will be
counterclockwise one to two turns. (The number of turns will depend the thickness of the garment.

Note that using Medium and High pressure will make it just a bit difficult to close the heat press. During the
pressing process, the goal is to press the heated material into the fibers of the garment.

How to Calibrate the temperature of your new Heat Press:

On a new heat press, it is not unusual for the temperature settings to be off by 18 to 20 degrees. To fix this,
follow these simple steps:

1. Set the Heat Press temperature settings to 380F on the control panel. (See info on this below)
2. When the press heats to about 100F, press the down arrow on the control panel for 5 seconds.

The heat press will go into Calibration Mode. It may take as long as 20 minutes to finish this process. Do not
turn off or unplug the press during this time. To ensure total accuracy, you might also want to test the heat
press using an Infrared Thermometer Gun. (available at most hardware stores.)

Setting the Time and Temperature on your new Heat Press:

1. Using the control panel screen, press the “Set” button then the up or down arrow to the desired
temperature.
2. Press the Set button again and set the timer using the up and down arrows.
3. Press the Set button and arrows again to choose Fahrenheit or Celsius.
4. Press the Set button again to confirm these settings.
5. Press the Set button and use arrows one more time to set an alarm that will notify you in advance
when it is time to open the press.

4
How to press heat transfer Vinyl (HTV):
1. Use a vinyl cutter to cut your heat transfer vinyl material. Remember that unless otherwise instructed by the
manufacurer, you will want to MIRROR the design so that when it cuts, it appears backwards

• Using Sure Cuts A Lot, this option will appear on your Cut Setting menu as a click box
• With Vinyl Master, when you send your design to the cutter, you will find the selection for the
“Mirror” option in the Send to be Cut window.

2. Use a pair of scisors or cutting tool to trim around the image to make it a manageable size.

3. Weed your design, removing the excess material. Remember to remove any material inside the cavity such as
the inside of the letters O and A. (Tip: If you heat up the material using the bottom platen or your unclosed heat
press for 2 to 3 seconds, it will be a lot easier to weed most materials.)

4. Find the appropriate heating instructions for the material you are using either online or in the chart in this
manual, and set your heat press time and temperature using manufacturer recommended settings. (See info in
this manual about setting your heat press temperature and time.)

5. Use the Pressure Adjustment knob on the top of the press to adjust the pressure as recommended. (See info
on this manual about how to adjust pressure on your heat press.)

6. When the heat press heats to the target temperature, place your garment on the botttom platen so that it is flat
and there are no wrinkles in the material. Warning: The platens will be VERY HOT. Be careful.

7. Pre-press the garment for 2 to 3 seconds to remove wrinkles and moisture.

8. Position the heat transfer vinyl on the shirt so that the colored vinyl on the liner is touching the shirt. (your
design should appear through the liner un-mirrored.)

9. Lay a sheet of non-stick paper over the design to keep the top platen clean and avoid scorching the surface of
your heat transfer vinyl.

10. Press the material at the time/temperature recommended by the manufacturer.

11. Open the press and remove the non-stick paper. Set it aside as it can be re-used a limited number of times.

12. Next peel the liner sheet off the top of the garment based on manufacturer instructions.

Note: After removing the garment, resist the urge to stretch, crumple or otherwise manipulate the pressed gar-
ment until the material has had a chance to rest for 24 hours or so. (The chemical composition of the vinyl and
adhesive are still reforming as the material cools.) Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for washing and care
for best results.

5
 Main Tape 45°
al 631 or GXP750 or Blade
ar Wall Vinyl
Oratape HT55
Indoor Wall
Vinyl
Your Guide To
TIPS FOR YOUR HEAT PRESS
TIPSYOUR
TIPS FOR FOR YOUR Perfect Results Every Time.
HEAT HEAT
PRESSPRESS
TIPS FOR YOUR HEAT PRESS

EasyWeed 30° Blade

andard fabrics) (general) TIME TEMPERATURE PRESSURE COLD/HOT
TIME PRESSURE PEELPEEL
Heat PressTIME PRESSURE
TEMPERATURE
TEMPERATURE COLD/HOT
COLD/HOT PEEL
syWeed Extra
PRODUCT 60° Blade USED ON TEMP. PRESSURE TIME
TIME TEMPERATURE
PEEL
s/water resistant) (glitter/flock) (IN SECONDS)

Hot/
Siser Easyweed Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton Blends 305°F Medium 10-15
Cold
Siser Glitter Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton blends 320°F Firm 10-15 Hot
Hot/
Siser Easyweed Glow Leather and Polycotton Blends 305°F Medium 10-15
Cold
651 or GreenStar Hot/
Siser Easyweed Stretch 45° Blade
diate (calendered) GreenStar
Lycra/Spandex & Cotton/Polycotton Blends 305°F Med./Firm 15
(general) Cold
or short term Layflat Classic or
Siser EasyWeed 60° Blade Hot/
Electric Main Tape
l 751 or 951 (cast)
GXF-775
(reflective) Outdoor
Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton Blends 305°F Medium 15
Cold
or long term
Siser Easyweed Extra Signage
Leather, Siliconed Nylons, Polycotton Blends 320°F Light/Med. 10
Hot/
Cold
Hot/
Siser EasyWeed Perf Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton Blends 305°F Medium 10-15
CLEANLINESS & PROTECTION GARMENT SIZE Cold
Siser Metallic Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton Blends 305°F Medium 10-15 Cold

Siser Holographic Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton Blends 320°F Firm 10-15 Cold
CLEANLINESS
CLEANLINESS & PROTECTION
& PROTECTION GARMENT
GARMENT SIZE SIZE
hor BlastLite R-Tape
Siser StripFlock 60° Blade
Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton Blends 320°F Medium 15-20 Cold
Oramask 4076RLA
Siser Reflect All Stencils &
Polycotton blends and 100% Polyester 305°F Medium 10 Warm

Siser CADflex
Masks
Polycotton blends and 100% Polyester
60
305°F Medium CLEANLINESS
15 & PROTECTION
Cold
MEDIA MEDIA
our bladeSiser
depth should
ColorPrint PU be set so
Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton Blends
CARRIER CARRIER 295°F Medium 15-20 Hot

at the tip ofColorPrint

Siser the blade Soft protrudes
Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton Blends 311°F Medium 10-15 Warm
bout the distance of the width of
Siser ColorPrint
credit card from the opening
Crystal ofPolyester and Polycotton Blends
Cotton, 320°F Medium 10-15 Cold
e blade holder. Test for theCotton,
Siser ColorPrint Easy
proper Polyester and Polycotton Blends 300°F Medium 15 Warm
epth setting by holding the blade
older andSiser
manually trying
ColorPrint ExtraMEDIA
toLeather,
cutSiliconed Nylons, Polycotton Blends
CARRIER 320°F Light 10-15 Hot
rough two sheets of paper.Leather
Siser ColorPrint Glitter
Youand Polycotton Blends MEDIA
CARRIER
320°F Medium 15 Hot
ould only be able to cut
rough the topFashion
Chemica sheet. Prints Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton Blends 310°F Medium 15-20 Cold
Chemica Camouflage
Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton Blends 310°F Medium 15-20 Cold
(Print/Digital)
Chemica Animal Print Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton Blends 310°F Medium 15-20 Cold

Chemica Sports 3D Cotton, Polyester and Polycotton Blends 310°F Med./Firm 15-20 Cold

Color Theory Glitter Cotton, Polyester, & Cotton Poly Blend 320°F Firm 10-15 Cold

Color Theory Metallic Cotton, Polyester, & Cotton Poly Blend 320°F Firm 10-15 Cold

Care Instructions: Wait 25 hours after pressing before washing. Machine wash using mild detergent. Do
not use bleach or other aggressive cleaning agents. Turn garment inside out before washing. Cannot be dry
cleaned.
6
Using your Heat Press to press Transfer Paper:
As with all media you’ll use on your heat press, we encourage you to look for the pressing recommendations
from the manufacturer of the transfer material on-line if possible. If you can’t find specific instructions, the
following are general guidelines for your consideration.

TRANSFERS PRINTER GARMENT TEMP. TIME PRESSURE

Sublimation Ricoh,
Cotton 400°F 25~30sec. Medium
Paper Sawgrass

Light Color 365°F 15sec. Medium

Ink Tran. Paper Ink jet Printer

Dark Color 330°F 25sec. Medium

Light Color 365°F 15sec. Medium

Laser Transfer
Laser Printer
Paper
Dark Color
330°F 25sec. Medium

Laser Printer Paper A 250°F 20sec. High

Trim Free Laser
Transfer
/ Paper B 340°F 25sec. High

Cutting
Transfer Vinyls
Plotter / 300~320°F 8~10sec. Medium

Plastisol Transfer / / 390°F 15sec. High

Eco-solvent Printing &

Transfer Paper Plotter / 330°F 15~25sec. High

7
Troubleshooting:
When I pressed my HTV, the material would not stick to the garment and/or fell off during
washing. How do I fix this?

First double check manufacturer instructions – especially on heat and pressure settings. If you are following
them to the letter, increase your pressure. Remember: Pressing isn’t just about heating the vinyl – it’s about
pushing the vinyl into the materials so that the adhesive finds a grip. Increasing the pressure is often the
solution.

You might also need to increase your temperature a bit, but try this after you’ve increased the pressure, and
don’t up the temperature by more than about 5% over manufacturer instructions.

When I peeled the carrier sheet from my HTV, the color vinyl came up off the garment but the
adhesive below it stayed in place. What happened?

You are most likely peeling the material too hot. HTV’s like metallic, printed/fashion, and many others are
usually recommended for cold peel.

If that’s not it, double check the garment you are pressing and make sure it’s appropriate for the HTV you are
using. If the material has a coating of any kind, you might need to use a special HTV specifically designed for
sticking to coated materials. A common example of this is someone trying to heat press HTV onto a water
resistant fabric. Using an HTV like Siser Extra will solve the problem.

My transfer paper is sticking to the heated platen. How do I fix this?

We really recommend the use of non-stick paper for most transfer pressings. (In the case of the Flex-Soft
N0-Cut Fel form Forever Paper – use the supplied non-stick paper – not Teflon – which can damage the flex
material)

When I transfer, my colors look faded.

You need to increase the amount of time you’re pressing and/or increase the heat by 20 degrees.

My Heat Press won’t heat up.

Heat presses use a lot of energy while they are heating up. It’s possible that the energy drain has blown the
fuse in the press. The Fuse is a common household fuse available at any hardware store. The fuse housing is
on the side of the press and can be accessed with a phillips head screwdriver.

Time/Temperature control panel shows “000”

If you see this, turn the machine off and back on. If that doesn’t fix it, please contact our support group as a
replacement part might be necessary.

8
Warranty Statement
USCutter will repair or replace parts and equipment found to be defective in materials or workmanship during the
warranty period subject to the following:
• On this heat press, USCutter will supply new or rebuilt parts to replace parts that are found to be defective
within the warranty period instead of replacing the equipment outright. USCutter will ship these parts with no
cost to the customer as long as the shipment is within the United States. Full telephone based support will be
given by USCutter representatives to aid the customer in the replacement of any parts sent.
• If USCutter, at its sole discretion, determines that the equipment is not able to be repaired, then a RMA number
will be assigned and the customer is authorized to return the equipment for replacement.
• The standard Transforsa heat press warranty is 6 months from day the product is received.
• Any equipment older than 6months may be replaced with a certified refurbished unit at our discretion.
• Included software with this heat press, if any, will be covered by a separate warranty included with software.

Warranty and Exchange Process:

• If you are having issues with a product or service purchased from the company, please contact the support
department at www.USCuttersupport.com.
• All returns must be authorized by a USCutter representative before the product is shipped. The USCutter
representative will issue a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number that must be put on the outside of
the returned item packaging. US Cutter will not be responsible for any item sent back without a RMA in place
and it may be returned to customer and they will be responsible for any shipping costs.
• Any item being returned to USCutter (excluding items over 50 lbs which require freight shipping) are eligible
for a flat rate ground shipping label at the market rate. Items determined to be defective within first 30 days or
improperly shipped will receive this label free of charge. The customer may choose their own shipping method
as long as tracking information is communicated to and acknowledged by USCutter.
• Items should be returned in their original packaging. Items returned in other than the original packaging may
be assessed additional restocking fees of up to 50% and USCutter will not be responsible for any damage of
returned items that is a result of improper shipping methods.
• Items returned for a refund may be subject to restocking fees. Once a refund is processed it will usually be
returned to the originating account within 7 to 10 business days, depending on the customer’s bank.

Warranty Exclusions and Verification:

• Warranty does not include coverage of “consumables” or any item that is commonly subject to wear and tear.
This would include blades, blade holders, cutting strips or vinyl media.
• Defective Items: If any item arrives in unusable condition, USCutter must be notified within 30 days of receiving
the product or replacement may not be provided.
• USCutter reserves the right to request proof in the form of photos as proof of defects or to document failure of
parts replaced under warranty.
• USCutter DOES NOT COVER ANY INDIRECT DAMAGES OR LOSS OF PRODUCT OR REVENUE. Repair or replacement
of defective parts or components under the terms of this warranty is the EXCLUSIVE REMEDY. USCutter is not
liable for any incidental, consequential, or indirect damages of any kind, including without limitation personal
injury, death, property damage, environmental damage, theft or loss of product, loss of revenue or profits,
business interruption, or any other business or commercial loss. USCutter is not liable for any claims or lawsuits
asserted against our customers or any claims or lawsuits related to the unlawful or fraudulent use of our product.
• Damage suffered by supplied equipment due to neglect, abuse, misuse, power surge or act of nature is not
covered.
• This warranty covers products purchased and installed in the United States and is not valid elsewhere.

THIS WARRANTY CONTAINED HEREIN IS EXCLUSIVE AND THEREFORE NO OTHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY
WARRANTIES. WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR APPLICATION ARE IMPRESSLY
EXCLUDED.

9
 TIPS FOR YOUR HEAT PRESS

TIME TEMPERATURE PRESSURE COLD/HOT PEEL

•The length of time your •Most heat transfer vinyls •Usually the pressure setting •Different heat transfer vinyls
heated press will be in contact require the temperature to be for your heat platen must be require that you remove the
with the material. manually set with a knob. carrier sheet at different points
set between 295° and 320°, following the heat press cycle.
•Heat transfer of a vinyl design while sublimation occurs in a
onto a garment will usually •Most heat transfer vinyls •Many popular heat transfer
higher temperature range of and sublimation applications
take 10-15 seconds, while 350° to 400°. vinyls peel hot OR cold.
sublimation onto a substrate require medium pressure.
can take minutes. Some textures like holographic •Some vinyls MUST be peeled
•Heat presses can be off a few or glitter require firmer HOT, WARM, or COLD though
•Many USCutter heat presses degrees, so do a test press first pressure, but careful you to ensure the adhesives in the
have an auto-open feature don’t leave the knob cranked carrier sheet and the vinyl’s
where the platen will pop with some scraps of fabric and slower-setting melt adhesive
open after the time expires, too much. This can lead to don’t work against each other.
vinyl to ensure your machine is damaged equipment.
protecting your material from correctly calibrated.
overexposure.

UPPER PLATEN

LOWER PLATEN

CLEANLINESS & PROTECTION GARMENT SIZE

•Debris and plastic residue from
vinyl graphics can build up on the
platen if it’s not protected, which Keep a sense of scale in
can cause staining to affect whole mind. A graphic which
production runs. looks good on a men’s
•Use EZ Off Heat Press Platen extra-large might seem
Cleaner to maintain a pristine heat overpowering on a
contact surface. lady’s small. Fit the size
•Protect your garment from direct contact with the heat press of your graphic to the
platens to prevent singeing. size of the material.
•Teflon sheets or Hexis Filflex will protect your garment,
graphic, and platen.

10
 Providing sales and service for world-class providers of
sublimation & heat transfer equipment & media

This documentation is copyright 2016 USCutter. No duplication,

republishing or reposting of this material in whole or in part is authorized
without express written consent. Product design, logos, brand names
for various media, and product photos are owned by the manufacturers.