Mold or bleed through? Or?

[kevhanano]

Anyone working with Siser Easyweed come across this? Pressed logos for customer Christmas appreciation gifts and found these spots about 2 weeks after. Tried cleaners, alcohol, bleach, etc. Any thoughts?

 

[VizualVoice]

Odd and curious. What's the substrate it's on? I used to use a ton of easy weed and never saw anything like that. (I've mostly switched to a different brand that I like better, but still get it occasionally). Usually when you have dye migration (bleed through) it's a consistent change in color across the material, not splotchy like that. Unless maybe that's some sort of weird blend with just little flecks of polyester in it I don't think that's it.

 

[signbrad]

We got these same “fisheye-looking” spots when laminating clear FCO letters to the front of white acrylic using Weld On 3. We were attempting a push-thru look using clear letters on white backer, instead of white FCO letters on white backer (which we do regularly on routered aluminum faces).
We guessed the cause was dust or contaminates between the plastics creating actual fish eyes in the watery Weld-On. We never figured it out, really. We just didn’t do it again.
May be totally unrelated to your problem.

 

[kevhanano]

Odd and curious. What's the substrate it's on? I used to use a ton of easy weed and never saw anything like that. (I've mostly switched to a different brand that I like better, but still get it occasionally). Usually when you have dye migration (bleed through) it's a consistent change in color across the material, not splotchy like that. Unless maybe that's some sort of weird blend with just little flecks of polyester in it I don't think that's it.

It's pressed onto black canvas tote bags. What's the other brand you switched to if you don't mind me asking? I'm sending to Siser for answers as well.

 

[VizualVoice]

It's pressed onto black canvas tote bags. What's the other brand you switched to if you don't mind me asking? I'm sending to Siser for answers as well.

This stuff that they call Ultra Flex.

Ultra Flex Regular Colors 20” wide Heat TRANSFER Vinyl for T-Shirt and – Aviva Wholesale

Following color's name has been changed. Gold ----------> Champagne GoldGolden Yellow --------> TangerinePlease refer to the color reference chart! Our heat transfer vinyl will make your custom designs stand out from the crowd with its vibrance and high quality. Available in a variety of sizes...

avivawholesale.com

I was skeptical at first but there's a (relatively) local physical store in Orlando that I was able to get and test some, and have since used a LOT of it over the past year and a half or so. It cuts with the same settings as the Siser, but weeds WAAAAY easier IMHO. The backing is not quite as tacky, but just right. Cuts super cleanly, I've done pretty tiny details with it on my Graphtec. Stays together when weeding, it's pretty easy to do multiple lines of fine text at a time. Nice hand to it, if anything it may be just a tiny bit thinner than the Siser, but they're close. The website sucks and I've never been able to get a physical color chart from them, but I can tell you that the swatch pics are reasonably accurate on a calibrated monitor from the 8-10ish colors that I've tried. I go through a lot of white, black, and tangerine. The latter is the best "golden yellow" IMHO, think like law enforcement "raid" shirts or the stencils on the side of a military ammo can. It's the right color for those sorts of things. Red clay is the only swatch I've found that's not quite right on the sheet - I'd say in real life it's the same color as a terra cotta pot. Oh and the neon orange really pops!


I've also used the flock and soft metallic, both of which are fine though I haven't used nearly as much I've been happy with it all. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you try it.

 

[kevhanano]

We got these same “fisheye-looking” spots when laminating clear FCO letters to the front of white acrylic using Weld On 3. We were attempting a push-thru look using clear letters on white backer, instead of white FCO letters on white backer (which we do regularly on routered aluminum faces).
We guessed the cause was dust or contaminates between the plastics creating actual fish eyes in the watery Weld-On. We never figured it out, really. We just didn’t do it again.
May be totally unrelated

This stuff that they call Ultra Flex.

Ultra Flex Regular Colors 20” wide Heat TRANSFER Vinyl for T-Shirt and – Aviva Wholesale

Following color's name has been changed. Gold ----------> Champagne GoldGolden Yellow --------> TangerinePlease refer to the color reference chart! Our heat transfer vinyl will make your custom designs stand out from the crowd with its vibrance and high quality. Available in a variety of sizes...

avivawholesale.com

I was skeptical at first but there's a (relatively) local physical store in Orlando that I was able to get and test some, and have since used a LOT of it over the past year and a half or so. It cuts with the same settings as the Siser, but weeds WAAAAY easier IMHO. The backing is not quite as tacky, but just right. Cuts super cleanly, I've done pretty tiny details with it on my Graphtec. Stays together when weeding, it's pretty easy to do multiple lines of fine text at a time. Nice hand to it, if anything it may be just a tiny bit thinner than the Siser, but they're close. The website sucks and I've never been able to get a physical color chart from them, but I can tell you that the swatch pics are reasonably accurate on a calibrated monitor from the 8-10ish colors that I've tried. I go through a lot of white, black, and tangerine. The latter is the best "golden yellow" IMHO, think like law enforcement "raid" shirts or the stencils on the side of a military ammo can. It's the right color for those sorts of things. Red clay is the only swatch I've found that's not quite right on the sheet - I'd say in real life it's the same color as a terra cotta pot. Oh and the neon orange really pops!


I've also used the flock and soft metallic, both of which are fine though I haven't used nearly as much I've been happy with it all. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you try it.

I will definitely check them out, thank you for the info. I'll reply if I hear from Siser.

 

[kevhanano]

I will definitely check them out, thank you for the info. I'll reply if I hear from Siser.

Update: After trying to pin me on material compatibility, press temperature, press pressure, time of press contact, they suggested new temperature, pressure and time.
A little too late for that and they should not publish specs if they aren't accurate. So then the final "conclusion" was dye migration. No compensation for us and 40 bags later.
Sorry for the inconvenience!
Seems a big ask to have to wait 2 weeks to hand off to customer and then see this result.
Chalk another one up in the loss column for the little guy.

 

[VizualVoice]

I don't understand how dye would migrate from cotton canvas. It isn't supposed to happen like that. And if that was their "solution" why didn't they offer to get you material with a dye blocker (Sub-block) to replace and redo? Sounds like crappy customer service on their part TBH. Sorry you had to eat this one.

 

[VizualVoice]

By chance did you reach out to the bag manufacturer to inquire about the material?

 

[kevhanano]

Its actually a polyester. I have pressed digital print SOJAR on the same bag with a decent amount of white showing and there is nothing like that happening.
Ya, I've expressed my disappointment in the non-assist, compensation or solution, and told them I would not be buying or promoting their product.