Welcome back to the craft room and today’s Sublimation Tutorial with My New Vevor Tumbler Press post. Today I want to share with you a sublimation tutorial with my newly purchased Vevor Tumbler Press. I will be walking you through the entire process; from getting the water bottle ready for sublimation to the big reveal of the finished project. Stick around to read all about it. If you are more of a visual learner, check out the accompanying YouTube video. Let’s get right to it.
The Sublimation Blank and Image
Today I am working with a sublimation ready Make Market water bottle from Michaels. Last year I used this same water bottle for a sublimation project for myself. During a recent visit with my sister, she thought this size bottle would be perfect to use in the RV. After a visit to Creative Fabrica, we found this beautiful butterfly image. To personalize the water bottle even more I also added her name to the image before printing. The image was printed with my Epson SureColor F170 sublimation printer on A-sub Sublimation Paper.
Preparing the Blank
Measuring
To get a good image transfer, the paper needs to be cut to size with minimal overlap. It is recommended to measure every item you are sublimating. Even if you have purchased a box of blanks, there may be a slight deviation in the size between them. So, in the words of many, “measure twice, cut once”. As you can see in the photos below, this water bottle measures 9.25” x 8”. To get the most accurate measurement, remember to pull the tape measure tight.
The image for today’s project will only be in the middle of the water bottle and not around the entire width. So, for this project, the measurements aren’t that important. However, to ensure my next project will be done correctly, I am still going to measure the height and width and cut my image to size.
Cleaning
Before sublimating any item, there are a few precautions that need to be taken. During the heating process, anything on the sublimation blank will leave a mark that will become permanent. To prevent this from happening, I always clean my cups and tumblers with alcohol and a lint free cloth or coffee filter. To add another layer of cleanliness, I also use a lint roller over the surface. After this, I do my best not to touch the outer surface of my blank.
Wrapping
After the blank is clean it is time to tape the image into place. It is vital to ensure a tight application of the paper; any air pockets will result in ghosting. Because the image I am using for today’s project is only in the center of the water bottle I don’t need as much tape. If your image goes the full length and width of your sublimation blank, it is imperative to tape every seam. Today I only added tape down the side seam and made sure it was a tight fit and no air bubbles were in the middle of the project.
The last step in wrapping this project is to cover the water bottle with a piece of butcher paper. It is always important to use butcher paper when sublimating. This is a protective covering that will protect your heating element from any sublimation ink that may “blow out” while your project is being processed.
The Vevor Tumbler Press
What Comes In The Box
While it may be possible to sublimate a tumbler with a dedicated mug press, it is best to use the tools that are designed for each type of project. That is why I am so happy I purchased the Vevor Tumbler Press. There are three different color options for this tumbler press, but I had to have the pink one. It is such a pretty color! In the box, I also received the power cord and user guide. Vevor also sent a roll of heat resistant tape, a pair of heat resistant gloves and a sample package of sublimation paper.
From unboxing to being ready to make your first project, takes moments. Plug the heating element cord into the press base and secure it. Finally, plug the electrical cord into the base and the nearest outlet. It is that simple.
Before you turn on your press you will want to adjust the pressure for the blank you will be sublimating. Insert the item into the press and close it with the handle. Then, turn the knobs at the back of the press to adjust the pressure to fit your project. I chose to use a medium pressure and adjusted to what I felt that might be. Unfortunately, there isn’t any indication on the press that would tell you what a light to heavy pressure might feel like. You will find that is the case with every heat press on the market from tumbler to larger clamshell presses.
Adjusting the Time and Temperature
The Vevor Tumbler Press has a single power/adjustment button on the front of the machine. At first glance it seems difficult to use but it really is simple. Let me show you.
- To turn the tumbler on: Press the center of the dial.
- To adjust the temperature: Turn the outer dial a quarter turn to the right. Adjust to the desired temperature. It will blink and beep when it is set.
- To adjust the time: Turn the outer dial a quarter turn to the left. Adjust to the desired time. It will blink and beep when it is set.
- To turn the tumbler off: Press and hold the center of the dial.
If this is still a little confusing, because it was initially confusing for me as well, I have a short video clip you can watch.
Sublimating with the Vevor Tumbler Press
To continue with the sublimation tutorial with my new Vevor tumbler press we need to set the proper temperature and time. According to the Make Market temperature guide, stainless steel drink ware needs to be sublimated at 356 – 360 degrees for 60 seconds. I chose to process my water bottle at 360 degrees for 60 seconds. After inserting the water bottle into the press and closing it, there was a gap where the heating element did not fully surround it. Because of this the bottle had to be processed twice to fully sublimate the entire area. After the first 60 seconds I rotated the bottle 180 degrees and processed it for another 60 seconds for a total of 120 seconds.
The most difficult part of the sublimation process for me is waiting to see the finished results. I like to wait until the project is cool enough to touch before I start removing the paper. Doing this, I am assured the sublimation process is completely over and my actions will not cause any ghosting. It is always exciting to peel off the sublimation paper to see what the finished project looks like, and this was no exception!
When removing the butcher paper, it is apparent why it is needed when sublimating any project. As you can see in the image below, the ink came through the A-sub sublimation paper. It is now very visible on the butcher paper. Without this protection, the ink could very well be adhered to the heating element of the tumbler press now.
When all the paper is removed the most vibrant and beautiful butterfly is revealed! Taking pictures of the finished water bottle was not easy because of the glare. However, in the image below I think you can see just how beautiful and detailed this truly is.
Final Thoughts
I am absolutely tickled pink with the results of this water bottle. I know for a fact it would not have turned out as lovely without my new Vevor Tumbler Press. Having a single dial to control everything is a little confusing at first, but it doesn’t take long to understand how it works. Being able to sublimate a tumbler of this size with only one extra turn is so much easier than trying to do the same item in a mug press. If you are thinking of upgrading to a dedicated tumbler press, I highly recommend this Vevor Tumbler Press.
Thank you so much for joining me for today’s Sublimation Tutorial with My New Vevor Tumbler Press post. Let me know down in the comments if you already own a tumbler press, or if you might be interested in giving tumbler sublimation a try? If you would like to check out some of my other sublimation projects, click here: Sublimation Projects. Until then, have a fantastic week and I will see you back in the craft room again soon!
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