Before operating the press, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- First do not put your fingers into the press. It will crush them, so please keep safety in mind while using it.
- Your print must be larger than your mounting board. If it’s not, adhesive will get on the rollers, which is not easily removed. Make sure to cut your board around 1/4″-1/2″ smaller than your print, to avoid getting adhesive on the rollers. If you get adhesive on the rollers, it will be your responsibility to thoroughly clean them.
- Finally, make sure your hands are cleaned before touching your print, and avoid touching your print directly to avoid fingerprints.
- Turn on the power timer. Reach behind the machine and turn the knob next to the plug halfway.
2. Turn on the power using the switch on the back of the press.
3. Make sure the roller is clean. Turn the rollers and wipe them down. If they’re sticky, use rubbing alcohol to clean them off and wait for them to dry completely before using.
4. Check the Roller height. The dial to move the rollers up and down is on the side of the machine. Start by rolling the dial up and put a piece of scrap mounting board in the feed. Roll down until the roller just barely touches the scrap mounting board, then turn the dial an additional 1/4 turn to increase the pressure.
Note: If someone was using the machine before you using the same type of mounting board, you can skip this step. The pressure will stay the same.
5. Flip the switch to reverse and hold down the foot pedal to take your scrap board out of the machine. This is also your chance to assess your pressure, if the scrap isn’t coming out you might need to loosen the rollers and decrease the pressure.
6. Pull back the adhesive covering from your mounting board about an inch and crease it down.
7. Align the top edge of your print with the edge of the board. This is the most critical step when mounting! You’ll need to center and align your print vertically on the board, then press down firmly to secure it in place. Make sure your print is larger than the board, and that absolutely no adhesive from the mounting board is exposed.
8. Set the press to roll forward. Feed your print into the rollers, image side up. Make sure it’s snug with the roller, and fold your image up over the roller. Tip: You can use your hip to keep the board in place and keep things snug to the roller.
9. Make sure the press is set to roll forward. Peel back the adhesive cover, leaving about a 3″-4″ gap of adhesive between it and your print as it goes through the machine. Press down on the foot pedal, slowly peeling back the adhesive cover as your print moves through the press. Be careful not to get any adhesive on the roller! Don’t get your fingers caught in there either.
10. Once your print is through the press, it’s time to trim! Find a sharp Xacto knife, and put your print face down on a clean surface. Hold the blade perpendicular to the print, and cut off excess carefully. Repeat with all sides. Try not to touch your print when handling it, and be careful not to cut the board with your blade.
If your Xacto blade is dull, you can discard it in the “sharps” can in the lab, and replace it with a new one. Don’t leave any loose blades anywhere, and be careful when handling sharp objects.