WALAPress Manual Mug Press

If you are looking to have a versatile mug press that will fit almost any sized drinkware, the WALAPress Manual Mug Press is the way to go. We have pressed skinny tumblers, mason jars, coffee mugs, water bottles, and so much more. The process is quick and simple and the press itself is compact so it doesn’t take up a lot of space.

Preparation

Make sure your Sawgrass creative studio settings are set for your proper substrate and paper. To prepare your substrate, clean your mug with warm water and a clean rag. Pull out your paper tray so you are ready to print. Next, take your dye sublimation paper with your artwork on it, trim it to desired size, and line it up with your mug. Make sure it is centered and aligned how you want, then tape it in place using our thermo tape.

Pressing

Set your heat press to the correct temperature, we suggest 375 F for 210 seconds if it is a regular ceramic mug. Make sure you have enough pressure to get a good transfer for your dye sublimation! After your timer is done, carefully remove your mug from the press, take off the thermo tape and dye sublimation paper, and check out your new mug!

A lot of people have questions about the pressing temperature and time when it comes to drinkware, so we included this handy chart to help guide you through the process of pressing dye sublimation in a mug press and sublimation oven. Remember these are basic settings to get you started, we recommend experimenting with your equipment and getting comfortable with your settings yourself.

Dye sublimation instructions for different drinkware in mug press:

15 oz Mug                           380 F             60-180 seconds

20 oz Skinny Tumbler        400 F           60 seconds

18 oz Water Bottle            400 F           60 seconds

Dye sublimation instructions for different drinkware in sublimation oven (remember to use shrink wrap sleeve) :

Stemless Wine Tumbler           385 F (195 C)             5 minutes

20 oz Skinny Tumbler               390 F (195 C)            4 minutes

18 oz Water Bottle                     400 F (200 C)            4 minutes

For other  dye sublimation blanks, look at the blank's page on our website for specific application instructions.

There are advantages to both the mug press and the sublimation oven when it comes to dye sublimation transfers. You can't go wrong with either piece of equipment. For a more detailed, video version of instructions, check out our partner Lorrie Nunemaker's videos: