A lightweight, portable lateral
heat press machine that allows an operator to quickly and economically transfer graphic characters or images using an ink transfer paper process or a sublimation process, or vinyl onto the surface of a garment or an object. The device includes a vertical aligned sliding arm
assembly perpendicularly aligned to a horizontally aligned
chassis assembly. Attached to the
chassis assembly is at least one
workstation assembly and a console. The
workstation assembly includes a pedestal with an exchangeable, horizontally aligned lower platen that may be selectively rotated and locked in portrait or landscape orientation and a height and pressure adjustment feature. The sliding arm assembly extends upward and forward and includes a heated, upper platen attached to a manually operated
plunger. The console contains the controls for operating the
heating element inside the upper platen and a
timer. In a second embodiment, a second
workstation assembly is provided which enables the operator to slide the arm assembly between workstations thereby enabling the operator to setup one workstation as the pressing procedure is being performed on the other.