Table top Conveyor Dryer

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Leadfoot
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Re: Table top Conveyor Dryer

Post by Leadfoot »

I am definitely one to agree with the flash dryer method being time consuming but it does the trick when you figure it all out. You just have to be very persistent about keeping an eye on it and use an infrared heat gun to make sure the temp is right when curing.

I can't say I am a fan of the heat press curing method, seems like getting a good quality flash dryer would be a better idea...but to each their own!

I like the idea of a table top or smaller conveyor dryer but hoping that when I can upgrade my shop space I can just do a full size one. :) Thanks to all for the info and opinions!
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ppdlao
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Re: Table top Conveyor Dryer

Post by ppdlao »

Catspit Productions wrote:Yes, this is an interesting alternative curing method that I am planning on doing a video about. I have been told you can print the plastisol ink onto the shirt, dry it to the touch with a heat gun and then press it in a heat press for 30 seconds at 350 degrees Fahrenheit using a Teflon sheet over the print. I don’t know how well this works as I have never tried it yet but I will do an experimental video on this very soon.

If you had a heat press I would say try it out but if you plan on going farther with your printing and running commercial jobs you will want to cut down production time by using a little belt oven. Doing it with the heat press may work and it may work well but it will definitely be much slower than using a little belt dryer.

But yes, it should be consistent and yes you could scorch the shirt if it’s too hot but I wouldn’t worry too much about over curing the ink. You practically have to burn the shirt to do that. I sell very inexpensive heat presses here:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/ri ... pment.html

They are imported from China but I have been selling them for over 4 years now and no one has ever had any problems with these units. A Hix press could run you almost as much as the little belt dryer. A 16x20 Hix clamshell press is about $1200.

http://www.hixcorp.com/ht600p

So you have to weigh the investment against your end goals here. What are your long term goals with screen printing? Commercial work or hobbyist “now and then” type stuff.... follow?

well Jon, I´ve cured hundreds of t shirts with a Heat Press since we´ve started, yes, we had some issues when curing tees(at the beginning), sometimes the ink stucked to the teflon sheet(it was because I was printing a too thick ink layer by error) that always happened only with the white ink printings, but all the problems that I had in the past year were because of our raw experince printing(this February '13 marks nine months since I´ve started printing tees my self at home with my wife), so far we've learnt to improve our screen printing skills and had the chance to buy better quality inks, and chemicals, and since 2, almost 3 months ago, we´re having more control of the printings and those curing issues has gone, Jon knows some of my work, he knows we do 40cmsx38cms printings over black garments,we only have 3 stations-1 pallet so I can talk about printing even a white under base, and 2 more colors over it, then curing it with the heat press succesfuly, and yes, the curing time would be 30-35 secs 340-350°F (for plastisol) no need to pre-cure somehow with nothing, you can even print wet on wet pull the tee out of the press right into the heat press and cure your tee without any problems, the ink would not stick to the teflon sheet unless your ink layer is too thick, or lengthen the curing time more than needed.

:!: One last thing, that I think may be the key for curing with this, that my Heat Press has the teflon sheet attached to the upper side of the heat press , because putting the uncured tee into the heat press, then putting above the teflon sheet(that is loose) may cause it to stick to the hot ink when lifting the heat press, because those 2 secs when releasing the press lever and taking off the teflon sheet, that might be a huge problem, it probably will stick and ruin your print.

But in the end,a conveyor belt dryer is the best way for curing garments in a screen printing shop, but for my experience, the heat press has work fine so far, see you guys :)
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ppdlao
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Re: Table top Conveyor Dryer

Post by ppdlao »

ppdlao wrote: :!: One last thing, that I think may be the key for curing with this, that my Heat Press has the teflon sheet attached to the upper side of the heat press , because putting the uncured tee into the heat press, then putting above the teflon sheet(that is loose) may cause it to stick to the hot ink when lifting the heat press, because those 2 secs when releasing the press lever and taking off the teflon sheet, that might be a huge problem, it probably will stick and ruin your print.
This is the Heat Press model that I have, take a look that the teflon sheet is attached to the upper iron pallet of the heat press
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Catspit Productions
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Re: Table top Conveyor Dryer

Post by Catspit Productions »

Thanks Pepe! Great information; I know people ask about this often. :)

Yes the heat press method does work with plastisol inks but it is very touchy. And Teflon sheets are a must. I finally did a video on this and I discovered that very little pressure is probably best. Also like you said, very low volumes of ink will work best. With water based inks I think it is much easier as they print lower volumes of ink and they only “heat set” really.

I have seen many videos on YouTube where people use the heat press to cure plastisol printed shirts and it does work. But yes, it’s definitely a much slower and a more finicky method. If you want to produce any volume of shirts quickly and easily a belt dryer is best in my opinion.

And it is a viable option for people who can’t do anything else for whatever reason.
Jonathan Monaco
Catspit Productions, LLC
Learn how to screen print tee shirts!

http://catspitscreenprintsupply.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/CatspitProductions
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ppdlao
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Re: Table top Conveyor Dryer

Post by ppdlao »

You´re welcome buddy and of course, definitely a Conveyor dryer belt is the best for curing tees. :!:

I also think someone asked :?: if you pull out the t shirt right into the heat press, leave it there and continuing printing while the heat press cures it, my answer will be no, :!: you print the tees, pull it out of the palet and leave it over a table, one over another, putting some newspaper sheets between them, I´ve stacked 100 t shirts (one color design) but I think you must stack less pieces as the numbers of colors rises into the printing job (because they weight a lot, I use 100% cotton :P ) and then before finishing, then you turn on the heat press, it raises its temperature (340-350 °F) like in 4-8 mins depending on your room weather, and then proceed to cure them all, but when it has come to be an easy one, 1 color printing job, I´ve printed like 5 t shirts, then my wife turns on the heat press, and start curing them, but I double her pulling out tees faster as she can cure them(30 secs aprox), so if you have no room, or budget for a conveyor belt dryer, I do recomend buying a heat press

see you guys!
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ppdlao
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Re: Table top Conveyor Dryer

Post by ppdlao »

I always edit my posts since I´m always traslating what I want to mean, and couldn´t re-edit my last post anymore :oops: jajaja but what I missed to tell, is important, that when you stack the t shirts with newspaper sheet between them in order to finish printing and proceed to cure them with a heat press, this action of stacking them will not ruin or get your print messed up at all, I thought so when I was taught this, but it wouldn´t , but yet your should only use those paper sheets just one time and only, then throw ém to the garbage :)
OffsetnScreen
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Re: Table top Conveyor Dryer

Post by OffsetnScreen »

I am looking at this type and the floor standing small conveyor dryers also. Concerning scorching, I have seen spray cans of scorch remover. Can someone shed some light on this please. I have noticed on some shirts when drying with a flash dryer, that if there is a wrinkle or double layer of cloth at the sleeve that is under the flash dryer, the seam will have a tendency to want to scorch because it is a little closer to the unit. I have been using the flash dryer at a height of approx. 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the material very close. If it weren't for my digital thermometer, I would be in big trouble. Thanks again to everyone for all of the valuable info that they have posted. ....peace
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Re: Table top Conveyor Dryer

Post by ApeShirt »

OffsetnScreen wrote:I am looking at this type and the floor standing small conveyor dryers also. Concerning scorching, I have seen spray cans of scorch remover. Can someone shed some light on this please. I have noticed on some shirts when drying with a flash dryer, that if there is a wrinkle or double layer of cloth at the sleeve that is under the flash dryer, the seam will have a tendency to want to scorch because it is a little closer to the unit. I have been using the flash dryer at a height of approx. 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the material very close. If it weren't for my digital thermometer, I would be in big trouble. Thanks again to everyone for all of the valuable info that they have posted. ....peace
Wow, 1/4 to 1/2 inch above the shirts. I can see why you're scorching some. As you said, if there is a raised area then it is practically touching the heating element. Have you ever temped the surface of those things? I have. We're talking in excess of 600 degrees. I cure at a height of 2-3" above.
Greg
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OffsetnScreen
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Re: Table top Conveyor Dryer

Post by OffsetnScreen »

Ok...maybe an inch of height, not much more. After 25 to 30 seconds, light smoke begins to rise and i pull it away from the unit and check the temp looking for 330F. I figure it drops by 5 to 10 degrees by the time my laser thermometer reads. I almost got into trouble when it was set to Celcius and couldnt get the temp readings I was looking for....the smoke told me it was hot enough. How bout the scorch remover....does it work? Also I learned that pink and orange fabric will darken , but after 20 to 30 minutes, the color comes back and lightens up. This was scary till my teeshirt guru told me not to worry......peace
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Catspit Productions
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Re: Table top Conveyor Dryer

Post by Catspit Productions »

Yes scorch out works well. Try to use the laser infrared thermometer by pointing the laser into the oven chamber while the shirt is going through. Make sure to hi the ink surface and take readings in the middle and toward the end of the chamber.

It’s true that some colors of garments will darken from the heat and then return to normal after some time. But it is not limited to pink and orange. Reds, blues, maroons and others may as well.
Jonathan Monaco
Catspit Productions, LLC
Learn how to screen print tee shirts!

http://catspitscreenprintsupply.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/CatspitProductions
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