Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
I have a big show coming up this weekend and I turned my press on today and it will only heat to 116degrees. I purchased it from Airwaves and I know it's a common press but I can not figure out what type it is becasue it only says Airwaves on the side, anyway it's not digital and the temp dial reads correctly to the knob setting (375 is about 7) but when I put my heat gun to it, it only gets to 116. Can any give be some advise, like I said I have a big show this weekend and since I'm in Alaska it's not so easy to just ship on with out paying an arm and leg. Would it possibly be a fuse?? It is a manual press, green/teal in color, I've seen them before would it be a hix maybe.
No this coming up weekend but I have a lot of pre-orders to do. I noticed a problem because I pressed a transfer and it started peeling, never had that problem before, so I pressed another on my other press and it worked perfect, so I broke out the heat gun and the temp read only 116, I checked my other press and it was 365. Last week while doing transfers the spring popped off while it was in the open position, my son fixed it and it has worked great until now. I would not be so concerned but I need both presses becuase the transfers have to be at 375, and the vinyl for the name/# on sleeve at 305. I was just wondering if maybe this type of press that is not digitial could be the fuse or would it be the heating element. Can the heating element be replaced?
Not sure of the design of the press, make sure the temp, knob is actually turning the control. I have seen the set screw come lose and not turn the control.
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If it was the fuse, it would not work at all. It sounds like it could be the heating element. It can be replaced but you need to know the brand, then call a distributor and order it. I think they are fairly cheap to replace.
Ok I was posting the same time as Bob his suggestion is a good one also.
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Wow, Melinda. Maybe you should also find out who can help if your press cannot be fixed in time. Sometimes folks on the forum can lend a hand in a pinch, maybe someone is near you.
LIke Sunny said, the heating elements can be replaced, at least, I haven't heard of someone saying theirs couldn't be, but it's not too common for them to go ka-put. Anyway, if it is the heating element, you'll need one sent to you and that will take time, if it's replaceable.
What is this mysterious spring that popped out, and why did replacing it make the press work again? Did the temp drop before when the spring popped out?
I'd check into what Bob's talking about, but I'm curious as a cat as to what that screw does and how it may be involved in the temp drop.
Another thing I was wondering, since you need to pressed bc they are set at different temps, if you have to go with a solo press, is there a way to find a temp that makes both the transfer and vinyl happy? Folks on here use some wildly different times and temps for JPSS, and they report success. Just wondering if you are stuck in a pinch, if whatever products you are using can also be tweaked so that you can press both at the same temp and hopefully get the job done on time.
Gee, hope it works out for you. I'll be thinking of you, if I see anything else that might help, I'll post here.
On a press the temperature control has a shaft which the knob is attached to. If viewed from above it is usually shaped like a D (without the knob on). The knob is held onto the shaft with a set screw, it can be found on the side of the knob, may look like a small hole. Inside the hole is a small screw which gets tightened onto the flat portion of the D shaft. If this becomes lose it will not turn the control = stuck temp.
It really sounds like the thermostat to me, the unit is heating just not to the correct temp.
Hope this helps, an makes sense, I'm headed to bed, 4:30am was a long time ago.
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The temp knob is working I think, I turned it all the way to 10 and the thermostat went to 450 but the temp only went to 160 per the temp gun and I also used to differnt temp guns just to make sure and they both said the same thing within a degree or two.
I'm not sure about finding a happy medium with the 2 material, one is plastisol transfers to be pressed at 375 and the other material is easy weed pressed at 305 . Do you think I could press the easy weed at 375? This is my first big Hockey tournament and I do not want to mess it up. I guess I will call airwaves first thing monday morning and get the actual press name and try them. I would much rather overnight a part than a heat press. If this can not be fixed and I have to replace want would be a good one. I really like this manual press, I have a Geo Knight swing away, it's OK but not like the other. I do ALOT of pressing and need agood quality press. I would love to have HIX (I think that's the name) but can not afford it at this point.
As far as the spring it was the spring that holds the upper platen up, we were standing there not using it and POW, scared the sh#@ out of all of us, then the lid slammed shut and would not stay open, my son fixed it, turned it back on and worked great until today, not sure if that had anything to do with it or not??? Why does everything bad have to happen on a Saturday. I guess I can not do anything until Monday so I'm going to bed and relax, start back pulling my hair out tommorow. Thanks
I was wondering if there was a temp somewhere in between, that if you play with the dwell times, you could find a happy medium. Maybe lower temp on the plastisol, but longer dwell, or higher temp on vinyl, and shorter dwell.
You could do a search on your exact vinyl on the forum, and see if others use various temp and dwell times, same for your plastisol.
The only reason I am thinking it is because some folks press JPSS around 350*, some at 400*, that's a huge range. All report success with their different temps. Also, dwell times from 10 seconds to 30 seconds. All report success.
I don't do vinyl or plastisols yet, but if there is any leeway like that, it might be worth checking into if you get stuck with one press.
If you're going to get a new part, all's well that ends well. Good luck, Melinda... please leave your hair in, I bet you look prettier with it then with half pulled out.
Please let us know how you make out, I wish you the best of luck with this.
It appears that they sell the Hix machines. I would suggest calling them on Monday morning and get them to send you a new thermostat. That is usually the problem for what you have described.
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URGENT HELP needed 
his suggestion is a good one also.
