Discuss the different plastisol screen printing inks and curing methods on the market. Share tips on getting the best results with the different ink manufacturers.
It's hard to say without some actual wash tests. If you are making these for sale, I would just invest in a $20 heat gun and reach cure temperature that way.
There is a minimum temperature required, but I know for some inks that's as low as 120. I think there's a decent chance you could get away with reasonable washfastness at 110.
perhaps I'll just try it with 110°C and wash it several times to see if it works...
splathead - about your idea with the heat gun:
(just to clarify that I don't misunderstand you)
do you mean that it is possible to use a heat gun with 150°C on a shirt that may only be ironed with 110°C without destroying it?
(I tried to iron it with 150°C in a small corner - the colour of the shirt changes... so you really cannot iron it with a higher temperature)
and if this is really possible (I could borrow a heat gun where I can adjust the temperature more or less accurate) what distance to the shirt should I use?
sorry for so much questions - the idea with the heat gun is completely new to me..
splathead - about your idea with the heat gun:
(just to clarify that I don't misunderstand you)
do you mean that it is possible to use a heat gun with 150°C on a shirt that may only be ironed with 110°C without destroying it?
(I tried to iron it with 150°C in a small corner - the colour of the shirt changes... so you really cannot iron it with a higher temperature)
and if this is really possible (I could borrow a heat gun where I can adjust the temperature more or less accurate) what distance to the shirt should I use?
sorry for so much questions - the idea with the heat gun is completely new to me..
Firstly, ironing at 150c should not change the shirt color permanently. Once cooled, it should return to normal color, no? What color shirt was it, red?
Inks on shirts are routinely cured at 150c + (305F+) either with a dryer or heat press. Red has color changing issues, but will change back to the original color when cooled. So your shirt should not be having issues when ironed at this temperature. I have pressed shirts at 190C (375F) will no ill affect.
A heat gun is one of several different ways to cure ink on shirts. The hotter the gun, the quicker you can do the job. I have a 900 degrees F one that I bought at a home improvement store for $20. You simple hold it 4 inches or so from the shirt and move it around the inked area for a couple of minutes.
Last edited by splathead; March 21st, 2009 at 12:45 PM.
I'm not a water base person, but I was under the impression that if you heat set the ink (so it doesn't smear) then once the moisture is out of the ink its fine. I mean air dry on a hanger overnight. But what do I know, I'm in the T-shirt business...lol
I was under the impression that if you heat set the ink (so it doesn't smear) then once the moisture is out of the ink its fine. I mean air dry on a hanger overnight.
You need to get all the moisture out, which air drying won't do without a catalyst.
yes Solmu is right - what I'm using is a heat setting textile printing ink!
the technical information sheet says that without heat-setting you won't get the same wash-resistance as with heat-set.
I thought perhaps somebody has already tried it with a lower temperature (110°C).. could have been..
the colour of my shirt is yellow and I really think that you cannot iron it with 150°C because it has just 1 iron dot on the label!
You need to get all the moisture out, which air drying won't do without a catalyst.
It would seem to me that a lower heat setting for as long as it takes to get the moisture out would work. As far as air drying I'm in Texas its 109 degrees in the summer and not much humidity...lol
It would seem to me that a lower heat setting for as long as it takes to get the moisture out would work.
Yeah, that's definitely the case... to a point.
A commercial clothes dryer at 80c won't cure the print.
An iron at 120c will according to the ink manufacturer (of at least some waterbased inks I've looked at), it's just slower.
In between there is slightly unknown.
It's also worth pointing out that if you run it through an 80c dryer it will be more washfast than if you didn't. In other words, it will fade slower.
Waterbased ink is a little more fluid than cured/not cured. It can be not cured and still last a while, it just won't have the professional longevity it should.
So at 110 I imagine you'd get at least reasonable washfastness, but I don't know and haven't tested.
I've contacted the manufacturer of my ink too
and they say that it if I have a Shirt that can just be ironed with 110°C I should try it with this temperature and prolongate the ironing. It should work -
but they recommended me to make a wash test.
There are other waterbased inks available where 80°C for 20 min are enough for fixation but I've already bought the heat setting ink..
I'll let you know when I've some results..
don't know how often I'll wash it to be sure..
I ironed the shirt inside out with 110°C for 20 minutes
and I did a wash test
(the manufacturer told me one wash test ist enough - if the ink would wash out it would already happen during the first washing)
I will try it with an onother shirt too but right now I'm quite happy
minimum temperature necessary for fixation? 
