I just started screen printing with a 4 station 4 color Vastec & a flash dryer,I do not have the money for a real dryer. I thought that I could use Flash as a dryer. After having some problems, I mailed a sample of my work to a Vastex Rep. they used Heat Transfer Iron on the T-shirts & they look great, Is there any way I can use my Flash to cure the ink for now? Any suggestion as to which heat press or dryer to go with would be appreciated.
I know it's an old post, but I just wanted to say that we ONLY use a flash dryer as our final dryer. We are a smaller shop and don't have the money or space for a conveyor dryer so we just hit our shirts with our flash dryer and user a laser thermometer to keep an eye on the shirt until the entire design is up to around 350 degrees.
I know it's an old post, but I just wanted to say that we ONLY use a flash dryer as our final dryer. We are a smaller shop and don't have the money or space for a conveyor dryer so we just hit our shirts with our flash dryer and user a laser thermometer to keep an eye on the shirt until the entire design is up to around 350 degrees.
THANKS FOR YOUR IDEA JUST STARTED PRINTING MY OWN SHIRTS AND ALL I HAVE IS THE FLASH UNIT DOES THIS REALY WORK I WAS DOING THIS AND JUST HAD SOME SHIRTS FADE ONLY IN ONE SPOT AFTER WASH ANY IDEA WHY THAT HAPPENED IT WAS A TWO COLOR AND ONLY THE 1 COLOR FADED AND IT WAS A THE TOP OF THE FRONT?
One tool you definitely need to get is an infra-red temperature gun - you can pick one up for less than $100. You'll need this to measure the surface temp of the ink.
Keep your dryer's distance from the shirt high enough that the temp of the ink is ~320 degrees after 40 seconds. Get a digital kitchen timer from the dollar store & set it to 40 seconds. Check the temp across the entire print area as you swing the flash away. For larger prints, you may need to cure half the print, let it cool, then cure the other half - but def. make sure the entire print reaches 320 and never over 400. If it gets too hot after 40 sec, increase the distance between the shirt and the flash. Also, if you have hot spots in the center - say the edges are at 300 but the center is at 400 - raise the distance even more, even if it means you have to cure longer than 40 seconds, get the distance / time balance to where your ink is reaching 320 pretty evenly for at least 40 seconds.
I did like this for a year with no problems - no designs ever faded or washed out once I got the method. I had a special table set up next to the press just for curing with a platen the size of the heat area & the flash on a pivot so it could swing out of the way.
It worked well, but let me tell you - they knew what they were doing when they invented the conveyor dryer!
One tool you definitely need to get is an infra-red temperature gun - you can pick one up for less than $100. You'll need this to measure the surface temp of the ink.
Keep your dryer's distance from the shirt high enough that the temp of the ink is ~320 degrees after 40 seconds. Get a digital kitchen timer from the dollar store & set it to 40 seconds. Check the temp across the entire print area as you swing the flash away. For larger prints, you may need to cure half the print, let it cool, then cure the other half - but def. make sure the entire print reaches 320 and never over 400. If it gets too hot after 40 sec, increase the distance between the shirt and the flash. Also, if you have hot spots in the center - say the edges are at 300 but the center is at 400 - raise the distance even more, even if it means you have to cure longer than 40 seconds, get the distance / time balance to where your ink is reaching 320 pretty evenly for at least 40 seconds.
I did like this for a year with no problems - no designs ever faded or washed out once I got the method. I had a special table set up next to the press just for curing with a platen the size of the heat area & the flash on a pivot so it could swing out of the way.
It worked well, but let me tell you - they knew what they were doing when they invented the conveyor dryer!
HI sheepsalt,
looking the time gun any suggestions, found one $45.00 raytex brand.
I had a special table set up next to the press just for curing with a platen the size of the heat area & the flash on a pivot so it could swing out of the way.
I had the same setup too, it worked, you can keep printing while a t-shirt is been cured in the table, but keep your eyes on it.
Then I got my conveyor, I did not use it yet...but I am very eager to do it !!!
You can use one of those $1 kitchen timers for this... set it for the appropriate time & when it beeps it's time to swing the heater away.
I was using one of those, and I was so focused on the print one, cure one, print one,cure one, that I forgot to press the start button a couple of times
Thanks for all the information here! I've been visiting this forums for a couple months now and it's answered a lot of questions for me while giving me some good ideas.
Thanks for all the information here! I've been visiting this forums for a couple months now and it's answered a lot of questions for me while giving me some good ideas.
Can Flash dryer be used as conveyor dryer? 
Re: Can Flash dryer be used as conveyor dryer? 
