[antlerhavin]

im attemtping to screen print out of my basement and do graphic design so i figured why not use my designs to make shirts. but i just got the screen exposing technique down,now im trying to figure out how im going to set the ink to the shirt. without even considering this,i ironed shirts and sold about 10 of them before i realize the ink was fading thro wash. so far im considering a $30 heat gun or the oven method. what im looking for is someone to in detail,explain to me how to go about these 2 methods.thankyou

 

[BroJames]

Using a heatgun is time consuming and back breaking. At medium heat setting, you hover the heatgun 1 inch above shirt at a speed of about 1cm per second. If you hover the heat gun from left to right starting witht he upper portion of the image, after reaching the rightmost edge of the image, you move the heat gun about 1cm down then hover from right to left, and so forth. Slower with lighter and/or thicker inks. You will need to do wash tests to see if you get the speed correctly.

An oven should save you more time with less neck aches, upper-back aches and elbow pains. Search yotube for youtees and you will find in one of the youtees series, where the shirt is cured in a closed oven for 30-40seconds I think. Again, you need to do your wash test to see if you have cured properly.

A flashcure and heat press are also alternatives but never tried them. I have actually tried a borrowed heat press but did not have enough time to get the proper time. I use a heat gun/500w halogen lamp.

I think you should also try search for second hand dryers in your area to see how much they cost.

 

[SoloStampede]

I would recommend getting a heat press. I did the whole heat gun and oven trick. They don't work well. With a heat gun, it takes way to long and the curing is uneven. With an oven, You gotta make sure your design is laying flat in the oven. Thus you cant have designs that are bigger than your oven space. If it's not laying flat, you'll get uneven hot spots throughout the shirt.

I have a 16x24 heat press by Sunie and I love it. Very affordable. Kinda wish I wouldve went with a swing-arm heat press. but owell.

 

[mr_tees]

If you are selling these shirts and don't want to have everybody bringing them back you need to at LEAST invest in a flash unit or heat press. A small conveyor unit would be a better situation but I understand if you are limited by your wallet. If you were doing it for yourself I would say go ahead and play with other ideas, but as it is that you are selling them....Please get yourself a decent heat source.

 

[leisure]

i would recommend getting a heat press. I did the whole heat gun and oven trick. They don't work well. With a heat gun, it takes way to long and the curing is uneven. With an oven, you gotta make sure your design is laying flat in the oven. Thus you cant have designs that are bigger than your oven space. If it's not laying flat, you'll get uneven hot spots throughout the shirt.

I have a 16x24 heat press by sunie and i love it. Very affordable. Kinda wish i wouldve went with a swing-arm heat press. But owell.

what temp and how long are you pressing? Thanks

 

[SoloStampede]

The temp will depend on the inks you're using. Look on your manufacturers site for that info or maybe on the side of the bottles of ink.

 

[macumazahn]

You will have to buy a flash dryer. For printing thats basically mandatory. You will need it eventually and probably sooner than later. The heat press thing is what we use and it works pretty well. To some degree pressing a shirt will even out prints and hide a multitude of printing technique sins. A conveyor dryer is better than all of the above but the heat press will do till you gain some cash to pay for it.

 

[BroJames]

If you are selling these shirts and don't want to have everybody bringing them back you need to at LEAST invest in a flash unit or heat press. A small conveyor unit would be a better situation but I understand if you are limited by your wallet. If you were doing it for yourself I would say go ahead and play with other ideas, but as it is that you are selling them....Please get yourself a decent heat source.

Depending on your personality it may not be the "bringing them back" that is the problem. With a heat gun, the problem will be your back...and elbow as well as neck.