[manwithatan]

Looking at some ghetto curing. I cant affored a tunnel dryer. But I do have a heat press and an infrared patio heater So I was wondering if a combination of both would set my plastasol ink to a professioal resale standard

I was thinking

The patio heater can attach to a stand over my line press as a flash cure

Then finish of in the heat press with a teflon sheet.

I remember reading plastasol requires infrared to dry properly is this the case?

 

[ole Jobe]

Anything that will get the entire ink layer to 320 degrees (some inks cure at lower temperatures, some as low as 280) without scorching the shirt will work. A flash dryer is second to a conveyor and are relatively inexpensive, used on e-bay sometimes a couple hundred or less. The heater might work but might not heat the print evenly. God Bless.

 

[lben]

There are a lot of folks on here who use heat presses to cure their ink. Not sure if they just hover over it like a flash dryer or if they lower the platen onto the ink which I would think would get ink all over the platen. I'm thinking hovering but I could be wrong.

 

[royster13]

Kinda funny to see threads like this at the same time other folks are complaining the ink is washing off....IMO you need proper tools to get the job done....But that said, one of my neighbour kids is printing lots of shirts with water based inks.....

 

[jeron]

Kinda funny to see threads like this at the same time other folks are complaining the ink is washing off....IMO you need proper tools to get the job done....But that said, one of my neighbour kids is printing lots of shirts with water based inks.....

It all comes down to the persons knowledge on the subject, and not the tools!!! The "proper" tools just make it easier for someone with the right knowledge to get stuff done... but in the end someone that knows what they are doing and what needs to happen with the ink could cure a shirt with a blow torch and have it wash better than someone that didn't have a clue using a conveyor drier...

Thanks,
Jeron

 

[mmoguls]

Step 1: Buy a remote reading thermometer with laser like they sell at harbor freight. You will need this on an ongoing basis.

Try your methods to see if your ink can get up to the magic 320 degrees.

Give it the stretch test, if it cracks, it did not cure properly.

Wash test it 5 times after getting this result and see if it washes out or holds up.

Hope this helps you,

dANNY8bALL
www.SanJoseScreenPrinting.com

 

[proto]

Give it the stretch test, if it cracks, it did not cure properly.

I understand that this means to stretch the shirt and look for cracks.. Is there, like, any way to quantify a passing shirt?

I should clarify that I have no experience with screen printing (just plastisol heat transfers). I have noticed that my designs which contain fine linework will crack with minimal stretching, but designs with a big solid area are unbreakable. Is the same true with a properly cured screen-printed shirt?

So, is some cracking unavoidable on shirts with fine linework, or is this always a sign of a curing issue? I know that properly cured plastisol is supposed to be "plastic" and not "brittle"; just trying to understand the boundaries.

Chris

 

[Fuzzyfreak]

inferred thermometer and household oven set to 320, check the ink temp every 5 or so minutes. Good luck!

 

[mmoguls]

inferred thermometer and household oven set to 320, check the ink temp every 5 or so minutes. Good luck!

But put in a call to the fire dept before you load the oven. They may need a little time to get there. Is your oven gas or electric?????

 

[Celtic]

I understand that this means to stretch the shirt and look for cracks.. Is there, like, any way to quantify a passing shirt?

I should clarify that I have no experience with screen printing (just plastisol heat transfers). I have noticed that my designs which contain fine linework will crack with minimal stretching, but designs with a big solid area are unbreakable. Is the same true with a properly cured screen-printed shirt?

So, is some cracking unavoidable on shirts with fine linework, or is this always a sign of a curing issue? I know that properly cured plastisol is supposed to be "plastic" and not "brittle"; just trying to understand the boundaries.

Chris

If it cracks, it's not fully cured.

 

[wikiwikiprinting]

I'm having a problem with ink fading out of shirt after a wash or two. I have been using international coatings plastisol ink. I put it through my conveyer dryer (lowrider jr.) which is set at 950 and a belt speed of 3. I shoot it with the laser gun and its showing 340-350. I usually do about 2 to 3 passes with the squeegee on every shirt. Any ideas why my ink is fading? Im beginning to get big clients and can't have this problem keep showing up. Is it the ink brand? Would over curring cause it to fade like that.