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Heat press, heat gun, or both?

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R

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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
So I got my ink today and am going to start screen printing this weekend. My only question is about curing water based ink.

What is the best method?

A. Heat gun until shirt stops steaming( water evaporates )
B. Heat gun until shirt stops steaming then heat press
C. Leave outside on 85 degree day in sunlight
D. Leave out on 85 degree day under sun then heat press
E. Leave Hang drying inside for days on end
F. Leave hang drying inside for days then heat press


I have read everywhere that all methods will work. Time is not a concern. I will not be buying a flash dryer or a belt dryer as I cant afford that. All of my prints will be 1 color prints black ink on white cotton shirt or white ink on black cotton shirt(keeping it simple) Can anyone who has done any of these methods tell me there outcome after wash test and time.



My issues.

I have a heat press but I have no stand for it so every time I want to use it I have to find someone to help me pick up the 200 pound heat press to get it out of the garage and onto a table and then put it away again.

So... a heat gun alone would be so easy and preferred. BUTTTTTTT if it is going to sacrifice quality and longevity of the shirts.. I'm more then willing to break out the heat press when I want to make a new shirt for myself.

Also, I don't have a heat gun yet.. $20 is not a big deal to buy one from walmart but if I would be better without it I'd like to save the $20, but I'd rather just use the heat gun if that's good without loosing quality and longevity so I'd buy it happily.

Should I just leave them to dry for a week and call it a day?






HELPPPPPPPPPP ANY INPUT WILL BE GREATLYYYYYYY APPRECIATED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GREATLYYYYYYYYYYYYY APPRECIATEDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!VARY MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):) :):):):):):):):):)
 
halfashirt

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41 Posts
#5 ·
riddick93 said:
So I got my ink today and am going to start screen printing this weekend. My only question is about curing water based ink.

What is the best method?

A. Heat gun until shirt stops steaming( water evaporates )
B. Heat gun until shirt stops steaming then heat press
C. Leave outside on 85 degree day in sunlight
D. Leave out on 85 degree day under sun then heat press
E. Leave Hang drying inside for days on end
F. Leave hang drying inside for days then heat press


I have read everywhere that all methods will work. Time is not a concern. I will not be buying a flash dryer or a belt dryer as I cant afford that. All of my prints will be 1 color prints black ink on white cotton shirt or white ink on black cotton shirt(keeping it simple) Can anyone who has done any of these methods tell me there outcome after wash test and time.



My issues.

I have a heat press but I have no stand for it so every time I want to use it I have to find someone to help me pick up the 200 pound heat press to get it out of the garage and onto a table and then put it away again.

So... a heat gun alone would be so easy and preferred. BUTTTTTTT if it is going to sacrifice quality and longevity of the shirts.. I'm more then willing to break out the heat press when I want to make a new shirt for myself.

Also, I don't have a heat gun yet.. $20 is not a big deal to buy one from walmart but if I would be better without it I'd like to save the $20, but I'd rather just use the heat gun if that's good without loosing quality and longevity so I'd buy it happily.

Should I just leave them to dry for a week and call it a day?






HELPPPPPPPPPP ANY INPUT WILL BE GREATLYYYYYYY APPRECIATED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GREATLYYYYYYYYYYYYY APPRECIATEDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!VARY MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):) :):):):):):):):):)
Click to expand...
Be careful buying a cheap heat gun, they can't really stand up to heavy duty uses! I speak from experience if you do decide to go that way!

Sent from my LG-P659 using T-Shirt Forums
 
R

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71 Posts
Discussion Starter · #6 ·
Yeah I'll probably be spending like $40 on one but I'd only be doing like 4 shirts at once at most with breaks in between each so should be okay not going to be using it for business purposes you know.
 
A

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8 Posts
#8 ·
I've been doing the heat gun and heat press just fine. I dry to touch with a heat gun then hang them to dry completely because with water based ink you need all the water to evaporate. I then set with the heat press. Seems to do a great job for me but I'm not a professional. :)
 
NoXid

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4,547 Posts
#9 ·
You can use either time or hot blowing air to get the water out. After that, a heat press is the best way to get the ink evenly and quickly up to curing temperature.

I've used a heat gun on discharge, which is doable in smallish quantities since the ink changes color when it cures. Still, it is easy to scorch a shirt. With regular waterbase it would be harder to tell when it was cured so a much greater chance of missing a spot or scorching the shirt due to fear of missing a spot.
 
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