[doskalata]

is this doable? are there any solutions? Im just getting going and cant afford a flash dryer amongst everything needed, just yet...

 

[GSDIESEL300]

I use plastisol ink and don't have a flash dryer but I do have a heat press. I hover it over the image for a little over a minute then press it at 350 degrees a few times for 15 seconds and it is cured. I even tried the wash test and it is still perfect.

 

[doskalata]

do you think i might be able to hit it with a heat gun, then use a traditional iron to get it to 350 or what ever it needs to be?

 

[GSDIESEL300]

I'm not sure the iron will work but I do know that a heat gun will work but you have to take your time and have a lot of patience.

 

[doskalata]

hmm, ill see how hot the iron can get, it needs to get above 350 right?

 

[GSDIESEL300]

Somewhere around there. Hot enough to evaporate the water in the ink. You should be able to feel a difference before and after as far as the thickness of the print. The print will feel flatter and more into the shirt after the iron. The iron has to be at medium to high pressure against the shirt.

 

[Smckee21]

I would use a Heat Gun to start, they can be had for around $25.00 at Home Depot. It will take some time and remember don't get too close or your shirts will burn.

 

[doskalata]

ugh, i wish i could just come up with a $5,000 grant to get all the equipment, instead of half assing make-shift crap like this... oh well, building up them chops!

 

[KillerTees.ie]

When I started out I used waterbased inks with a cold cure catalyst. Add 5% of the catalyst to the ink for the job, print the tees & hang them to dry overnight. No need to heat cure. Worked very well for me & those tees are still great 2 years later.

Ask your ink supplier about this option. A much better option than manually drying every tee with an iron or heat gun. Ive done both & its something Im glad Il never have to do again

Best of luck,
Tom

 

[selanac]

You can buy Heat presses for about $299 shipped to you. Sunie and other companies out there have them. Grant it, they're not the top of the line, but at least you can get started.

As I'm typing this out I noticed ProWorld has a banner ad at the bottom of this page. They have a heat press for $169. It's a started one, but hey, at least you can get started.

Their website is www.ProWorldInc.com hope this helps you.

Also, try searching google for Home made screen printing kits. There's a guy that says you can use an oven, or a halogen shop light (500 watts).

Sorry, I don't remember his name. He has a bunch of videos on YouTube.

 

[parthenon09]

You could buy 2 quartz heaters with some mods, use them to make a very cheap light weight flash unit. A stand and, aluminium angle for a box frame to hold the quartz heaters into one big flash unit. You would need to bypass the tip auto kill switch. The flash would have a total of 6 quartz bulbs and two plugs so you could turn on the lower bulbs for larger surface area. A new flasher would cost more than what you would pay for the finished product, and could cover a 14 by 18 surface area. That would be a macguyver task though.

 

[doskalata]

I typically use water based, but i need to do white on black. The quartz idea is ingenious but way too much of a project. Ill make do with the heat gun and iron (if it works) and just op for a heat press asap, start doing ink transfers...

Thanks yall

 

[selanac]

Also check Craigslist for used heat presses. There is a additive you can buy for Air Drying Curing. The name is: Versatex Fixer you can google it and find a supplier.

I think they suggest that you don't wash if for a week. That doesn't mean you can't wear it though.

 

[Nick Rocco]

Check out this flash unit: 16" x 16" for $299.00 with free shipping.

HBE Flash 16 x 16 [HBEFL1616] - $299.00 : Atlas Screen Supply Company

Add $50.00 to step up to the 18" unit.

I know its still cash that you may not have, but it is an option that is not much more than some of the other options that you are looking at.

By the way, I have the Sunie heat press. $ 249.99 with free shipping. I have been very happy with it. It got me started in the t-shirt business and now I am in the process of adding screen printing.

Good luck!