Temp Strips or Temp Gun

5690 Views 14 Replies 9 Participants Last post by wwpro, Feb 12, 2011

kylerogers

Discussion Starter · Sep 16, 2008

Do the cheaper $80-$90 temp guns effective? I was debating whether to buy another batch of temp strips or go for a cheaper temp gun.

Obviously a $90 temp gun would save large amounts of money over buying temp strips over a long period of time.

When you use the temp gun, can you take readings from an angle while the flash unit is still over top of the shirt?

I was waiting until my 290-330 temp strips turned all black. However I have now discovered that when I cure the shirt that long it makes the plastisol (especially white) turn shiny and plasticy.

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splathead

· #2 · Sep 16, 2008

Yes, you can take readings on an angle. All you need is a laser beam straight path to the item you are trying to read.

There was just a post yesterday on temp guns and someone (I think queerrep) was selling hers. Someone else had indicated they bought one for $40.

charles95405

· #3 · Sep 16, 2008

I have two laser(iinfrared?) that I got at Harbor Freight...for less than $40 and they work very well

kylerogers

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 16, 2008

I've never heard of harbor freight. However, I just typed it into google and a temp gun came up on the front page of their website for 29.99. lol.

It turns out there is one about ten miles from my house. I'm going to drive over there tomorrow.

charles95405 said:
I have two laser(iinfrared?) that I got at Harbor Freight...for less than $40 and they work very well

gp1305

· #5 · Sep 17, 2008

I got my temp gun from Harbor Freight and paid like $30 for it. BEST 30 BUCKS I EVER SPENT!! Its accurate and easy to use! I suggest buying one from there and saving $60 for something else! You wont be disappointed!!

CUSTOM UK

· #6 · Sep 17, 2008

I used to use those temp guns in industry and most will actually take an accurate reading from 30 feet away.

You can use them for a lot more things than just testing a heat press. You can see how cold your fridge/freezer is keeping food as well as identifying faults in your heating systems.

Handy tool to have around.

kylerogers

Discussion Starter · #7 · Sep 17, 2008

A friend of mine works on refrigerators and ACs. He keeps one in his car. I've actually taken my temperature by aiming it into my mouth and it works. lol.

DREAMGLASS said:
I used to use those temp guns in industry and most will actually take an accurate reading from 30 feet away.

You can use them for a lot more things than just testing a heat press. You can see how cold your fridge/freezer is keeping food as well as identifying faults in your heating systems.

Handy tool to have around.

COEDS

· #8 · Sep 17, 2008

I use my temp gun all the rime check my press' to make sure they are heating evenly. .... JB

Billyboy

· #9 · Sep 17, 2008

Whats the ideal temperature to have your spot dryer at?
Cheers,
Billy

splathead

· #10 · Sep 17, 2008

Billyboy said:
Whats the ideal temperature to have your spot dryer at?

Well, it has to at least get hot enough to reach the cure temperature of your ink, usually 300-325 degrees or so.

kylerogers

Discussion Starter · #11 · Sep 17, 2008

I went to Harbor Freight today and got one for $39.99. They are more expensive at the store than the website, but you don't have shipping charges and you don't have to wait.

It works perfectly. It's a hell of a lot better than temp strips, which is like trying to read a secret code and open to interpretation. lol.

I was curing my shirts too long and it was making my white ink turned shiny.

Also, I have a curing pallet rigged so it is at the same height as the pallet I'm printing on.

I noticed that it was taking almost 20 second to properly flash (gel) the ink at 270. But a full cure was only taking 30 seconds or less.

I'm going to lower the curing pallet, then lower the flash.

I also discovered just what total junk these "afford-a-Flash" units really are. Mine is from Lawson. The sheet metal that holds up the heating unit is junk. It is next to impossible to get it level. I have added washers to two of the screws to get it to resemble being level. On mine one of the sets of drill holes was off and the bolt that came with it didn;t even reach far enough. I had to got to the hardware store to get a longer bolt.

Well, with the heating gun, you can really see how unevenly your shirt is heating up. My heater is 16x16 and my images are 11.25" wide. By the time the edges hit 320, the middle is 335-345.

You can use the gun to take the temp of your heating unit and after about 15 minutes of warm up, it was a full 50 degrees hotter in the middle than anywhere else.

I have to be real careful. If I let it go just a little to long with the white, the middle 1/3rd of the shirt will be shiny, but the edges will be fine so you end up with a screwy looking print.

I know know the value of having a conveyor dryer.

By the way. Harbor Freight also had $9.99 air sprayer guns. They looked like they would be suitable for using with the spot removal fluids.

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kylerogers

Discussion Starter · #12 · Sep 17, 2008

By the way. What general temp, do you guys try to stay UNDER?

gp1305

· #13 · Sep 18, 2008

I managed to heat a shirt up to 650 degrees before (and how it didnt catch fire.. thats beyond me!). So.. I'd keep em under 350 if at all possible.

poker

· #14 · Feb 10, 2011

Harbor Freight has s coupon for a Cen-Tech laser thermometer for $30 usually $60. It's end this weekend. I don't know if this link will work for you. It came from my email:

TinyURL.com - shorten that long URL into a tiny URL

Reactions: 1

wwpro

· #15 · Feb 12, 2011

If ordering online use this code 33626854

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