# What is an alternative to a conveyor and flash dryer?



## FILIKU (Jan 12, 2015)

I was wondering if there was another way to cure without a conveyor or flash dryer.
Thanks


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## Decal_Designs (Jul 4, 2005)

None that are practical at all. You might want to look into air dry inks. Regular water based or plastisol based inks require good even heat at the correct temperature. Some people try to cure their shirts with an electric heat gun. Not a great idea in my opinion. I think some also try a heat press. I would really try to get at least a flash dryer.


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## BBDee (Aug 19, 2008)

I use a flash dryer then press them with a heat press. It's worked good so far. You do have to experiment with temp and time. Once you get what works for your press, a small adjustments due to weather and your good. It is more time consuming but unless you're doing a lot of shirts. It's cheaper until demand required a dryer. 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using T-Shirt Forums


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## jmcgurren (Oct 28, 2008)

Actually there is a new product hitting the market that is very practical especially if you are trying to conserve space and save money. It is called the curer by spectra DTG. It is not out for sale yet but there is a video here of how it works... It looks awesome:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fyOoqw-2XG0
Visit spectradtg.com for more info and to contact them


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## Decal_Designs (Jul 4, 2005)

Well, that was interesting for sure. Depending on the type of work and quantity you're doing, I can see many advantages to this equipment. It wouldn't be right for everyone, but it's not meant for everyone. It could be great for certain people.


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## jmcgurren (Oct 28, 2008)

Of course... This is for the start up screen printer with little space ... I do DTG but I am not sure I would want to cure my prints with this because I like the smooth feel a heat press gives DTG. But I have heard there is pretreat coming out that can be dried this way without needing a heat press. If so it might be good to use. Either way I see it being even better for small screen printing jobs.


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

It depends on what type of ink you are using.

If you are using Plastisol, you need a conveyor dryer or a good flash unit. There are some small conveyor dryers, no forced air or anything special needed to cure Plastisol.

If waterbase, a heat press will work; it is best if you can let the shirts air dry a while before pressing, and doing two pressings in a row on a shirt to allow the steam to escape from the first pressing (you can't reach cure temp until the water is gone).

Discharge works okay with a heat gun as you can see as it cures. But wear a respirator for formaldehyde. A heat press is a better way to ensure an even cure without scorching some area of the shirt with the heat gun.

You could also use a flash to cure waterbase/discharge, but it should really include forced air, so would be a pricier one.


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## jeron (Jul 16, 2012)

When I first started out I found an old kitchen oven off of my classified ads for free. I would heat it up to 450 degrees, place the shirt on a cookie sheet and then bake it for around 1.5 minutes. 

It was slow, tedious, but it was all I had for a long time. And I never had any issues with curing problems

Sent from my Nexus 6 using T-Shirt Forums


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## macman29681 (May 24, 2013)

NoXid said:


> It depends on what type of ink you are using.
> 
> If you are using Plastisol, you need a conveyor dryer or a good flash unit. There are some small conveyor dryers, no forced air or anything special needed to cure Plastisol.
> 
> ...


I want to give you an idea of my set up no optimal but works. Until recently I only used water based inks Green Galaxy and Permaset Aqua SC. I had a job that required the use of pastisol.....yuck!!! Well back to the curing. I recently got an econo flash 16x16 from Ryonet that has made all the difference in the world. It beats the heat gun I was using. So I use the flash to tack up all of my shirts and then I finish them off in my heat press. I have a Hotronixs Fusion 16x20 and have found the best method for me is to set the temp to 350 F and the time to 80 second on a pressure of about 1 to let the steam escape. I have never had a shirt come back for cracking or washing out in the washer. The complete down side to this is today it took me about 3 hours to print the front and back of 67 shirts for a client but then it took 6.5 hours to cure them all in the heat press. I am looking to possibly purchase a Vastex d-100 to cut down my time considerably when I have the money but for now that works for me. If I use plastisol ink the time is cut to 45 second at 350 f.


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

@macman29681 Really? I thought there were "melting" issues with using a heat press to cure Plastisol? Is it just a matter of getting the temp/time/pressure correct? I have no personal experience with Plastisol ... just repeating wild rumors ;-)

Porkchopharry had the small Vastex, a D-100. But it was taking too long to cure when he moved from Plastisol to Permaset SC, so he got a larger one: Vastex EC1-30. Here he says a little about why he was making the change and some about using the new dryer:
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/water-based-ink-screen-printing/t441641.html


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## macman29681 (May 24, 2013)

NoXid said:


> @macman29681 Really? I thought there were "melting" issues with using a heat press to cure Plastisol? Is it just a matter of getting the temp/time/pressure correct? I have no personal experience with Plastisol ... just repeating wild rumors ;-)
> 
> Porkchopharry had the small Vastex, a D-100. But it was taking too long to cure when he moved from Plastisol to Permaset SC, so he got a larger one: Vastex EC1-30. Here he says a little about why he was making the change and some about using the new dryer:
> http://www.t-shirtforums.com/water-based-ink-screen-printing/t441641.html


I found that you have to use almost no pressure and a must have is a teflon cover sheet. I set my heat press to 350 f for 45 second. The key is to remove that teflon sheet as fast as possible within a second or 2 after lifting the heat press. People do transfers all the time and they are plastisol no difference.


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

I've heard of people using a heat press to cure plastisol with the teflon sheet. I don't own a heat press and don't plan to. Never say never though. So I cannot speak to a heat press. 

Vastex D-100 WILL certainly help with PLASTISOL. But...for WB, IMHO is MAYBE a sideways move. It CAN be done, I did it. But it takes a long time. Especially if you are curing a decent quantity of garments.

If you're curing WB on a heat-press right now, or have some other "method" that is "working...while not "ideal" in my eyes, I would stick with it till you can get something like the EC-1 30 with power exhaust. That's ALL you really need in the Vastex dryers. Air scrub/forced air isn't necessary for WB in Vastex dryers, although it CAN be beneficial with poly, etc. 

I simply raise the heating element on the EC-1 when I run poly through.

Bonus tip: If you might be worried about your curing method and how thorough it is with WB, when you are done, toss the garments in your clothes dryer for 30 minutes and let them tumble away.


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## macman29681 (May 24, 2013)

porkchopharry said:


> I've heard of people using a heat press to cure plastisol with the teflon sheet. I don't own a heat press and don't plan to. Never say never though. So I cannot speak to a heat press.
> 
> Vastex D-100 WILL certainly help with PLASTISOL. But...for WB, IMHO is MAYBE a sideways move. It CAN be done, I did it. But it takes a long time. Especially if you are curing a decent quantity of garments.
> 
> ...


My issue is I work from out of my "rented house" and I cannot modify the power in any way. So if I can't plug it into the wall like a toaster it won't work for me. So if I do a 100 shirts with waterbased and cure them in my heatpress it takes over 5 hours to cure all of those shirts front and back. Are you really telling me the DB-100 is a sideways move to that?


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## porkchopharry (Mar 4, 2012)

I work out of a rented house too, and had my electrician wire in an outlet. Understandable that it is not always possible. Our current landlord/property manager, this is the second home we have rented from him. So he is pretty open to "improvements". 

Have you ever asked? Or are you in an apartment? With no "shop"? Reason I ask, is because a lot of owners that you rent from are more than willing to let you do something on YOUR dime. Especially if it will add value to the home. YMMV.

I have no reason to say without cause that the D-100 is MAYBE a sideways move. I've been there. I will always recommend a D-100 if that is the only option. I used one for over 2 years and it helped me get to the "next level". 

Will it take less time than 5 hours? Yeah. It'll still take a bit though, and some items will have to be run through twice. So cutting down on time - yes. As long as you are realistic about it. It needs to be on it's own circuit though to be efficient.

But, are you curing 100 shirts for 5 hours EVERY day? Or once a week or so? 

My point is this: if you can no longer bear it, then get a D-100. It will help knock down some time. Again, my D-100 served me very well. However, if you think you CAN bear it, then stick it out as long as you can. Who knows what might happen in the meantime? Maybe you move? Have more options? etc. 

With that said, if you are pretty positive that you will be there for a long time, and you are absolutely positive that you cannot do any wiring upgrades. I would probably recommend the D-1000 as a better alternative. The wider belt will come in handy. D-1000 was not available when I got my D-100.


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## FILIKU (Jan 12, 2015)

Thanks for all the feedback!

What I got from it was that I should definitely get a conveyor dryer if I am printing a lot of shirts and a flash dryer or a heat press if I'm not printing that much and I can use a heat gun for like a couple shirts or even an oven.

My situation is small, one color, water based & plastisol inks. So I think I'll see wassup with the heat gun and see where it goes from there.

Once again thanks for all the feedback!


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## 2020 PrintWorks (Apr 22, 2011)

I've been curing with a turbo broiler for that past year and a half and it is a very reliable way to cure plastisol. I got mine for $3 at goodwill and attached a large tin foil roasting pan to it. It's slightly hard to explain the whole set up but if your interested I can take pics of the set up. It take between 1 and 2 mins to reach full cure with it. I've printed well over 1000 shirts and no complaints.


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## ehas0430 (Dec 24, 2014)

You can use li a heat gun from Home Depot or Lowes.. But using a flash dryer is a much more effective way of doing it.


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## RDatugan (Apr 22, 2015)

chronicdesigns81 said:


> I've been curing with a turbo broiler for that past year and a half and it is a very reliable way to cure plastisol. I got mine for $3 at goodwill and attached a large tin foil roasting pan to it. It's slightly hard to explain the whole set up but if your interested I can take pics of the set up. It take between 1 and 2 mins to reach full cure with it. I've printed well over 1000 shirts and no complaints.


I'd like to see this, as I'm considering alternatives to a conveyer dryer & if it works on plastisol it should work on wb, no problems?


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

RDatugan said:


> I'd like to see this, as I'm considering alternatives to a conveyer dryer & if it works on plastisol it should work on wb, no problems?


Waterbased is harder to cure. With Plastisol all you have to do is get it up to cure temp and keep it there for the specified time. Nothing to evaporate, so no cooling effect going on. It just turns to plastic when it reaches the right temp.

With waterbased, you have to evaporate ALL of the water before the ink can get above 212 degrees. Once you manage to get rid of the water, _then_ you must get the ink up to curing temp and hold it there for the required time to cure the ink.

Airflow can help with getting rid of the water, which is why forced air has been added to some units since the rise of waterbased inks.

A purely radiant heat source increases the risk of scorching the non-printed areas of the shirt while trying to evaporate the water out of the ink. To compensate, one slows the belt way down so the shirt spends more time under the heat, but then raises the element higher up (or turns down the temp) to prevent scorching.

A heat press has the advantage of not scorching. Since the press will be in direct contact with the shirt, rather than just beaming heat in its general direction, one simply sets the heat press to the cure temperature of the ink and that heat is directly imparted to the shirt. Whereas radiant heat sources are much hotter than the cure temp so distance and speed factor into whether the ink cures or the shirt burns.

I'm not saying that a heat press is better than a good conveyor dryer, but it is probably better than a bad conveyor dryer or flash unit when curing waterbased.


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## 2020 PrintWorks (Apr 22, 2011)

RDatugan said:


> I'd like to see this, as I'm considering alternatives to a conveyer dryer & if it works on plastisol it should work on wb, no problems?


It should work great on waterbase since it's basically a forced air dryer. It has a fan that circulates the air. I'll post some pics soon.


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## soobeedoo (Apr 21, 2014)

Hi Chronicdesigns81,
I think I might have one of those turbo broilers somewhere in the back of my closet. You mean those round plug in roasters? If you've got any pictures I'd love to see 'em. I'm on a cheapo budget. Thanks, great idea!
soobeedoo


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