# How long to cure water base ink with flash dryer



## TheMusket (May 12, 2011)

Hi there 

I am just starting my own street wear brand and I need help on how long and how to cure my t-shirts when i print them with water based inks. This is the flash dryer i have flash dryer 2500watt

I will be doing one colour shirts and later on add more colours to my shirts as i get better at printing. So would like to know how to go about curing a one coloured shirt and also curing more than one colour.

I will be printing about 20 shirts a day so would like to know a good way of going about it so things run smooth 

thanks 

XX


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

What ink will you be using? Generally, they need to stay under the flash 2 to 3 minutes. Heating element should be 5 to 6 inches from the shirt. This gives the room and time enough to evaporate the moisture out of the ink and cure the shirt.


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## TheMusket (May 12, 2011)

splathead said:


> What ink will you be using? Generally, they need to stay under the flash 2 to 3 minutes. Heating element should be 5 to 6 inches from the shirt. This gives the room and time enough to evaporate the moisture out of the ink and cure the shirt.


It just say on the tin water base ink. here is a link to the paint WPS water based inks and additives

Would you say i should cure each t-shirt one at a time as i print them or flash dry them and then later on sure each one and if the later how long to flash dry a shirt before stacking them to cure for later.

thanks for the help so far


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

TheMusket said:


> Would you say i should cure each t-shirt one at a time as i print them or flash dry them and then later on sure each one and if the later how long to flash dry a shirt before stacking them to cure for later.


May as well kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Flash as many as you can while printing. AKA multitasking. 

Certainly you will be printing more than 1 every 3 minutes, so your printed, uncured shirts will stack up. They should be fine for light stacking after a couple of minutes or until dry to the touch. I wouldn't stack a ton together though, you might get some ghosting.

I actually use hangers and a crossbar to hang my uncured shirts until it's its turn to go under the flash.

This is where a tunnel dryer would come in handy.


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## TheMusket (May 12, 2011)

splathead said:


> May as well kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Flash as many as you can while printing. AKA multitasking.
> 
> Certainly you will be printing more than 1 every 3 minutes, so your printed, uncured shirts will stack up. They should be fine for light stacking after a couple of minutes or until dry to the touch. I wouldn't stack a ton together though, you might get some ghosting.
> 
> ...


THANKS for the help  how long do you flash dry the 
T-shirt before hanging up to cure later? I am 
Going to use hangers and a bar to hang them
Instead of stacking, it's a much better idea
Thanks


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

TheMusket said:


> THANKS for the help  how long do you flash dry the
> T-shirt before hanging up to cure later? I am
> Going to use hangers and a bar to hang them
> Instead of stacking, it's a much better idea
> Thanks


I don't flash before curing later at all. I just hang and let them air dry. Then I just do my final cure when the flash is free.


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