# Testing the Temperature of your Heat Press-Heat Stips



## lgiglio1 (Sep 29, 2006)

Where do you buy heat strips to test the temperature of your press to be sure it is the proper temperature? Do you guys do this every so often just to be sure?


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Mark/Daguide talked about these. He may know where to find them. This is the way he recommends testing your press, over the IR gun method. Mark says this is more accurate. He seemed to have alot of info on it. If he doesn't find your thread, maybe send him a pm. Kelly


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

I'm not sure of where to purchase the strips, but i would rather use a IR Thermometer. This piece of shop equipment is a must have. This will allow you to make quick checks and as often as needed or wanted. I bought mine at harborfrieghttools.com for $39. I bet I have used it atleast once a day since. I bought a used press and allowed to heat up first and then checked to make sure it had no cool spots. the seller was surprised that , I had this with me. I explained it was not distrust,but for my piece of mind in knowing I was buying a fully operational press. .... JB


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## martinwoods (Jul 20, 2006)

Where is found on the link Jerry?
I went to it but not sure what to look under

Thanks


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## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

Chris I think he meant here Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices


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## aplusbowling (Dec 6, 2007)

The only problem with the IR guns is they don't work with Hix Presses. I purchased a used 9x12 Hobby Lite and I couldn't get a reading above 90 degrees when pointing the gun at the upper platen. I tried holding the gun at different distances from the platen and still got the same readings. So I sent an email to Hix asking what I needed to do to get a temp reading. Here is their response:

"Those infrared temp guns do not work on our presses. It is because of the material we make the heat element out of. Pyrometers are the best to use. They are expensive though. Thermal labels work well or a meat thermometer. If you use a meat thermometer then put an old shirt down and do a press."

I ended up purchasing a high-temp meat thermometer and that worked fine.


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

Most heat press manufacturers and distributors have a source for these. Since Imprintables works directly with Hotronix, I would check with Josh, Adam, Bob, Lee and the rest of the crew at Imprintables to see what they have. Otherwise, you can check with the company that sold you the heat press. I know a while back All American in Philly also had them in stock because some of their dtg users were having problems curing the dtg inks so they started carrying the strips as well. Not sure if they still have them in stock.

The only reason why the I.R. guns are not always accurate is because the laser beam used in the I.R. gun's can be partially reflected off of the heating element and give you an inaccurate reading. These guns are typically used to test the temperature of a screen printed shirt while just finishing coming out of a conveyor dryer to make sure that the ink is properly cured. The ink is not a reflective surface like the metal of a heating element. Thus is the reason why most heat press manufacturers recommend the test strips.

Hope this information helps.

Mark


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## martinwoods (Jul 20, 2006)

Thanks david
That was it. I have a gun like that but once you lift the press it goes down rapidly, and if I point it at the upper platen same thing as Tim said. (I am not sure what mine is but now that I think about it I think it is a Hix also)

Maybe I will try the meat thermometer although I think I would rather use the strips if I could find them

Thanks to both of you


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## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

I don't understand how it could not work with a hix. Heat is heat. If the top platen is 350 degrees then the IR thermometer should read that temp, but obviously it doesn't for you hix owners. I can tell you my mighty press and my IR thermometer read exactly the same.


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Wow, you guys made me think of trying my Pampered chef meat/candy thermometer. It is a very skinny probe that would usually go into my turkey, has a long thin cord, and the digital readout sits outside of the over on the counter and displays the temp inside my turkey.

Here is a link to what it is. Pampered Chef themometer:
The Pampered Chef, Ltd.

I've seen the Sunbeam brand of these at Walmart for under $20. I think I will give it a try. The best things are I can move the probe from section to section under the press to test for temp differences, and I already have it here. I have the traditional pocket meat thermometer (a stem with a dial on top) but the Pampered Chef version seems like it would be fabulous for this purpose. Thanks for this thread, reading it turned on the lightbulb hearing "meat thermometer". Have a great day!


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## lizziemaxine (Nov 14, 2007)

Girlzndollz said:


> Wow, you guys made me think of trying my Pampered chef meat/candy thermometer. It is a very skinny probe that would usually go into my turkey, has a long thin cord, and the digital readout sits outside of the over on the counter and displays the temp inside my turkey.
> 
> Here is a link to what it is. Pampered Chef themometer:
> The Pampered Chef, Ltd.
> ...


Wow, that is a great idea. I have one of those Pampered Chef themometers. I'll have to try it.


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

Here is my only problem with the meat themometer idea. All the heating elements have a coil that runs through them that heats up the metal part. The key with heat presses is checking a single area of the heat press to make sure that you don't have any cold spots. If you have every done sublimation on a cheap heat press, you will notice if the colors look a little lighter in one area than the rest of the graphic. That is because the coils are usually spread to far apart and there is a difference in temperature from one spot to another. Here is a brochure from Geo Knight that illustrates the different potential coil layouts - http://www.heatpress.net/pdf/dkswing.pdf.

Thus, you have this long metal probe (not sure if that is the right word) that you are going to stick under the press and close it. The odds are that the probe will cross coil in one location and this could state that your heat press is actually hotter than it really is. See the probe is probably going to state what the hottest temperature is at any one spot on the probe. Thus, one spot could be 350 degrees F and 3 inches farther down the probe it could be a 15 degree difference. You would need to just touch the part of the heat press that you are measuring and not the rest of the press. My only question would be touching just the tip of the probe of a meat thermometer be enough to get an accurate temperature. This I am not sure about this and I am sure that this could vary depending on what brand you have. I know Geo Knight sells a touch probe specifically for this application, but it is $85.00. Here is a link to it - Geo Knight & Co Inc - Heat Presses Heat Press Machines Heat Press Machinery. I would only get this if I really thought I had a cold spot on my press and needed to prove it to get a new press.

Here is a link to the Thermolabels on Hix's website - HIX Corporation - Thermolabel. 

Mark


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

martinwoods said:


> Thanks david
> That was it. I have a gun like that but once you lift the press it goes down rapidly, and if I point it at the upper platen same thing as Tim said. (I am not sure what mine is but now that I think about it I think it is a Hix also)
> 
> Maybe I will try the meat thermometer although I think I would rather use the strips if I could find them
> ...


I have a Hix press and use the I R Thermometer


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