# Using heat press to do final cure



## edward1210 (Nov 7, 2009)

Can I use a heatpress to do final cure on one color or 2 colors job?
Thank you


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## Alan Buffington (Oct 27, 2010)

If you have no oven to flash the ink, or flash cure, then heat transfering wet plastisol prints would be a mess. If you can get the plastisol to lightly flash via a flash cure, or an ink remover gun, you can heat press the semi cured shirt by placing a blank piece of heat transfer paper or t-shirt fabric over it. 7-8 seconds at 325-350. You may need a ton of paper and blank shirt fabric since the plastisol will leave an outline or wet areas. Keep pressure low or you will drive the ink into the shirt, ok for whites and lights, but will kill opacity on a dark shirt.


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## wonubee (Oct 2, 2007)

Yes you can. I use a heat press to cure my stuff. I flash it before I put it in the press and I put a sheet of teflon over the print and press it with medium to light pressure 350 degrees for 10-15 seconds. If I have a thick coat of ink on the shirt sometimes I need to let the print cool a little before peel off the teflon or the ink will stick to it.

Also I have adjusted the heat platen on my press so it's 1/8 to a 1/4 inch above the print and just leave it in there until it reaches 320 degrees which takes a couple of minutes.

When doing multi color prints it takes some experimentation to find the right pressure on your heat press so you don't squish the top layers of ink into the bottom layers. 

I just did a 3 color job on hoodies and cured it with my heat press. No worries......it always turns out sweet.


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## Shawneshawn (Apr 25, 2011)

Aloha,
I am with wonube, I flash and then heat press all my garments. Not only does it cure but gives the ink a nice smooth finish with a sweet glossy finish. My thoughts are it's more work but a superior print that going to last
and my customers love it .........Shawn


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## edward1210 (Nov 7, 2009)

do you put any pression to the heat press?


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## Hucklebuck (Sep 4, 2012)

If you have a clam shell I wouldn't clamp it down onto a wet shirt. If you're flashing then I'm sure you could clamp down slightly with little to no pressure.

If you aren't flashing then this method would be better used on the swing arm presses since the whole heating element would naturally hover just a little bit above the shirt to cure. Clamshelling this would take a lot of patience and holding the top as parallel as you could without smushing the wet print.


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## wonubee (Oct 2, 2007)

I clamp down on stuff I print every day. If I'm doing a multicolor job with a white under base then I will adjust my heat press so it is 1/8 inch above the surface of the shirt and then leave the shirt in the press until it reaches cure temp. If I have fine lines I always flash the shirt first because the pressure of the heat press will distort the fine lines. I mostly have this issue with thick white ink.

So yes you can clamp down on the print with medium pressure. It only takes 10 to 15 seconds to fully cure the ink. It's not the ideal way to go but if you don't have a tunnel dryer this will work just fine.


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## edward1210 (Nov 7, 2009)

wonubee said:


> I clamp down on stuff I print every day. If I'm doing a multicolor job with a white under base then I will adjust my heat press so it is 1/8 inch above the surface of the shirt and then leave the shirt in the press until it reaches cure temp. If I have fine lines I always flash the shirt first because the pressure of the heat press will distort the fine lines. I mostly have this issue with thick white ink.
> 
> So yes you can clamp down on the print with medium pressure. It only takes 10 to 15 seconds to fully cure the ink. It's not the ideal way to go but if you don't have a tunnel dryer this will work just fine.



wow, I just tried it, great, I'm very happy with the result.
pre dry then heat press 8 seconds


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