# Can Flash dryer be used as conveyor dryer?



## proprint1 (Aug 20, 2007)

I just started screen printing with a 4 station 4 color Vastec & a flash dryer,I do not have the money for a real dryer. I thought that I could use Flash as a dryer. After having some problems, I mailed a sample of my work to a Vastex Rep. they used Heat Transfer Iron on the T-shirts & they look great, Is there any way I can use my Flash to cure the ink for now? Any suggestion as to which heat press or dryer to go with would be appreciated.


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## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

There are many users here in the forums that use their flash units for curing their prints. 

You might try a site search for 
Flash curing
Flash Units
Curing prints with a flash unit


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## majkthreads (Mar 29, 2006)

Like Fluid said, many of us use a flash dryer to fully cure shirts. Do a search on flash and you'll find many, many answers.


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## UptownGraphics (Dec 17, 2007)

I know it's an old post, but I just wanted to say that we ONLY use a flash dryer as our final dryer. We are a smaller shop and don't have the money or space for a conveyor dryer so we just hit our shirts with our flash dryer and user a laser thermometer to keep an eye on the shirt until the entire design is up to around 350 degrees.


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## THINGSFORYOU (Jun 25, 2008)

UptownGraphics said:


> I know it's an old post, but I just wanted to say that we ONLY use a flash dryer as our final dryer. We are a smaller shop and don't have the money or space for a conveyor dryer so we just hit our shirts with our flash dryer and user a laser thermometer to keep an eye on the shirt until the entire design is up to around 350 degrees.


 
THANKS FOR YOUR IDEA JUST STARTED PRINTING MY OWN SHIRTS AND ALL I HAVE IS THE FLASH UNIT DOES THIS REALY WORK I WAS DOING THIS AND JUST HAD SOME SHIRTS FADE ONLY IN ONE SPOT AFTER WASH ANY IDEA WHY THAT HAPPENED IT WAS A TWO COLOR AND ONLY THE 1 COLOR FADED AND IT WAS A THE TOP OF THE FRONT?


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## Sheepsalt (Sep 12, 2007)

One tool you definitely need to get is an infra-red temperature gun - you can pick one up for less than $100. You'll need this to measure the surface temp of the ink. 

Keep your dryer's distance from the shirt high enough that the temp of the ink is ~320 degrees after 40 seconds. Get a digital kitchen timer from the dollar store & set it to 40 seconds. Check the temp across the entire print area as you swing the flash away. For larger prints, you may need to cure half the print, let it cool, then cure the other half - but def. make sure the entire print reaches 320 and never over 400. If it gets too hot after 40 sec, increase the distance between the shirt and the flash. Also, if you have hot spots in the center - say the edges are at 300 but the center is at 400 - raise the distance even more, even if it means you have to cure longer than 40 seconds, get the distance / time balance to where your ink is reaching 320 pretty evenly for at least 40 seconds.

I did like this for a year with no problems - no designs ever faded or washed out once I got the method. I had a special table set up next to the press just for curing with a platen the size of the heat area & the flash on a pivot so it could swing out of the way.

It worked well, but let me tell you - they knew what they were doing when they invented the conveyor dryer!


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## THINGSFORYOU (Jun 25, 2008)

Thank You For Your Help!!!


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## THINGSFORYOU (Jun 25, 2008)

Sheepsalt said:


> One tool you definitely need to get is an infra-red temperature gun - you can pick one up for less than $100. You'll need this to measure the surface temp of the ink.
> 
> Keep your dryer's distance from the shirt high enough that the temp of the ink is ~320 degrees after 40 seconds. Get a digital kitchen timer from the dollar store & set it to 40 seconds. Check the temp across the entire print area as you swing the flash away. For larger prints, you may need to cure half the print, let it cool, then cure the other half - but def. make sure the entire print reaches 320 and never over 400. If it gets too hot after 40 sec, increase the distance between the shirt and the flash. Also, if you have hot spots in the center - say the edges are at 300 but the center is at 400 - raise the distance even more, even if it means you have to cure longer than 40 seconds, get the distance / time balance to where your ink is reaching 320 pretty evenly for at least 40 seconds.
> 
> ...


 

HI sheepsalt,

looking the time gun any suggestions, found one $45.00 raytex brand.


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## Sheepsalt (Sep 12, 2007)

> found one $45.00 raytex brand.


Nothing wrong with that! Should work just fine.


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## marcelolopez (Jul 16, 2007)

Sheepsalt said:


> I had a special table set up next to the press just for curing with a platen the size of the heat area & the flash on a pivot so it could swing out of the way.


I had the same setup too, it worked, you can keep printing while a t-shirt is been cured in the table, but keep your eyes on it.
Then I got my conveyor, I did not use it yet...but I am very eager to do it !!!


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## Sheepsalt (Sep 12, 2007)

> you can keep printing while a t-shirt is been cured in the table, but keep your eyes on it.


You can use one of those $1 kitchen timers for this... set it for the appropriate time & when it beeps it's time to swing the heater away.


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## THINGSFORYOU (Jun 25, 2008)

Thanks Sheepsalt for all your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## marcelolopez (Jul 16, 2007)

Sheepsalt said:


> You can use one of those $1 kitchen timers for this... set it for the appropriate time & when it beeps it's time to swing the heater away.


I was using one of those, and I was so focused on the print one, cure one, print one,cure one, that I forgot to press the start button a couple of times


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## Modati (May 17, 2008)

Thanks for all the information here! I've been visiting this forums for a couple months now and it's answered a lot of questions for me while giving me some good ideas.


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## marcelolopez (Jul 16, 2007)

Modati said:


> Thanks for all the information here! I've been visiting this forums for a couple months now and it's answered a lot of questions for me while giving me some good ideas.


So glad to hear that.


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## dstewart123 (Feb 22, 2006)

Has anyone ever used a space heater as a flash drive? How did you do and does it do a good job at heating the ink on the shirt?


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## midwaste (Apr 8, 2008)

Yes, and it doesn't work all that great. You have to disable the switch most of them have to shut them off in the event that they fall over, which is somewhat dangerous.
Other than that, it's fairly awkward to maneuver the space heater.

Depending on how big you need to flash, you can try a 500W halogen, it works better, IMO, but its smaller, obviously.


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## Lucky7Graphix (Mar 6, 2010)

I just built my rendition of a conveyor drier. I will post some pics of it if you would like to see. It cost me about $20.00 to make it. It is similar to the one a guy posted on youtube called the poormans conveyor dryer. I just bypased some of the stuff he says you need to cut my cost. Works good too.


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## yufirst (Aug 10, 2007)

Yes please post some pics. My inner MacGuyver loves homebuilt stuff. I've seen that video with the poor mans dryer and I was impressed at the simplicity of it.


Lucky7Graphix said:


> I just built my rendition of a conveyor drier. I will post some pics of it if you would like to see. It cost me about $20.00 to make it. It is similar to the one a guy posted on youtube called the poormans conveyor dryer. I just bypased some of the stuff he says you need to cut my cost. Works good too.


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## Lucky7Graphix (Mar 6, 2010)

yufirst said:


> Yes please post some pics. My inner MacGuyver loves homebuilt stuff. I've seen that video with the poor mans dryer and I was impressed at the simplicity of it.


Basically I just bulit the same thing. Here is how I did mine though.

List of stuff you need:
(2) 8' 2x4's
(1) Lasey Sousan Bearing
(1) 5 gallon bucket
(1) bag of quick setting concrete mix

Take on of the 2x4's cut it in half and notch it out in the center so you can lay the boards across each other and they will be flush. I glued mine together and put a clam on them while I worked on the rest to ensure they were together good. 

Take the other 2x4 and cut it to the length you want it to be for to overall height of your stand.

Then I cut a square of wood and make a plate to put on top of the post. 

Take the left over 2x4 and make supports on both sides of your main post and screw the plate to the top.

Pour the concrete in the bucket and mix per instructions.

Set the post in and make sure you keep it level.

Once it dries. Mount your bearing to your 2x4s and then mount that piece to the plate on top of the post you make. I put bolts through the plate and the bearing to ensure it held good.

After that get a tube of liquid nails and 4 tiles and glue them on each corner. 

You can follow his video and it is pretty much the same thing.


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## colorfinger (Mar 30, 2009)

You can see my home made flash dryer and conveyor in this forum...

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/diy-dtg/t147982-4.html


Bob ?;O)


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## tshirtblognet (Jul 15, 2011)

Seems that most people on here agree that you can cure ink with a flash dryer. So does that mean the only reason to get a conveyor dryer is to kick up productivity?


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## Naptime (May 19, 2011)

tshirtblognet said:


> Seems that most people on here agree that you can cure ink with a flash dryer. So does that mean the only reason to get a conveyor dryer is to kick up productivity?


 
yes.

i did a job last weekend.

60 shirts.

3 color front, 3 color back.

i had to flash twice each side. plus cure each side.

it took me over 2 minutes per shirt just in print, flash, and cure time.

but, the time was actually much longer, because i had to keep waiting for the flash dryer.

when i was printing, i would need to flash a color, but couldnt because the dryer was being used to curre a shirt. so after that shirt was done curing, i could hit my next color, then, once i was ready to flash again.. i couldnt because the dryer was being used to cure again.

i was closer to 3-4 minutes per shirt.

with a conveyro i would have just been droppin shirts on the belt.


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## colorfinger (Mar 30, 2009)

I use my dryer to pull the water out of the shirt and then use the heat press for 90 seconds... Works great.

Bob ?;O)


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## james444 (Jul 19, 2011)

how about this one


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## basement_kid (Dec 9, 2007)

Anyone ever mod a conveyor like putting ceramic tiles under belt in the heat chamber to retain more heat in the tunnel? What's some ideas untried or you've tried to increase dryer capacity?


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## williekid (Apr 22, 2009)

Why would you want to do that?


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## Wet ink man (Oct 16, 2016)

I have cured shirts in a kitchen oven, have to keep close tabs on time and temp fpr different shirts. that can help on the short term basis but far from ideal


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