# Tips for heat gun drying



## brandan003 (Jan 19, 2010)

someone please help me!

tips!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ive used it before but when i washed shirt some of the ink crumbled off. why?


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## rudi (Mar 7, 2007)

It's hasn't cured.
I guess your using plastisol? It has to reach 160c for 2-3 min for it to cure,hard to do with a heat gun i would imagine.

May be invest in a infra red thermometer to give you some idea of what the print temp is.

I guess you could heat press/iron the prints with baking paper after.


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## KINGSARTIST (Jan 19, 2010)

I use a heat gun and it sucks. haha 
What i do now is use the heat gun to make the ink dry to the touch. than i use my heatpress to finalize the cure.

ink needs to be cured to 350 F


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## brandan003 (Jan 19, 2010)

Heatpress??
Ya I think what I will do is dry it to touch with gun then put down baking paper/wax paper and iron overe it


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## KINGSARTIST (Jan 19, 2010)

iron is the same concept of a heatpress except the heatpress has a consistent temperature over the print area


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## Flagrant-T (Nov 11, 2009)

I don't think an iron gets hot enough. Got to get the ink to about 320F to fully cure it. My original ghetto setup before I bought equipment was my oven. Can't remember exactly but I think about 375 for 1 min did the trick. You'll scorch some shirts, but its way better than a heat gun. Make some money doing it this way and then buy a flash dryer!

Good luck,
Nick


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## brandan003 (Jan 19, 2010)

When you say scorth do u mean ink on shirt turns brown?
I think I do that with heat gun sometimes


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## mrvixx (Jan 13, 2009)

has to reach 320 degrees all the way through. time doesnt really matter as long as the ink reaches the curing temp. some inks cure at 300.


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## rudi (Mar 7, 2007)

*Curing Information
Texopaque Classic OP inks must be heat cured at a minimum of 160°C*
*to achieve full wash fastness. Differences in film weight, drying*
*equipment and fabric will greatly affect the dwell time required, but 1.5*
*- 3 minutes is typical. Some infra-red units can achieve full cure in a very*
*short time. Time will vary dependant on colour (dark colours curing*
*faster than light colours).*
*It is essential that the entire thickness of the ink film has time to
reach the cure temperature or resistance properties will not be
achieved. Evaluate your cure schedule by testing the print at the*​*
wash schedule it will ultimately be expected to pass.

* 
*Taken from "Sericol " website
Pretty much the same for all plastisols.
Time and cure temp do matter.*


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## BillyV (May 8, 2009)

Most ink need to reach a temperature or 320 to properly cure, Some inks are slightly higher.
Check with the manufacturer of the ink you are using to be sure.


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## Basikboy (Aug 28, 2007)

I used a heat gun for final curing for 3 years when i first started. It can be done trust me but you need an digital laser thermometer to gauge the inks temp. You basically wave the heat gun over the design with one hand while pointing the laser temp gun at the ink to gauge the temperature. I eventually purchased a nice Flash unit and wondered what the hell took me so long. One of the best purchases i made since i have been in business. I am not knocing using a heat gun however. I can assure you when done properly this is just as effective only more labor intensive and time consuming.


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## brandan003 (Jan 19, 2010)

ya i think it can be done well, did you every have problems with the ink not curing in the center and washing off?


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## KINGSARTIST (Jan 19, 2010)

Basikboy said:


> I used a heat gun for final curing for 3 years when i first started. It can be done trust me but you need an digital laser thermometer to gauge the inks temp. You basically wave the heat gun over the design with one hand while pointing the laser temp gun at the ink to gauge the temperature. I eventually purchased a nice Flash unit and wondered what the hell took me so long. One of the best purchases i made since i have been in business. I am not knocing using a heat gun however. I can assure you when done properly this is just as effective only more labor intensive and time consuming.


What kind of flash cure unit did you get?


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## rudi (Mar 7, 2007)

i just threw an old flash unit (radiant) out a few weeks ago.
Could have given it to someone here that cold benifited from it.


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## KINGSARTIST (Jan 19, 2010)

rudi said:


> i just threw an old flash unit (radiant) out a few weeks ago.
> Could have given it to someone here that cold benifited from it.












I wish i had a flash cure unit.


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## Basikboy (Aug 28, 2007)

brandan003 said:


> ya i think it can be done well, did you every have problems with the ink not curing in the center and washing off?


No, i just made sure that the ink got to 350 degrees just to be on the safe side. I would occasionally do the stretch test as well.


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## Basikboy (Aug 28, 2007)

KINGSARTIST said:


> What kind of flash cure unit did you get?


A 16x16" from Ryonet. Only regret is i wish i purchased the 18x18"


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## KINGSARTIST (Jan 19, 2010)

Yeah i heard if you are going to buy a flash cure it should be at least 18x18.


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## Flagrant-T (Nov 11, 2009)

I have a 16X16, kind of wish I had a 18 X 18. Only problem it seems like all the 18 X18 are mostly 220V. All the 110V are really high amps.


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## amc18 (May 2, 2009)

Hi im a newbie also. Pls experts help me out here. I got no dryer at all but i heard u can use heat press to cure the ink. What is the process on doing this? do i need to apply pressure on the shirt or just put space on the the shirt in between the clam with the right amount of temperature. Pls help i got orders coming and i dont wanna do such a mess. Thanks


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