# Flash dryer and plastisol for Comfort Colors



## denneyjr (Apr 6, 2013)

I've scanned through the forum for anything regarding printing on Comfort Colors tees using IC plastisol inks and curing with a flash dryer. I can't find what I'm looking for.

I've recently been pulled into the Comfort Colors game but can't seem to successfully pull it off with my current set up, unless there's something I'm missing.

I don't need to print the crazy neon CC shirts, just the regular dyed tees. I'm using plastisol which is fine for the material, but of course the real issue is curing with a flash dryer. There isn't a temp control, it's either on or off. Typically, I allow a print to reach 350-370 degrees based off the reading of a laser temp gun just to ensure that it's reached 320 degrees all the way through. However, as you could expect, the shirt itself looks scorched and/or severely discolored. 

Is it possible to print Comfort Color tees with my set up, or do I really just need to do some expanding?


----------



## sgsellsit (Jul 31, 2008)

I have been in your shoes when my dryer went down. The answer is not as clear as you would think. First of all the Comfort Color shirts are rinsed and softened so many times that there is a lot of loose fabric and chemical in the shirt. The dyes and their nature also don't react well with heat. All this is where the scorching comes from. You could raise your flash a little and use a little more time and indirect heat. I have actually used a heat press and a cover sheet in the past to cure shirts. Another issue with the dyes is sublimating and bleeding. We have actually gone to very low bleed inks, poly inks and lower cure temp inks to resolve the issues. Good Luck.


----------



## denneyjr (Apr 6, 2013)

Thanks for your input. I may attempt making a small conveyor dryer with the use of my flash dryer. I figure the lower temperature "baking" effect may help, but if all else fails, at least I'll have a little conveyor dryer.


----------

