# SPEEDBALL Fabric Screen Printing Ink



## texasrazz (Jun 22, 2007)

What is the rule of thumb for setting the ink? Like what should I use, how long, that kind of stuff.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

A ballpark figure is an iron on the cotton setting for 3-5 minutes, but the ink should have the curing instructions printed on the label. If not, Speedball's website should have it. If you have access to a heat press or a tunnel dryer use those.


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## majkthreads (Mar 29, 2006)

I use my own oven to cure mine. 

2 minutes @ 300 degrees.


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## texasrazz (Jun 22, 2007)

majkthreads said:


> I use my own oven to cure mine.
> 
> 2 minutes @ 300 degrees.


is that really safe??


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

texasrazz said:


> is that really safe??


I very seriously doubt it.


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## majkthreads (Mar 29, 2006)

How is it not safe? Really?

There is no fumes with speedball ink, in fact if you open the oven, no fumes at all. 

You gotta use what you have. 

I'm really surprised at the suggested criticism here. Usually most everyone is open minded. In fact on several sights that sell there ink it's suggested to use the oven if you don't have a heat press. 

An iron takes forever to do it and it doesn't give good heat set. 

Shouldn't we have an open mind when helping others?


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

majkthreads said:


> Shouldn't we have an open mind when helping others?


Caring about OH&S is not being closed minded.


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## AustinJeff (May 12, 2007)

majkthreads said:


> Shouldn't we have an open mind when helping others?


Speedball says in the Material Safety Data sheet: "This material has been evaluated by a Toxocologist as per intended usage. Do not deviate from intended usage!"

Yes, they actually use an exclamation point. Are they just being closed-minded?


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## majkthreads (Mar 29, 2006)

Ok I give up. I guess dozen's of craft places are wrong. 

What about when this stuff is put under a heat press or iron, fumes are still let off. 



> AustinJeff--Speedball says in the Material Safety Data sheet: "This material has been evaluated by a Toxocologist as per intended usage. Do not deviate from intended usage!"
> 
> Yes, they actually use an exclamation point. Are they just being closed-minded?


Wow you truly do go by what every sheet says as they were written for liability, not truly safety. Granted MSDS sheets are important, but you don't think they had four lawyers in the room when they wrote that? 

Give me a break, Do you know a iron was never intended to dry paint or ink, read the brochure next time you buy one. It states it's not it's intended purpose and doing so can result in bodily injury. 

Ever let little ones near your chemicals or equpment? I'm sure some of you have, that's a OSHA no-no. The manufacturers also advise against this in their manuals.

Also the heat press was never to heat or dry ink, read the brochure, that is an un-approved use of the piece of equipment. 

So before you judge me, look at some of the things you may be doing that aren't quite what was intended for use. 

I'm really dissapointed in te responses here. This forum has been nothing but supportive, honest and helpful. If someone did something obviously hurtful or dangerous, they were called out. But doing something such as this, being chided is ridiculous. 
If everyone went by the safety precaution, lawyer speak, we'd all be a very bland society.
In fact let someone use a heat press to dry the ink, then have it break, have them tell the manufacture what they were doing and see how fast they deny any liability for fixing it.


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## texasrazz (Jun 22, 2007)

Dude I wasn't knocking you at all. Sorry if you took it that way. I simply asked you a question.


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## AustinJeff (May 12, 2007)

majkthreads said:


> What about when this stuff is put under a heat press or iron, fumes are still let off.


I don't prepare my family's dinner in my heat press. And my heat press does not have an open flame.

No one is being judged here. The question was asked if this practice is safe. A couple of us said no, it is probably not. That's it.


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## majkthreads (Mar 29, 2006)

AustinJeff said:


> I don't prepare my family's dinner in my heat press. And my heat press does not have an open flame.
> 
> No one is being judged here. The question was asked if this practice is safe. A couple of us said no, it is probably not. That's it.


I get what your saying. 

But mines an electric stove so I feel a little safer. 

C'mon who hasn't dried a pair of sock or shoes in the oven in an emergency?


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

majkthreads said:


> What about when this stuff is put under a heat press or iron, fumes are still let off.


Which is still bad, but at least you're not adding ingestion to that too. Food prep should never be mixed with industrial production... it's a pretty simple rule.



majkthreads said:


> So before you judge me, look at some of the things you may be doing that aren't quite what was intended for use.


How is people thinking the practice unsafe "judging you"? You are being ridiculously oversensitive (okay, _that's_ a judgement).



majkthreads said:


> If everyone went by the safety precaution, lawyer speak, we'd all be a very bland society.


And if everyone paid attention to MSDSs we'd all live longer and get less cancer. OH&S is *not* the equivalent of "Caution: Contents Hot" on a cup of coffee. I'm no angel (I rarely wear gloves for example), but that doesn't lessen the fact that it's really _really_ important.

Maybe cooking food and t-shirts in the same oven is perfectly safe, but personally "I very seriously doubt it."


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## gerry (Oct 4, 2006)

Icure them in a heat press 4-5 min.under light pressure.


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## TeddyRocky (Mar 23, 2007)

If you'd like to use a conventional oven to cure your shirts, it'd be a good idea to get an extra one where you DON'T cook food in.


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## majkthreads (Mar 29, 2006)

Flash cure machine is on the way. 

For me I was just using what the good lord provided for me. But not like I wanted to cure them in my oven every day. Total count maybe 25. 

I here what your saying all.


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## smitty (Jan 9, 2011)

can you heat set in a laundry dryer set to high???? after it has air dried???


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## MixerPro (Apr 3, 2012)

gerry said:


> Icure them in a heat press 4-5 min.under light pressure.



What temp do you use during this 4-5 minutes. ??

Thanks

Also my press has no pressure adjustment as far as I know. Very old - think that's an issue?

Peace


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## creativemetalsc (Aug 7, 2012)

Starting out, we use what we have. I understand that. No judge here, but the main point is however you cure and whatever you use, be vigilant. If you are using the oven, dont walk away from it, if you are using the heat press, dont walk away from it.
Common sense and prudence always prevail! Creativity is the mother if progress!


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