Flash cure for dryer question(s)

[Gilligan]

Yep, one that I peruse from time to time is:
http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/32-commercial-real-estate-investing-forum

Well, I do understand this is a bit more sophisticated than t-shirtforums... but then again I did post this in the "NEWBIE" section.  If that isn't the place to discuss these types of topics then I completely don't understand.

I agree that I can "fake it" well.   Hey, that's what you got to do to make it in some of these businesses.   I do hang out at a "real" screen shop from time to time and try to learn as much as I can before taking ANY steps.  This sometimes slows me to essentially a deer in the headlights halt.   I read once that procrastination was mostly based in the fear of failure.  I quickly thought and dismissed that as my problem because I guess I fake it with even myself sometimes.  I have been able to look back/forward and see that IS part of my problem.  Too scared to screw it up and get frustrated.  Sometimes I push myself to take that first step and go for it... sometimes I just stand at the edge of that cliff and stare.

That first print stroke was one of those moments for me.  Most probably were very eager to pull that squeegee... I just sat there looking at it but with my wife with her hands on my back ready to push me off the cliff I finally said "f' it" and said, let's do it.  But it was not a comfortable feeling at all.  Satisfaction of the print was a good one... but if I could rewind it and do it again I'd still be in the same place.  Crazy what your brain can do to you.

Speaking of that and commercial realestate... I had a deal RIGHT by my house that would be PERFECT for a screen print shop (in fact a sign shop is already in there).  8 units, all of them were rented out, spoke to most of the tenants... they were all happy and paying from 450/month to 600/month.  The place was selling for 360k... I had multiple people telling me to pull the trigger on it... but I just stood there frozen.  Next thing you know it's sold.  Now I get to drive by it every day and think, "damn... I should have done it"  It's still full and still making whoever bought it at least 4k/month.  Frustrating.

[Frog]

Well, I do understand this is a bit more sophisticated than t-shirtforums... but then again I did post this in the "NEWBIE" section.  If that isn't the place to discuss these types of topics then I completely don't understand.

Of course, this is exactly where you should ask these questions on this site. The point that I was making was, that unlike T-Shirt Forums or the pre-Hirsch/Barnes TSPMB, we don't have literally hundreds of active posters in the Newbie section, and you'll have to take what you can get. Many of Scott s and Rodney's crowd started out with home made wooden presses and the kitchen oven so they understand your growing pains more.
With your year or so of reading and watching from the sidelines, you have a leg up, and you don't always fit the profile of a newbie. You've also mixed it up with the big boys, and gained a certain notoriety that betrays your lack of hands-on experience.

In a way, I find you a little like a non-religious Screen Vinnie from the old days, but please don't ask me to elaborate, the reference may have to remain somewhat esoteric though I assure you it is not demeaning.

[Gilligan]

Fair enough.

But lets get back to the main question.

How high on the dial or how hot should the temp of the panel be and do I just time it and go with the timing?

I will likely do it in sections as it is easy clearly a top and bottom print that can be done that way.

[Frog]

I'd probably run it pretty high, but except for an emergency day  in a shop many years ago, I've never used a flash to completely cure on purpose.
I am sure that someone here will have more on this.

[Gilligan]

Update... I ran it at "HI" about 3" and did it in sections.  30 secs each... one test said I was getting 400* surface temps but I'm not sure that was accurate.  My panel is 600-700* so I guess it's possible.  I set a timer and restarted and moved the panel.  During that time I was able to load a shirt and then during the second cycle I was able to print the shirt and "un stick it".

So I was moving at a decent rate 80 seconds a shirt.  I know that's not blazing but having to cure "twice" essentially is the bottle neck.  I'll probably try to limit artwork to 12" or less now.

One issue I'm having is the ink is "climbing" the bottom side of the screen... I'm very unsure how this is happening.  I took and old shirt and cleaned it but that didn't do much.  What can I do about this?  Remember I'm using a vinyl sticker as my stencil on the squeegee side.  Which is also not working out as the inside of some small s's are coming loose.  Simple enough to make another screen though.

[mk162]

the adhesive from vinyl will not properly bond to the mesh, so you will lose the insides of letters.  When you move up to either direct apply emulsion or capillary film, this problem will disappear.

As for the ink climb on the back of the screen, it sounds like you screen tension is loose or or screen itself is shifting a bit.  Also, you might have too much pressure on your stroke.  It could also be another side effect of the vinyl.

I would move away from vinyl ASAP.

[Gilligan]

Yeah, I plan to.  I just figured I'd take it one step at a time making things a little less intimidating (see, the procrastination speech above   ).

[mk162]

Yeah, I also tried that when I was baking my own bread.  For some reason yeast seemed like a tough step to master...until you realize that unleavened loaves just don't have the texture and variety that I like.  I quickly learned to love the extra step of yeast.

[Frog]

I've never understood the vinyl as stencil thing. First, wouldn't all "gasket" effect be lost by applying it to the squeegee side?
Second, isn't the friction the squeegee against the vinyl exacerbating the peeling off of the centers? Heck, plain old paper stencils adhered on the print side by the ink of the first squeegee stroke is still a viable low cost method. (Still used for numbers by some)

If one has access to a plotter, aren't the ancient tried and true knife cut stencil films a better alternative? http://www.ulano.com/knifecut/ulanocut.htm

[mk162]

Crud, I didn't see that it was on the squeegee side.  That is a recipe for disaster. 

[Gilligan]

I guess I went off some bad data in the old memory banks or I just didn't read/understand about the benefits to shirt side.

I'll definitely be making the switch to shirt side and the switch to emulsion won't be long.

But I just got a call for like 10 shirts one color simple design and letters... why not use vinyl to make a quick stencil for that vs the larger process of emulsion... at least for the extremely small shop/guy like me?

[Frog]

As long as the vinyl stays stuck, and gives you a sharp edged print, and graphics allow, I have no argument against it, especially on a small run like that.
Hopefully you are also getting a price adjusted for the small run.
Many would not even screen print a job that small if they also had access to cad-cut heat seal.
For me, the tipping point is usually 8-9.

[Gilligan]

Oh absolutely... I'm probably still pricing myself too low... but I'm still feeling this out.   You know you came in too low when the customer says "are you sure?" ha!  Next one that came in like that got a little bump in price.

At ~2.50 a linear foot for heat transfer vinyl and the additional weed time per piece (depending on layout) definitely starts to make you weigh the differences.  I'm also leaning towards screen printing right now partially because I need to make myself do more screen printing... probably not the best way to get my feet wet but at the same time that's how I roll it seems.

When we had the band it was like "Practice?  Isn't that what gigs are for?" 

[screenxpress]

There are some flashes with the sides that are on the sides of it. The metal goes down really close to the pallet. I'm thinking about attaching aluminum sheeting to my flash to mimic that.
Gilligan, look for a conveyor on Digismith, eBay or Craigslist. I got mine from a semi-local dealer. It was used, about 18 years old, that had new panels and new wiring done 3-4 years ago. My buddy is electrician so he checked it out when I was taking it to my basement. I have Atlas 824 that I paid $1500 with delivery included.

Good luck.

Back when I was curing with the Flash, I took simple heavy aluminum foil and taped (duct tape) 2 'curtains' to hang over the sides draping down to just above the shirt (being cured) to hold in as much heat as possible.

[Gilligan]

So what does it mean (if anything) when I heat press my photo transfer onto the shirt and a plastisol "residue" comes off on the teflon sheet?

It's not the whole image just bits of it and the print still looks great.