Compact Dryers under 8ft long.

[Prosperi-Tees]

Let's talk compact conveyor dryers. Looks like the market has a bunch of them available from every manufacturer. They all claim to be the best. What are you running and what do you like and not like about them.

[Nation03]

I like this thread. Main dryer is an old M&R Maxi-Cure, definitely not small at around 13ft long with a 36" belt. But my current back up is an older M&R economax. Nice little dryer. Definitely prefer the 36" belt compared to the 24", but it gets the job done.

I'm curious to hear if anyone is running anything from Ranar. They look decent and the price is right for me, but I never heard much about them.

[Prosperi-Tees]

Let me try to list them:

Ranar Curestar 4000 & 6000
Ranar Jetstar DT422
Workhorse Odyssey CD227
Vastex Little Red X1 and X2
M&R Economax D
BBC Big Buddy
Brown Pony Dryer
Lawson Encore
Hix?

It seems the Vastex has it down for flexibility and expansion and Ranar has it down for value.

[Frog]

I like this thread. Main dryer is an old M&R Maxi-Cure, definitely not small at around 13ft long with a 36" belt. But my current back up is an older M&R economax. Nice little dryer. Definitely prefer the 36" belt compared to the 24", but it gets the job done.

I'm curious to hear if anyone is running anything from Ranar. They look decent and the price is right for me, but I never heard much about them.

Hardly a legitimate industrial strength review, but I ran one of the original Ranar Scamps for years. At four foot, and with no speed controls (except switching drive gears)was minimalism in action!
Newer ones went with a speed controlled motor and added a foot to the belt.
One thing I learned was the value of a decent sized lead out. On a dryer this size (or any short guy), figure out a way to add a fan at exit to quickly shed some heat and stickiness and prevent issues of ink transfer when they stack hot.

[Steve Harpold]

Brown options:
Pony series
PD2004- 20" belt 4' length 110v
PD2006- 20" belt 6' length 2 (110) or 1 (220)
PD3607- 36" belt 7' length 220v

Air Blazer
AB2474 - 24" belt 7.5' length 220

USX
USX2475 - 24" belt 7.5 length 220 fill digital control package
TRX2475 - 24" belt 7.5 length 220 full digital control package, touchscreen control, memory recall. Built in temp prove graphing software

DAG2475 - 24" belt 7.5' length 220 full
Convection air dryer.

Fire FLy
BDFY - 27" or 36" belt many sizes available, to many feature to lists, see websites

All can be found on either
Brownmfg.net
Or
Brownmfgdigital.com

[Sbrem]

We have one small dryer, the Vastex EconoRed l, 20" of heat, it's used to cure numbers (we have an Inline...) works great... we bought it from a guy working in his cellar, and it did the job for him as well before he decided it was all too much...

Steve

[mimosatexas]

I've always wondered about the vastex models.  It's basically a flash panel with a conveyor going under it, right?  I would be worried it would cure the surface, but not penetrate the garment since there is no heat trap in the "chamber".  Ever have washfast issues?

[Frog]

I've always wondered about the vastex models.  It's basically a flash panel with a conveyor going under it, right?  I would be worried it would cure the surface, but not penetrate the garment since there is no heat trap in the "chamber".  Ever have washfast issues?

My Ranar Scamp was certainly little more than a flash unit mounted over a belt, and the only issue I ever had with fully curing ink was when my image was too large to (comfortably) ensure full cure on the edges if the image was centered on the belt, so I ran those shirts through twice in different positions.

Now, I did tend to have more scorch issues, but then again, I think that even with large fancy dryers, we had more scorch issues 20-25 years ago.

[Shanarchy]

Vastex ECII-30

It keeps up with the auto fine when I am operating alone, and barely keeps up with a loader/unloader. (would create a bottleneck with a fast loader/unloader team). Smaller foot print for what I would consider a real deal dryer.

[Prosperi-Tees]

http://www.advancedscreenprintsupply.com/product2565.html

As far as I can see as far as specs, belt width , expandability etc, this seems like the best one. Any opinions otherwise?

[Shanarchy]

http://www.advancedscreenprintsupply.com/product2565.html

As far as I can see as far as specs, belt width , expandability etc, this seems like the best one. Any opinions otherwise?

I don't have any experience with it, but I'd pay the extra $1K and get the ECII, that way if you ever get a small auto you can still handle it.

In answer to your question on the other thread. I'd also keep the auto size frames. That way you can have them if you go back to auto, and if not they are way better for ganging two jobs on.

[Prosperi-Tees]

Yeah I'm for sure keeping the 23x31 frames. Just need a cabinet to keep them in.

[Steve Harpold]

I've always wondered about the vastex models.  It's basically a flash panel with a conveyor going under it, right?  I would be worried it would cure the surface, but not penetrate the garment since there is no heat trap in the "chamber".  Ever have washfast issues?

My Ranar Scamp was certainly little more than a flash unit mounted over a belt, and the only issue I ever had with fully curing ink was when my image was too large to (comfortably) ensure full cure on the edges if the image was centered on the belt, so I ran those shirts through twice in different positions.


Hey Guys,

Essentially all of these dryers regardless of manufacturer are using "Infra Red heaters". The same heaters that appear in Flash Dryers and millions of other applications. If you put in a box around it or in a flash dryer it is the same heater.  (There is a little energy transfer gained by enclosing the box)

The power or the heater is based wattage spread out over the area the heater covers:
IE. a Heater is   (Enter Volts Here) * (Enter Amps Here) = Watts
IE. 120v * 15a = 1,800 watts
Heater Area : 20x24 = 480
Power pr/sq inch: 3.75

The higher the watts pr/sq inch the faster the energy transfer up to a point where you burn the shirt before the ink has time to fully cure. In most cases the ink absorbs "IR" slower than the shirt.  Especially when the deposit is considerably thicker.

Scortching
Solution - Dial back the wattage so that the shirt doesn't scortch while the ink has time to gain energy and fully cure.

Assuming all waves lengths are equal (Which all manufactures are close for this purpose) the dryer will perform identical based on power pr/sq inch. Insulating sides and top will help (slightly) difference between putting a flash dryer over a belt or putting it in a insulated box over a belt.

I have several of used options if you are interested many different manufactures, same energy transfer principle.


 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[Frog]

Scortching
Solution - Dial back the wattage so that the shirt doesn't scortch while the ink has time to gain energy and fully cure.


Sent from Mail for Windows 10

As I mentioned, I have noticed quite a decline in scorching since 20 years ago. I suspect that something in the fabric has changed.

That said, as to my scorching with the Scamp, one has a lot less options with adjusting heat and speed on a four foot dryer, and still produce any serious production numbers.

[Sbrem]

I've always wondered about the vastex models.  It's basically a flash panel with a conveyor going under it, right?  I would be worried it would cure the surface, but not penetrate the garment since there is no heat trap in the "chamber".  Ever have washfast issues?

Nothing has come back yet... your description is pretty close.

Steve