screen printing > DIY - From master engineered marvels to cobbled together jury-rigged or Jerry-built junk!

DIY Belt Dryer

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Prince Art:
So, there are ways to work around the need for a conveyor dryer using a flash cure unit. I've seen rotary table tables (essentially 4 platens that rotate like press), so you can rotate a shirt under, let it cure while you print on your press, rotate to the next, etc. I've also seen one set up as a linear table with several "curing stations," where you slide the flash into position over each shirt. And I caught shirts on fire in the kitchen oven once!

But here's the thing: Going too DIY wastes a lot of time & money. Many years ago, I spent a lot of time building a 4-color, 2 station wood press, and tried curing with a flash unit. Problem was, around the same time, I had gotten a job at a big shop. So, by the time I went to try to print a job on my homebrew press, I knew how real equipment should perform, and what good printing results looked like. Despite the fact that I was also ignorant of how much profit you need to actually make money, this method was so painfully so slow, it took exactly one 36 piece P-F-P job for me to know that I could not go on this way. (It was also physically painful - those platens got hot!)

Lesson's not over, though: So, I scraped together some cash, bought a small dryer, and 4-color "real" press. And I was actually "in business," able to handle orders fast enough in my free time to start building up to going full time. But you have no idea how many times I kicked myself for not saving a little more money to get better equipment. I bought a press without micros (i.e., micro adjustment)! And took way too long to replace it. As a result I slaved over setups for hours instead of minutes, and profit was abysmal. And my small dryer was way better than the flash, but still required running shirts through twice to guarantee a full cure. I should have traded up at the earliest opportunity. I could go on & on, with my too-small, no vacuum exposure unit, my weak reclaim setup, etc. Every weak link in the chain slowed me down and ate away at any money I was making.

Finally, the light dawned on me, and I set about upgrading & improving in every area I could, and I saw dramatic improvements in the speed with which we could turn around jobs, and therefore profit as well. But the reality is, if I had been clued into the importance of this from the beginning, I would have tried hard to make efficiency a priority. And I would have tried to earn/save money elsewhere to get good equipment, rather than try to get by on as little as possible.

Obviously, I don't know what your situation is. But here's what I'm saying:  Consider whether you want to be only a hobbyist, or if you want to own a business that turns a profit. And if you want a business, then: if you really have no choice but to start by curing with a flash unit, then do it. But only for as long as you have to. Think down the road to what will help you get shirts in, printed, & back out, in a quick, uncomplicated manner. Make it a priority to get professional-level equipment, even it's entry-level or mid-grade. Don't just think "What's a cheap way I can do this?" but rather "What will it ultimately take to do this fast enough & well enough to profit from, so the business can grow & give me a paycheck?" The way you approach this now can affect your ability to sustain & grow your business in the months & years ahead.

BartJY:
A lot to think about.

If I could finance a belt dryer I would. I'll check into that.

Thanks
Bart

Frog:
Bart, here's an old thread listing other forums that can only help you (and other members who have missed it)
http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,620.0.html.
While true, we pride ourselves on being a little more sophisticated, and attracting the best in the biz, you may well find more of the sought after "kitchen remedies" at a place like T Shirt Forum. We just can't recommend a lot of the advice shared there (often the blind leading the blind), though anywhere, even here, as Pierre has also warned, take all advice with a grain of salt, and use reasonable caution when something sounds crazy!

BartJY:
I appreciate it.

Thanks
Bart

larryk:
Good idea to look into financing that conveyor dryer.... and while you are at it make sure you get enough for a flash unit.  You WILL need it more sooner than later. Good luck with everything.

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