Author Topic: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?  (Read 2066 times)

Offline ericheartsu

  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 3540
Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« on: January 11, 2013, 11:28:14 AM »
We just installed a new dryer in the shop, and i'm about to test the settings on this bad boy with a nice simple one color discharge print. It's something i've printed a ton of times before, So i know how it's going to look.

We are doing AA 2001 and 4001 tees through a 156 mesh, with cci white discharge.

So what temp should the dry be at? It's a sprint gas dryer. Also what is the optimum time in the chamber?

I've been printing discharge for a while, but i want to confirm i'm actually curing correctly!
Night Owls
Waterbased screen printing and promo products.
www.nightowlsprint.com 281.741.7285


Offline patfinn

  • Verified/Junior
  • **
  • Posts: 80
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2013, 11:31:10 AM »
What kind of dryer? How big. Etc.
Patrick Lashbrook
M&R Sales and Service
Technical Sales Associate
312.213.7368
patrick.lashbrook@mrprint.com

Offline ericheartsu

  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 3540
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2013, 11:35:14 AM »
It's an m&r sprint gas dryer, sd48-08
Night Owls
Waterbased screen printing and promo products.
www.nightowlsprint.com 281.741.7285

Offline jasonl

  • !!!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 582
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2013, 11:37:06 AM »
Funny you ask, I just had my Sprint installed yesterday, I ran a 1 color red discharge today at 375, speed was 16.  Worked like a charm.  Basically, EXACTLY the same as I run my plastisol.  This was not what was recommended, but it worked! :)
"We Make Blank Shirts Look Awesome!"

Offline patfinn

  • Verified/Junior
  • **
  • Posts: 80
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2013, 01:20:42 PM »
You want it to be in the chamber for 2 min I usually keep the dry at like 350 or so. Remember just because its discharged doesn't mean it's cured. Once it's discharged it still needs to bind I the garment
Patrick Lashbrook
M&R Sales and Service
Technical Sales Associate
312.213.7368
patrick.lashbrook@mrprint.com

Offline Orion

  • !!!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 764
  • Ain't no shortcuts in screen printing.
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2013, 01:52:46 PM »
I've a question. I believe my discharge prints are fully curing. They do lose some vibrance after the first wash, is that to be expected? I did a wash test yesterday and I have an unwashed sample too. I'll get my art director to get a pic to post for comparison.
Dale Hoyal

Offline jasonl

  • !!!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 582
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2013, 02:08:23 PM »
depends on alot of things, we have a girl here that uses powder washing soap in her washing machine and the rest of us here use liquid, her shirts always look washed out after a wash and ours still look great.  Who knows?
"We Make Blank Shirts Look Awesome!"

Offline Orion

  • !!!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 764
  • Ain't no shortcuts in screen printing.
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2013, 03:16:44 PM »
This was printed manually through a 156x 64 micron thread. 70/90/70 sqg blade, double stroked. Sericol texcharge with 5-6 % activator. Color before discharge approximate to PMS 137. Washed in cold water, liquid detergent. The image on the left is before washing and on the right, washed once. Appreciate any thoughts y'all have on this.


Dale Hoyal

Offline jasonl

  • !!!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 582
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2013, 03:25:55 PM »
that looks normal to me.  From what I can tell from the pic.
"We Make Blank Shirts Look Awesome!"

Offline ericheartsu

  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 3540
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2013, 03:39:27 PM »
it looks like the one on the left has an orange tint to it, then once it was washed, that tint is a bit faded, but i think it still looks pretty good.
Night Owls
Waterbased screen printing and promo products.
www.nightowlsprint.com 281.741.7285

Offline alan802

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 3535
  • I like to screen print
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2013, 04:13:42 PM »
I drop our temp down to 350, belt speed at 12'/min and we have a 12' heat chamber.  The shirts are only in for 1 minute and they are fully discharged.  I haven't done as much testing with the discharge cure as plastisol but I've wash tested discharge samples with great results so I think we are doing fine.  Once we start doing more discharge I'll spend more time dialing in the dryer settings but we only do them a couple times per month.
I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it -T.J.
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it -T.P.

Offline Orion

  • !!!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 764
  • Ain't no shortcuts in screen printing.
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2013, 04:25:55 PM »
We don't have a gas dryer. Using an M/R Radicure D Temp 770f and belt speed 5. Retention time just over 2 minutes. Non contact thermometer reading 350f-360f under sixth IR panel just before exit.
Dale Hoyal

Offline ebscreen

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4281
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2013, 05:41:34 PM »
As long in the chamber as you can stand, and hot enough to not burn them.

They will lose some vibrancy when washed. For essentially the same reasons that even
a blank shirt will lose vibrancy when washed.

As long as your ink mix isn't super-over pigmented, your pigment load is within balance,
your saturation is good and you heat all the water out, you're good to go.

Offline patfinn

  • Verified/Junior
  • **
  • Posts: 80
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2013, 06:08:54 PM »
Agree with ebscreen. My opinion the longer the better with out scorching.
Patrick Lashbrook
M&R Sales and Service
Technical Sales Associate
312.213.7368
patrick.lashbrook@mrprint.com

Offline Admiral

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 891
Re: Optimum Discharge dryer settings?
« Reply #14 on: January 12, 2013, 05:57:39 PM »
sprint 2000 12' heat

I do 350 degrees speed 10

so that's 1.2 minutes or 72 second dwell

Pretty sure I could bump it up faster but it isn't necessary with a Diamondback

Have wash tested the heck out of a couple prints and they are great.  This includes discharge base with plastisol on top.