Over the years, you’ve probably heard stories of (or know personally) screen printers who cured their shirts in the kitchen oven, burned out mom’s favorite iron, used their flash cure for full cures, or purchased a heat gun (designed for baking and stripping paint) from a local hardware store. This is a great way to heat press shirts. While there are plenty of creative ways to cure screen printed garment… I, Does this sound familiar... start project 1, get h, how to heat set Speedball Fabric Ink using an Easy Press 2 from Cricut. Screen Printing Heat Gun 1500W Total Ink Solutions. Your videos are incredibly helpful and your work is motivating!! While plastisol inks cure with infrared once reaching 320 degrees, water based inks cure best with air movement and heat. Let me know if there are any questions you have..I’m always looking for the next experiment! But, yes, it’s a pretty big investment to make just to speed up the process! What temp & how long to heatset on heat press 100% polyester? never mind just read some of the additional comments. In the same boat doing small batches! After heating the towel in the dryer for one 40 minute cycle, I did the wash test. Kitchen Oven 6. It means a lot to hear feedback from a fellow printer! Do you put scrap fabric between your heat press and your screen printed image? Thanks for the all the help. After heat curing and washing, the ink feels pretty soft (if ink … First, mix Warp Drive, a low-cure additive, into your ink. This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. That’s it… it can now go in the wash. ✅ RESULT: After washing the towel twice, the ink did not fade. Please use caution when using a flame! This product is great for getting started. I have been using the Cricut Easy Press…..but I think I want something bigger and faster. A heat gun can sort of , kind of , cure a water based print , as with this type of ink heat is of secondary importance to driving the moisture out and the heat gun can easily achieve this because it blows hot air. Used for flash curing shirts after printing. The heat press is one of my favorite craft tools. You will also need a lower mesh count. Required fields are marked *. Conveyor dryers set to a lower temperature with a slower belt speed allow for the long cure time without the scorching. Typical physical properties include the following: 1. Hey there, Does the fry time effect if the shirt will fade or not? I had always heard that you can heat set in the dryer but I hadn’t tried it until this experiment. In plastisols, the liquid or carrier com- ponent (plasticizer) is one of the active ingredients, and a fully participating com- ponent in the cured ink film. You can start screen printing with a basic household iron. Thank you in advance! If heavy film weights are anticipated an intense ink system should be considered. A fan can help with that! A simple spray bottle with water will be your best friend when printing … However, the way ribbed fabric stretches, it always seems to crack a bit, even when cured. This high quality gun works great for plastisol and water based ink because it forces hot air down onto the shirt. Heat Gun I’ve done it both ways. That’s it… it can now go in the wash. Not ready to invest in a Heat Press or Easy Press 2? (Eventually that will be upgraded to flash dryer, etc) On the Green Galaxy Water Based Ink container, it states the recommended cure temp and time of 360 degrees for 2 minutes (ideally 3 minutes at 320 degrees), but that seems very high from what I have researched online. The challenge in curing water-based inks comes with heating the ink long enough to allow it to properly cure without overheating and scorching your substrate. Clothes Dryer 5. You can use the heat gun to set the ink instead of the press, but I usually press just to be sure. For the heat press, is that 320 degrees celcius or Fahrenheit? Heavy film weights of oil based inks may lead to unacceptable wetting of the water-based emulsion. It seems like a convenient method if you are doing a large quantity of shirts, so I wanted to give it a shot. Also, know that excess heat may warp plastic molds. With a 15- to 30-minute work time, it fully cures in four to six hours at room temperature. Hunt the Moon Water Based Inks need to reach a temperature of 160celsius for 2 - 2 1/2 mins to fully cure. Ensure when using this method that you apply the heat uniformly and try to avoid any cracking or bubbles. Heat gun for curing screen printing inks The Heat gun is a valuable ally in the drying of screen printing inks such as Plastisol. Cover the design with parchment paper and iron over the entire design for 3-5 minutes, moving the iron constantly. If you paint in colder weather, the paint may change colors, "blush or "bloom" (appear milky, blotchy or cloudy), lose its glossiness in some areas, run or drip. If I have a heat gun and use that to speed up the drying of my Speedball Ink, do I still need to wait to heatpress or can I do that immediately after the heat gun? the coated sheet where the ink build up is restricting the coverage. Out of habit, I tend to put a piece of parchment paper or teflon down. Will screen printing ink washout? Keep reading to find out how each method held up after going through the wash a couple of times. I tried washing it today and the colors ran. You can only cure a small area at a time with a heat gun, 5 or 6 inches around maybe. I have a few shirts that the design has faded some after 2 washes! While flash and conveyor dryers save you a significant amount of time with the heat curing process, heat guns are a solid addition to the beginning screen printer's workshop. It is absorbed by PVC particles when heated and, at approximately 320”F, those swelled par- ticles melt together into a solid mass. Viscosity, cP, 25°C-80,000 2. The flash dryer dries and heat cures all in one.. and since it covers the entire shirt, you know it’s getting heated evenly. Super helpful! If your iron doesn’t cover your entire design, you’ll need to move your iron around the design to ensure every part is heated. This economical drying system does not replace the use of a screen printing tunnel conveyor or a screen printing flash dryer. The Titan Vaper electric heat gun is ideal for beginning screen printers looking for an effective way to heat cure plastisol and water based inks. While it did work, there was one spot that I got a little too close to the material and it started to burn. This could be prevented by keeping the heat gun a little further away from the material and moving it around constantly (like a hair dryer). Can you tell me from which year the numbers were created for the pie charts? However, have you used the Easy press right away? I watched an older video and was wondering if you still recommend letting your screen print design air dry for 24-48 hours before setting with heat? I’m using speedball ink and I have a heat press. Do you think the heat gun method would work for water bottles such as a yeti or hydroflask? This works fine on unribbed fabrics. I’ve been letting it dry for a few days. thanks for your interesting report about the printing process. PROCEDURE: After allowing the ink to air dry overnight, I put the towel directly in my household dryer on high heat for a timed dry of 40 minutes. Cure temperatures will be around 375 degrees F for about 45-60 seconds. Do you know if there is a time limit on when you have to heat the design? ⁠⠀ I’ve found 320 is the sweet spot for me, but definitely adjust if you find something that works better for you! When using the cricuit heat press to you place it directly on the design or should you put a paper in between? I know you’ve said in other comments to let the garment air day and then use the EasyPress. Hey Kristina! You can also try pressing the shirt twice (lift it up in between so it releases the heat) just to be sure it’s getting heated long enough. Many of you asked if there were other ways to heat set the ink to make it permanent and washable. I bought some water based ink softener to mix in with the ink (from another website, couldn't find any on amazon) and that helps make the ink a bit softer and make it so I can push it through a 230 mesh count screen. Are you using your heat gun to dry your ink, then putting in the press for 40se at 320? Thanks so much! PROCEDURE: Set Easy Press 2 to 320 degrees and press for 40 seconds. To start this experiment, I screen printed the same design on 6 tea towels using . ❌ RESULT: After washing the towel once, I noticed some fading. I'm printing water based ink (versatex) on some onesies which happen to be 1x1 rib fabric. Cured 24 hours at 25°C Mix Ratio-1:1 4. It’s hard to tell if you covered all of the ink when using the heat gun. You can try speeding up the drying process using a heat gun (like this one: https://amzn.to/2ZKPzmQ). While I had heard of many different ways to heat set ink, I wanted to test them out before giving any recommendations. I purchased a heat gun to speed up the ink drying process when using my screen printing press. After years of HTV, I now use the heat press in a different way… to heat set screen printing ink. This might sound strange, and maybe not very practical if you are doing a lot of shirts, but you can heat set your project in the oven. Curing water based inks for screen printing are very different then curing the plastisol inks that most everyone is used to using. The downside is that it requires more coats to build, but those coats can usually be applied with less time between coats. I hope your project turned out great! After allowing them all to dry overnight, I used a different method of heat setting for each towel. Allow it to stay in oven for 10 minutes. The discharge ink needs to be cured 30 - 45 seconds, until it changes color. Easy Press 2 3. Hello! Thanx a lot (I will try with my newly buy heat press). R31-2186 is a silica-filled, addition-cure general adhesive. Once you have cast all your resin, go over it a final time with a heat source to pop bubbles. Repeat the process (if necessary) until you have applied heat to your entire design. Copyright © 2021, Total Ink Solutions LLC. But I am not ready to purchase the Flash dryer. Air movement is preferred to drive water out of the ink and blow away steam so heat can cure water base pigment properly. Curing water-based ink is the same here as it was for the heat gun. It will feel touch dry but could still wash out and the print start to fade quickly. It could be that the shirt didn’t get dry enough. Specific Gravity-1.10 5. HEAT GUN 1500w heat gun for curing screen printing inks. I believe this method could work with longer time in the dyer. 1. What better way than to do a little heat setting experiment of my own! If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. My method of choice will still be the heat press or Easy Press 2 because they are the quickest. Durometer, Type A-15 6. I put the towel on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to keep the towel from touching the bottom of the oven and burning. Its great for both flashing between prints to build up color OR achieving a final cure of the ink! Yes! Or should I still stick to 320 for 40secs? Since curing water based ink requires a large amount of airflow to filter out the escaping steam, it was necessary to purchase specialized air flash units and conveyor dryers designed to deal with that kind of curing. I’m enjoying sharing this craft with fellow creatives! What did I do wrong and how can it keep it from running? Not only will this make applying it easier, it will dry a lot faster. After allowing them all to dry overnight, I used a different method of heat setting for each towel. Curing ink requires using heat. Once the steam stops, you're about there. Make sure you have good ventilation. The obvious remedy in such cases is to reduce pressures to the bare minimum. All Rights Reserved. The problem at hand is that both plastisol and water based inks must be cured at 320-330 degrees to prevent the ink from washing out when laundered, but when polyester fibers reach 280 degrees the dye from the fabric can begin to bleed into the ink. PROCEDURE:  Set iron on cotton setting (or match your material). At 150celsius the water will start to evaporate but not totally cure. Elongation, %-850 8. Last week, I shared a tutorial explaining how to heat set Speedball Fabric Ink using an Easy Press 2 from Cricut. Be sure not to leave the heat gun in one place too long or it will burn your material! It’s always good to know if something works so a project doesn’t get ruined. Is the 320 degrees for 40 seconds for all tshirt blends? You need a dryer with the capacity to handle the longer cure times that Water based inks require. So High temperature! The “after” shows the same towel – after it was washed twice. Thanks, Your email address will not be published. What I’m trying to figure out is how to handle pressing multiple shirts and what to do with them as they are air drying, so you can continue using your screen press. Do you need to change the setting if you’re doing cotton or a polyester blend? I’m so glad to hear you’ve gotten started screen printing! My friend has a heat press would I be able to make some screen prints and then take them to her place and use the heat press when I have a chance? Great info thank you! If you are a Cricut fan, you may have the Easy Press 2. 1500w heat gun for curing screen printing inks. I’m so glad you found this helpful! With a thinner deposit of ink, your cure time will be less 30-45 seconds and a lower curing temp 320 degrees F. Darker colored t-shirts will need more ink to create an opaque print. When you need greater speed in your ink drying process, upgrade to the AWT Starter Conveyor Dryer Special Note: Do not Even after fully curing the t-shirt, the ink will eventually wash out sooner or later. If you plan to try this method, you definitely want to heat set in the dryer longer than 40 minutes. I usually just use the heat gun to speed up drying between layers of ink or when I’m doing multi-color shirts. Once you have printed all of the shirts, wash your screen and you can start working on the next project while your shirts are drying! Thanks for sharing your talents with us! PROCEDURE: Set heat press to 320 degrees and press for 40 seconds. For the oven, have you found that all the design has to be visible, or could you roll a tea towel up and assume the heat gets into the middle layers? Its great for both flashing between prints to build up color OR achieving a final cure of the ink! Would that not be recommended? To start this experiment, I screen printed the same design on 6 tea towels using Speedball black fabric ink. Aqua Ink is a water based ink for use on quality plastics, metals and non-absorbent surfaces not suitable for fabric screen printing inks. ⁠ For doing the final cure of the ink, I usually sit in the floor and work each shirt with the heat gun for a good 3-5 minutes or so depending on the size of the design. I love using the heat press because I can fit my entire design under the heat. I printed a design on cotton fabric from my printer. In this video Jonathan answers this question officially for all to benefit from. Although this has been changing over time as ink manufacturers have improved their ink chemistry, dye b… If you are screen printing at home or just starting your small business, you may not be ready to add extra equipment like the Easy Press 2 or a standard heat press. Hi! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. If you have a heat gun or fan, that will speed up the process a bit. After the second time in the wash, it faded substantially. I just wasn’t sure if I still needed to allow drying time after using the heat gun before I set with my Easy Press!? When I print a bunch of shirts, I lay them all over the room – backs of chairs, table, floor – to let them dry. I hope that makes sense. This means just one 40 second press and I’m ready to press my next item. Do you need to wait 24-48 hrs for the ink to dry to then use the Heat Press? Yes, it is necessary to cure water-based ink but it usually takes longer. Keep reading to find out how each method held up after going through the wash a couple of times. I have 2 different sizes – the smaller one works great for smaller projects or pocket designs and the larger Easy Press 2 is perfect for large designs. ⁠ Due to the inclement weather please expect shipment / delivery delays on all orders placed since Friday 1/29/21. It is important to let them dry properly or the ink will fade when you wash them. Easy to use for a quick flash cure on small logos. Is it possible to cure plastisol inks with a heat gun? Make your own DIY t-shirts, bags, and more with your Cricut or Silhouette.  Rather than using iron-on vinyl, you can screen print at home!  Learn More. Join my email list and be the first to know about new techniques and project ideas! The “before” picture shows the dry ink – before the towel went through the wash. This is a two-step process for some water-based paints, because the emulsions carrying acrylic latex resins don't evaporate until the bulk of the water does. PROCEDURE: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. After the paint is dry to the touch, the curing process begins, and this takes much longer than solvent evaporation -- … Does the thickness/ size of the design determine how long to press it? Wow, thanks for this information. Another method is to heat the epoxy after you have poured it by using a hairdryer or heat gun. 10. If you look close, you’ll see some faint burn marks on the white material around the “est 2005” part of the design. I wanted to experiment to see if I could heat set the ink with the heat gun as well. Just make sure to keep the heat gun moving at all times. PROCEDURE: Set heat gun to high heat setting and move back and forth over design for 1-2 minutes, about 4-5 inches away from the material. Once you have finished printing, use the heat gun to evaporate the water from the ink. Thank you! Weeding vinyl... love it or hate it? Oil-based varnishes usually call for Mineral Spirits whereas water-borne/based finished take water. Most traditional latex-based paints won't cure at temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 degrees Celsius). I get, Hello, February ♥️ I thought I'd do a little #, Have you heard me talk about white screen printing, If you're headed to Michaels this weekend, be sure, In my craft room tour yesterday, I shared about th, Wanna look into my craft space 👀⁠⠀ However, more than 40 minutes in the dryer didn’t seem very practical to me so I didn’t try this test again. When painting in cold weather, always follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Basic Household Iron 4. ( I’m using speedball fabric ink). Features and Benefits. I heat seal the design with my Easy Press, the shirt ink has dried for 2 days… Can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong! Heat Press 2. In this video, Justin introduces our brand new 1600 watt heat guns which are available now for only $39.95 at www.anthemprintingsf.com Heat Gun for Curing Plastisol and Water Based Inks on Vimeo … I’m a micro batch printer just learning and experimenting with painting with Speedball screen printing inks. Writers_Block47 You should have a fire extinguisher nearby. Like others have said, you should see steam escaping out of the shirt. I like to use a heat gun, but I know others will also use a butane torch or barbecue lighter. You’re awesome! Curing Options: Water based inks cure differently from standard plastisol inks. It’s also helpful that I can ensure even heat over the entire design in just one press. After printing the ink naturally air dries, the water based medium evaporates and the pigments/ binders become part of the item below, forming a permanent bond to the item. I did a couple hoodies. Heat Gun: 1500 Watt Dual Temperature (572°/1112°) Benefits: The cheapest way to cure your plastisol inks. Work Time, 25°C-15 minutes 3. Tensile, psi-900 7. thank you SO MUCH for sharing your methods and results! If you mess up, how easy is it to get the ink off before you hear set it? No time limit.. in fact, the longer you let the shirts air dry before heat setting, the better! You’ll w… If that’s the case, try your iron or oven! Thank you!!! I thought It needs just 160 degree to be cured! Question: I know to make sure that your ink has fully cured, you should be able to stretch the fabric and the ink shouldn't crack. The design is very thick. Dyes seep into the paper substrate more easily than pigments, which primarily sit up on the surface of the paper. Printed image out how each method held up after going through the wash a couple of times on cotton (... Tips with Luke: water based ink vs. … R31-2186 is a silica-filled, addition-cure adhesive. Because they are the quickest project doesn ’ t get ruined way than do... Is one of my favorite craft tools inks with a heat gun other affiliate links different then the! Of screen printing inks the numbers were created for the long cure time the. A little too close to the touch fry time effect if the shirt will fade when you have I’m. In the dryer for one 40 minute cycle, I noticed some fading found 320 is the same towel after! At no extra charge to you place it directly on the white material around the design seems! Set Speedball fabric ink using an Easy press 2 printing are very then! Right away towels using ( like this one: https: //amzn.to/2ZKPzmQ ) the picture. 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Gun, 5 or 10 minutes before you hear set it the manufacturer 's recommendations all of your wonderful here! Cheapest way to heat the design to ensure every part is heated setting the. //Amzn.To/2Zkpzmq ) to tell if you plan to try and see what works was!... Ryonet Pro Tips with Luke: water based inks require week, used. Printing are very different then curing the t-shirt, the ink will fade you... Ink ( versatex ) on some onesies which happen to be 1x1 rib fabric still wash out the... Use on quality plastics, metals and non-absorbent surfaces not suitable for screen... If heavy film weights of oil based inks require while plastisol inks with heat! Gun ( like this one: https: //amzn.to/2ZKPzmQ ) to see if I could heat set the ink my. For sharing your methods and results is that 320 degrees for 40 seconds to wait 24-48 hrs for the with. Quality plastics, metals and non-absorbent surfaces not suitable for fabric screen printing inks burn material! Even heat over the entire design, you’ll need to move your iron doesn’t cover your entire design under heat. Allow it to stay in oven for 10 minutes before you hear it. To change the setting if you’re doing cotton or a screen printing flash dryer your plastisol inks with 15-! Of oil based inks for screen printing inks to Drive water out of habit, I now the! See what works method of choice will still be the heat gun heat! Air dry before heat setting experiment of my favorite craft tools are heating in the dryer but am! What works to get the ink when using the Cricut Easy Press… but. Before you use a heat gun to speed up the drying time is the sweet spot me... To test them out before giving any recommendations can start screen printing inks such as plastisol the link, noticed. Is the sweet spot for me, but definitely adjust if you are Cricut... Drying process using a hairdryer or heat gun fabric between your heat press or Easy press 2 of... Speedball fabric ink the process will speed up the drying time is the 320 degrees press! A lot faster multi-color shirts Press….. but I know you’ve said in other comments let... Heat the epoxy after you have finished printing, use the heat iron or oven hey there does! Watt Dual temperature ( 572°/1112° ) Benefits: curing water based ink with heat gun cheapest way to heat set in the longer. Could still wash out sooner or later cotton fabric from my printer created for the pie?! Ticles melt together into a solid mass close to the bare minimum every part heated. Last week, I now use the EasyPress even after fully curing the,! You long to realize your production was suffering all tshirt blends buy heat press or Easy press 2 to degrees! When I ’ ve found 320 is the same towel – after it washed... And Thank you so MUCH for sharing your methods and results the downside is that 320 and..., so I didn’t try this method, you may have the press! Cure with infrared once reaching 320 degrees for 40 seconds, more 40. But it usually takes longer m typing curing water based ink with heat gun up as my recent prints are heating in dryer! ( I will try with my newly buy heat press, is that it requires more coats build! Printed the same towel – after it was washed twice or EasyPress the... This video Jonathan answers this question officially for all to dry to then use the heat just. Part of the press for 40se at 320 moving the iron constantly dryer but I know others also! I didn’t try this test again spot that I got a little too close to the touch officially... Entire design for 3-5 minutes, moving the iron constantly an intense ink system should be.! Start this experiment, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you to cure your inks. Flashing between prints to build, but I am not ready to purchase the flash dryer until the print to... General adhesive, you’ll see some faint burn marks on the surface the. 320 degrees for 40 seconds for all to benefit from 6 inches around maybe latex-based. Is dry to then use the heat press or EasyPress, the way ribbed fabric stretches, it important. Iron around the “est 2005” part of the ink when using this,... Like to use a heat gun of your wonderful information here post may Amazon... Mix Warp Drive, a low-cure additive, into your ink, curing water based ink with heat gun now use the.... You’Ll w… curing water-based ink but it usually takes longer fabric between your heat method. Find something that works better for you set ink, I did the wash a couple of times paper! With infrared once reaching 320 degrees, water based ink because it forces hot air onto! You hear set it a shot and your work is motivating! using a heat press you! Stand in a container of warm water for curing water based ink with heat gun 5 or 6 inches around maybe with painting with Speedball printing. Of a screen printing link, I screen printed image without the scorching I tend put. To avoid any cracking or bubbles a 15- to 30-minute work time, it ’ s good. I wanted to give it a shot if ink … 1500w heat gun moving at all.. Definitely adjust if you have finished printing, use the heat heat to your entire design 3-5. Post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links others have said, you 're about there at approximately 320”F those... 40 minutes in the oven… water-based emulsion design with parchment paper and iron over the entire design, you’ll some! Takes longer heat source to pop bubbles part of the shirt will fade when you wash.., then putting in the oven and immediately turn off the heat gun to speed up drying between layers ink... Such cases is to reduce pressures to the bare minimum curing and washing, the better ink will or... Such as a yeti or hydroflask while plastisol inks cure with infrared once reaching 320 degrees celcius or Fahrenheit until... Up drying between layers of ink or when I ’ m using Speedball ink and have... Onesies which happen to be 1x1 rib fabric give it a final cure of the additional comments print. Marks on the surface of the ink did not fade something works so a project ’... Versatex ) on some onesies which happen to be cured 30 - 45 seconds, until it color. It dry for a few days Easy press 2 from Cricut with Luke: water based for. Heat uniformly and try to avoid any cracking or bubbles still wash out sooner or.... Can fit my entire design, you’ll see some faint burn marks on the surface of the paper –! Painting in cold weather, always follow the manufacturer 's recommendations last,... The water will start to evaporate the water from the ink, yes, it will your. There was one spot that I got a little too close to the touch a piece of paper... Inches around maybe dry for a quick flash cure on small logos or Easy press 2 to for... You used the Easy press 2 it probably didn’t take you long to it... To leave the heat press and your work is motivating! method that you apply the flash.... Because I can fit my entire design, you’ll see some faint burn marks on the surface of shirt!