TSB
General => Introduction => Topic started by: sandlotapparel on December 20, 2018, 12:57:07 PM
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I'm a little aggravated at myself, I've been printing for seven years and just now stumbled into the wealth of information that is here. Last night I think I spent 5 hours just looking through old posts. Can't wait to join in the conversations here.
Thanks,
Colby
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Hi Colby!!!
better late then never! Welcome aBOARD!
pierre
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And you have it right. Read, read, and read some more! Lots to glean from these fields of information.
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WELCOME! This place does indeed rock!
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Sooooo, tell us more?
And welcome
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Welcome!
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Welcome aboard, friend. It's true, there's a lot of info here. And a lot of acknowledgment and alternate views on a lot of topics too, you can really get multiple perspectives here.
Steve
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Welcome..........
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Welcome aboard, the diversity and the value squirreled away in here is way bigger than any one printer could imagine .
mooseman
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To give a little more background, i am a teacher at a local high school and print in the evenings and weekends. In a typical week, we (my wife and I) print about 500-700 shirts. So to see some of the numbers you guys are printing out is a little mind boggling. I like to tell people I have a job during the day and I get to play in the evenings.
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Some general info on setup/equipment?
And you don't have to be bashful. Some of us started out using Flash dryers for cure, etc.
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I have a 4x4 hopkins with micros and just got a dryer this year. So yes, I used a flash for six years.
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As did I, lol
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I didn't realize the impact a conveyor dryer would have on my production time. It has been a total game changer for me.
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I didn't realize the impact a conveyor dryer would have on my production time. It has been a total game changer for me.
It's like the difference between helping your kid's Cub Scout den make a dozen shirts, and running a real job of a thousand for the local Boy Scout Council.
For years, we have have advised anyone who starts at this hobby level, and strives to go commercial, to put aside every penny they make to go towards this important step up. An absolute necessity.
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The only problem I’ve had with the dryer is the amount of heat it pumps into the garage. That’s not really an issue this time of year, but the summer in Texas gets a little warm.
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Got news for you I am in central NY and it doesn't matter if you are running shirts and a dryer and a flash it gets HOT .
I have measured my shop ceiling temps at 112 degrees . fans circiulating air help but you have to be real careful as a little air movement across your dryer will drop the temp big time.
mooseman
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The only problem I’ve had with the dryer is the amount of heat it pumps into the garage. That’s not really an issue this time of year, but the summer in Texas gets a little warm.
That's obviously not due to the addition of a belt, but rather the increased area of heat panels. What dryer are you using? Many have a fan that powers a vent to the outside that would help a bit. Handy folks have rigged a DIY equivalent hood similar to those on a kitchen range and oven. Some of course, also air condition their shop.
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The only problem I’ve had with the dryer is the amount of heat it pumps into the garage. That’s not really an issue this time of year, but the summer in Texas gets a little warm.
Here are some pics I previously posted on how I removed a lot of the heat from my dryer......in my Texas garage, lol
The Flex tubing goes to the HOOD. The fixed tubing is from the dryer's Exhaust Venting.
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Here's ours. We have a 1200 cfm blower on the top to help move the hot air out. It's been a life saver here. So much less spillout heat.
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Last year, we added a layer of insulation panel around the outside of our dryer, and a small exhaust hood at the end. Fairly simple to do, and has made a noticeable difference.
The year before, we insulated the shop (which is in garage space), and we have a small a/c unit @ the press. That made the difference in whether or not we could stand to print during mid-day in the summer here in FL.
I didn't realize the impact a conveyor dryer would have on my production time. It has been a total game changer for me.
It took me too long to catch onto this concept, but I finally did: Try as hard as you can to improve efficiency in every part of your workflow, no matter how small your shop is. Sometimes this means equipment upgrades, like a better dryer, a dip tank, screen drying racks, etc. But it also has lot to do with layout, and reducing the number of steps (sometimes literally) it takes to get each particular task done. Much of what I've done has been DIY, and so some big improvements haven't even cost much. But whether purchased, built, or simply rearranged, moving from the mentality of "what can I get by with" to "what will make this work better" will indeed help you see gains in efficiency, and remove unnecessary headaches, as well!
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When I started working for 2 partners in '75, they had a Cincinnati dryer and a Vastex 4 color/4 station. Flashes had not been invented yet, so dryer was pretty necessary. Though I know a lot of have done just that, I can't imagine drying with a flash unit. We should only go so cheap (says the guy building an exposure lamp for chuckles, and as a backup to a 5000K MH) to start a business. My bosses back then were smart enough to get the dryer, printer, and vacuum frame, and bought a used arc lamp about a year later. That equipment, with enough personnel, made the shop grow rapidly. Best of luck to you and the missus!
Steve
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Just now getting a chance to check back in on here. Thanks for all of the ideas on removing heat around the dryer. I will have to get to work on something to help with the heat. I might end up combining a few of the ideas together. I will post when I have it finished.