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It does not do what it says on the tin?
I have just purchased a brand new (but second hand and never used) heat press.
I have read on a few forums about trial and error with regards to temperature settings. I don’t want to be wasting time and materials working out the best setting so I decided to buy an Infrared thermometer to check the readout temp against the actual plate temp.I started out at 130* and measured the temp on the plate in 5 different places. ie each corner and the centre.
I then went up in 5* steps and I was amazed by how much the machines readout was out compared to the actual temp.Across the plate it varied by about 3* but check this out….
(Sorry but * = the little degree dot which don’t exist on my keyboard)
130* = 140*
135* = 150*
140* = 155*
145* = 160*
150* = 167*
155* = 172*
160* = 177*That makes a difference of between 10* & 17* 😮
Please note that this isn’t a name and shame thread but I was very surprised by the results.
Is this normal or have I just got a "Monday Morning" machine????
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5 Replies
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what sort of press is it?
(to get degrees press and hold alt+0186 then release )
160º
🙂
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We have an ancient swing out press, its temperature drops and raises all the time. The Xpres film that on paper is meant to be pressed at 150 degrees – I’ve pressed between 145 and 160 on the readout with no obvious faults.
Andy
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Some of the heat presses can be calibrated. If you have one with a "set" button as well as an up and down arrow then try pressing and holding the "set" button for 5+ seconds and see if a menu comes up. Depending on the model you may be able to adjust the temp setting so that it can be manually calibrated, e.g. if the display is, say 10 degrees out then increase the display temp by 10. Test again with your infrared thermometer to make sure you adjusted it the right way!
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mine is very similar to yours Mike, so i asked the seller to say how accurate there presses are, spot on they said . then would not believe my findings.
they did send me some bits of paper that test temp which confirmed what i was telling them. then said that was within limits.
some times i do test the image temp as soon as i lift the top up and adjust the temp according to those findings, regardless of what the gauge says.
a lot of people don’t know and don’t care it still works.
but if the spec sheet says 160* (alt 186 only works on a num pad ?) for 20 sec. then that’s what it should get.chris
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I found a similar thing with my press which had stated it was + or – a few degrees (can’t remember exact figure but it wasn’t many) and when I mentioned this to the manufacturer they said the laser temperature gauges are not that accurate with their presses because they have a Teflon coating on the heat platten and the reflection distorts the reading. Who am I to disbelieve them – never had any come backs with shirts pressed so I don’t worry much. Most of the garment film suppliers give a range of temperature and I always go nearer the higher one.
I’ve just tried the Target Premium cad cut film sent to me after the show, I think its really good.
Alan D
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