HELP?!? Haha, dye sublimation press...

For discussions related to designing and making ski/snowboard-building equipment, such as presses, core profilers, edge benders, etc.

Moderators: Head Monkey, kelvin, bigKam, skidesmond, chrismp

Post Reply
User avatar
Brazen
Posts: 841
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:26 am
Location: San Bernardino, CA
Contact:

HELP?!? Haha, dye sublimation press...

Post by Brazen »

Does anyone here have pics of one? I have a dye sub printer and CNC cut a flat deck so I could use my laminating press as a dye sub press. It's not a great setup (read SUCKS) so I'm going to build a standalone. Any one have pics or plans...it would be so awesome not to re-invent something that's been done too many times already. I'd be forever grateful, and there's always a beer (read 12) in the cooler for ya :). Thanks you giants!
User avatar
Brazen
Posts: 841
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:26 am
Location: San Bernardino, CA
Contact:

Post by Brazen »

Okay, I guess I'm just impatient...I've designed one from the ground up. Thanks for the rousing round of indifference though dded, and you're still welcome anytime for beers :)
Last edited by Brazen on Fri Dec 17, 2010 8:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
nfaust
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 3:48 pm
Location: NJ

Post by nfaust »

I'd be interested in hearing more about this. What are you using for your heating elements? Any idea what kind of pressure you'll need?
User avatar
chrismp
Posts: 1443
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:00 am
Location: Vienna, Austria

Post by chrismp »

temps should be around 200°C. the required time and pressure depends on your materials (pressure is usually between 2-6 psi).

here's a good read on the topic: http://www.novasublimation.com.au/image ... nsTips.pdf
Richuk
Posts: 1146
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:53 am
Location: The Duchy of Grand Fenwick

Post by Richuk »

Blossom has a video and I think folsom have published a few videos. Have you found a 'dye sublimation' forum?
nfaust
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 3:48 pm
Location: NJ

Post by nfaust »

T-ShirtForums.com has a Dye Sub forum, not necessarily specific to our materials, however.
User avatar
endre
Posts: 413
Joined: Sun May 01, 2005 8:51 am
Location: norway
Contact:

Post by endre »

i use vacuume as pressure, sandwiched between two 6mm alu sheets, makes about 5000kg of pressure in a second. (and it is safer than hydraulics)

you don't necessarily need 200 deg c. if u use a little longer time (like 2 min.) 160 is ok. (and enough if you are using nylon etc, pbt can take 200 fine, but 180 for a minute is ok)
User avatar
Brazen
Posts: 841
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:26 am
Location: San Bernardino, CA
Contact:

Post by Brazen »

nfaust wrote:I'd be interested in hearing more about this. What are you using for your heating elements? Any idea what kind of pressure you'll need?
a single 14x84" heating blanket from MEI , press pressure at approximately 20-40psi, temp range 300-350f, time TBD. As always, I've designed this press in what will probably be an overbuilt fashion. I'll post up pics when it's done next week, provided it's not a failure and hell, maybe even if it is :-)
Richuk
Posts: 1146
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:53 am
Location: The Duchy of Grand Fenwick

Post by Richuk »

These guys appear to be quite open to discuss the process http://www.dyesubforum.co.uk/forum/index.php. They aren't working with our materials, but they can offer advice on printers, transfer paper, inks, general supplies, etc.

Endre - any chance of a few photos showing a few results? Do the clarity of result vary according to material used?
User avatar
endre
Posts: 413
Joined: Sun May 01, 2005 8:51 am
Location: norway
Contact:

Post by endre »

Image

Image

Image


as long as the press is warm enough wothout melting plastic and pressure is high and quick, the results are perfect. graphics seem to get nicer than the actual print since all the little dots and clogged nozzle-stripes get smudged out without making a blurry image. i have no pics if my press on the computer, but i can get one later.
User avatar
endre
Posts: 413
Joined: Sun May 01, 2005 8:51 am
Location: norway
Contact:

Post by endre »

the two on the right are with pbt.
Image

also pbt:
Image

the skis in the last image have a blurred area and wrinkled topsheet in the back of left ski, this was a problem with my old press, the pressure system was not good enough, this was a mechanically operated press. After i made the vacuume press there has been no problems.
COsurfer
Posts: 357
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 1:42 pm
Location: Evergreen, CO

Post by COsurfer »

i use vacuume as pressure, sandwiched between two 6mm alu sheets, makes about 5000kg of pressure in a second. (and it is safer than hydraulics)

you don't necessarily need 200 deg c. if u use a little longer time (like 2 min.) 160 is ok. (and enough if you are using nylon etc, pbt can take 200 fine, but 180 for a minute is ok)
Endre, is your sandwich set up as follows: heat blanket/ alum/top sheet/alum/heat blanket. All surrounded by a vacuume set up? The heat blanket doesnt melt your vacuume bag?

Sweet graphics by the way!
Richuk
Posts: 1146
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:53 am
Location: The Duchy of Grand Fenwick

Post by Richuk »

Wow - great graphics. Did you ever read 'The Destroyer' series? And is that a big ol 'E' at the end of the your skis :D

I've been flagging the last couple of weeks, but seeing this is a great boost!
User avatar
endre
Posts: 413
Joined: Sun May 01, 2005 8:51 am
Location: norway
Contact:

Post by endre »

COsurfer wrote:
i use vacuume as pressure, sandwiched between two 6mm alu sheets, makes about 5000kg of pressure in a second. (and it is safer than hydraulics)

you don't necessarily need 200 deg c. if u use a little longer time (like 2 min.) 160 is ok. (and enough if you are using nylon etc, pbt can take 200 fine, but 180 for a minute is ok)
Endre, is your sandwich set up as follows: heat blanket/ alum/top sheet/alum/heat blanket. All surrounded by a vacuume set up? The heat blanket doesnt melt your vacuume bag?

Sweet graphics by the way!
almost, you don't need the heat blanket on top. and the vacuum seal is a silicone sheet, expensive but worth it.

..the tipspacer was not intended to be an E, but i see it can be viewed that way. ;) didn't see that till now. (the toothroot pattern locks the spacers as you lay up)
User avatar
brandt
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:59 am
Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Post by brandt »

Endre: What’s the story behind the Norrøna skis?
An adventure is the consequence of bad planing
Post Reply