IT RUNS! Heat Press - build thread

[jaywood]

I built this one a couple years ago and it's been doing a solid job of daily use.



But unfortunately, it isn't big enough for what we need it for. We are going to start doing 4x8 sheets of sublimated metal prints. Here's an example of an aluminum print: (roughly 28"x40")



So here's the new press I'm building. I just started today and only had an hour or so of time. It will be able to do full 4x8 sheets.

[Swanny]

Along with everything you've built this looks like it's going to pretty badass. Looking forward to seeing the end results.

[Vtec?lol]

Dear Jaywood,

Stop building such awesome shit. You inspire me to do things that cost money.

Thanks,
Matt

[m3clutch]

whoa! i've always wanted to print some of my photos on aluminum. dope project! sub'd.

[jaywood]

Along with everything you've built this looks like it's going to pretty badass. Looking forward to seeing the end results.

Thanks man!

Dear Jaywood,

Stop building such awesome shit. You inspire me to do things that cost money.

Thanks,
Matt

Matt,

Thanks for the kind words. I'm lucky I get to call this my job :)

whoa! i've always wanted to print some of my photos on aluminum. dope project! sub'd.

It's a pretty cool process! Shoot me a PM or something if you ever want a print!

[george graves]

Jaywood - you clever bastard!

It's no easy task to build a rig that does temp and pressure control with good repeatability.

What the steal your making the frame out of? About 2x4"? Almost seems too small - but I assume you've already thought of that. Looks like your job is really fun down there - congrats!

(PS - any reason you couldn't make it in the form of a giant laminator?)

[jaywood]

Jaywood - you clever bastard!

It's no easy task to build a rig that does temp and pressure control with good repeatability.

What the steal your making the frame out of? About 2x4"? Almost seems too small - but I assume you've already thought of that. Looks like your job is really fun down there - congrats!

(PS - any reason you couldn't make it in the form of a giant laminator?)

Thanks GG :p

The steel is 2x3 1/8" wall and 2x6 1/8" wall. We built the last press out of the same material and it is holding up just fine. This press will have extra bracing (like a racecar frame) however because it will be so big.

As far as the laminator press goes..I am not too familiar with them so I can't say.

[george graves]

Ohhh. 2x6 1/8" is some heave stuff. You're right.

I was thinking like a big version of this:



Same thing as you would use in an office to make ID tags for people.

Two 4' rollers on bearings, with some sort of spring on one of them at each end to control pressure. One roller would have a heating element. Might not work if you need long heat/soak times. I don't know your process.

Just hair-balling an idea.

Anyways - I love a good non-e30 build thread. I wish more people shared their work on here.

[Fusion]

Do you guys print directly on the metal and heat treat it or print on paper and then heat transfer it on the metal?

[jaywood]

I only get a little bit of time to work on this throughout the week because of how busy everything else is at work. But I have gotten a little bit done.

These are the upright supports. The heated aluminum plate (1" thick. 54"x103") sits underneath the bracing on its own 2x3 frame w/ braces to prevent bowing.





Weld, post-cleanup





Here's the second one. You can see the first in the background. These have ~ 115" (forget exact measurements) in between each leg so that the heated plate has about 4" on each side for wiggle room.



Here's how I marked the angles to cut.





Both of those upright supports are finished, so it was time to start on the base. The casters will be attached to this and the upright supports will be welded to it. We will be using 6 of these rams to control pressure and distribute it evenly across the 3/8" aluminum plate (not heated) that the material will sit on and get pressed up into the heated 1" alu plate.

[jaywood]

Do you guys print directly on the metal and heat treat it or print on paper and then heat transfer it on the metal?

Print on paper in reverse and than heat transfer it to the metal.

[jaywood]

Ohhh. 2x6 1/8" is some heave stuff. You're right.

I was thinking like a big version of this:


Same thing as you would use in an office to make ID tags for people.

Two 4' rollers on bearings, with some sort of spring on one of them at each end to control pressure. One roller would have a heating element. Might not work if you need long heat/soak times. I don't know your process.

Just hair-balling an idea.

Anyways - I love a good non-e30 build thread. I wish more people shared their work on here.

You know what, we actually have a laminator press at work (different than the picture you posted however). It was before me however though (I'm only 20 and just recently started working for my dad) and he had someone else weld it up for him. I can take a picture of it if you are interested. We laminate foam with it. Think of a sandwich: foam, plastic (acts as glue), and fabric. The heat and pressure glues everything together.

I love seeing some non e30 builds as well. Love seeing other people's fab work

[LJ851]

Is there a reason you didn't run your triangulation pieces directly into the corners and pick up both the vertical and horizontal beams?

[jaywood]

Is there a reason you didn't run your triangulation pieces directly into the corners and pick up both the vertical and horizontal beams?

My dad and I went back and forth on how we were going to do the bracing. Neither of us are engineers, lol, so we laser cut out some acrylic with different designs/bracing and this one ended up being the strongest with the way we were stress-testing them. It's total overkill anyways.

[LJ851]

It's total overkill anyways.

I figured this was the answer.