wayne_crider4 Posted February 3, 2003 Share Posted February 3, 2003 Years ago I bought an Insta Press heat seal machine that I put aside and forgot. It has a top platen coated with teflon that heats and a bottom one covered in silicone sponge rubber. The machine is normally used to bond heat transfers to t-shirts. Since the machine is doing nothing I was wondering if I can use it as a mounting press for flattening my Ziatypes? I thought I might need to lay another substrate on the bottom rubber. The machine has digital heat readouts. How might this machine differ from a regular mounting press, and what temperatures does a mounting press produce? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donald_miller1 Posted February 3, 2003 Share Posted February 3, 2003 My Seal 210m has adjustable heat. Most usually 190 to 200 degrees for Seal Colormount tissue. I would think that a lower temp for flattening of prints possibly 125- 150. I have no idea about your press as to the size of material that it would handle. But if the heat is controllable within the range mentioned, then it should work for photographic applications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne_crider4 Posted February 3, 2003 Author Share Posted February 3, 2003 That's waht I thought, but I was wondering what the bottom platen is on a mounting press; Metal, hard rubber? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_meader Posted February 4, 2003 Share Posted February 4, 2003 Wayne- I have a Seal Jumbo 160 of considerable vintage and the bottom platen is covered in 1/2 foam. I'd be sure that the device you want to use has good enough pressure to mount a fiber print. Otherwise, it sounds good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne_crider4 Posted February 4, 2003 Author Share Posted February 4, 2003 Gary the press is actually pressure adjustable and automatic for time and heat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_eads Posted February 4, 2003 Share Posted February 4, 2003 Wayne, I had a similar situation. The press worked just fine in that it had adjustable pressure, even pressure and was large enough. I had difficulty with the thermostat. It seems it was designed for the higher temperatures needed for fabric transfers and did not accurately hold the temp at the low end of the scale (where fiber prints are mounted.) I caused a few prints to blister from the heat. If your press can reliably hold the temps used for print mounting, then there is no reason you can't use it. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne_crider4 Posted February 4, 2003 Author Share Posted February 4, 2003 Andy that's good to know. I guess a regular mounting press is regulated for around 200 deg? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennifer_waak Posted February 4, 2003 Share Posted February 4, 2003 Wayne, my new-to-me Seal 200 has a thermostat that goes from 180 - 350. Most dry mount tissue is meant to be used somewhere between 160 and 200, depending on brand (I just checked what LightImpressions offers in their catalog). I've been flattening my prints with it at 180 and it's been working great. Is that what you are looking for? -Jen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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