Vertical Fabric Steamer

Instructions

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Vertical Steamer Components White Dome Lid Upper Quadrangle Ring: rests under dome lid to suspend rolled fabric Top Cylinder: stainless steel 2' White Connecting Ring: place between cylinders for easy stacking Lower Cylinder: stainless steel 33". Can be used alone for smaller projects. Lower Quadrangle: this is shown separately but is actually welded inside the lower cylinder. Top to Base Base with Heating Element

Instructions

1. Painted fabric is rolled onto a 60" long tube (for best results we recommend using our stainless steel steamer core but you can use a cardboard tube or grey pvc pipe) together with paper. Clean newsprint may be used for the rolling paper and should be the same width or a little wider than the fabric. For example, if the fabric is 48-inches wide, then the paper should be about 50 inches wide. It does not matter how long the paper is cut, because you can overlap it to become continuous.

2. To roll the fabric and paper on the tube, first lay the fabric flat on your work surface. Be sure to smooth out any wrinkles so that they do not become steam-set into the fabric. Next, place a sheet of paper on top of the fabric. Then place the tube at the leading edge of the fabric and paper and begin to roll them onto the tube. When you reach the end of a sheet of paper, overlap another sheet of paper and continue to roll the fabric and paper together onto the tube. Each fabric layer MUST be separated by paper to prevent any water spotting.

   Batches of smaller items can be steamed at one time. Roll one piece of fabric together with the paper, onto the tube as directed above. Next, roll your second piece with paper leaving a space between the two items. Continue with this procedure until all the pieces have been rolled onto the tube.

3. When the fabric and paper have been rolled onto the tube, an additional three layers of paper should be wrapped around the outside of the roll. Then tape the paper securely to keep the bolt intact. The finished bolt can be up to 8 inches in diameter or 20-30 yards of 54-inch fabric.
4. Fill the base of the steamer with water, so that it completely covers the heating coil by 2 inches. Regular tap water is fine. If your water is hard, mineral deposits will build up and the heating element will require cleaning with vinegar more often. If the heating element is not completely covered with water, it is possible for the element to burn out, even though the steamer has an automatic safety turn-off switch in case the water runs dry.
5. Remove the white lid (#1 on diagram) from the top cylinder. Place the bolt of silk into the cylinder. Fix the bottom end of the tube onto the pronged holder at the bottom (#6 on diagram). Place the top holder (#2 on diagram) into the top of the bolt and replace the lid. The bolt will now be centered. If you are steaming a 36-inch wide material or less, you only need to use the first cylinder, or hang the short tube via a string from the top pronged holder. It will center itself.

6. Turn the steamer on. Turn the black dial clockwise as far as it will go and leave it on until you are through steaming. The cylinder will get hot while it is in use. Although the Jacquard Steamer only requires 110 volts, it draws 16 amps. Therefore, it is recommended that when the steamer is in use, its circuit only be used for the steamer. It is best to unplug the steamer when it is not in use. The 220-volt heating element only draws 8 amps.

   Note: Those of you that have the 220 volt steamer, will be happy to know that the heating elements usually last longer because it runs more efficiently, and it cost half as much to use than the 110 volt unit, while producing the same amount of heat. The plug on the 220 unit is rated for 8 amps. You may find that your plug at home is different than the plug on the steamer. Therefore, you may have to go to a hardware store for a 220 volt receptacle that acceps our plug, or if you choose, you may change the plug on the end of the cord to fit your existing receptacle. Either way is O.K. Our plugs simply conform to electrical standards.

7. When the water in the steamer beings to boil (about 20 minutes), you will see steam escaping from the hole in the top of the lid. Once the water is about 212°F, begin timing. The thicker the bolt of fabric and paper, the longer the entire bolt will take to reach the temperature. The minimum steaming time is 45 minutes and the maximum time is about 2 hours. You cannot over-steam. If steaming for an extended period of time, the water level in the base should be checked to make sure that the heating coil is covered with water. With some practice, you will be able to accurately gauge your steaming time, based upon the amount of the fabric.

8. When you have finished steam setting, turn off the steamer and unplug it. It will be hot! Remove the top lid and bolt holder and carefully pull the bolt out of the cylinder. Unroll the bolt.

   It is not absolutely necessary to rinse the fabric once it has been steam set, but it is advisable. Rinsing assures that any excess dye; especially dark red or black is removed before laundering. First, rinse in cold water, then rinse in warm water, then rinse in hot water. Last, rinse in cold water. We supply two products: one for reactive dyes, and one for acid dyes, which will prevent back-staining if this is a problem during initial washing.

   Note: This steamer can lose heat from the large surface area of the stainless steel. Measure the temperature with any type of thermometer in the small hold in the white dome lid (#1 on diagram). If the temperature is below 200°F, then the cylinder needs to be wrapped with an n insulation blanket. A simple fabric or fiberglass blanket can be used. The insulation will be very beneficial to the steaming process.