Idle and Operating Temperatures ? why 2 settings ?

[Avalon]

Hello Guys, I am about to take delivery of a mug press tomorrow and venture into my first mug sublimation.
I am obviously missing something here and being slow on the uptake (as usual) but why is there a setting for an IDLE temperature?
I thought the procedure might be :

1. turn on your mug press and set it to the usual operating temp. (with a spare mug in the press to protect the heat blanket)

2. when its ready, set your timer and press your mug

3. when the job is done, you would turn off your mug press or leave it on and press another 1, 2 or 3 etc.

As you can probably tell by my question, I am a complete novice but why am I missing the point doh!

Fantastic forum, very helpful people by the way !

[bms]

Hello Guys, I am about to take delivery of a mug press tomorrow and venture into my first mug sublimation.
I am obviously missing something here and being slow on the uptake (as usual) but why is there a setting for an IDLE temperature?
I thought the procedure might be :

1. turn on your mug press and set it to the usual operating temp. (with a spare mug in the press to protect the heat blanket)

2. when its ready, set your timer and press your mug

3. when the job is done, you would turn off your mug press or leave it on and press another 1, 2 or 3 etc.

As you can probably tell by my question, I am a complete novice but why am I missing the point doh!

Fantastic forum, very helpful people by the way !

The idle temp is a safety measure to prevent the press from operating at such a high temp without a mug in place. High temp with no mug often results in a lower life expectancy of the blanket. If you're doing a run of mugs then you'd just replace the mugs reasonably swiftly each time to print efficiently.

[Avalon]

Martin, beautifully explained, thanks very much, I guess I was over complicating the issue.

[mrs maggot]

avalon, keep an old mug (and you will have plenty lol) and use that in it when heating up, and when you store it after use

[Zipdorf]

Mrs Maggot (or anyone)

Can you please expand on that for us newbies? Are you saying we should keep a mug in the press at all times we are not actually producing mugs. That is - when the mug press it heating up and when we are not actually using the press and it is turned off?

It is these little "tricks of the trade" that can make a difference and new people like myself only discover six months down the line.

[Justin]

Yes keep a blank mug in the press whilst it's warming and cooling, extends the life of your blanket.