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KESTDAWG · April 30th, 2008

someone told me that there was a base that will give the paint a softer feel. I think they called it a fashion base. has anyone had any experience with this and where I could get some from? Thanks in advance.

acanvas · April 30th, 2008

we have always used rutland or union soft hand to create plastisol images that feel almost like water based and on images that are to look distressed they truly feel like water based because we barely add pigment. I've seen discussion of fashion base being different, i'd like to hear more.

Unik Ink · April 30th, 2008

I have tried Union soft hand base a few times before. I actually used it today on a print. Tan shirt, with a 2 color print navy/gray. I mixed the base approx. 50% base with Union Ultrasoft ink. The print didn't feel much different than if I didn't mix it in. I was scared to mix any more base in, but maybe it would have given a softer print. I do however love discharge printing...at least the look and feel of it. It is a pain in the neck to mix and print.
I've wondered if mixing in some viscosity reducer along with soft hand base would have the desired effect? Haven't had time to try it yet though.

Steelheader100 · April 30th, 2008

I think Rutlands soft base is called Chino base. I have not tried it but hear it is as close to waterbase in feel that plastisol can get. I've used QCM softee base added to my inks recently and get a pretty soft hand. Softee base is supposed to be curable by itself so you can't ad too much.

coolkyle · April 30th, 2008

Wilflex fashion base and nova base are both excellent, especially in combination with a hard squeegee and a 230 screen. Wilflex plascharge is really cool (tried it for the first time today!). You mix 50% plastisol with 50% plascharge, then you add 8% discharge activator. I printed 1505 orange on a brown shirt, through a 195. Got bright orange and almost waterbase hand on a dark shirt.