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BeansSTG · May 19th, 2008

Hello fellow forum members.... i am getting into screening my own shirts and was wondering what inks do you guys recommend.... i will be doing a lot of white on black prints... any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

youtees · May 19th, 2008

PLASTISOLS are the way to go! they must be heat cured but their usability and consistence in printing 'feel'make it well worth it. Many companies make them and yet the most popular are not necessarily the best. I have used ALL of them in and out of shops and in my opinion QCM and International Coatings are the best inks across the board. I use a lot of Union and some Wilflex too. If you are doing nylon items I. C. 900 series is the best of the catalysed inks(best feel and that really reflects in printability and so print quality). Even Better you can use the 'Onestroke' brand of nylon(also makes a poly ink) which takes NO catalyst and is VERY nice.

If you use water based or catalysed water based inks you will find yourself fighting constant changes in printability and THAT in itself is a major drawback. Printers know very much by the 'feel' of the ink/print stroke whther they are doing a correct print technique and inks that are constantly shifting viscosity due to catalysation and/or weather are not worth it. They tend to not flow as well as plastisol which makes them harder to use. The trade off of air-dry is generally not worth it in my book, and they are not a serious consideration for light inks on dark. Plastisols look better; wear better; and are more cost and production efficient. You can dry them with a flash drier or even better a 220 electric oven(international coatings cure at a bit lower temp and have virtually no smell which is cool!).
I will post more about curing here in a a bit, as it is SO overlooked by people getting into SP.
One of the BEST things you can do for yourself as a growing printer is use the inks that will honor your progression in learning the best use and effect possible with your squeegee! A strange ink can really hold you back in that. THAT is a very big reason why the industry has not chosen water based inks over plastisol. Yep....when you go into a 'green' shop and see all those 'support nature' tees (whales and the rest!) they are likely NOT printed with the most earth friendly ink! That is just how it is due to the realities of the SP process. Good luck finding a shop that prints that stuff that isn't tossing the same bio hazard plastisols that come from 'Evil Ed's T shirt shop'. I wish it were different but plastisol is what works the best. We use it for the same reason most of us put gas in our cars. If you are going to be a real screen printer you pretty much have to use plastisols if you expect to be taken seriously. When the comet strikes earth in 2035 this is just one situation that will be rectified. Till then....the lords of Plastisol have decreed we use THEIR inks. And we must bow.

youtees · May 19th, 2008

I would go with international coatings LF series white. There is also a 'Denco' white(a version of International coatings white)and I think 'ryonet' even has THEIR name on the same ink! Next year...there will no doubt be a Santa Clause white and even maybe even a Wal*Mart white !?!? As long as it has that I.C. rainbow on athe front...it is the same white. The war to have the best white never seem to end. I find a substantial difference say between a Union maxopake(very well known brand ) and a QCM(VERY nice inks!)or again, the International coatings whites. The union maxo just does not stand up to the QCM or the I.C. But if you go to your local SP supply you are most likely to see the Union line of inks possibly your main or only choice? I use many union colors I just don't like the white. Lacks flexibility; sublimation resistance and longevity on the garment i find when compared to the others. I have extensive experience to know. Still(to avoid being sued!)this is 'IMO'.