Hey guys, I have been having some serious problems with fading and its starting to get really frustrating. I use plastisol ink and it seems that after 3 or 4 washes it fades out and no longer looks appealing. I am thinking of switching to waterbased, would this make it fade less. Anyone have trade secrets in which reduce the fade of which the design becomes after the wash?? Will the waterbased help??
Definitely sounds like a curing issue, not an ink issue. You will experience the same fading if you use waterbased ink but don't cure it properly. How are you curing the shirt - heat gun, flash dryer, conveyor, other? You should invest in a laser thermometer gun and make sure you're reaching the correct curing temps for the correct amount of time for the ink you use.
I am using a flash dryer, is this the problem. I do no have enough money to purchase a conveyor dryer at the time, will this limit me from making shirts??
I am using a flash dryer, is this the problem. I do no have enough money to purchase a conveyor dryer at the time, will this limit me from making shirts??
No, a flash can work. Depending on the wattage, experiment with placing the shirt 2-3 inches below the heating elements for 45 seconds to 1 minute.
Once you remove the shirt, stretch the ink in the design . If it cracks, it has not cured completely.
here is a quick somewhat reliable way to tell if the ink is cured.. If it is a dark shirt with a light colored ink that u flashed with an underlay, after u think the shirt has been cured, wait til it cools off then take a small area of the print and stretch it with both hands, if the ink cracks, it aint cured.. if it is a light shirt with dark ink.. just take a part of a junk shirt and rub it vigorously over the print after u think it has been cured. If any ink rubs off onto the other shirt... It aint cured. Those methods should only be used if you have no other way to properly tell if the ink is cured correctly
It won't limit you except for quantity - a flash unit will work just fine. But you should definitely get a temperature gun to read the temps you are reaching with the flash unit. If you don't reach the correct curing temp and hold it there for the correct time, your prints will fade quickly.
whenever I put the ink under the flash dryer for more than 30secs it begins to smoke and after a while there is a huge cloud of smoke in my room..... this normal?
yeah it happens.. try flashing several times. move the shirt away from flash unit just before it smokes.. give it a second or 2 and re flash.. see if that helps.. but yes i have always had to deal with smoke in the shop.. proper ventilation and fans should help a bit
Why so much fade!!! 
