Hi, You guys have taught me everything I know about screen printing. Thanks! I am having a problem with ink coverage on a 2 color print.
I am using union bright cotton white as the base and w.m. plastics forrest green on top. For my off contact i use a quarter. I p/f/p/f the white layer and then follow with the green layer. The green clears the screen but on top of the white it is streaking or blotchy. The color is not solid. Im am having to do another layer and it is still not the best it could be. This print is a name with a white outline. What could be the problem? The white is dry to the touch and cooled down some after the flash. I usually dont have this problem.
Your white underbase should not be dry to the touch. If a layer of ink is dry, no additional ink will stick on top of it. The bottom layer needs to be tacky... a very brief flash... few seconds...
I'm using 110 and no flooding. If I flood it smears. I am trying to flash the white just until no ink comes up when i touch it. The white extends out to make an outline and will stick to the screen if it is to tacky.
Use a 110 for your white yet at least a 156 for the top color. Most likely your off contact is too low for the green causing the pinholes (sounds like popcorn). After you print the green is there any ink left in the stencil?
....Hmmm Like said above the off contact on the green plate is more than likely to small. Two layers of white is making a hill that the green is being scraped off of; over flash will make it even harder.
Thanks for your replies. I will try a higher screen count and check my off contact. I usually use a 156 or 230 with more detail, I just didn't think about with this design. The ink is more like streaks of light and dark color. I am also wondering about the mesh tension. The screen is an older wood frame and it may not be as tight as it should be. Could that cause streaking?
ink coverage blotchy 
