Need to Register?

Krista · July 19th, 2009

Hello All,

Still new to the screenprinting business and I'm having trouble printing on hoodies & crewneck sweatshirts.....Can anyone tell me what mesh screen and what is the best (in your opinion) which ink to use.

I use 110 mesh and and union ink.
When printing on t-shirts everything is smooth and looks good, when I try to print on a sweatshirt...image gets lumpy and bumpy....doesn't look good at all

Thanks in advance for anyone who can help!

BMurphy688 · July 20th, 2009

I too had trouble recently and have found from reading several threads here, that you need to increase off contact a little, and use a lot of adhesive to keep the fleece down. Practice, practice....

good luck.

Fluid · July 20th, 2009

Agree

you need to change your off contact. It will be a lot higher than you use for t-shirts due to the material being a lot thicker.

Also a forums search for fleece printing or printing on fleece should get you a lot of good info

KaceMN · July 20th, 2009

Yeah...definitely increase off-contact and get that platen STICKY!! And maybe the most important thing I've learned in my first 2 years of printing...MAKE SURE YOU PRE-HEAT SWEATSHIRTS BEFORE LAYING DOWN YOUR FIRST PRINT.

I load the first sweatshirt onto the platen, then move it under the flash while I'm loading the next, and so forth. Once all the sweathshirts are loaded and flashed...THEN I print. Sweatshirts tend to shrink a little when under heat, so if you flash before printing...you'll get any shrinkage out of the way BEFORE you start laying down ink!! Not doing this will lead to many registration-related headaches!!

midwaste · July 20th, 2009

Don't stretch the fabric too much when you pull it off the extra-sticky platen either. The ink can cure while the fabric is relaxing back into its natural state, making the print lumpy.

Krista · August 10th, 2009

I will search the forums some more. I tried everything everyone mentioned and still no luck.
My prints either don't register or the ink becomes lumpy looking after the second coat.

Need to Register?

Resources

T-Shirt Sites

HELP...printing on fleece