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I've noticed that sometimes when I screen print, that my ink ends up trapped on the piling of the t-shirt that then makes a less than desirable effect. The little fibres poke up and the ink does not seem to flatten it. I was wondering if there are any tips or tricks that you might know of that could help.
I've tried ironing the shirts and that helped somewhat, but not enough . Am I doing something wrong??
I have tried an extra layer of ink with a second stroke and that does work, but then the actual print feels very thick. In some designs, where the print can be thick, it is a good idea, but I'm aiming to get a soft-hand feel.
What kind of shirt are you printing on? Lint is usually annoying for the screen, I like working with cotton. Usually a second coating will help, topped with a rubberized paint.
Usually if the shirt is new that won't be a problem since you can just brush away the ling, or if it still doesn't work try using a lint remover, just use it on the surface of the shirt that you are planning to print on. Cotton shirts are easy to print on since it is flat and has a smooth surface (no problem for lints.)
I've noticed that sometimes when I screen print, that my ink ends up trapped on the piling of the t-shirt that then makes a less than desirable effect. The little fibres poke up and the ink does not seem to flatten it. I was wondering if there are any tips or tricks that you might know of that could help.
I've tried ironing the shirts and that helped somewhat, but not enough . Am I doing something wrong??
Any advice would be appreciated!
Thanks
It could be several things. What mesh screen are you using? What color and brand of ink? Is your off-contact correct? Are you pressing the squeegee too hard, pushing the ink down into the fabric? Do you ever see ink on your platen after printing?
Well, with spot color work I use a 156 mesh screen. I tried to make sure that the off-contact is about 0.2 inch off the platen. Otherwise I have trouble when I set up the screen to ensure the alignment is correct. I think I might be pressing too hard with the squeegee, sometimes there is ink left on the platen, but I'm never sure whether I'm applying enough pressure in order to ensure that the print is clear. That is probably one of my problems - Need more practice
Well, with spot color work I use a 156 mesh screen. I tried to make sure that the off-contact is about 0.2 inch off the platen. Otherwise I have trouble when I set up the screen to ensure the alignment is correct. I think I might be pressing too hard with the squeegee, sometimes there is ink left on the platen, but I'm never sure whether I'm applying enough pressure in order to ensure that the print is clear. That is probably one of my problems - Need more practice
Some inks are tougher to press through a 156 mesh than others, and usually means you end up pressing too hard. If you are going to use one pass, you might try a 110 for some of the thicker inks. You get better coverage with less pressure, and that may help get a smoother print. Just something you have to figure out from experience which inks print best through which mesh counts.
T-shirt pile 
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. Am I doing something wrong??
