[Tibones]

Hello,

I'm pretty new to screen printing. I print using water based inks. I experimented a bit and got some good results and some bad.

First off is there a way to stop the ink from drying too quickly on the screen. It is pretty warm these couple of weeks in So California and after about 10 runs the holes get clogged up especially on small text. What's the best solution other than misting, it really gets dirty..

If I'm printing on a dark colored shirt with light colors, is a under base white necessary always? So this means I would have to expose 2 screens identically or trapped?

The ink on some of the shirts leaked through, for example I wanted to print a tag on the inside, did I press too hard with the squeegee because the paint is visible on the other side of the shirt. Wont the ink wash off if it isn't absorbed by the fabric all the way though, even when cured?

Help is appreciated!

Thanks,

 

[macmiller]

I have to say if you are new to printing, your better off learning the processes w/ plastisols until you are comfortable with printing (and quicker, so the screens don't dry out!!).

If you're doing light inks on dark and insist on waterbase, I recommend Rutlands' waterbase discharge inks. Bright colors without messing w/ underbases.

From what I've read here on the forums, most people use plastisol on tags to keep it from bleeding to the outside of the shirt. Using a high mesh and little pressure, it won't bleed through. It doesn't have to be opaque.

 

[LitPrinter]

There are three main types of water based inks. First ones called soft bases. It is non opaque ink or transparent base suitable to print wet on wet on white (light) fabric. Sometimes it is possible to print with this base in discharged and flashed underbase (CMYK or simulated process). In this case you will get extra soft full color print.
Second ones are opaque inks or bases (whites and transparents or semitransparents). It is suitable for printing on dark (coloured) fabric with or without underbase. anyway in this case best results will be achievet after flashing each color before printing next one. Sometimes especially when printing halftones (for example simulated process) it is possible to flash just underbase and then each second or third color (I mean everithing depends from desing).
Third type of waterbased inks ar discharge bases (ZFS or Thiourea Dioxyde based). They are suitable for printing on 100% cotton dyed with reactive dyes. Discharge inks destorys dyes of fabric and leaves pigment color which are mixed in discharge base. It is possible to print all colors with discharge or to use discharge like an underbase and then overpint with for example soft base or regular plastisols. Everithing depends from flexibility and expierence of printer.
Regarding drying in the screen some of inks that are in the market are suitable only for automatic printing because they has good flashing properties but also dry in the screen. But others are suitable also for manual printing. Besides, almost all producers of water based inks have additives (retarders) to prevent quick drying in the screen.
Again, I just mean it is very important to find most comfortable supplier for your printing purposes. Also always it is better to close printing area with thick layer of the ink between printings.
P.S. I hope my post is enough clear and also sorry of my english, it is not my native language.