Is a 2 color registration supposed to be this hard?

1229 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by NoXid, Dec 5, 2017

CreativeClod

Discussion Starter · Dec 5, 2017

It's so simple. Print a word on a shirt in white (underlay), then print pink over top of it. except no matter what I do, I cant get it to register properly. I dont have micro registration on my press, and its a good thing im using waterbase, because i can throw most mistakes in the wash.
Does anyone have a good techique for this they can teach me?

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Ripcord

· #2 · Dec 5, 2017

Put a test shirt on your press and print your white. Now cover the print with clear packaging tape. Once you do that you can print your second color on the tape, take note of which way your screen needs to move and wipe it off to do another. With some practice you should be able to get it into registration in a reasonable amount of time.

Is this a print that you had to trap or is there going to be a white outline when it's done?

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NoXid

· #3 · Dec 5, 2017

I print registration marks on my films. I have one with just the marks on it that I taped to a 1/8" thick piece of plexiglass/acrylic/whatever. I align the reg marks on the screens to the ones on my plexiglass template (the tac on the platen holds it in place well enough to do this).

I first put the screens in the heads and adjust the tilt/off-contact. Then I loosen the clamps and push/slide the screen into rough alignment. I make finer adjustments, if needed, by tapping the screen frame with a fairly large wrench.

Depending on your reg marks and the color of your screen/emulsion, it may help to shine a light from under the platen so it shines through the plexi/template/emulsion. Obviously that works better if the reg marks hang off the edges of the platen.

The real killer is if your heads cause the screens to squirm as you tighten them down. In that case, you need to note the direction/size of the movement and pre-stage your screen to account for it. Been there, done that.

If it is too hard to get it dialed in precisely, and/or the press is too loose to maintain tight registration, you must take that into account when designing your art and extend the top color by a larger amount than normal past the base.

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CreativeClod

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 5, 2017

The white is just an underlay so the pink pops out

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CreativeClod

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 5, 2017

I think it is a matter of the heads pulling it out of reg. Im a newb at all this, and this is killing it for me

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Ripcord

· #6 · Dec 5, 2017

You can keep the "head squirm" to a minimum by holding the frame in position firmly with one hand while gradually applying more and more pressure to alternating knobs until you get them tight...As opposed to just quickly torquing them down.

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Ripcord

· #7 · Dec 5, 2017

Did you spread the pink so that it extends a tiny bit past the white image? That's important for underbasing. If the images are identical you'll never get the white not to show.

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JamieLampert

· #8 · Dec 5, 2017

when you tighten the screen into the head it is throwing it out of reg. I hate to say it micros are your best friend. It will take you sometime to figure out though. I have been printing for years and when i got my auto it was like i was starting over from the beginning. you are also probably getting some shrinkage in the shirt when you flash which will make the top color not reg properly.

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gardenhillemb

· #9 · Dec 5, 2017

Do you have side clamps because they make it easier without micros? Print the white and flash it then line up the pink screen. Make sure your screens are stretched tight. A loose screen will be almost impossible to line up correctly. Also, follow Ripcord's advice and add a bit of outline to the pink so you can cover the white completely. It doesn't have to be much, just a half point or so depending on the design.

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NoXid

· #10 · Dec 5, 2017

CreativeClod said:
The white is just an underlay so the pink pops out

Yes, I know. Still, it is easier to align reg marks than art. Especially since your underbase will be smaller than your top color.

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