[visualenergy]

We need help!

We're extremely new to this and working on a job that I'm sure is very simple but we're clearly doing something wrong during the screen burning process. Here is a picture of what we're dealing with: http://commonmedia.asicentral.com/690000/698715/brainbalanceproblems.jpg. The top image is the logo and we need to print that on a black shirt. I printed tests out so we could photo them better to get help.

Here are our supplies:
Adobe Illustrator - it's full vector artwork
Epson 4880 (with standard inks not BlackMax or anything like that)
Rite Film Premium Waterproof Film
Chromaline Chromablue Photopolymer Emulsion - Blue
110 Mesh and 160 Mesh Aluminum Screens
Vastex E-200 LED Exposure Unit

Clearly the higher mesh count produced a better image. I've read not to increase the mesh count much higher like to 200 or it'll be hard to get white ink to go through. The exposure time appears to be fine (I think we're working with 25 seconds) because the screen isn't slimy and the other images wash out beautifully and easily. We even get the registration marks and the "tm" to wash out and they're roughly the same size.

The transparencies look crisp and clean and seem plenty black to me. Should I continue to try to double up the transparencies? I clearly didn't get them properly lined up. Is there a secret to that? I've read about people running the same transparency through twice but I can't imagine how it gets lined up properly. Is trying that worth the effort?

Should I try a higher mesh count screen?

Any other ideas?

TIA! I really appreciate ANY and ALL thoughts!

 

[selanac]

What does the actual images look like? The 160 looks fine, but since we don't know what you're trying to accomplish it's hard to tell. If you double the transparency it'll only decrease the amount of time to expose.

Your artwork doesn't have a lot of detail. Alot of detail would be like real fine lines. Maybe like tree branches.

 

[jimcr]

looks to me like you need to play around with you exposure time. Cut off 5-10 seconds and see if it makes a difference.
Your transparency should solid black and not let light through. When yoor printing set your driver to best photo, and gloss photo paper . you want to lay down nothing but black ink . so make sure you have checked black ink only in the driver.(setup for printer)its going to print slower but laydown more black ink. I have to say if Sean chimes in he'll surely get you in the right direction.
If you have to double up your films use the registration marks to line them up and tape the 2 positives together.
The 160 didn't look too bad just might be over exposed or you didn't wash out enough .
I know once you get your times down you should be golden .
are your colors what is pictured on top? what color shirts . on white you could go to a 230 , if black you may need a white base first 156, then colors on top at 200-230.
Are you using static frames or rollers?

 

[visualenergy]

THANK YOU!!

We reduced our exposure time to 15 seconds and it washed out. I blew out a little of the finer details while trying to wash and had a couple of pin holes but we printed tests and they looked fine! We definitely made progress!

Thanks for helping us learn some tricks!

 

[TheBradley]

Try a higher mesh count. I read all the time that you shouldn't/can't run plastisol through much higher than a 200. I call BS. We run Wilflex plastisols through 280's and 305's all the time with no problem to hold fine detail. Some cheaper inks might give you a little trouble, but in general it's pretty easy going. For what you are doing try something like a 230, and that should help. Good luck.

 

[visualenergy]

We ran the front of the shirts and the back has the same brain logo on it about the same size. We're going to burn 160 and 196 mesh screens this time and see if we can hold some of the detail.

Thanks for your help!