Opaque white halftone image on black shirt?

2016 Views 3 Replies 4 Participants Last post by ScreenFoo, May 22, 2012

Stevistkrieg

Discussion Starter · May 21, 2012

Hello

I'm having trouble getting a 'clean' looking opaque white halftone on black/dark tees.

My attempts have been using 200 mesh, white plastisol mixed thoroughly, p/f/p, low (2 nickels) off contact. I don't think its a tension issue, as I've attempted on new and old screens of various tensions.

The problem I'm seeing is a fairly "scumbly" or rough print, and one that is thin and less opaque than I'd like. Shirt fibers are visible through the white.

I'm looking to get the same kind of smoothness, opacity and bright whiteness I'm getting with my spot printing (as printed through screens with lower mesh, 110 etc), but in a halftone image.

Any pointers for me? I can't use lower mesh counts because they won't hold the halftone dot, and it seems like higher mesh counts will deposit even less ink per stroke! Any advice is appreciated, as this has been an ongoing problem. Thanks!!

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ArtworkGuru

· #2 · May 21, 2012

Yeah...halftone with white on black shirts is always a pain!

2 things you can try...

1. Reduce the ink - then hit flash hit

2. Try white discharge ink - it will give you a bright white with one hit on any colored 100% cotton garment. Plus it is a super soft feel.

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TYGERON

· #3 · May 22, 2012

Stevistkrieg said:
.

My attempts have been using 200 mesh,
How did you decide to use 200?

The problem I'm seeing is a fairly "scumbly" or rough print, and one that is thin and less opaque than I'd like. Shirt fibers are visible through the white.
Your ink is thicker on one, the mesh is finer so you're pushing harder and driving the ink into the garment instead of it sitting on top.

Any pointers for me? I can't use lower mesh counts because they won't hold the halftone dot, Not necessarily. What line count are you using? What light source are you using?

and it seems like higher mesh counts will deposit even less ink per stroke! It's actually less about the mesh count than it is about stencil thickness.

Any advice is appreciated, as this has been an ongoing problem. Thanks!!

You're dealing with a number of issues, all of which have to somehow balance, and you have to decide the kind of look you want.
What are you trying to print? A photo? Can you post it?

Halftones don't automatically mean high(er) mesh counts and line counts and as such, don't discount the notion of using coarser mesh and line.

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ScreenFoo

· #4 · May 22, 2012

Although, just to play yin to Tygeron's yang, white ink doesn't necessarily mean *lower* line counts and meshes either. I posted two extremes a while back--one on a 305, one on an 86.

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/show-your-stuff-screen-printing-print-job-examples/t183295.html

(I should update it, now that I have a camera from this decade

)

The other thing I'd point out would be that you could be doing a 'spot' or highlight white, along with a halftoned white screen to get the tones you want, with the opacity. You'll likely still have the rough print issues, however.

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