[Revolutionprez24]

How do i print on nylon? Im printing a 3 color design on a nylon windbreaker. Do i just need a under base with the catalyst or does every color need the catalyst?

 

[bpfohler]

I’ve printed 3 colors on nylon a couple of times. We didnt underbase because unlike t’shirt material the ink will lay on top of the nylon and remain very opaque. I would worry about adhesion between layers if one has a catalyst and one does not.
If the jacket has a liner you will need a jacket hold down or you’ll have registration problems. Also only mix as much ink as needed, once you add the catalyst you have to throw away the excess ink

 

[alrozac]

like bpfohler said, we do not underbase on nylon and get good results. We use normal plastisol and add a product called plastobond to the ink. This allows the ink to air dry if needed. We have printed umbrellas with this mixture with great luck. We usually print with this ink mixture and heat gun between colours and then give it a quick run through the conveyor just to give it a kick and then let them sit for a day. Have not had any complaints yet and the prints look great. Biggest thing is the minute you are done printing clean the screens right away or you will be getting it remeshed. If doing a large job you will also need to clean the screens in print or they will jam up.

 

[Revolutionprez24]

I’ve printed 3 colors on nylon a couple of times. We didnt underbase because unlike t’shirt material the ink will lay on top of the nylon and remain very opaque. I would worry about adhesion between layers if one has a catalyst and one does not.
If the jacket has a liner you will need a jacket hold down or you’ll have registration problems. Also only mix as much ink as needed, once you add the catalyst you have to throw away the excess ink

thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated

 

[gardenhillemb]

You should use nylon inks with catalyst to ensure adhesion. Also, you need to flash prior to printing the first color to preshrink the jacket. If you don't, it will shrink after the first color flash and you'll lose registration. A jacket hold-down is a must! If running through your tunnel dryer, run at just enough heat to heat the jacket all the way through so the catalyst works properly with the ink. Also, it's ok to use normal plastisol if you don't have nylon inks but you must use the catalyst. If you don't, the ink will start to peel off the nylon.

 

[artprints]

A hold-down is indeed important, even if it's improvised.

When adding catalyst, realize that the ink viscosity will drop significantly. The ink is likely to get runny, and you will need to do quick flood & stroke. Otherwise, you can end up with ink seeping outside of the image area, and ruining a print. Plan to keep the prints moving fast from beginning of the run until the end, and then move to cleaning the screen to avoid any dry-in. You can't afford to be leisurely or stop part way through for lunch break as with normal plastisol.

Watch your cure temps carefully. Watch to make sure jacket color doesn't sublimate into ink.

Make sure your ink is compatible with the catalyst. The mfr we source from only lists some of their inks as compatible with their catalyst.