[WayOut]

Hi guys,

printing white onto dark shirts, im ending up with a really rough texture on the finished print.

Im using print - flash - print - flash and a final print before curing.

The print is left to cool slightly after each flash, off contact is good. The 'roughness' only seems to appear on the second/third print?

Ive been printing test samples on a bed sheet which is really smooth compared to a t shirt in terms of the fabric and it comes out wonderful.

Using maxopake white as an ink.

Any help appreciated

Dave

 

[ole Jobe]

What screen mesh? How thick is your emulsion? If you can get by with two ink coats, you will get a better finish. It might help to go a little longer on the flash, a little beyond the jel stage, even up to 260 degrees F. Doing this with the first flash helps greatly with fibrillation, holds the fibers of the fabric down for subsequent print passes. It might also help eleminate the need for the third print stroke. God Bless.

 

[whimsywhit]

Try applying a little more pressure. If that doesn't work try thinning the ink down a little. Then try adjusting the flood and print speeds. Last but not least, make sure your squeegee is sharp. I've had to write this list of trouble shooting down and put it up on the wall because this is an issue we deal with a lot.

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[MarshallA]

The print is left to cool slightly after each flash, off contact is good. The 'roughness' only seems to appear on the second/third print?

This is most likely because the 1st print isn't sealing the garment fibres which would give you a nice flat surface such as the sheet you mentioned.
Is the squeegee clearing the screen well... with very little ink residue left in it's path? What I mean here is can you see the emulsion through the white ink after the squeegee pass?
If not, your ink is too thick or your pressure is too heavy or both. The squeegee could also be too soft. I would recommend a medium durometer with a nice sharp edge not one that has become rounded somewhat from use.

I'm betting the ink is too thick and could use a little reducer but not too much...also the squeegee pass should be somewhat slow and firm... the goal is NOT to leave a heavy residue inside the screen on the print stroke.

 

[WayOut]

Thanks for the info guys,

I think one problem is that the ink is quite thick, am going to give a reducer a try.

The mesh im using is 77t and the first stroke isnt putting down much at all, I need three at least on black fabric to get good images. Dosent seem like there ius much ink left in the screen, but i suppose it can look deceptive.

Anybody have any tips for reducing?

Chemicals?, mixing techniques? drawbacks?

Thanks

Dave

 

[MarshallA]

Curable reducer works well and can be mixed with a wooden stir stick or thin metal spatula. The wooden stir sticks are similar to what is used to stir a household paint. Just make sure it's mixed thoroughly. Curable Reducer is an efficient reducer, adding 5 percent by weight will lower the viscosity of most inks by 25 percent. Additions above 10 percent may reduce bleed resistance and opacity.
Thin the ink just enough to make it a have a thick creamy texture as opposed to a thick sticky texture.

Also on a black garment with white ink requiring a flash I would use a 110 mesh which will offer a softer hand on the finished product while reducing your ink costs at the same time.

 

[PatFinn]

its the FLASHING that will give you rough texture.. you do NOT need to do any more that PFP on white.. if you are, something ELSE is wrong..

you should print white with a 110 to 135 mesh, a nice thick stencil, good off contact, a good fill stroke to fill the stencil, and use a push stroke...research on the right ways to print white.. its easily done in 1 maybe 2 passes..

remember you want to lay your ink ON TOP of those fibers.