[savagecat45]

Hey all screenprinters!

I am still fairly new at the process of screen printing, but working intensively on mastering the techniques! I have printed many jobs on lights, but have yet to print on a dark garment using white.

What brand of white ink should I purchase to be able to smoothly print by hand a white underbase or bright white design?

I have been looking at both Union and Wilflex-- The union colors I have been using are soft and opaque. I have a gallon of Wilflex bright tiger and white buffalo-- both of them to be way to thick to print-- and when I try to print (110 mesh), my print is not a solid coat- but rather gives a vintage-like texture (a texture like a heather gray shirt).

I don't know if my problem is that i'm not loosening up the ink enough before I print, or just need a set of ink.. Can anyone help?

Also, it fails the stretch test after running through the conveyor. After curing, it cracks, and after a wash, it fades.

Is there an ink, perhaps from Union, that is soft, opaque, and easy to manually print with?

 

[LaTonya]

I use the Wilflex ink tiger bright, it is thick. I usely pull the ink throught twice, and it looks opaque, it dose not crack after it gose throught the dryer, are you running it throught thr dryer to fast. LaTonya

 

[savagecat45]

I dont think so, my setting has no problem with any other ink. It's only white that has that problem. I tried to print flash print with bright tiger, but wasn't successful. It still wasn't a smooth, opaque print.

I also used it as an underbase and was completely unsuccessful. i stretched the tee after it was cured and failed miserably... the ink on the shirt kept the shirt stretched and distorted the image..

 

[n.signia]

I use IC white, it is very workable, not too thick, and has good coverage, I have tried the union diomond white and wasnt very happy.

 

[alan802]

I've used them all and have stuck with union diamond white. We print with an auto though so you may have different results on a manual.

Try thickening your stencil on your white screens. You will get more ink on the shirt on the first pass. You didn't mention whether you are flashing the white after you put your first coat down.

 

[ukscreenprinter]

I use grafco newtex one white waterbased. Superb opacity,easy to print and doesn't dry in the screen.This print was done print/flash/print using a 110 mesh.

 

[savagecat45]

Thanks all, you're helping out a lot... I've tried to flash print flash, but the wilflex still feels so thick, that its impossible to get a solid coat onto the shirt. I've tried different durometers as well, and no difference to any of them. After my first pass, the ink is so thick, that some of the ink is still flooding the screen (or not passing through)... And I can only mix it to work it up for so long..

 

[LaTonya]

Try WM Plastic white ink, I have used used it to. This is a softer it and it pull great to.
This company is in Charlotte NC, I do not have the number with me, so you have to such the web for them.
LaTonya

 

[joeybstarr]

After my first pass, the ink is so thick, that some of the ink is still flooding the screen (or not passing through)...

Try cutting the ink twice on the first coat. (Flood, cut, CUT, flash, flood, cut)

I have trouble sometimes with white and other thicker inks. Some of the ink stays in the screen after the first cut, so I cut it again. This pushes the rest of the ink out of the screen and makes a smoother and more opaque print.

As far as the brand of ink, I say you can't go wrong with Union. I'm trying to use up a 5 gallon bucket of Rutland right now, but if it were my choice, I'd be printing Union. The Maxopake series is great. I believe there's a Maxopake White, but I'm not sure if it'd be ideal for your purposes.