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I am attempting to screen print a few tees with white plastisol using a screen with an 83 mesh count and it has been nothing but disastrous! First, the ink prints really heavy in a lot of areas which got me thinking that maybe I need to thin it out? Or maybe I’m applying too much to the screen. Normally, how much ink are you supposed to apply to the screen before squeegeeing?
Also, when I lift the screen to inspect the tee the screen sticks to the shirt and distorts the image. I do not know what I'm doing wrong. Can someone please help? Thanks!
Also, when I lift the screen to inspect the tee the screen sticks to the shirt and distorts the image. I do not know what I'm doing wrong. Can someone please help? Thanks!
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Re: Printing problems...
Mon, April 17, 2006 - 3:13 PMwell, the only time i've worked with plastisol was when i had a job in a prof. shop a couple years back, so i'm not sure whether or not you need to thin it out. using acrylic stuff (speedball brand fabric screenprinting ink), i actually like it so thick that i'll leave the jar open for an hour or two in order for it to dry out a bit and get super-goopy! i know a lot of folks like thinner ink, but i find it's a lot messier.
when the ink's printing too heavy, i try putting more pressure on my squeegee as i pass it over the design. i also like to use tons of ink, much much more than i'll need (this is why i also am careful to use large screens with lots of gutter space around my design in the centre, so that the ink has somewhere to hang out). this way i don't have to worry about gaps due to lack of ink (extra ink gets scraped off the screen with a spatula and put back into the jar for reuse).
as for the shirt lifting with the screen... dude, i HATE that! and it happens all the time...
ideas for fixing the problem:
- get a buddy to hold down yer shirt as you lift the screen
- put yer screen into a set of hinge-clamps, so you can hold the shirt w/one hand and flip up the screen with the other
- glue down the shirt!
actually, i'm only half-joking on that last one: the prof. silkscreening shop i worked in used this stuff that's basically the same thing post-it notes are coated with, to make them slightly sticky but not permanently. i don't know what it's called, but you could ask around at art supply or hardware stores... my boss bought it by the jar, and put a thin coating of it on the shirt-slabs that went under the sceen carousel. it was excellent, cuz the shirts never slipped or stuck to the screens!
good luck... keep us posted on yer progress...
-lindsay -
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Re: Printing problems...
Wed, April 26, 2006 - 9:17 AMyou can use a light tack spray adhesive on the back of youe shirt to keep it flat on your printing table. An 83 mesh count screen has bigger holes, so it will let more ink through- It is generally used for something like a flash print- if you want to print a large area white on a dark garmet before you print finer detailed stuff on top. It sounds like you may just be pushing too much ink through the screen- try a lighter hand, and flooding you screen before you print. ( this is basicallyrunning the ink across your screen before you lay it down, so that your entire stencil has a later of ink in it- then when you lay the screen on top of the garmet and pull your squeegee across the screen it is pushing that ink through the screen and onto your shirt)
Ezra
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Re: Printing problems...
Tue, January 16, 2007 - 8:21 AMHi first of all you are very beautiful.
Secondly, the ink is too thick and needs to be more fuild. By adding SoftHand Base to the Plastisol ink the print should come out alot better. If the design is burned properly and the pin holes filled up you should be able to put alot of ink in the sceen if you choose. Hope this helps. Oh did I say you were cute too?
