White Base on Manual Press

[JackThrasher]

Hello,
I've been having trouble getting a good solid white base coat of Plastisol. Any suggestions or tips would be great... I was going to try using reducer to thin out the ink a bit, or is there any other methods I could use?

[alan802]

Mesh count?

[Frog]

Alan beat me with my first question
First off, what mesh are you using? And, do you realize that you don't necessarily need (or even want) a really solid base.

Is your problem the ink clearing the screen? That's where reducer can help.
Also, is your ink cold? Do you have the same trouble in August?

[Colin]

Also, all technical aspects aside, what white ink are you using?

Not all whites are manual printer friendly

[screenxpress]

do you realize that you don't necessarily need (or even want) a really solid base.

Amen to that.  My bases are always halftones just to handle opacity on dark shirts.  Solid base will almost certainly end up the proverbial 'bullet-proof' print, IMHO

[dlac]

I am with the above.. hardly ever have used solid white for underbase, unless of course printing S.W.A.T. on bullet proof vests.. we are not trying to make it look like printed on white.. we just don't want the black shirt to kill all the colors.. I think?
dlac

[tonypep]

DC/UB. But you knew I was going to say that. A properly trained/skilled manual printer will find this to be easier and faster. Again not for most nices however. Finished print will exhibit superior hand with less effort.

[Gilligan]

Curious what kind of percentage halftone and LPI are you guys doing when you do a HT base for a solid spot color on top?

[Frog]

Curious what kind of percentage halftone and LPI are you guys doing when you do a HT base for a solid spot color on top?

I have no specific answer, as with my mostly simple designs,  I have moved away from halftoned underbases in favor of just a translucent solid base, but those who are sophisticated with their dots actually adjust each section (object) by what color is going on top.

[Sbrem]

Curious what kind of percentage halftone and LPI are you guys doing when you do a HT base for a solid spot color on top?

Let's say you have Red square; if you convert the Red square to grayscale, the gray you get is a percentage of black, and let's says it's 60%; make your white underlay the inverse, 40%. Another trick to try in Illustrator, is to make duplicate of the design to the side, convert it to grayscale and invert it, then move it back underneath the original, and in the original, mark everything to overprint. That works pretty well, but check it carefully, there may be a surprise in their somewhere.

Steve

[Inkworks]

Curious what kind of percentage halftone and LPI are you guys doing when you do a HT base for a solid spot color on top?

Let's say you have Red square; if you convert the Red square to grayscale, the gray you get is a percentage of black, and let's says it's 60%; make your white underlay the inverse, 40%. Another trick to try in Illustrator, is to make duplicate of the design to the side, convert it to grayscale and invert it, then move it back underneath the original, and in the original, mark everything to overprint. That works pretty well, but check it carefully, there may be a surprise in their somewhere.

Steve

*like*

[JackThrasher]

First off thanks for all the replys.
I am generally using 160 mesh not really any halftones, mostly distressed textures, and large solid white areas. Most of the designs I am doing for my clothing line are basic and classic white on black... that's why I ask for solid white tips.

Not sure about temprature because I started using the manual when the weather cooled down (recent purchase).

As for ink I am using Rutland M3 white and I stir it till I can't feel my arm.

[screenxpress]

As for ink I am using Rutland M3 white and I stir it till I can't feel my arm.

Just drop by a welding store and pick up a (not too heavy) uncoated brazing rod and bend it in the shape of a triangle with a long leg and stick it in your drill.  It's a whole lot easier on the body.

I get 2 or 3 out of those out of a rod.  Just clean off with ink wash and set aside for next time.  Coat hangers won't hold up, brazing rods will.

[brandon]

DC/UB. But you knew I was going to say that. A properly trained/skilled manual printer will find this to be easier and faster. Again not for most nices however. Finished print will exhibit superior hand with less effort.

Totally agree

[JackThrasher]

"Just drop by a welding store and pick up a (not too heavy) uncoated brazing rod and bend it in the shape of a triangle with a long leg and stick it in your drill.  It's a whole lot easier on the body.

I get 2 or 3 out of those out of a rod.  Just clean off with ink wash and set aside for next time.  Coat hangers won't hold up, brazing rods will."

Thanks I will make some of these asap.