What mesh count?

[Gilligan]

Maybe this is too basic of a question for this section and if so just move it  over to where it best suits or just delete it.

I will be printing some of my first shirts (FINALLY).. I won't actually be exposing screens yet LOL... one step at a time.  I'll have my contract guy help me with that.

But which screens do I bring, the 110's or the 155's?

The job is a simple black text on natural tees.  Probably 1/2 inch to 1 (maybe 1.5) inch letters.  Probably Copper Plate Gothic Bold http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/bitstream/copperplate-gothic/bold/.

[Frog]

Today, in many shops 110's are pretty much relegated to the precious sought-after one hit opaques, or some metallics or other special effect inks. In other shops, like Homer's, they are used as doorstops.
At any rate, if 155 is the finest or highest mesh you have, that's what you'll be using for your black ink.
In my shop, on my manual, I generally use from 180 to 230 for this type of job.

I do still like 110's for white on dark fleece.

[Gilligan]

So even white on black I should be using 155 and not 110?

[Denis Kolar]

So even white on black I should be using 155 and not 110?

Yes, I have learned a lesson few months ago.
The print looks a lot better, you do not loose too much coverage, it is opaque enough and it has a lot softer feel to it.
I sold half of mine 110 after that and bought a few more 155.

[Gilligan]

I'm using Union Soft HS black and Rutland ML9232 Maximum Plus White low bleed white.

Will I need to thin any of these any?

[Frog]

I almost always add a little soft hand base to even Union ultrasoft to make it, you guessed it, even softer.
As for  white, I think that the rule of thumb is still to modify if needed to be able to clear the mesh. On an auto especially, folks may also find their own secret add-in formula to speed things up or smooth it out.

I have found that today's whites, in general, have tremendously increased "printability" over our father's whites, and that is also one of the reasons that we can now also use higher meshes than ten years ago.

[mk162]

Frog, you are right, and a lot of the inks with the same names as before have even changed.  Bright Tiger used to be so thick, it's now got a lot less body and it a totally different ink than it was 10 years ago.

[Gilligan]

So what should I put in the white?

[Frog]

So what should I put in the white?

Maybe nothing. Like I said, in general, on a manual, you will only modify the ink if you are having trouble clearing the screen.
Then perhaps small amounts (using the included instructions),  of some curable reducer.

I don't touch my International Coatings Low viscocity Low Bleed, my Excaliber Arctic White, my Wilflex Artist, or my Xenon Regular White.

[RICK STEFANICK]

andy..you do like a variety of whites..

[Gilligan]

Just trying to get all my ducks in a row... this will be the first time printing.  I don't even really know what "clearing the screen" is.

[Frog]

andy..you do like a variety of whites..

Actually, I keep getting new ones with a little left over in each previous bucket.
My go to whites are(were) the IC 774 and Wilflex artist.

The Xenon is interesting, but I don't like paying shipping from the other side of the continent, and it really climbs the squeegee. Covers nicely though.

Just put in an order for a few things with Nazdar Source One, rather than Midwest, and it turns out that they don't carry the Artist. Then, they don't even stock Sprint, Wilflex's suggestion as a similar substitute. Another place disappoints by not being my one stop shop.

Now, my IC 774 is discontinued so I am going to try their substitute and a cotton ink from them as well. Gonna get some samples.

So, bottom line, come next week I may have another couple of new whites here, and I bet that they all print through a 160, which is the subject of the thread, eh? 

[Frog]

Just trying to get all my ducks in a row... this will be the first time printing.  I don't even really know what "clearing the screen" is.

Almost self explanatory. Not so much with today's inks with a 160. but if after a flood (or fill) and a print stroke, if the open areas of the screen aren't open or clear, it may have been due to the ink just being too thick for that mesh. Union, in a tech sheet addressed the issue of the loss of some opacity by adding reducer by pointing out that if a little reducer allowed more ink to actually get deposited on the shirt, that would outweigh any loss in opacity from the additives.

[Gilligan]

It's all so "clear" now.

[Gilligan]

Ok, let's add to this conversation.  Now the wife wants to get fancy with the text.

How thin of a line could I get away with on a 155 mesh?