Ink Suggestions...???

[ScreenPrinter123]

On longer runs (for us -- c. 6k pieces), we have been having to use Athletic Mirror Gold or Mirror Gold (Union) because that's the pantone the client wants.  Well, these runs are 6-8 color prints and due to the heat, the mirror gold ink just "clays up".  If we could use Union's shimmer gold, this would be gloriously non-problematic.... but we need to use the athletic mirror gold pantone.  Does anyone know of another brand that has the same pantone gold or an additive to add to this so that this ink doesnt..... well.... suck?  We've been running it through 180-S always going on top of a white base if it's relevant -- no issues clearing once it's worked -- but the claying up/drying out is atrocious.   Pallets are maintained between 130-160 degrees.


Thanks,
Brian

[mimosatexas]

If heat is the issue, could you print it after a cooldown station?  I know that would hurt flexibility in your print order, but I would think if you could hit it after a cooldown and flash right after you might be able to drop the pallet temp a bit right before and raise it back up right after.  Just a thought...

[Parker 1]

Here's an idea...

[ScreenPrinter123]

Gold screen last run was in head 8. The 2 operating flashes were in heads 3 and 9. So ample cool down time. Unsure if the fan would work. No way to keep this stuff "hydrated" kindve like with discharge you add sprays of water every so often to a screen?

[ebscreen]

Are you sure it's the heat? The majority of shimmers/metallics/glitters etc that we have used tend to separate
a bit during a run. Essentially the base prints easier than the "pigment" so you end up with a lot of pigment and decreasingly
less base. The lower the mesh count the less of an issue but we haven't gotten all the way around it yet.

We stop, remove ink, stir, add back to screen, etc. Super annoying especially during hot market stuff like NFL and MLB
that almost always have at least one shimmer in them.

[ScreenPrinter123]

Recommendations on a base I can add to it?  Dont know enough about metallics to know if that creates a problem, but what you're saying makes sense to me just given what I'm seeing on press.   We bought some wilflex wow base that was uber pricey and we also have used wilflex's viscosity buster but would rather use a base if that's do-able with metallic inks -- limits to add, etc.?  So... Is that the best route? And recommendations on a base that doesn't cost an ingot of gold?

[ebscreen]

My bad, I didn't explain that well.


The ink comes to you as a premixed base and "pigment". (in this case plastic/metallic flakes)
This separates as you print, particularly on long runs.

Probably a really bad idea to add base to a metallic/shimmer, you likely will dilute the effect quite a bit.

My suggestion was to pull the ink out of the screen, mix it up, add it with new ink, throw it back in the screen.
Keeping things homogenous so to speak, maintaining that balance.

A lower mesh count will help here as well, and FWIW, we don't underbase shimmes/metallics.

[mk162]

it sounds like your mesh count is too high and you aren't printing enough flake.

I will add more base to a metallic if this occurs.

[tonypep]

Mesh count is filtering the medium as suggested above

[Frog]

That's one of Union's true metallics. It is available in their Ultrasoft line as well. Perhaps the different base in that formulation will work better for you.
In that same vein, Crescent company sells all of the different golds as powders one can mix themselves with their base of choice.
When I started my shop, I also printed flat stock, and have used this method to match signs and apparel to a winery's gold of choice.

Unfortunately,  I did find the Union true metallic (at least the ones of twenty years ago)  the worst of both worlds. It actually somehow behaved both too thick and too thin! and was the reason I discovered and moved to shimmers.
A side note, back in the day, the Union Clear for Silver base was our makeshift softhand additive.

http://www.crescentbronze.com/order_products/metallic_powders