discharge red, give me some tips

[Rockers]

We ran into some trouble today with our discharge red. Matsui pigments,Matsui base. The screen always got blocked by what seems to be red pigments, had to wipe it every 30-40 shirts. That`s with an 150-S mesh. Now we never checked with Matusui what the recommended percentage of pigments is but as we told them we added about 8% of pigments to the base we were told that 5% is the recommended maximum and everything above will just cause problems. At 4% pigment load and 4% activator the red came out not very bright.
We are not fixed on Matsui pigments and base as we have as well CCI in the shop> Well my question now is what`s everyone using as a go to red, pigment percentage and activator percantege please, just as a pointer so I know where to start in order to get a better result.

[IntegrityShirts]

We ran into some trouble today with our discharge red. Matsui pigments,Matsui base. The screen always got blocked by what seems to be red pigments, had to wipe it every 30-40 shirts. That`s with an 150-S mesh. Now we never checked with Matusui what the recommended percentage of pigments is but as we told them we added about 8% of pigments to the base we were told that 5% is the recommended maximum and everything above will just cause problems. At 4% pigment load and 4% activator the red came out not very bright.
We are not fixed on Matsui pigments and base as we have as well CCI in the shop> Well my question now is what`s everyone using as a go to red, pigment percentage and activator percantege please, just as a pointer so I know where to start in order to get a better result.

I mix my red with at least 8% pigment, matsui pigments with cci base. I usually add a touch of black to make it slightly darker. Add about 2% activator and test. Never had scumming or pigment blocking the screen especially on a 150S, that's strange.

[ericheartsu]

we ran into this problem for a little bit using some of the sericol inks. I'm trying to remember what color it was. We broke down and started straining all of our ink before using it. It doesn't help 100%, but it helped a good chunk.

[jsheridan]

load it up to 12% mix really well, then strain through a piece of 230 mesh.

then add the fixer N, use more than normal (i never weighed it, just poured it in) and print.

[tonypep]

Little bit too much work for me. Pigs/base/print.

[ebscreen]

Never got a straight answer anywhere, but does anyone think a blade type homogenizer would solve the
dried pigment issue? 40,000 rpm razor blades? Right now we filter most  of our mixes.

[tonypep]

This always perplexes me. We have a few hundred colors and never do this. May have something to do with pigment dispensal. We have a homogenizer but do not use it as we don't make waterbased inks anymore.

[ebscreen]

Maybe it's a humidity thing? Here, even the tiniest dried pigment or piece of ink from the rim of a mixed bucket
will eventually clog a screen while printing. It's maddening and the only way we've found to avoid it is to filter
all mixed inks.

[tonypep]

Still don't get it. We print DC on four autos/two manuals 24/7 and don't have a problem. All pigs dispensed with ketsup/mustard squeeze bottles plugged with nails. Never let the pigs be exposed to air. The screw containers are a terrible idea.

[ebscreen]

Say the inside of a pigment bottle or bucket of ink, you use half. The half that is unavoidably exposed to air, IE the
walls of the container, dry out and create hard chunks of pigment or ink that will cause issues for us unless we filter
them out. Rutland has the flip top caps now which are sort of better than nothing, but the fact is pigments dry in
the mechanism of the cap, at least here they do.

[Frog]

Say the inside of a pigment bottle or bucket of ink, you use half. The half that is unavoidably exposed to air, IE the
walls of the container, dry out and create hard chunks of pigment or ink that will cause issues for us unless we filter
them out. Rutland has the flip top caps now which are sort of better than nothing, but the fact is pigments dry in
the mechanism of the cap, at least here they do.

Could you make a holder/rack that holds them upside down? That's how some other products that don't like air are packaged.
It, at the least, saves the crusty stuff for the end.
Of course, if the stuff is too thick to flow to the bottom/top, it may not help.

[tonypep]

Try the mustard bottles and always cover the finished inks. If sealed correctly the air will remain moist. If not, evaporation occurs

[ebscreen]

Could you make a holder/rack that holds them upside down? That's how some other products that don't like air are packaged.
It, at the least, saves the crusty stuff for the end.
Of course, if the stuff is too thick to flow to the bottom/top, it may not help.

I think the only way to completely avoid drying out IN the container is to use the bag type dispensers seen for cake frosting and IV's.
Upside down is a good idea, but would be a bit awkward for when you are mixing?

Try the mustard bottles and always cover the finished inks. If sealed correctly the air will remain moist. If not, evaporation occurs

This is where I'm thinking it's an ambient thing. We always close finished inks, and some times even sprinkle water on top.
Even our pre-mix CCI black dries around the container walls and can cause issues.

Maybe we need a huge humidifier.

[kingscreen]

CCI just came out with a RFU DC Red called Fox Red.  Gary gave me sample quarts today. 
I should have some testing done by next week.

[tonypep]

Ha! They named it after Gary.........he was pushing the chemists for this.