MarioKart sample print

[PixelPimp]

recent sample print for Nintendo licensed product. detail and colors came out great but the underbase was very rough giving a very grainy finish.

posting the sample print and the original image on paper

[Cole]

That's a badass print! If you are printing on 100% cotton, I would do a discharge underbase. That will definitely help with the roughness of the print. I started using discharge underbases for my 4 color process prints on darks and it's improved the quality so much.

[PixelPimp]

thanks Cole! I did the separation using the index method and worked with the print shop to dial it in, the sample was done by hand but production will be on an automatic.

I haven't worked with discharge before. When you do discharge on black tees, do you also print a white underbase as well? (or i think i've heard of some shops using discharge additive to the underbase white but not sure if that's true)

i've asked the print shop to do a double hit on the underbase, ideally print/flash/print/flash but i'm told that's not an option as it will drastically increase production time (time is money).  I truly believe printing the underbase properly even if it slows production, is the way to go. getting a nice strong white underbase on black garments with high detail using just one screen or stroke, just doesn't seem realistic.

[ffokazak]

We find a way to get a good base with one stroke, as it means half the time on the press.

I personally don't like my underboss to be 100%, I prefer it to be halftones and let the top white make the 100% white parts bright.

[rusty]

We find a way to get a good base with one stroke, as it means half the time on the press.

I personally don't like my underboss to be 100%, I prefer it to be halftones and let the top white make the 100% white parts bright.

is this with discharge or plastisol? I tried this once a while back. Forget results.

[blue moon]

We find a way to get a good base with one stroke, as it means half the time on the press.

I personally don't like my underboss to be 100%, I prefer it to be halftones and let the top white make the 100% white parts bright.

unfortunately, that would not work for us. We use very translucent inks and the ubase has to be paper white or throws of the colors.

pierre

[blue moon]

recent sample print for Nintendo licensed product. detail and colors came out great but the underbase was very rough giving a very grainy finish.

posting the sample print and the original image on paper

that is some very nice work there!

try using a roller squeegee to smooth it out. 'should help.

pierre

[PixelPimp]

that is some very nice work there!

try using a roller squeegee to smooth it out. 'should help.

pierre

Thanks Pierre, i appreciate the comment!  you do excellent work!

using the roller squeegee seems like a good solution, i know the print shop was looking at those at the last trade show but not sure why they didn't go for it. they were mainly looking at those to help with fibrillation.

to achieve a bright white, one stroke underbase on black and using the roller squeegee, what mesh count would you suggest? i'm guessing a lower mesh count to allow more ink through for a thicker deposit, like a 260 or lower?

[PixelPimp]

We find a way to get a good base with one stroke, as it means half the time on the press.

I personally don't like my underboss to be 100%, I prefer it to be halftones and let the top white make the 100% white parts bright.

unfortunately, that would not work for us. We use very translucent inks and the ubase has to be paper white or throws of the colors.

pierre

same situation, we find the brighter the underbase the softer you can be with the top white, allowing for better detail and color blending.

the standard practice for the print shop in the past has been to print the underbase very strong one stroke using lower mesh counts like 230. the issue with this has been that the bright areas of the design still come out grainy (the yellow and green in the Mariokart design are good indicators). Or you have to lay a very thick print. it's possible the printshop could achieve a better result with tighter adjustments on press (they seem to drive the ink into the weave too much in my opinion).

Ideally, i'd love the underbase to be treated with two screens (300+ and a 260) to creating a tonal underbase with strong bright white under the bright areas of the design, much like seps done for Virus inks.

[blue moon]

that is some very nice work there!

try using a roller squeegee to smooth it out. 'should help.

pierre

Thanks Pierre, i appreciate the comment!  you do excellent work!

using the roller squeegee seems like a good solution, i know the print shop was looking at those at the last trade show but not sure why they didn't go for it. they were mainly looking at those to help with fibrillation.

to achieve a bright white, one stroke underbase on black and using the roller squeegee, what mesh count would you suggest? i'm guessing a lower mesh count to allow more ink through for a thicker deposit, like a 260 or lower?

I think, from what I can see, that we are stuck having to double stroke the white. I have not found a way to deposit enough with only one stroke. It is always off white.
So we have two options (other than DC), two stroke a single screen or have two screens. On smaller orders we two stroke (the ROQ can still run 800/hour double stroking if everything is dialed in, not that we do but have on few occasions). On bigger orders, we just set up two screens in a row and single stroke. Thats without flashing. If we had a bigger press, we probably would flash in between.

pierre

[3Deep]

Right there with you P have not found a way to one stroke a good white-base so I just stop trying and do what works.

[blue moon]

that is some very nice work there!

try using a roller squeegee to smooth it out. 'should help.h

pierre

Thanks Pierre, i appreciate the comment!  you do excellent work!

using the roller squeegee seems like a good solution, i know the print shop was looking at those at the last trade show but not sure why they didn't go for it. they were mainly looking at those to help with fibrillation.

to achieve a bright white, one stroke underbase on black and using the roller squeegee, what mesh count would you suggest? i'm guessing a lower mesh count to allow more ink through for a thicker deposit, like a 260 or lower?

I think, from what I can see, that we are stuck having to double stroke the white. I have not found a way to deposit enough with only one stroke. It is always off white.
So we have two options (other than DC), two stroke a single screen or have two screens. On smaller orders we two stroke (the ROQ can still run 800/hour double stroking if everything is dialed in, not that we do but have on few occasions). On bigger orders, we just set up two screens in a row and single stroke. Thats without flashing. If we had a bigger press, we probably would flash in between.

pierre

I should clarify that this is only when we are printing simulated proces which requires translucent ink, rest of our stuff normally gets only one hit of white, but its through a thicker screen.

Pierre