The word on Tee St is that INK purchases will be restricted very soon.

[blue moon]

This is all getting so tiresome.  I've got enough of everything to last untill well into 22' but at the rate we're going it will just be worse then.

this!!! we bought 6 months worth of ink thinking it would be over by then. Now we are shopping for another 6 months worth.
pierre

[ericheartsu]

not to be a jerk, but this is a great time to be a waterbased printer!

[brandon]

I agree.

[inkman996]

This is all getting so tiresome.  I've got enough of everything to last untill well into 22' but at the rate we're going it will just be worse then.

this!!! we bought 6 months worth of ink thinking it would be over by then. Now we are shopping for another 6 months worth.
pierre

Sadly we operate more on order as needed. Not so much to keep the COGS down but we are limited on space. It is the one thing that keeps me from pulling the trigger on a mixing system SPACE.

[GraphicDisorder]

Talking about it will create more shortages.

See for example TP shortage last year.

[3Deep]

This is just plan ole crazy, if we are not careful there is going to be empty buildings everywhere, hard to keep your chin up when it keeps getting hit!!!

[nicolas]

We are mostly water-based so we wont be as affected as some of the other smaller printers. We did order about 50 gallons form them including Epic Rio Maxi mixing kit in December that never got delivered so we cant even order any ink now. All this says is that this ink supplier couldn't give a rats behind about the little guy. I know its a business decision but it still stinks. Hope printers will remember. I know I will.

[alan802]

Got 15 gallons of ink in today.  Need another 15 of white, 5 of black and maybe 10 more of the more popular colors and I'll be good to go for 5-6 months.  I'm gonna pass on DC and WB until I'm forced to go there.  All the cool kids can have at it. 

[Dottonedan]

I do think water base for some reason, is “The cool thing".  yes, feels better.  But that’s the only benefit I see over plastisol. From what the water base printers have said about it, it’s more efficient, more production friendly to use Plastisol and may even cost less in the end. Sim process separations are more challenging on darks.Production is more challenging, So I don’t get why it’s so popular.

[ericheartsu]

i don't think it's the "cool thing". it's the way the rest of the world prints for a reason.

You can also hide alot more mistakes by printing with plastisol.

[Dottonedan]

This part of this thread is now a different and good topic. Might need split.

i don't think it's the "cool thing". it's the way the rest of the world prints for a reason.

You can also hide alot more mistakes by printing with plastisol.

I’m not sure I follow the direction. Is that post above ANTI or PRO water base?



Two things on that if you are saying that the rest of the world prints water base.

1, The rest of the world would mean (the smaller percentage) of todays shops. MOST shops are still Plastisol and by a large percentage. Guessing, would be near 70% or more.

This info is partly based on what I see in the industry and the number of separations I go through for other printers. I’d say I have 2% that are water base printers. Of the NEW CUSTOMERS the contact me, 99% are Plastisol printers.  So a large portion of my findings are from real world experiences.  I would not imagine that it’s only that all waterbase printers just do their own seps.  Lastly, the percentage number also comes from industry suppliers.



2, That’s what I’d love to get to know about.  What is that reason ?

I’ve gotten feedback from you, and maybe 3-4 other water base printers on HOW water base has been run. The challenges etc.  So far, from what I remember in the post on this forum, is that it doesn’t seem to be “better than” Plastisol in terms of production and cost.  Is that only good reasons (the hand)?  It’s not an argument, It’s more of a fact finding discussion. I considered going water base here at our shop but when we discussed it last...I changed my mind.


A positive for water base is, there is less dot gain with water base. The negative of separating water base is the blending to create other color accurately. It’s much more challenging (get that nailed down just right) to know what you are going to get...with waterbase.  But I imagine that if I worked in a water base shop, I’d pick that up quick enough like I did Plastisol. YOU for example, are a great water base printer. But it’s taken you a very long time to get that “great water base shop”status. I think “great printer”status can come faster for plastisol shops.


The printing part of it is more challenging in production than Plastisol This info, is only (based on what the water base printers themselves) have told us Plastisol printers.

Anything to elaborate on?  Im also no expert on the subject, but from what I remember, it’s also not as eco friendly as people once thought.
Is is that Water base is just a little more eco friendly then plastisol and that is the main reason?   Is it really a little more?

[3Deep]

I tried to order a few gallons of ink yesterday and found out they didn't have the color's I wanted, the supplier told me he had ordered 20K worth of ink and getting
 it in drips here and there, so he is backed up on getting ink out the door, plus some companies have really jacked up there prices.  What's going to happen is we will cause our own problems by trying to stock up on inks and backing up suppliers, and yes I understand everyone wants to have what they need to keep rolling since it's already tough enough now to get shirts and orders out the door.

[GraphicDisorder]

We used to get maybe a few requests a month for WB or Discharge. I bet its 2-3 a year max now. That fad died a bit in my experience. I can't even think of but 1 request this year so far. We aren't changing any time soon.

[mk162]

We used to get maybe a few requests a month for WB or Discharge. I bet its 2-3 a year max now. That fad died a bit in my experience. I can't even think of but 1 request this year so far. We aren't changing any time soon.

This is where we are.  I occasionally try them out, each time to realize why I love plastisol.  Also, having frankly more ink than I will use in a lifetime in certain colors doesn't make me want to abandon that system.  We got several pallets of ink for free with one of our used press purchases.

[inkman996]

From my understanding WB is much more utilized around the world than here.