Experience with WM Inks?

[Denis Kolar]

Hybrid White, that is the sample I got.

Thanks Alan.

[Prōdigium]

I don't always trust manufacturers on their "solids count". I've
had supposedly high solid count emulsion that was thinner than
others with a lower rating.

Just putting that out there.

Also, the difference between a $45 gallon and a $80 gallon is like
what, $0.20 a screen or something? Not one of those areas to
try and save money that is unless you're printing black on white shirts
all day long. (lucky)

The statement of solids being falsely advertised is actually a matter of not understanding your products. The "solids" content has NOTHING to do with how the product flows...as you stated "runs". Because the solids content is a measure of what percentage of the emulsion is left on your scren after it dries. The flow of an emulsion is called VISCOSITY and is a measure of the thikness or measure of the liquids flow content. You can think of it simply like two quarts of motor oil...one is 10-Weight and the other is 50-Weight. The 50-Weight oil will be exceptionally slow to pour from the container, but that does not imply that the 10-Weight is not completely made of oil, because it "runs" faster from the container.

Viscosity and solids are separate matters and one has nothing to do with the other.

However, I am in complete agreement with you on the cost of inks. What truly matters is the productivity of the ink in your shop and the quality of the final product. An $80 gallon of white ink is worth every dollar if you can CONSISTENTLY use it with excellent coverage with the least amount of print stokes. If you have a printer (manual or automatic) that is only 5% more productive because the ink WORKS properly then it will be more than paid for in increased productivity and hence...PROFITS..!!

However, this is all to often repeated on virtually every product used in this industry and is a debate that seams to have end in sight. What it boils down to is that every shop has specific needs, a targeted rate of production and an owner that all to often places more value on their money than their TIME..which is of course money, but is not in hand so to speak and is all to often UNDER-Valued.

This is also why every ink company offers 5+ varieties of white..in the hope that you will find one suitable to your shops needs, or as in most cases your shops working conditions. By that I mean the quality of the pre-press work ranging from the art to the screen quality (or lack of) down to the setup on the press..of contact, squeegee selection. In most cases I have found that almost every white made will yield satisfactory results when you have a good understanding of HOW to prepare your pre-press for using white ink.

Overall , in all my years of printing I would gladly use a lower quality product that offered CONSISTENCY versus a high quality product that can not perform the same from one batch to the next. However, the other issue of consistency with respect to inks is the temperature in your shop and most notably the ink. A fifteen degree change of shop temperature can actually change the viscosity of the ink enough to require you to alter your printing technique. Something to think about this summer in your 100 degree shop when testing a new sample of white ink compared to what you loved to print with during the winter. 

[DouglasGrigar]

I have some of the 903WR dual which is not bad for the price and I also purchased some QXL Xenon (purple) and have had problems with re-claiming. It is like gum when you try to reclaim. I talked to sonny and he said I may be over curing so I cut back from 3.5 to 2.0 on my plate maker 1000k. The results was the same a bugger bear to re-claim. I use to use Ulano QLT but I was trying to cut corners. I like the dual cure price, but like the re-claim of the QLT, what is a printers supposed to do.

Overexposure should not ever be a problem with reclaim, in fact a full or overexposure typically makes reclaim much easier.

The problem with the “feel” and reclaiming with a pre-mixed emulsion with SBQ is the nature of the beast SBQ benefit is fast exposure but wash development and reclaim are always a PITA compared to emulsions without SBQ.

[DouglasGrigar]

I don't always trust manufacturers on their "solids count". I've
had supposedly high solid count emulsion that was thinner than
others with a lower rating.

That is because viscosity and solids content with polymers is not always related like you would see with say dirt in mud (more dirt thicker) as it is a man-made chemical that does not work in the same way as we would expect as a “lay person” chemicals are tough business.

Also, the difference between a $45 gallon and a $80 gallon is like
what, $0.20 a screen or something? Not one of those areas to
try and save money that is unless you're printing black on white shirts
all day long. (lucky)

Price sensitivity needs to be balanced with other variables to correctly judge the true cost.

You are very correct if a product is a dime less expensive and takes an additional dollar in cost to reclaim then is it less expensive?

Lance and I are in agreement on all of the above.