Ultra Smooth print

[LuxInks]

Hey everyone.
We're looking to achieve a really smooth print using white ink. I've seen a lot of clothing brands with prints that look really smooth (no fibrillation) that almost has a  small corduroy look to it.
Here's how we typically will print white on darks:
156 mesh for base with 60psi pressure (m&R sportsman) with a not-so-steep angle
230 mesh for final white with same pressure & angle.

We're currently using Rutland's Street Fighter White but have used QCM's 158 creamy glacier white.

Just looking to get the best quality possible so any feed back would be great.
Thanks a lot,
Paul

[Denis Kolar]

Not much experience here, bit I tried QCM 158 and I can tell you that I like Xenon white a lot better. Contact Printficient, he is their sales guy and a great guy. I'm manual shop, but I think that Xenon has a lot better white. I do not know would it be better on auto.

[Clark]

Hey everyone.
We're looking to achieve a really smooth print using white ink. I've seen a lot of clothing brands with prints that look really smooth (no fibrillation) that almost has a  small corduroy look to it.
Here's how we typically will print white on darks:
156 mesh for base with 60psi pressure (m&R sportsman) with a not-so-steep angle
230 mesh for final white with same pressure & angle.

We're currently using Rutland's Street Fighter White but have used QCM's 158 creamy glacier white.

Just looking to get the best quality possible so any feed back would be great.
Thanks a lot,
Paul

I would imagine the 60lbs of pressure is not doing you any favors....

[LuxInks]

Thanks DK.
I have read quite a bit of good reviews on the Xenon ink.
If any of you are distributors of inks and wouldn't mind sending us a sample to try, I would really appreciate it. Doesn't have to be much, just a pint would do. Please include a price list as well.
Thanks again DK.
Paul

Clark, what would you recommend? Is 60 too much or too little. Please elaborate. Thanks!

[Clark]

Thanks DK.
I have read quite a bit of good reviews on the Xenon ink.
If any of you are distributors of inks and wouldn't mind sending us a sample to try, I would really appreciate it. Doesn't have to be much, just a pint would do. Please include a price list as well.
Thanks again DK.
Paul

Clark, what would you recommend? Is 60 too much or too little. Please elaborate. Thanks!

Hard to recommend a pressure, but my press rarely gets over 35 and we print most things at 30psi.  The higher the pressure the more ink you are mashing into the shirts.  The object is to lay the ink on top of the shirt, not into it. Try upping your EOM too...that might help.

[LuxInks]

Right on Clark, I'll lower it down to around 30-35 and see if that helps.
I appreciate the input!
Paul

[ebscreen]

I'd switch the order of those mesh counts too.

230 UB, sharp hard squeegee, decent pressure, steep angle

156 top, softer squeegee, less pressure


That's what we do for the best white I've seen.

[JBLUE]

Give yourself a little more angle when you back the pressure off. Too much pressure can push the ink past the fibers and allow them to stick up. Then when you go over it with that 230 its not enough to bury what is now sticking up. I never had good luck with either of those whites. I use Wilflex Quick White for the base and it does a pretty nice job through a 156. I just got 5 gallons of the Xenon from Sonny and this stuff makes an underbase like you would not believe. Super soft and it holds down the fibers extremely well on high mesh. Good stuff so far.

[Colin]

Until you find a white you are happy with, here's a trick you can use.

This assumes you have a cooldown station right after your flash:
1) Grab a high tension high mesh screen.  Expose it without an image.  Put this in the open head right after your flash.
2) Use a hard 70/90/70, 80 or 90 durometer blade (I find 80 works best).  Add a small amount of clear or scrap ink to your screen as a lubricant. 
3) Now when your white comes out from under the flash unit, do a hard print stroke.  This will help to smooth out any imperfections in your print. If you find the white is a bit tacky, use a lubricant/silicone spray of choice on the bottom of the screen.  If you are using a good "fast flashing" white, a lubricant spray should not be necessary.

We are essentially "heat pressing" the base white.  Done correctly you will not loose any of the brightness or detail in the print.  I have seen many side by side examples of both multicolor spot prints and high end sim-process done this way.  These result in a far superior print.

Good luck with your search!

[blue moon]

Until you find a white you are happy with, here's a trick you can use.

This assumes you have a cooldown station right after your flash:
1) Grab a high tension high mesh screen.  Expose it without an image.  Put this in the open head right after your flash.
2) Use a hard 70/90/70, 80 or 90 durometer blade (I find 80 works best).  Add a small amount of clear or scrap ink to your screen as a lubricant. 
3) Now when your white comes out from under the flash unit, do a hard print stroke.  This will help to smooth out any imperfections in your print. If you find the white is a bit tacky, use a lubricant/silicone spray of choice on the bottom of the screen.  If you are using a good "fast flashing" white, a lubricant spray should not be necessary.

We are essentially "heat pressing" the base white.  Done correctly you will not loose any of the brightness or detail in the print.  I have seen many side by side examples of both multicolor spot prints and high end sim-process done this way.  These result in a far superior print.

Good luck with your search!

thanx Colin!

where's a Karma button when you need one?

pierre

[woodrow]

Add a piece of Teflon to the back of the exposed screen, glued and taped! We print on 100% cotton (or anymore close to it) open weave garments and to keep the fibrilation down and because you can take pressure off the other screens, (pressure marks) are minimized!!

[tonypep]

The "corduroy" look is a tell that it could be the old teflon trick. But for ultra smooth white discharge UB or a 80/20 base-white ratio UB works on most cotton reactive dyed fabrics.
tp

[LuxInks]

Thank you for all of your input, I really appreciate it. I've spoken to a couple of people on the phone about improving the print and it's worked out nicely. Sonny from Xenon is sending us out some double bevel squeegies to give a try, and I think that will help as well.
After we get the sqeegies and some of that Xenon white, I'll be sure to let you know how it all works.
Thanks again.
Paul