First time 7 col. wet on wet

[Rockers]

We are about to do our first 7 color job on our new automatic. It`s a run of 1000 pcs on white tees. just wondering if someone would like to offer some advise on how to get this done. Would you generally try to print it all wet on wet or flash once? I assume we don`t ad any trap to any of the colors, right? Have a look at the art and let me know what you think. Oh all frames are roller frames 166 mesh at around 40N.

[inkstain]

I'm curious to know as well.
My new auto is being installed at the moment so I wouldn't be able to give you my two cents.

[alan802]

Depending on the inks you're using, the 166's will probably put down too much ink and build up quickly.  I would throw a flash right in the middle of it.  Print the smallest images first, then flash after 3-4 screens then print the rest.  I'd go up in mesh count to a 205N if you have roller mesh.  If you have some really good wet on wet inks, you might get by with the 166's but they all better be damn good wow inks.  If you have image sizes that are all the same size, go from lightest to darkest and since the yellow is consumes a large area, do it next to last then the black.  Black ink is usually the worst at buildup, yellow shouldn't be that bad.

[3Deep]

Alan gave you some good advice the only thing for me would be ink cover on white Tees with a high mesh count, but that deals with the weave of the shirts your printing on allso.  Everything Alan said about print order and flash I agree with.

Darryl

[Rockers]

Depending on the inks you're using, the 166's will probably put down too much ink and build up quickly.  I would throw a flash right in the middle of it.  Print the smallest images first, then flash after 3-4 screens then print the rest.  I'd go up in mesh count to a 205N if you have roller mesh.  If you have some really good wet on wet inks, you might get by with the 166's but they all better be damn good wow inks.  If you have image sizes that are all the same size, go from lightest to darkest and since the yellow is consumes a large area, do it next to last then the black.  Black ink is usually the worst at buildup, yellow shouldn't be that bad.

Thanks Alan, I appreciate the advice. I have 3 205 screens and 1 230 screen I can use for this job. The other 3 colors will have to go on 166 screens. Using QCM inks with softee base. Unfortunately the shirts are some cheap light weight tees, it`s almost like printing directly on the pallet.

[alan802]

Is it xolb with softee?  I sure hope not , not a good combo for wow printing I'm afraid, I wish I had better news.  But maybe more ink will got into and through the shirt and not onto the next screen since they are wet t-shirt rags.  Good luck and let us know how it turned out with the buildup, I'd like to kkow if you had any issues and if you didn't, it would be good for others to see.  I have never had an xolb not build up like crazy but let's hope you have better luck.

[Dottonedan]

Just a side note on using low mesh with no other choices available.


You can cut your ink laydown almost in half by altering your procedure of laying the ink down.


Your goal is to print the ink on TOP of the shirt. You want to slice the ink onto the shirt...and not drive it in with pressure. This is much easier on an auto.


1, Use the hard squeegee like a 70 at minimum.


2, Use a squeegee angle that is almost vertical.


3  Start at the beginning on pressure. Back off of the pressure so that it does not clear the screen. Then, use only enough pressure to finally clear the screen properly. No more than that. This should always be a starting point until you get a good feel where where it can start on your pressure settings/gauges.


All of that should allow you to lay down the least amount it ink.


Stroke speed is another factor that can reduce or increase ink laydown.

[IntegrityShirts]

Is it xolb with softee?  I sure hope not , not a good combo for wow printing I'm afraid, I wish I had better news.  But maybe more ink will got into and through the shirt and not onto the next screen since they are wet t-shirt rags.  Good luck and let us know how it turned out with the buildup, I'd like to kkow if you had any issues and if you didn't, it would be good for others to see.  I have never had an xolb not build up like crazy but let's hope you have better luck.

Biiiig +1 to this.  XOLB inks will never print wet on wet well.  Build up is inevitable even with reducer or softee base.

[Mr Tees!!]

...one thing you can do is print any colors that do not actually butt-register one another in a row, and then flash those. Thats usually why images are flashed before the black. Maybe try all the colors, but print that big-ass circle last. Then flash, then black. I would use higher-mesh screens for the lighter colors too, and definitely for that big circle.