Multicolor print registration

[starchild]

Hey guys, I'm getting ready to purchase a vastex vacuum pallet tomorrow and was hoping for suggestions on
registration guides for multicolor prints. (I want to try my hand at plastisol and water-based heat transfers)

I was thinking of fabricating my own using razor blade thin metal strips and screwing it down into the holes on the pallet. Two at the top and one at the side. Kind of a three point registration. Any suggestions?

Oh and would you guys recommend using my temperature controlled flash unit to flash the inks? That way, not having to run it down the dryer, will eliminate the whole registration issues because I won't have to reset the paper position for the next print stroke.

Thanx

[Dottonedan]

I'd like to help, but I don't have much exp in that area.  Hoping someone will drive by soon to give you some help.

[ebscreen]

Never heard of waterbased transfers, can you point to a link about this? I'm intrigued.

Yes, three point registration. You can use just about anything. Permanent would be good
if you are always printing same size sheets and don't need to move your layout at all. Otherwise
a couple pieces of tape layered works as well.

I tried using a flash once to do what you are describing. It didn't work. i would either under cure
and the next layer would peel the first layer off, or overcure and shrink the paper a bunch.
That said, I didn't try that hard. Not a transfer guy by any means.

In my original copy of "How to Print shirts and Irritate People" they described using a backlit
transparent vacuum table to align additional colors correctly. Seemed neat.

[tonypep]

Not aware of waterbase transfer technology. Don't think it exists

[starchild]

Duratex from Lancer Group is a water-based heat transfer system
http://www.lancergroup.com/lancer/ink_catalog/heat_transfer/catalog4k.html

I'm hoping to become proficient using their 900/hotsplit, 600SS/four color both with the 908 first down (It enables the use of higher mesh counts) series. As well as the Duratex for one color prints

[starchild]

I read a heat transfer article in Printwear Mag some time ago and they mentioned water-based heat transfer's growing
popularity. But if you guys are on the cutting edge and never heard of it, then that gives me pause about getting into it
because this is where I come for support after all :-/

[Frog]

Don't give up yet. We have a couple of transfer printers as members.

[ebscreen]

Looks like you put an adhesive down last. Interesting.

Any particular reason you'd be wanting to get into waterbased transfers?
Looks like a lot of effort with little benefit over standard plastisol.

[tonypep]

Thats interesting.

[ScreenFoo]

Saw a couple threads on TSF a while back--http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t5167.html
and http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing/t176243.html

Looks like water base (as is often the case) is a somewhat misleading term--I'm guessing these are high solids acrylic based inks, or 'rubber base' inks used to bind...

[starchild]

Looks like you put an adhesive down last. Interesting.

Any particular reason you'd be wanting to get into waterbased transfers?
Looks like a lot of effort with little benefit over standard plastisol.

A kids line, soft hand, labels, new product offering..

[starchild]

Saw a couple threads on TSF a while back--http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t5167.html
and http://www.t-shirtforums.com/screen-printing/t176243.html

Looks like water base (as is often the case) is a somewhat misleading term--I'm guessing these are high solids acrylic based inks, or 'rubber base' inks used to bind...

Now that's an interesting thread. Terminator voice- I'll be back!

[ebscreen]

And I'd imagine the adhesive used isn't going to be very softhand either.

The original offset/litho transfers in the 70's were those Star Wars type ones. Superheavy.

[starchild]

Hey guys, this is a follow up link to Foo's links-

How to print water-based heat transfers from Stitches Magazine
http://web.archive.org/web/20040822153305/http://stitches.com/mag/apparel_environmentfriendly/

[ebscreen]

Pretty much why machine manufacturers should stick to machine manufacturing and only write articles
on machine manufacturing. Crossing HIX off the list...