TIME SENSITIVE: HELP!!!! WHITE IS A DIFFERENT BREED!!!

[Stinkhorn Press]

This may seem like THE most common question to ask about, but I'm having trouble with other colors bleeding with white.  I'm using a manual 6-color press, newman roller screens 166 @30newton+.  4 color (Black, scarlet, light purple and white) design with butt registration on ash (no need for two hit white), and I have tried everything I can think of to reduce the bleeding, but after 6-12 shirts, there are definite migrations between the colors and white happening.  I have used an additive to reduce bleeding during wet-on-wet screen printing, made by OneStroke called Baby Soft Base. Raising my off contact doesn't improve things, neither does lowering it.  I'd like to get this all done wet-on-wet in one round instead of what I have resorted to now, which is, hitting red purple black, flash, then a round of white before hitting the dryer.  Please, if there are any tips I may be missing out on that would help me, I'm open to hearing them.  I am relatively new to this game and would appreciate some guidance.  Also, if it is simply the change in what white I use, I'd be also open to hearing opinions on white inks that minimally bleed/migrate as well as what we call, "ghosting", or "trailing".  Thank you.

Equipment:
Roto-Tex II 6-color Press
Newman Roller 166 @30newton+
Square edge Squeegees by Multicraft @ 45-60 degree angle
Hit rotation:
Light Purple Rutland
Black 480 OneStroke
Scarlet Rutland
FLASH
Hybrid White OneStroke
 Any other info you need, just let me know and I'll try to accomodate!!! Thanks again!

[jason-23]

can you post a picture of the problem?

[blue moon]

I am going to guess here as manual printing is not my forte, but when it's happening on the auto it is usually a consequence of bad registration or too much pressure on the stroke.

So, check your registration first and then lower your off contact and don't push as hard. If you have to push hard to clear, try reducing your ink.

Hopefully somebody else can chime in and correct/add/improve on my suggestions .. .

pierre

[Sbrem]

Good choices, Pierre. Otherwise, it doesn't make sense at all. He's got everything right so that it should work, but I'm also thinking too much pressure, and could also consider standing the blades up a little more.  I would think 45° would be pushing ink out the sides... what's the durometer of the squeegees?

Steve

[ScreenFoo]

I'm missing something in the description--I don't see how you could get the colors to mix with the white if you're flashing all the colors before you hit the white. 

Are you sure the ink is gelled before you're putting down the white?  If it's just barely gelled and you're using way too much pressure I could see what you're describing happening.

[JBLUE]

Any flashing involved? It would be nice to see a pic.

[Frog]

Yes he flashes after the three other colors before the white.

Stinky, as others have said, can you post the design?
It might help, and it could certainly help with the suggestion that I will make,
sometimes, simply changing the order can make a big difference.

[jason-23]

or flash every color...

[Ryan]

if white is the problem why not print the white-FLASH-and then the 3 color after. when I print manually I will either flash between everything or print colors that don't butt up to eachother wet on wet and then flash. I think with out seeing the actual art or print, we are stuck to what we imagine is going on

[whitewater]

I'm taking he is flashing now, but does not want to flash...

im thinking even with the butt regi, something from each color has got to be overlapping for this to happen, correct...I would just keep printing the way he is now with the one flash..

yeah, pressure and angle...

[whitewater]

I'm taking he is flashing now, but does not want to flash...

im thinking even with the butt regi, something from each color has got to be overlapping for this to happen, correct...I would just keep printing the way he is now with the one flash..

yeah, pressure and angle...

[Sbrem]

Still, how the hell are the first 3 colors bleeding into the white if they are flashed? I think we need to see a picture...

Steve

[ebscreen]

He's saying that when he doesn't flash, it bleeds. And he doesn't want to flash, which is understandable,
but in this case, apparently necessary.

[Stinkhorn Press]

Hello, Drew here - Kris forgot to log me out and sign in as himself -

quick update: we got closer -
Yes, the idea was to attempt to have zero flashes required - one flash only was decent, but it takes away the ability to have a loader/unloader at that point.

I printed for a couple of hours - reduced the OC, tightened up registration (was probably tight before, but we print at different angles, so it always needs moved between printers). Removed the white and added a large amount of babysoft base. Removed the red and did the same. White printed better, red was still super sticky so I decided to print it last - purple, black, white, red. Image wasn't quite as sharp after 25 shirts with no wipe-down, but was holding decently. (you and I can see it clear as day, I doubt the customer could pick up the difference)

Also noticed when comparing the shirts that the Red in the art got bumped up and so it's either re-burn the red screen right of just go back to 3 colors WoW ending in red, followed by a flash and then the one white hit.

We've never tried to print anything but registered wow and so even getting to this point is an improvement over where we've been. Thanks for all the help so dar, maybe tomorrow we can get some shots taken (if we can figure out what was what...)

[Homer]

sounds like your putting too much ink down, go to a harder squeegie and/or bump up the mesh counts. red is a "sticky" color as is yellow. since you printing wow you can undercut each color by a point or so and when you print, you'll actually fill that point in with smushing the next color.

your inks - are they high opacity by any chance?