Bandana printing

[Du Manchu]

I've got about 400 bandanas to print this afternoon.  The material is nice and smooth, but thin. I'm concerned about pushing ink through to the pallet, and the ugliness of the opposite side of fabric. 

1 color white on dark fabric.  I'll burn a base and a highlight screen.

So......would you burn the base as a higher mesh 200-230 and print at a higher pressure to accomodate OR a 156, and print with as little pressure as possible.  (Then a flash and I'm guessing a 156 mesh highlight). 

Any opinions out there?

Dewey

[tonypep]

I'd try a low bleed white 110 mesh med duro sqg first

[jason-23]

I would run a higher mesh with thinned out ink and test, test, test...

[Sbrem]

I would tell the customer that it's going to bleed through. It's never stopped one of my customers. If you do go the flash route, be sure your flash can cover
the entire bandana...

Steve

[tonypep]

Good point Steve

[kingscreen]

I'd try a low bleed white 110 mesh med duro sqg first

Second.

[Du Manchu]

Indeed, the customer knows of the potential.  This is really a larger question about underbases, as I am wanting to get away from pushing ink to the inside of shirts, but the lower pressures produce less ideal prints.

Was the "second" to Steve's comments regarding informing the custy, or the flash covering the entire bandana?  If the flash, what is the concern (that I am apparently not considering) ?  Pallets are 16x20, bandana is 20x20.



Thanks....again.
Dewey

[Sbrem]

Dewey, if you can't flash the whole design, it's still wet on the edges when you make the second print. Might be trouble. If your flash is 16", are you getting a full 16" of useable heat? Your design will have to be 16" square or under... Also, I've printed tens of thousands of bandanas, and they are very thin; I don't see how you can avoid the bleed through. More importantly, I've always used waterbase ink for those, so they're soft. Who would want 2 layers of plastic on their bandanas? I do understand your concern for the technique for the t's, but bandanas are a different animal altogether... Good luck with it my friend.

Steve

[Du Manchu]

Success !

For me it is was tight 196 mesh.  2 strokes. 70/90/70 duro and about 26lbs psi.  No push through and pretty nice hand.

Man, do I ever like that smooth fabric and easy load factor.

Thanks-Dewey