Printing on ribbed tank-top

[Denis Kolar]

I will be printing on a ribbed tank-top for a first time. I have bought stretch additive and I know that the tanks should be slightly stretched when printing.

Could someone shed more light on how much to stretch the shirts and how much of additive to add in the ink. I will be printing with QCM XOLB 158 and with WM Plastics HO Flo Pink on a top of the white. Do I need to add additive to both inks or just a white? It will be printed on a black tank-top from Boxercraft.

Any other pointers will be appreciated.

Thanks

[Denis Kolar]

BTW, I do not know does it matter, but I have Wilflex stretch additive, Maybe Erin can chime in on the amount of it.

[Fresh Baked Printing]

I can't speak to the inks you're using specifically but I print on ribbed tanks several times a year using Union plastisol with no additives. Customer is happy each time.

[Denis Kolar]

I can't speak to the inks you're using specifically but I print on ribbed tanks several times a year using Union plastisol with no additives. Customer is happy each time.

I'll take this with a reserve...........
Because 50% of the time you are 100% right.

[Clark]

I print on them all of the time.  I never add additives for ribbed tanks, only for stretch under armour type garments.

[JBLUE]

I print them all the time as well with no additive. I dont like to but I do. I do a lot of transparent inks on them for a different look as well. You dont want to stretch them to far otherwise the image is distorted after you pull it off the pallet. Since most women are not as flat as a pallet it wont stretch back out the same way.

[Scobey Peterman]

If you are going to add an additive about 8 to 10% would seem are.

[Colin]

Hopefully Erin will chime in with the Wilflex recomendations for the percentage of stretch ink you want to add into the XOLB-158.

A side note.  Stretch additive is actually a finished ink and can be printed and cured by itself.  You can also add pigment to it if wanted.

I know with QCM's additive and most others I've seen it's about 1/3 stretch to 2/3 ink for colors and almost 50/50 for white inks.  The extra % in white is due to white inks typically having more "stuff" in them than standard colors. 

Now you do not have to add that much to your ink.  You can add as little as 10% if you just need a bit more stretch to the print.  The amount you want to add is dependant on how big the print is and how much it will "stretch" over the wearer.... yes we all know who orders that womens small.

Also, not all ribbed tanks stretch the same.  Some will stretch for days while others will have a quick finite stretch point.  That will also help you determine how much stretch you need.

[Denis Kolar]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback.

Colin, it is a 2/1 rib tank-top, the one with "courser" ribs and it is a pretty stretchy.
I will start with about 10% and see where it goes.

Any other pointers...anybody.... or that is all that is different with ribbed tank-tops.

[Frog]

Best pointer I give, is what I usually say, "I don't recommend these particular shirts". If they insist on ribs, I try to search out baby ribs, and still give the disclaimer that some designs work better than others because of the difficulty of holding a nice smooth edge, especially on diagonal fine lines.

[JBLUE]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback.

Colin, it is a 2/1 rib tank-top, the one with "courser" ribs and it is a pretty stretchy.
I will start with about 10% and see where it goes.

Any other pointers...anybody.... or that is all that is different with ribbed tank-tops.

Just buy a few extra. You are going to have a few F'ups. Watch your dot gain because you will have to get ink down in the valleys that are there from the ribs. Post up some pics when your done.

[RICK STEFANICK]

athletic series inks work excellent also if you dont have any stretch additive...

[Denis Kolar]

Just buy a few extra. You are going to have a few F'ups. Watch your dot gain because you will have to get ink down in the valleys that are there from the ribs. Post up some pics when your done.

There will be no pics
Came out horrible. Sandpaper seams smoother than those shirts.
It is solid lettering (pretty big, about 2.5" tall) printing white through 156 mesh and then HO FLO pink on a to of it through 156 mesh too.

I might change the design and do something else.

[shellyky]

i hate ribbed tanks--i was never able to do any that i felt "ok" with manually--the auto can give me results that the customer is happy with, but in the end, when they always want some giant filled in design on these things, its never going to look like what is in pacsun because those things are waterbase most likely and they generally use some broken up splat, negative space-type design which is more suitable for this kind....  Like Frog said, "i dont recommend these"...i try to push people to get the Bella 8770 or the non-racerback version which i can't remember the model of.  they're smooth, soft, longer fit and trendy--im wearing one right now. lol  I also have never used stretch additive.  i just stretch them over standard pallet which is usually about the size the woman will be when wearing it so even though it might looks weird laying on the table, it should look fine when put on--but im no expert, i just hate these things LOL