straining DC ink

[ericheartsu]

anyone here mixing then straining their ink? if so what type of strainer are you using to catch those unmixing pigment colors?!

[screenprintguy]

never have done that. Why would you think you should strain it? What ink are you using? 8 discharge jobs done so far today alone, not one booger in the ink, cci D-base, cci D-white, never a problem. "I never add white pigment, it is a waste of time", D-white 5% activator all day long.

[ericheartsu]

never have done that. Why would you think you should strain it? What ink are you using? 8 discharge jobs done so far today alone, not one booger in the ink, cci D-base, cci D-white, never a problem. "I never add white pigment, it is a waste of time", D-white 5% activator all day long.

been working on a print all day, red and blue sericol, white CCI dwhite. 3% in the colors, 4% in the white, and these weird streaks appear in the screen, blocking out the print, almost like dried up ink.

[ebscreen]

Yep, we use hop bags from the local homebrew supply.

Haven't found a way around it, yet. Dried pigment is the worst.
And certain colors are worse at it than others.

Rutland would like to hear about it if anyone finds a solution.

[Inkworks]

Take a chunk of 156 mesh or there-abouts and strain through that. then work on eliminating the problem not fixing after the fact.

95% of the time it's the white pigment, never add pigment after activating if you can avoid it, if you have to, mix the pigment with a little water first, that worked for us.

[screenprintguy]

that's weird, we never have that issue any more after getting away from Matusi and going CCI white. Maybe, one thing we do, do, is add 2% printgen to all of the mixes. It's a silicone liquid that's supposed to prevent coagulation and drying in the screen and must work because we never have this issue. Unless someone tries to grab some left over mix from the day before, then any of the dried crap on the edges falls in the mix, so I try to make sure it all gets dumped in the crap bucket to avoid re-use like that. I know the Matsui white was awful and used to chunk up on us all the time, but the CCI has been awesome. we also mix highspeed with a drill, not sure if that has anything to do with the success we have with our mixes. Just mixed up a gallon of D-white, and yellow for a run we are about to start and thought about trying to strain it but, I figure I'd just make a mess and haven't seen the need so far. You aren't adding and white pigment to your mixes are you? I just use the D-white for any mix that calls for white. Tossed out any white pigment we had, it was too problematic and a waste of time, never makes the d-white any whiter, just creates a friggen hassle.

[ericheartsu]

that's weird, we never have that issue any more after getting away from Matusi and going CCI white. Maybe, one thing we do, do, is add 2% printgen to all of the mixes. It's a silicone liquid that's supposed to prevent coagulation and drying in the screen and must work because we never have this issue. Unless someone tries to grab some left over mix from the day before, then any of the dried crap on the edges falls in the mix, so I try to make sure it all gets dumped in the crap bucket to avoid re-use like that. I know the Matsui white was awful and used to chunk up on us all the time, but the CCI has been awesome. we also mix highspeed with a drill, not sure if that has anything to do with the success we have with our mixes. Just mixed up a gallon of D-white, and yellow for a run we are about to start and thought about trying to strain it but, I figure I'd just make a mess and haven't seen the need so far. You aren't adding and white pigment to your mixes are you? I just use the D-white for any mix that calls for white. Tossed out any white pigment we had, it was too problematic and a waste of time, never makes the d-white any whiter, just creates a friggen hassle.

nope just using straight from the bucket. aside from the extender base from sericol and from CCI. It's weird, maybe it's not the pigments, maybe it's the ink drying up on the screen, but it shouldn't be.

How are you mixing it with a power drill? doesn't it just spill everywhere?

[tonypep]

In 25 ys w/DC never done it even in the bad old days

[screenprintguy]

Funny enough, we had bought a few used batter mixers, with those came all the actual mixing tips, they work great for mixing wb inks, so I just put the batter mixer, you know like the oldschool one your mom would mix up pancake mix with on a drill, happen to be using 24 volt batter ryobe drill, high speed, mix it up. Always use a mix cup larger than the quantity you are mixing and you wont' splatter.  You should not have to strain your ink, that's not good, something is up with what's going on. I mean, this run we did last night till almost midnight, ink in the screens for a few hours and now seizing in the mesh, even for a short pit stop, and even at the end of the run, no chunks built up anywhere in the screens. Humidity yesterday and last night in here was 50%. Like I said, maybe the printgen helps not sure, but for us, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, so I always add 2% printgen to any  mix for orders over 100 pieces .

[kingscreen]

We have simply stopped using CCI's mixing white. Problem solved.

[ebscreen]

Maybe it's Rutland and their super concentrated pigments but even if you wipe every last
drop up and close the flip cap immediately and have a shaman do a ceremony over the damn thing
the black pigment is going to dry inside the bottle where exposed to air.

Cheap insurance here, not unlike degreasing.

[screenprintguy]

Maybe it's Rutland and their super concentrated pigments but even if you wipe every last
drop up and close the flip cap immediately and have a shaman do a ceremony over the damn thing
the black pigment is going to dry inside the bottle where exposed to air.

Cheap insurance here, not unlike degreasing.

Shaman doing a dance, that's friggin awesome dude!!!!!