TSB
screen printing => General Screen Printing => Topic started by: Ripcord on March 09, 2012, 10:03:42 AM
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I've printed on 100% poly using poly ink numerous times without a problem, but twice I have had issues. One time the fabric dye bleeded into the ink, even though I used the correct ink. The other time it was white shirts with red trim, and the ink from the trim bleeded into the white. fabric.
So whenever somebody wants me to print on 100% poly I warn them that there is a possibility of bleeding and I try to discourage them from using it. I can't help thinking it sounds kind of lame telling a customer that I don't know whether there will be a problem or not, and the only way to find out is to print the job, and that I can't be liable for bleeding if it happns because it's beyond my control. I'm supposed to know what I'm doing (as far as they are concerned...)
Many of those jerseys cost $15 or more and I'm nervous about doing an order of 30-40 of them. No matter what disclaimer I have, if they bleed the customer is going to want to return them.
Just wondering how you guys handle this problem with your customers.
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We try to control our heat and time in tunnel. We've switched to the Wilflex ink that cures at 290 - performance something.....
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Rip's question was more about the issue of financial responsibility than the technicalities of printing possible problem garments.
I think that the short answer is when we make a mark-up on a garment, any problems with that garment are our responsibility.
With a known problem fabric, a disclaimer would suffice, especially if the customer is shown an example of a disaster.
That, of course, does open the door to our skill level being judged negatively if, in fact, another shop has it down. There are, after all, inks designed to block this migration, or at least greatly increase one's chances for success.
If one hardly ever sees these, turn the job down. Otherwise, master it.
Myself, I haven't printed white on a red 50/50 in close to twenty years, and use heat seal film whenever practical on poly jerseys now.
Even then, problems can arise and there is even a special "low bleed" white available from, I think, Siser
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We stand behind what we do and if we gas an order i would expect that we would redo it. We had a problem with black ST350s last year. Stayed well within Hanes specs and the white ink still turned light blue - days after they were shipped. We didn't have to rerun the order but i did have a long talk with the owner a few weeks ago and kept the client.
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Thats good to know on the ST350's. I have just started printing a bunch of those.
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We try to control our heat and time in tunnel. We've switched to the Wilflex ink that cures at 290 - performance something.....
You are correct! Wilflex Performance white does the trick EVERYTIME! I use it on all 100% poly garments.