Danged Zombies Anyhow.....

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

I have been visited, once again, by The Dreaded Zombie Skin™ and it isn't one bit funny.

I've not seen it for a long while, but I admit I had a fan running. (Gauntlet in manual mode, single operator, once around.)

1st Screen 235/40 Mesh, Double Stroked CCI D-White with 3% Printgen MG (retarder), 6% ZFS Activator, and a little water.
2nd Screen 60 (Standard) Mesh Foil Adhesive (I was out of 110, the only other screen I use for Foil Adhesive)
---Flash---
3rd Screen 110 (Standard) Mesh Foil Adhesive identical to screen #2. I've never been successful with foiling without PFP'ing.

All emulsion was CCI WR-25. (It's possible the 2nd screen was under exposed, but I doubt it. I THINK..... I've seen under exposure contribute to Zombie Skin.)

It's hard to photograph with a crummy phone, but you can see that the WB DC ink transferred to the 2nd plate, partially dried there, and it is that build-up under the stencil that transferred back to the image--in rubbery bits and pieces.

Violla! Zombie Skin, and pretty quick too...say...about the 20th shirt.  Not good.....

[mimosatexas]

That is some crazy buildup!

Get some silicone spray to hold it off a little longer (bandaid).  Lower your activator if you can.  I usually use 4% in my CCI white as of late and it is working fine.  Might try more squeegee pressure as well to push the ink further into the shirt so less of it can lift up.

[Screened Gear]

I always print d-white last. I also add clear base to it (up to 20%). Doesn't effect the brightness much but does give a softer prewash feel. My clients freak when they feel that chalky thick white. It also is thinner so it will not build up as much. Your problem here has to be heat.

If you have to print d-white first I would flash it after you print it. This way it will not build up.

[tonypep]

YES WHITE LAST IN SEQUENCE

[Homer]

yup, put white last like these dudes are saying and it will go away. we had this issue years ago, white was the zombie. but we killed it dead.

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

White last is what I do also......when I CAN...but I don't know how I'd have done this job on the auto. I've only got one flash....An Omni Flash shuttling on head 3.

Before we got the 93 Gauntlet GT-8 (revolver) we did DC UB + FOIL adhesive on the manual and we could "flood back" White Discharge Base and mist the screen. 1st round I would have done the White, and flashed enough to stop the white from "picking up" on the next plate. (or at least very much)

2nd round would be Foil Adhesive, then flash then the 3rd round, foil adhesive through the same screen and then into the tunnel.

It took me a while to trust the Gauntlet doing WB DC but (thanks to Tony!!) I found the mesh "clears" enough to not be such a big problem. You sure can't dink around, but I can print WB alright. And if there are foiled elements, I just burn 2 screens for the adhesive. Once around on the Gauntlet and all that jacking around with invisible ink (adhesive) printing manually is just a distant, but painful memory.

However on this particular job, I don't know how I'd have PFP'd the foil adhesive, and once under the white plate with a single flash. Unless I'd do revolver mode, which is pushing my luck keeping the WB WHITE DC mesh open. 10 indexes sitting idle over warm platens is too much to ask, no??

The foiled element had a "knock out" for a Heat Pressed Glitter Decal which posed no particular problem. This would be a slam dunk with a 2nd flash. I suppose I could raise up the front airlock on another head, and roll another flash under it.

Here's what we were trying for (yawn):

[mimosatexas]

Cool finished product/effect.

I would have printed the foil first, then white, then flashed both at once, then the second foil adhesive.  The foil adhesive building up would be far more forgiving.

[bimmridder]

I swear, I'm not trying to be a smart ass. I don't do WB, but want to one of these days, so I'm trying to learn. Why do you have to do the adhesive PFP?

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

Cool finished product/effect.

I would have printed the foil first, then white, then flashed both at once, then the second foil adhesive.  The foil adhesive building up would be far more forgiving.

Hey!  That just might work! 

There would be no pickup of the waterbased ink AT ALL. With sticky enough shirtboards, that big blob of adhesive might not "pick up" on the 2nd screen...at least not enough to cause a problem. Now that I think of it, the adhesive I use (Wilflex HD 2 Clear) doesn't really "pick up" until it's flashed halfway.

I'm not really seeing much Zombie Skin on other colors of waterbased. The more I can DRIVE the ink into the shirt, the less there is on top, to transfer to subsequent stencils.

Such a simple job to cause so much grief.

Thanks!
Stan



And @ Dave, I just haven't ever been able to lay down enough adhesive deposit to get a reliable foil job without PFP'ing. Al Buffington put me on to using 60mesh screens for only that purpose, but I still have to PFP. It isn't the easiest type of printing to "dial in" because of so many variables of Emulsion Application, Light Source, Adhesives, Brand and even COLOR of foils, etc.

It's been kind of a pain to learn, at least for us.

But we do a little retailing from the front end of our shop, and we focus that part of the store about 85% on Women's fanwear. They know how much we Menfolk are attracted to Shiny Objects, and don't seem to mind paying for it.

Al has helped me learn the Puff/Foil technique and it adds another element of Shiny Object appeal, and a whole 'nother level to dial in. 

Or maybe I'm just stupid.