Green Galaxy...

[alan802]

I know I lurked about a year before I started talking.  I do that with other forums I belong to in other interests of mine.  I don't say much because I don't know much and have very little to offer.  Some things never change.

[TCT]

I don't say much because I don't know much and have very little to offer.  Some things never change.

You must be off your rocker!!!!! When I think of "who would know this answer"(aside from me of course) you, Alan are in the top 5. You seem to have EVERYTHING mapped down! Something I know I need to do more of! When everyone is posting their gains, all I could say is "we are up". I am not a figures person, seat of my pants is how I have always been. You sir are a numbers, EXACT numbers man! You know plenty.

Now that I have buttered you up, want to go on a dinner date friday?

[mimosatexas]

I definitely give weight to what Alan says, due mostly to the fact that when he does post it is with purpose and he supports his positions with detailed posts, even if you disagree or have had different results trying the same things.

I lurked for a short time before joining.  It was just too obvious that I would learn a lot by being an active part of the forum.  I know at the moment I still ask a lot more questions than I answer, but I do try to help when I can.  I feel a lot more confident moving forward with my business knowing I can ask seasoned printers like y'all questions when I need help, and hopefully I can pass the torch along one of these days.

TSF is full of short worthless threads, but there is some gold on that forum if you know what to look for and how to skip the "herp derp" posts.  I'm hoping the new DIY subforum replaces the need to go there to ask for feedback on certain projects, but I see no harm in using every resource available (with caution of course!).

[GreenGalaxy]

The Inks are 3 roll milled to have a small evenly distributed particle size so printing through finer mesh is recommended.  The small particles sitting close together help with matting down fibres and creating better coverage.  Finer mesh will reduce gloss look on the plastisol and solve other minor print issues.  It is because it is designed to print easily through coarse and fine mesh alike that the viscosity is where it is at.  However you will notice it holds its viscosity well even through long runs.  This ink will feel a little different then you are used to but will perform very well and have a great hand and finnish.  Don't judge the ink from the viscosity!           

[Colin]

The print was through a 150 S mesh.  Standard mesh for underbasing.

Oh, and I was the Ink Tech/Technical Sales/R&D guy at QCM before Rutland purchased them.  I am familiar with 3 roll mills, we had 4 of them. 

The ink I sampled was too low in visc/centipoids.  It also has a higher after flash tack than is necessary/wanted.  It acted like a plasticiser add was made in production that may have changed it's behavior beyond what you have it speced as.  Also, the gloss... there are other additives at work on that.

My review is for the individual gallon of plastisol white I was given to sample.

[ebscreen]

Out of curiosity is it the pigments in the ink that are responsible for fiber matte down? Seems to me it
would be more of the plastisizer or other fillers that would take care of that. But then again, I'm no ink chemist.

[alan802]

I do appreciate those kind words fellas.  I'm flattered Alex, I don't get many dinner dates these days, especially with other dudes

The only way I could survive in this industry is with the approach I take.  I have not one artistic bone in my body and everything I do has to have a number to it.  That's one of the reasons why I liked the RPM so much, it gave me hard numbers for all the major settings and it fits my way of thinking.  I need things to be given to me in concrete numbers like a screen at 30 newtons will perform well on an auto with 1/16" off contact or a 123/55 will deposit 15% more ink than a 156/64 with the same duro blades and angles.  I never did well with the advice I read that said things like "use light pressure with no angle with very little off contact."

[GreenGalaxy]

I thank you for feedback and will take it into account.  I would say there are a combination of factors that affect fibre matt down but having an ink that is really well milled and small particle size in a high concentration will help as the white pigment sits so close together.  All shops are different and want different characteristics so if you have any left over try it through a 230 mesh in comparison to the ink you are using.  Is it is Rutland? 

[TCT]

 I'm flattered Alex, I don't get many dinner dates these days, especially with other dudes

Ohhhhhhhh ya, about that..... I forgot I am not in Texas, maybe some other time? I just didn't want you sitting waiting next to the phone....

[alan802]

 I'm flattered Alex, I don't get many dinner dates these days, especially with other dudes

Ohhhhhhhh ya, about that..... I forgot I am not in Texas, maybe some other time? I just didn't want you sitting waiting next to the phone....

Damn, yeah another time will be good.  It will give me more time to get down to my fighting weight.

[Colin]

Out of curiosity is it the pigments in the ink that are responsible for fiber matte down? Seems to me it
would be more of the plastisizer or other fillers that would take care of that. But then again, I'm no ink chemist.

It is the resin/filler that has the most to do with fiber matte.  Then the body of the ink comes into play.... it has to have some physical structure to it.  It can has a low viscocity/high shear and still have good body.  These inks are typically shorter bodied with varying degrees of squeegee climb.

If the ink has high shear/low viscocity and is on the runny side..... the fiber matter goes down the drain.  These inks typically flood easily and will run out the side/pool a little when sitting.

Fiber matte characteristics are most evident on standard 6.1 oz cotton shirts.  Ringspun is another - wonderful - story.  It is much easier to achieve a smooth print on good fabric.

If I get a sample from another production batch, I am more than happy to give it a shot.  We are still looking for a really good - Consistant - cotton white.

[GreenGalaxy]

I will talk to Nick to see if we can get something over to you.   

[ebscreen]

It's funny that you mentioned the inconsistency of the SF white Colin. I hadn't run into that issue at
all until we opened the newest five of LB. Ugh.

Out of curiosity again, what is a typical batch size for plastisol? I'm sure it varies between the major players
and the boutique type inks, but what are we talkin here, 100 lbs at a time? 5000?

[Colin]

I know at QCM we made 150 gallon batches on average, for whites. 

at an average of 12 lbs per gallon that's.... 1800 lbs.

As I understand it, Rutland, International Coatings, etc have production capacity of 1000 to 2000 gallons of plastisol per batch.  Not knowing their actual production runs.....  that still adds up to a lot of weight

[Northland]

Anyone tried the Meteor or the Comet?  Video looks promising and the price is right?

Here's a quick review of Meteor...

White ink review

White ink review part 2